News

City Officials Question Both Marina Ferry Sites

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday January 13, 2009 - 05:37:00 PM

The regional agency that governs Bay Area ferries gave too little consideration to the impacts of a ferry terminal at Berkeley Marina, city officials say. -more-


Reshaped Helios Building Sparks Further Criticism

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday January 13, 2009 - 03:15:00 PM

One after another, Berkeley residents voiced their frustration last Wednesday night with the building that will house a program that is the brainchild of nation’s energy secretary-designate. -more-


Police Arrest Two Suspects in West Berkeley Shooting

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Monday January 12, 2009 - 11:03:00 AM

Berkeley police have arrested Berkeley residents Rhonda Reid, 47, and Lee Freddy Green, 50, for the attempted murder of William Payton on Sunday night. They are being held without bail, authorities said Monday. -more-


Downtown Building Heights Set for Commission Action

By Richard Brenneman By Richard Brenneman
Monday January 12, 2009 - 05:28:00 PM

The most-contested chapter of the city’s emerging new Downtown Area Plan comes before planning commissioners Wednesday night. -more-


North Berkeley BART Station Windows Smashed to Protest Grant Death

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday January 09, 2009 - 04:59:00 PM

The North Berkeley BART station was vandalized early Thursday morning as a protest against the killing of Oscar Grant III by a BART police officer, BART authorities said Friday. -more-


Off-Campus Muggings Escalate at Berkeley High

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday January 09, 2009 - 04:31:00 PM

At least two Berkeley High students were arrested and another student was sent to the Berkeley Police Department Youth Services Division for disciplinary action in the weeks before Christmas break for a string of strong arm robberies of Berkeley High School students in and around Martin Luther King Civic Center Park. -more-


Oakland and BART Officials Respond to Killing

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday January 09, 2009 - 01:14:00 PM

City of Oakland officials moved quickly on Thursday to respond to the growing controversy over the investigation of the New Year’s Day shooting death of 22-year-old San Leandro man by a BART police officer, while members of the BART board of directors—which had been accused of dragging its feet on a response—officially heard the public anger over the shooting for the first time. -more-


Dental Records Give ID for Berkeley Burnt Body

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday January 07, 2009 - 06:36:00 PM

East Bay Regional Parks District Police Thursday announced their identification of a body found in a burning trash along Interstate 80 along the Berkeley shore. -more-


Cops Mum in Case of Walled-Up Cadaver

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday January 07, 2009 - 06:37:00 PM

While Berkeley police have identified the body found walled up in a Berkeley apartment building at 2235 Ashby Ave., they aren’t saying anything about how or why he died. -more-


People’s Park Acacias Felled Despite Tree-Sit Protest

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday January 07, 2009 - 06:37:00 PM

Berkeley’s latest tree-sit ended almost before it began when the lone remaining branch-percher descended to earth Tuesday morning, followed by two acacias a few hours later. -more-


Brunner Elected Oakland City Council President

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Wednesday January 07, 2009 - 06:38:00 PM

The era of male-dominated city government ended in Oakland Monday morning—and perhaps the era of a city government dominated by former state Sen. Don Perata as well—when North Oakland Councilmember Jane Brunner was elected to the powerful position of Oakland City Council president, to succeed the outgoing Ignacio De La Fuente. -more-


Local Groups Plan Events For Obama Inauguration

By Rio Bauce Special to the Planet
Wednesday January 07, 2009 - 06:23:00 PM

While only a select few will actually get to attend the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States on Jan. 20, many Bay Area citizens and organizations are coming together to have their own local celebrations. -more-


Fire Dept. Log

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday January 07, 2009 - 06:26:00 PM

Eunice Street blaze -more-


Police Blotter

By Rio Bauce
Wednesday January 07, 2009 - 06:26:00 PM

Sink hole on Tunnel Road -more-


Council 2008:Controversies, Deliberations And Goodbyes

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Wednesday January 07, 2009 - 06:39:00 PM

The year 2008 saw the renewal of the political battle between the once and future mayors of Berkeley: Tom Bates and Shirley Dean. It was a year in which environmental issues dominated City Council discussions, from the furtherance of various “green action” plans to the continuing battles over cellphone antennae facility expansion. Development issues were a constant—what should be built, and where, and how high. -more-


Top Berkeley Headlines of 2008

Wednesday January 07, 2009 - 06:24:00 PM

By Riya Bhattacharjee -more-


Budget Woes Shadowed School District for Much of Year

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday January 07, 2009 - 06:25:00 PM

Although the Berkeley Unified School District spent the better part of 2008 bracing for state budget cuts, there were tidings of comfort and joy amid all the gloom and doom, giving way to sporadic bursts of celebration in classrooms, schoolyards and even the steps of the state capitol. -more-


AC Transit in 2008

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Wednesday January 07, 2009 - 06:25:00 PM

In 2008, the East Bay’s only public bus system—AC Transit—staved off possible service cuts or fare increases, for now, at least, with the passage of a tax measure by area voters, and signed a new contract with its bus drivers union. The financially troubled agency was not able to pull away from the continuing controversy over its “partnership” with Belgian bus manufacturer Van Hool, however. And AC Transit continued its deliberate march that the agency hopes will ultimately lead to the Bay Area’s first rapid bus line, BRT. -more-


News Analysis: 2008 Proved a Dismal Year for an Ailing Fourth Estate

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday January 07, 2009 - 06:27:00 PM

“... were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” -more-