News Updates

Berkeley Celebrates Obama Victory

Wednesday November 05, 2008

UC students paraded around campus for hours last night after the presidential election was called for Barack Obama. -more-

Obama Celebration Erupts In Downtown Oakland

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Wednesday November 05, 2008

It was a historic night of celebration in Oakland, the like of which we have never seen in our lifetimes. -more-

Berkeley Election Results

Wednesday November 05, 2008

Bates Reelected; Arreguin Beats Doran in District 4 -more-

Heavy Turnout, Upbeat Mood Prevail As South Berkeley Votes

By Richard Brenneman

Tuesday November 04, 2008

Volunteers crowded the Northern California Obama for President headquarters Tuesday morning as they called voters across the country to mobilize a heavy turnout for their candidate.

Turnout was heavy in South Berkeley Tuesday, with voters lined up outside the Black Repertory Theater on Adeline Street even before polls opened. -more-

Artists Charge Censorship at Berkeley's Addison Street Windows Gallery

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Monday November 03, 2008

Some community members are outraged that the City of Berkeley-run Addison Street Windows Gallery decided not to display posters from a national series of exhibitions called the Art of Democracy on the basis of curatorial judgment, and instead replaced them with pottery during election week. While supporters of free speech called the decision “censorship,” Carol Brighton -- the curator of the gallery -- and the city’s Civic Arts Coordinator Mary Ann Merker denied the allegations, explaining that it was not uncommon for public agencies to refrain from showing work which depicted violence or nudity. -more-

Developers Dish Dollars for Doran

By Richard Brenneman

Monday November 03, 2008

Terry Doran is finally seeing some of the dollars developer Ali Kashani asked his colleagues to give, though most of the latest influx stems from one company, Hudson McDonald. -more-

Long Slog Through Downtown Plan Provokes Tempers, Occasional Quips

By Richard Brenneman

Monday November 03, 2008

Whatever shape the new downtown plan takes before the city council signs off on the document next May, it’s certain to be a lot different from the draft prepared by the citizens they picked to draft it. -more-

Video Highlights from the Mayoral Debate

Friday October 31, 2008

The Planet proudly presents its first online news video, the mayoral candidates in action on Monday. -more-

Election Cash Continues to Flow

By Richard Brenneman

Friday October 31, 2008

Campaign contributions are continuing to pour in as the election nears, though a plea for developer donations for one candidate hasn’t yet materialized. -more-

Planning Commission Faces Full Agenda Wednesday

by Richard Brenneman

Monday November 03, 2008

The day after one of their own learns whether she’ll move up a notch in city government, Berkeley planning commissioners will gather Wednesday night to face a full agenda. -more-

East Bay Students Join Rally in San Francisco Against ICE Raids

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Friday October 31, 2008

Hundreds of students and activists from all over the Bay Area marched from Ferry Park near the Embarcadero to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in downtown San Francisco Friday to protest what they called atrocities committed against undocumented immigrants by code enforcement officials in sanctuary cities. -more-

Fires in Tilden and Elsewhere

By Richard Brenneman

Friday October 31, 2008

Tilden Burn Out of Control -more-

Alta Bates Neighbors Angry SEIU Workers Violated Noise Law

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Friday October 31, 2008

A group of neighbors of the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center have always had a good relationship with the hospital’s workers, they say, until early Wednesday. -more-

News

PAC Wields Big Stick in Berkeley Initiatives Fray

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday October 30, 2008

Old-style politics is alive and well in Berkeley, where the PAC-man wields a big stick and an even bigger wallet. -more-

Berkeley Mayoral Candidates Face Off

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday October 30, 2008

Berkeley’s four mayoral candidates, two of them seeking write-in votes, made their pitches to a packed house at the West Berkeley Senior Center Monday night. -more-

Bates and Dean Keep the Passion, But Turn Down the Heat

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday October 30, 2008

When they first ran against each other in 2002, it was Berkeley’s epic political battle. Shirley Dean was the lightning-rod mayor and leader of the moderate-progressive political faction in a City Council and a city that were deeply divided along factional lines. Looking for a way to oust a political powerhouse, members of the opposing left-progressive faction recruited former state Assemblymember Tom Bates to run against Dean. -more-

Developers Give Cash To Council Favorites

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday October 30, 2008

Development-related contributions continue to pour into the coffers of candidates for next week’s Berkeley City Council election, with Mayor Tom Bates in the lead both in total and sector-related contributions. -more-

Developer’s E-Mail: ‘Give to Doran To Solidify Our Control of Council’

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday October 30, 2008

Berkeley developers were making a last-minute push last week to flood the coffers of Terry Doran as he battles to win the City Council seat representing downtown Berkeley. -more-

Berkeley School Board Candidates Debate Issues

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday October 30, 2008

With a week to go before the Nov. 4 elections, candidates running for the Berkeley Board of Education turned the spotlight on the achievement gap at a debate organized by the Berkeley PTA Council at Willard Middle School on Monday. -more-

From the Starry Plough to YouTube Hit: “Obama Is Irish”

By Becky O’Malley

Thursday October 30, 2008

Willard Middle School on Alert After Trash Can Fires

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday October 30, 2008

A Voter’s Guide to Berkeley Measure LL

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday October 30, 2008

ZAB Gives Maybeck High Green Light

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday October 30, 2008

Margaret Emmington, 1904-2008

By Anthony Bruce

Thursday October 30, 2008

UC Student Murder Case Postponed

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday October 30, 2008

Council Discusses Crime with South and West Berkeley Residents

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday October 30, 2008

Council Approves Services for Homeless Youth, Taxi Fare Hike

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday October 30, 2008

BAILIN’ ON PALIN

By Jennifer Cross Gans

Thursday October 30, 2008

Correction

Thursday October 30, 2008

Richard Brenneman

Incumbent Tom Bates makes a point as former mayor Shirley Dean, Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi and Zachary RunningWolf (from right to left) look on.

Editorials

Getting a Good Look at the Next Mayor

By Becky O’Malley

Thursday October 30, 2008

Well, a good time was had by all. Did the first ever Daily Planet mayoral debate change the course of history? Probably not, but then it wasn’t supposed to. -more-

EDITOR’S ELECTION PICKS

By Becky O'Malley

Thursday October 30, 2008

Here are a few recommendations for races and measures which I think are particularly important: -more-

Citizens' Sunshine Ordinance Draft Released; Support Sought

By Becky O'Malley

Saturday November 01, 2008

The citizens' committee members who have been working on a Sunshine Ordinance for Berkeley have released their final draft, which can be read here . They hope that it will be passed by the Berkeley City Council, and they are asking community leaders to sign on in support. If the council fails to act, the ordinance could also be passed by a ballot initiative. -more-