Local News and Opinion from The Berkeley Daily Planet

News Updates

Building Boom Continues in Downtown Berkeley

By Richard Brenneman

Tuesday August 05, 2008

The business of building is still booming, at least for the moment, in the heart of downtown Berkeley. -more-

Cody’s Won’t Refund Customer Gift Vouchers

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Tuesday August 05, 2008

Cody’s Books, which closed down forever on June 20 and is currently in the process of liquidating all its assets, will not provide any books or refunds to customers with store credit, according to company officials. -more-

City Workers Vote for 13.5 Percent Raises and Bonuses for Longevity

By Judith Scherr

Tuesday August 05, 2008

City Manager Phil Kamlarz talks about belt-tightening and eliminating vacant positions in these hard budget times. Still, city workers-many of them, at least-won't be dining on bread and water, according to reports received by the Daily Planet. -more-

City Discusses Helmet Enforcement for Berkeley Skate Park Users

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Monday August 04, 2008

Berkeley has long had a law mandating skateboarders to helmets and other protective gear, but it has been ignored, largely due to enforcement limitations. -more-

Decades-Old Nolo Press Might Move Out of West Berkeley

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Saturday August 02, 2008

Nolo Press, which has operated out of a renovated clock factory in West Berkeley for the last 30 years, plans to move from its location at Ninth Street and might relocate from Berkeley altogether, company officials said Friday. -more-

Silence Plus Torture Equals Complicity, Billboard Says

By Judith Scherr

Friday August 01, 2008

Peace activists have taken a page from the book of Budweiser and—in addition to using the web and other modern means—are spreading their message by old fashioned billboard advertising. -more-

Oakland Councilmember Files Lawsuit Against Chronicle Columnist Over Corruption Allegations

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Friday August 01, 2008

Oakland City Councilmember Desley Brooks has filed a defamation lawsuit against the San Francisco Chronicle and its East Bay columnist, Chip Johnson, over an item written about her by Johnson in a June 24 column. The lawsuit, filed in Superior Court in Oakland on Tuesday, alleges that the June 24 column item “began a campaign [by Chip Johnson] to smear and defame the reputation of Desley Brooks.” -more-

Commission High-Rise Vote Calls for Point Tower Study

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday July 31, 2008

The ongoing struggle over the shape of Berkeley’s future skyline gained a higher profile during a lengthy session of the city Planning Commission on Wednesday night. -more-

Extended Stay Comes to Downtown Berkeley

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 31, 2008

Visitors, business travelers and international students at UC Berkeley might be able to soon stay in the city for up to a year without having to worry about signing leases or dealing with fussy landlords. -more-

News

Council Declines to Appeal UC Lawsuit

By Judith Scherr and Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 31, 2008

Despite pleas and arguments for an appeal of the city’s lawsuit against the university by an overflow crowd last Thursday evening in the Berkeley City Council Chambers, the council went behind closed doors and “decided not to take action,” according to Mayor Tom Bates, who reported the action to the public. -more-

Stadium Appeal Halts Construction for Now

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday July 31, 2008

The legal battle over the grove where tree-sitters and a now-threatened injunction have stymied UC Berkeley’s growth plans has entered a new forum—minus, for now, one litigant. -more-

Public Asks How Council Voted in Closed Session

By Judith Scherr

Thursday July 31, 2008

The public doesn’t know exactly what the Berkeley City Council voted on at last Thursday’s closed-door session. And it doesn’t know how each elected official voted. -more-

Disabled Criticize Restaurant’s Alleged Discrimination Against Employees

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 31, 2008

Disability rights advocates in wheelchairs held a protest Tuesday in front of the downtown Berkeley McDonald’s at University and Shattuck avenues, against what they said was unlawful discrimination against three of its disabled employees. -more-

Cody’s Stock to be Sold to Pay Bank

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 31, 2008

Books and furniture belonging to Cody’s Books, which closed its doors for good on June 20 after 52 years due to dwindling sales, will be sold next week to pay off a Uniform Commercial Code lien in favor of Summit Bank, according to Mindy Galoob, the store’s former general manager. -more-

Summertime and the Election Heats Up

By Judith Scherr

Thursday July 31, 2008

Sunday Convention Will Choose Rent Stabilization Board Slate

By Judith Scherr

Thursday July 31, 2008

Space Once Set Aside for Cinema Will Become Medical Offices

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 31, 2008

BUSD to Unveil Latest Design to Replace Old Gym

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 31, 2008

BUSD to Show West Campus Rehabilitation Plans

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 31, 2008

High School Graduation Rates Mixed

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 31, 2008

Berkeley High Beat: Summer School Is Out

By Rio Bauce

Thursday July 31, 2008

State Party Money Was Key In Hancock-Chan Primary

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday July 31, 2008

Conflicting Agendas Over West Berkeley Project

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday July 31, 2008

Berkeley Robberies Up in July

By Kristin McFarland

Thursday July 31, 2008

First Person: Not a Time to Be a Smoker

By Al Winslow

Thursday July 31, 2008

News Analysis: Why Labor Lost on May Day

By Phil McArdle Special to the Planet

Thursday July 31, 2008

Crusader for Justice: Peter Mutnick, 1949-2008

By Ted Friedman Special to the Planet

Thursday July 31, 2008

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Susan Hanks (left) was one of three disabled workers laid off by the McDonald’s franchise at University and Shattuck avenues in downtown Berkeley. Hanks was joined Tuesday in protesting the restaurant by her brother Larry and his partner Aurora Fox.

Editorials

American Democracy, Ideal Versus Real

By Becky O’Malley

Thursday July 31, 2008

One day this week, much to my surprise, I pledged allegiance, sang the national anthem, and had my picture taken next to an American flag with an immigration service official. Why? one might ask, as I asked myself. Because a friend was being admitted to an exclusive society, becoming a naturalized American citizen, and despite all of our griping about what’s wrong with this country of ours, he thinks it’s great, and so do I. -more-