News Updates

Tilden Carousel Reopens

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday October 14, 2008
After undergoing a $700,000 renovation which lasted nearly nine months, the rare 1911 Herschell-Spillman Menagerie edition merry-go-round has reopened in Tilden Park. -more-

North Oakland Residents as Divided as Berkeley Over Bus Rapid Transit Proposal

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Monday October 13, 2008
While the battle over the North Oakland portion of AC Transit’s proposed Bus Rapid Transit line has not reached the level or volume that it has in neighboring Berkeley, a Saturday morning political forum at Peralta Elementary School showed that the battle lines are drawn around similar issues. -more-

UC Considers Owl Box to Tackle Rats at People’s Park

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Monday October 13, 2008
People’s Park might not get a free clothing box any time soon, but an owl box is more than welcome, especially if it acts as a rat patrol. -more-

Planners Ponder Sustainability During Post-Debate Late Meeting

By Richard Brenneman
Monday October 13, 2008
Meeting an hour later than usual, Berkeley’s planning commissioners will have time to watching the final presidential debate before Wednesday night’s meeting. -more-

Berkeley Cracks Down on Unruly Parties, Second Time in a Year

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday October 10, 2008
Last week, for the second time in a year, the Berkeley Police Department and city officials sent out a letter to 400 restaurants in Berkeley warning them against holding late night parties, which have resulted in fights, gunfire and unruly crowds. -more-

Historic Sather Gate To Get Million Dollar Facelift

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday October 09, 2008
It has weathered the Great Depression, World War II, the McCarthy Era and the Free Speech Movement. -more-


News

Court Orders Maio To Testify Over Loan From Developer

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday October 09, 2008
Controversy over a $45,000 loan from Berkeley’s most controversial developer to City Councilmember Linda Maio and her spouse has resulted in a court order compelling the councilmember’s testimony. -more-

Development Wanes in Wake Of Economic Woes

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday October 09, 2008
Berkeley is feeling the pinch of the current economic slump, with the demand for new housing decreasing, real estate sales declining and developers adopting more of a “wait and watch” policy when it comes to breaking ground on new projects. -more-

Richmond Activists Blast Police Union for ‘Racist’ Flyer

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday October 09, 2008
A rainbow coalition of Richmond activists on Monday demanded that the city’s powerful police union rescind an electoral mailer they described as a racist hit piece. -more-

Police Complaint Hearings Still Must Be Closed

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Thursday October 09, 2008
A California Appeals Court has ruled that the City of Berkeley’s Police Review Commission must continue to exclude the public from complaint hearings against Berkeley police officers, and must continue to bar public access to peace officer personnel records or other records relating to Police Review Commission investigations or findings in such complaints. -more-

Landmarks Commission Approves Mills Act Contracts

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday October 09, 2008
The Landmarks Preservation Commission approved Mills Act contracts Thursday for two historic Berkeley landmarks—the Durant Hotel and the Charles Keeler House. -more-

Alta Bates to Remain, But Herrrick’s Fate in Doubt

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday October 09, 2008

Berkeley in Good Shape for Current State Budget Cuts, but More Cuts May Be Coming

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Thursday October 09, 2008

Doubts Surround Activists’ Claims Of Vandalism of Cal Researchers

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday October 09, 2008

Developer Selects West Berkeley for New Housing Project

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday October 09, 2008

Children’s Hospital Partners With Berkeley High School To Reduce Sports Injuries

By Rio Bauce Special to the Planet
Thursday October 09, 2008

Two Environmentalists Vie For Parks District Vacancy

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday October 09, 2008

Commission Spurns DAPAC Parking, Traffic Proposals

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday October 09, 2008

Dual Tragedy Shocks Residents of Berkeley Apartment Complex

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday October 09, 2008

Three Robberies in an Hour

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday October 09, 2008

Police Blotter

By Ali Winston
Thursday October 09, 2008

School District Receives $400,000 in State Intervention Funds

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday October 09, 2008

North Richmond Neighborhood House organizer Fred Jackson attacks a Richmond police union flyer as racist against Latinos during a press conference Monday as Andres Soto, right, the conference organizer, listens.
Richard Brenneman
North Richmond Neighborhood House organizer Fred Jackson attacks a Richmond police union flyer as racist against Latinos during a press conference Monday as Andres Soto, right, the conference organizer, listens.

Editorials

Free Speech Is not ‘Hate-Journalism’

By Becky O’Malley
Thursday October 09, 2008
With friends like Blue Star PR, Israel doesn’t need enemies. The Berkeley Daily Planet made the grievous error of publishing a sympathetic story about local reaction to an incident in which graffiti were applied to a Blue Star poster advertising Israeli-Arab coexistence at a campus bus stop. Some of our readers wrote to us complaining that the story was too soft on Israel. -more-

Editorial Cartoons

Foreclosed Nation

By Justin DeFreitas
Tuesday October 14, 2008

McCain's Resolve

By Justin DeFreitas
Thursday October 09, 2008

Arnold and the Veto

By Justin DeFreitas
Thursday October 09, 2008

Reader Commentaries

Letters to the Editor

Thursday October 09, 2008

Letters to the Editor

Monday October 13, 2008

Where Has All the Power Gone?

By Sharon Hudson
Thursday October 09, 2008

Berkeley’s Measure GG: Hold the Line of Emergency Services

By David Sprague-Livingston
Thursday October 09, 2008

Correcting Sapir’s Facts on Israel and Palestine

By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen
Thursday October 09, 2008


Israel Criticism Full of Lies and Half-Truths

By Doug Stahl
Thursday October 09, 2008

Facts About Bus Rapid Transit Supporters

By Russ Tilleman
Thursday October 09, 2008

The Other Global Crisis

By James Carter
Thursday October 09, 2008

Correcting Misconceptions About Albany’s Measure Y

By Preston Jordan
Thursday October 09, 2008

A Campaign of Ideas

By Jerry Threet
Thursday October 09, 2008

From the Absurd to the Mystifying

By Marvin Chachere
Thursday October 09, 2008

Columnists

Economic Outlook: The Depression in the Rearview Mirror

By Richard Hylton
Thursday October 09, 2008

News Analysis: Who Manages the Economy Better—Republicans or Democrats?

By Arthur I. Blaustein
Thursday October 09, 2008

Dispatches From The Edge: Playing Chess in the Caucasus

By Conn Hallinan
Thursday October 09, 2008

Undercurrents: Criticisms of Dellums Lack a Certain Measure of Consistency

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Thursday October 09, 2008



Mayoral Candidate Statement: Tom Bates

Thursday October 09, 2008

Mayoral Candidate Statement: Shirley Dean

Thursday October 09, 2008





                    Yellow-billed magpie exploring plumbing in Dell Valle Regional Park.

Wild Neighbors: West Nile Virus Hits the Yellow-billed Magpie

By Joe Eaton
Thursday October 09, 2008

About the House: Some Cures for Noisy Neighbors

By Matt Cantor
Thursday October 09, 2008

Arts & Entertainment

Arts Calendar

Thursday October 09, 2008

Learning How To Be a Pirate at Julia Morgan

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Thursday October 09, 2008

Ragged Wing Stages ‘History of the Devil’

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Thursday October 09, 2008

The Life and Loves of Novelist Cecil Brown

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Thursday October 09, 2008

Moving Pictures: Expressionism and Escape

By Justin DeFreitas
Thursday October 09, 2008

COOPER-MOORE PLAYS RARE BAY AREA SHOW

Thursday October 09, 2008

Home & Garden

The Havens House living room has ceilings that slant up and outwards to expand the Bay view, and original furnishings collected by Weston Havens.

Scholar Lecture Explores Seldom Seen Havens House

By Steven Finacom Special to the Planet
Thursday October 09, 2008

Events Calendar

Community Calendar

Thursday October 09, 2008