Local News and Opinion from The Berkeley Daily Planet

News Updates

Citizens' Sunshine Ordinance Heads to City Council

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Tuesday November 11, 2008

Berkeley Councilmember Kriss Worthington, who for the last seven years has been advocating for a strong sunshine ordinance to give citizens access to government records and meetings, will put the Berkeley Sunshine Committee's draft ordinance-crafted as an alternative to one written by the city attorney-on the agenda for the Dec. 8 City Council meeting. -more-

Berkeley Encourages Greening Historic Buildings

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Tuesday November 11, 2008

At the Landmarks Preservation Commission meeting Thursday, preservationists and architects warned against stripping historic buildings off their original windows, explaining that it could take away character-defining features, and advised homeowners to instead invest in sealing problem areas, weather-stripping and making use of natural ventilation. -more-

A Victorious AC Transit President Sets His Sights On The Bus District’s Challenges And Problems

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Tuesday November 11, 2008

AC Transit Board President Chris Peeples hit the election trifecta on Tuesday, but by Friday morning, he didn’t sound in the mood for celebration. -more-

City Calls Gaia Arts Center Public Nuisance After Rowdy Frat Party

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Saturday November 08, 2008

An out-of-control party at the Gaia Arts Center in downtown Berkeley two weeks ago prompted Berkeley Police to label the venue as a public nuisance, leaving its owners susceptible to a fine from the city if a similar incident occurs there in the next four months, authorities said Thursday. -more-

More Journalists Lose Jobs At BANG’s East Bay Papers

By Richard Brenneman

Saturday November 08, 2008

California’s leading newspaper publisher, Dean Singleton’s MediaNews, is shedding eight more jobs in the East Bay. -more-

Angry Neighbors Voice Concerns About Cell Phone Towers

By Richard Brenneman

Saturday November 08, 2008

Neighbors worried about cell phone antenna radiation and angry at city officials who have allowed it in their neighborhoods poured out their frustrations at the Berkeley Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday night. -more-

BUSD Threatened By Mid-Year Budget Cuts

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Friday November 07, 2008

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to make additional state education budget cuts to stimulate California's flagging economy set off alarm bells for school districts, many of which had been fearful of mid-year reductions when the governor released a delayed state budget in September. -more-

News

Bates Re-Elected, Arreguin Wins District 4, Wengraf Replaces Olds, Capitelli Retains Seat

By Richard Brenneman and Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday November 06, 2008

Mayor Tom Bates handily won a third term, while two new faces will join the Berkeley City Council, Jesse Arreguin and Susan Wengraf. -more-

East Bay Election Results

Friday November 07, 2008

Berkeley -more-

Preservationists Defeat Council-Backed Landmarks Ordinance

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday November 06, 2008

Berkeley’s battle of the buildings took another twist Tuesday, when Berkeley voters spurned the City Council’s changes to the city’s Landmarks Preservation Ordinance (LPO). -more-

Levya-Cutler, Selawsky Win Berkeley School Board Election

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday November 06, 2008

Community activist and leader Beatrice Leyva-Cutler led the Berkeley Board of Education elections Tuesday night with 37 percent of the vote, with incumbent and board president John Selawsky coming in second at 30 percent. -more-

Berkeley Celebrates Obama Victory

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday November 06, 2008

Berkeley celebrated Barack Obama’s victory as the 44th president of the United States way past midnight on Tuesday, but no one was complaining. -more-

Celebration Erupts in Downtown Oakland

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday November 06, 2008

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

Artists Charge Censorship at Addison Street Gallery

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday November 06, 2008

A poster by Jos Sances, one of the works in “Art of Democracy” banned from the Addison Street Gallery.

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. -more-

Kaplan Easily Beats Hamill in Oakland Council Race

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday November 06, 2008

Voters Weigh-in on Oakland And County Measures

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday November 06, 2008

More Election Results: Area Incumbents Cruise to Victory

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday November 06, 2008

Campaign Coffers Swelled As Election Day Drew Near

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday November 06, 2008

Heavy Turnout, Upbeat Mood Prevail as South Berkeley Votes

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday November 06, 2008

East Bay Students Rally Against ICE Raids

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday November 06, 2008

SEIU Workers Violate Noise Law, Anger Alta Bates Neighbors

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday November 06, 2008

Long Slog Through Downtown Plan Provokes Tempers, Occasional Quips

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday November 06, 2008

Group Gets Ready to Take Draft Sunshine Ordinance to Council

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday November 06, 2008

Remembering Jerry Thomas

By Jonathan Wafer

Thursday November 06, 2008

First Person: Another Life

By Jade Moss

Thursday November 06, 2008

by Riya Bhattacharjee

Jesse Arreguin, who will become the Berkeley City Council’s youngest member after winning the election Tuesday, celebrates his victory with his parents Humberto and Cindy Arreguin and Councilmember Kriss Worthington (left) at his campaign headquarters on Uniiversity Avenue around midnight.

Editorials

Heading for the Freedom Land

By Becky O’Malley

Thursday November 06, 2008

“It’s been a long time coming,” said the president-elect on the big screen. From the back of the packed room at Bobby G’s Pizzeria, an earnest youthful voice: “Twenty months!” -more-