Construction on the Berkeley Arpeggio condo tower moves forward on Center Street, just the kind of project that would have enjoyed an easier approval process under provisions of SB 375.
By Richard Brenneman
Construction on the Berkeley Arpeggio condo tower moves forward on Center Street, just the kind of project that would have enjoyed an easier approval process under provisions of SB 375.

Extra

Media Round-Up: local news from other sources

Wednesday February 11, 2009 - 11:05:00 AM

Wednesday -more-


Obama Justice Department Moves To Keep Apple Moth Spray Secret

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday February 10, 2009 - 06:55:00 PM

For one prominent Bay Area attorney, the bloom is already off the Obama rose. -more-


Flash: Planning Commissioners Propose Eliminating Downtown Berkeley Height Restrictions

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday February 10, 2009 - 01:40:00 PM

Four members of the Berkeley Planning Commission majority—all with ties to the building industry—have proposed effectively eliminating height restrictions in the city's downtown plan. -more-


Injured Malcolm X Kindergartner Will Receive Temporary Home Schooling

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday February 10, 2009 - 05:50:00 PM

The Malcolm X Elementary School kindergartner hit by a truck on Jan. 30 on her way to school in South Berkeley was released from Children’s Hospital in Oakland last week and will be home-schooled for at least two weeks starting today (Tuesday), Berkeley Unified School District spokesperson Mark Coplan said. -more-


Oakland Must Pay Back Measure Y Money, Says Judge

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday February 10, 2009 - 01:33:00 PM

An Alameda County Superior Court judge tentatively ruled this week that Mayor Ron Dellums "Augmented Recruitment Program of 2008" was an "impermissible use" of Measure Y violence prevention funds, and that the money spent on that program must be paid back. -more-


Downtown Plan Chapters Up for Commission’s Approval

By Richard Brenneman
Monday February 09, 2009 - 04:55:00 PM

Berkeley planning commissioners will tackle three highly volatile chapters of the proposed new Downtown Area Plan (DAP) Wednesday: Land Use, Historic Preservation & Urban Design, and Environmental Sustainability. -more-


Thai Temple Brunch Dispute Returns to Zoning Board

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Monday February 09, 2009 - 04:55:00 PM

The nearly year-long zoning battle over Sunday brunch at the Berkeley Thai Temple may finally come to an end Thursday when members request the Berkeley Zoning Adjustment Board for a permit modification which would allow the temple to sell food weekly instead of only three times annually. This proposal has sparked much opposition from a group of neighbors. -more-


Superintendent Asks School Board to Approve Berkeley High Block Schedule, Advisories—With Delays

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Monday February 09, 2009 - 01:57:00 PM

Bill Huyett, superintendent of the Berkeley Unified School District, and Jim Slemp, principal of Berkeley High School, have recommended that the Berkeley Board of Education approve the Berkeley High redesign plan—which will introduce block schedules and advisory programs among other things. -more-


Downtown Merchants Unhappy With ‘Riots’ at the Gaia Building

By Richard Brenneman
Monday February 09, 2009 - 01:57:00 PM

Downtown Berkeley merchants are tired of the Gaia Building—or at least the series of disturbances stemming from wild parties held there by the business owned by the building’s former owner and a partner. -more-


The Future of Newspapers

Friday February 06, 2009 - 01:31:00 PM

LPC Secretary Bids Adieu to Berkeley, Elmwood Theater To Get New Marquee

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday February 06, 2009 - 04:16:00 PM

Terry Blount, the first person to be hired by the city to be exclusively the secretary of the Berkeley Landmarks Preservation Commission, is leaving his position Friday (today) to become the new planning manager for Martinez in Contra Costa County. -more-


Planners Give Thumbs Down To Closed Center Street Plaza

By Richard Brenneman
Friday February 06, 2009 - 04:18:00 PM

Planning commissioners sailed through two sections of the downtown plan Wednesday, in the process diluting a call for a Center Street pedestrian plaza. -more-


Facing Budget, Berkeley School Board Says ‘Prepare for the Worst'

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday February 06, 2009 - 01:42:00 PM

With the Berkeley Unified School District facing nearly $9 million in cuts over the next two years from California’s worsening economic crisis, the Berkeley Board of Education cautioned the public last week that the time has come “to prepare for the worst.” -more-



Page One

Monday February 09, 2009 - 09:46:00 AM


Far-Reaching New State Law May Reshape the Bay Area

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 07:00:00 PM

Editor’s note: This is the first of two articles on major changes in California development law. -more-



Study Reveals Impacts of New Downtown Plan

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday February 05, 2009 - 03:07:00 PM

The plan for Berkeley’s downtown results from the conjunction of two powerful sources arising outside the city itself. -more-



West Berkeley Zoning Battle Fills Planning Commission Seats

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 07:01:00 PM

The struggle over West Berk-eley’s future brought a packed house of worried small business owners, craft workers and artists to the Planning Commission last week. -more-



Video of Friday Shooting Incident in Downtown Berkeley

Received from a reader on Monday
Thursday February 05, 2009 - 10:12:00 AM

I came across the article today about the shots shutdown at the GAIA building on Friday night. I was walking home through downtown Berkeley when the shots were fired. It was disappointing to have no mention on it from ANY bay area news source over the entire weekend. The berkeley police don't even appear to mention it in their bulletin. We had no idea what was happening - or what happened.. Police were out in force and even closed off the streets... Allston, Center, etc. Anyway, the article raised doubt as to how many shots were fired. I came across this video taken during the shots fired... there were 3 - they happened just after halfway. -- Moni -more-



Police Shut Down Party At Gaia Arts Center

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:58:00 PM

The Berkeley Police Department shut down yet another party at the Gaia Arts Center in downtown Berkeley Friday night after it attracted a large unruly crowd that blocked streets at Shattuck Avenue and Allston Way. Gunshots were fired in its aftermath, authorities said Saturday. -more-



Elephant Pharm Closes

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:59:00 PM

Elephant Pharm, which opened in Berkeley six years ago as a pharmacy promoting holistic health merchandise, closed down its three stores and declared bankruptcy Tuesday, blaming the economic downturn and the tightening of the credit market. -more-



Malcolm X Kindergartner Expected to Survive

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:45:00 PM
The intersection where the elementary school student was struck by a car.

The Malcolm X kindergartner hit by a car last Friday on her way to school in South Berkeley was moved from intensive care to a regular surgery recovery room at Children’s Hospital Wednesday and will start therapy soon on her fractured clavicle, according to authorities. -more-



Features

BHS Redesign Attracts Critics, Supporters

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:57:00 PM

The group of parents, teachers, administrators and students from Berkeley High School who spoke in support of introducing block schedules and advisory programs during a Berkeley Board of Education meeting Wednesday were joined by an equally vociferous bunch who criticized the proposed overhaul, citing research, personal experience and an online petition to prove their point. -more-


Dellums Hires New Staff With Berkeley Backgrounds

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:44:00 PM

Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums—who once served as a member of the Berkeley City Council before being elected to Congress from the East Bay—has reached into his Berkeley roots to fill several key Oakland City Hall staff positions. -more-


Citizens vs. Caltrans Suit Wins Berkeley Road Improvements

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:43:00 PM

Caltrans will fund $2 million in improvements to Highway 13 in Berkeley as the result of negotiations with neighborhood activists who had filed suit challenging the state’s plans to drill a fourth bore for the Caldecott Tunnel. -more-


Police Blotter

By ALI WINSTON
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:40:00 PM

Foiled robbery -more-


Charles ‘Ozzie’ Osborne, 1919-2009

By Derk Richardson Special to the Planet
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:39:00 PM

Charles Glenn “Ozzie” Osborne, proprietor of the legendary Elmwood Soda Fountain for nearly 40 years, died in the early morning hours of Thursday, Jan. 29. He was 89 years old. -more-


$2 Million Bail for Frat Row Murder Suspect

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:41:00 PM

Acknowledging that Andrew Hoeft-Edenfield, charged with murdering UC Berkeley graduate Chris Wootton in May posed a threat to the community and a flight risk, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Morris Jacobson set his bail at $2 million Monday. -more-


Judge Grants $3 Million Bail For BART Police Officer

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:42:00 PM

While protesters and the family of Oscar Grant III reacted with anger and anguish to the announcement that former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle would be granted bail Friday afternoon, the most significant action taken at last week’s bail hearing may have been the words directed to the former officer by the Alameda County Superior Court judge in charge. -more-


BART Hands Over Grant Murder Investigation

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:42:00 PM

Bay Area Rapid Transport (BART) announced last week that it will turn over its internal affairs investigation to an independent third party that will inspect the actions of all the officers involved in the events leading up to the killing of Oscar Grant on New Year’s Day at the Fruitvale station in Oakland. -more-


More Bad News for East Bay, Los Angeles Journalists

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:42:00 PM

The downward spiral of West Coast newspapers continues, with most East Bay reporters now scrambling to figure out just when to take an unpaid week off. -more-


School Board Approves Funds For Development of 2020 Vision

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:58:00 PM

The Berkeley Board of Education last week unanimously approved a $50,000 contract with the nonprofit Berkeley Alliance to oversee the process of developing a citywide plan to close the achievement gap for minority students, as outlined by the 2020 Vision, a partnership started by the City of Berkeley, the Berkeley Unified School District and a group of community organizations in June. -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Monday February 09, 2009 - 02:37:00 PM

DISCONNECT THE PRESCRIPTION LINE -more-


Letters to the Editor

Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:18:00 PM

BRAINS WIN! -more-


Another Gaia Building Riot — With Gunfire

By Anna de Leon
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:18:00 PM

Once again, this past Friday evening, a riot in downtown Berkeley, with fighting and gunfire, was created by another out-of-control party at the Gaia Arts Center. Although the use permit does not allow private parties, and allows only cultural use, the landlord continues to rent to huge hip hop parties, attended by literally hundreds of teens and young adults. Party attendees then text message their friends who arrive by the hundreds, mobbing the streets. This event was closed down by dozens of Berkeley police officers at 9 p.m. It took two hours for police to move the crowd to Shattuck where, in front of the movie theaters, the fighting and shooting ensued. Imagine parents sending their children to the Shattuck Cinema only to be ensnared in a riot as the movies let out. -more-


Ending California’s Education Budget Rollercoaster

By Sheila Jordan
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:19:00 PM

People around the country are celebrating an historic event and a demonstration of the power of individuals united in a vision for hope and change. This is not about one man, Barack Obama, but in what his daring to do the seemingly impossible represents for us all. -more-


Development Kudos and Woes in North Oakland

By Bob Brokl
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:19:00 PM

The Oakland Planning Commission recently unanimously green-lighted the 100-plus unit condo high-rise known as “Creekside” (dubbed “Creekover” by some) at the corner of Telegraph and Claremont, the site of the building that formerly housed Global Video. Given the state of the economy, there is no certainty when, if ever, that project will be built. But the building was emptied out of tenants, with jobs and retail tax dollars lost, plus the built-in security provided by people using the structure. -more-


The Debate Over ‘Clean Coal’

By Jack Bragen
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:19:00 PM

There has been a media campaign in the past year espousing the misnomer that there is such a thing as “clean coal.” In recent months, there has been a counter campaign from environmentalists that ridicules and disputes the myth. Then, the coal corporations found that sound bite of an Obama campaign speech in which Obama promotes the idea that “we can do it” with “clean coal.” -more-


Real Sunshine Could Be in Berkeley’s Future

By Dean Metzger
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:19:00 PM

After two years of work, an independent citizens’ group has submitted a cutting-edge, open-government ordinance to the City Council for its consideration. The Citizens’ Sunshine Ordinance, if adopted by the council in its entirety, would shed real sunshine on city business. All city records, except for those otherwise protected by law, would be made available to the public in a timely way. There would be sufficient time before legislative bodies met for citizens to obtain and review records related to agenda items. Most significantly, this ordinance, unlike any other passed so far in California, would have an independent body to enforce its provisions. Now, it’s up to the City Council to take the bold step of adopting such a progressive ordinance without weakening its provisions. -more-


Human-Scale Smart Growth for Downtown

By Charles Siegel
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:20:00 PM

The extreme wing of Berkeley’s smart-growth movement is pushing hard for high-rises in downtown. -more-


Council Violates Berkeley’s Nuclear Free Berkeley Act

By Gene Bernardi
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:20:00 PM

At the Jan. 27 meeting where the City Council rammed through a waiver for the Library of the Nuclear Free Berkeley Act (NFBA), the council majority’s disdain for the public was palpable. Some 30 persons present to speak against waiving the NFBA were not called to speak until 11 p.m. By then the 20 remaining were forced by the mayor to confine their comments to one minute each unless someone else deferred time. This was not in the spirit of the Brown Act which requires equitable treatment of public speakers. Speakers on other agenda items had two minutes. -more-


3M Company’s Military Contracts, Non-Equal Partner Benefits

By Peter Warfield
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:20:00 PM

A part of the military-industrial complex was invited by the Berkeley Public Library to call on the City Council last week, with favorable references provided by library head Donna Corbeil and Terry Powell of the Board of Library Trustees (BOLT)—and despite the best efforts of the Peace and Justice Commission (which voted 7-1 against granting the waiver of the Nuclear Free Berkeley Act, with two abstentions) plus some two dozen members of the public, the majority of councilmembers said: “Make yourself at home, at least for awhile.” -more-


Editorial

More Bad News for the News

By Becky O’Malley
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:17:00 PM

The economic news continues to be bad and worse. Today, we are sorry to say goodbye to our old friends at Elephant, founded by Stuart Skorman as Elephant Pharmacy, made over by investors after he moved on with the trendier-sounding name of Elephant Pharm. In the brave new world of the Awful Oughties, neither a good business plan nor honest business practices nor clever marketing turned out to be enough to save Elephant. Like an increasing number of retailers, from large (Circuit City) to small (the deli on your corner, perhaps), it’s not possible to survive without credit, and credit’s broken. -more-


Columns

The Public Eye: The Challenges Ahead for President Obama

By Bob Burnett
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:21:00 PM

During his first 100 days in office, President Obama faces daunting problems, including a deteriorating economy and two wars. On May 1, how can we tell whether he is doing a good job, given that Bush set the bar so low? -more-


UnderCurrents: Reporting on Dellums Often Clouded by Conclusions Already Drawn

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:22:00 PM

Some years ago, I was part of a team asked by a progressive American organization to do a brief study of anti-black racism in the country of Cuba while we were there working on another project. During our tour of the country for about six weeks, we conducted interviews (as much as we could do with our limited Spanish) and made observations. While almost every Afro-Cuban we spoke with felt they were doing better economically since the 1959 Revolution, there were deep remnants of racism that Cubans seemed to neither acknowledge or even recognize. The country’s various beauty pageants, for example, all featured exclusively women of fair skin and European features and hair; women of visible African descent were not considered standards of “beauty.” And at one of the nation’s insane asylums—a system the Cubans are particularly proud of—the patients put on a minstrel show for the visitors, complete with blackface and buck-and-wing dancing. Our hosts could not understand why the African-American portion of the contingent was aghast. -more-


Wild Neighbors: Do Burrowing Owls Bait for Beetles?

By Joe Eaton
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:27:00 PM
Burrowing owl near Niland, Imperial County

Last weekend I checked in on the burrowing owls at Cesar Chavez Park. Their winter habitat at the park’s northeastern corner has been surrounded by orange temporary fencing—a good idea, given the volume of foot, bicycle, and dog traffic. At least one owl was visible, standing quietly among the scurrying California ground squirrels, swiveling its head back and forth. (Park visitors can’t resist feeding the squirrels; the owl area is littered with peanut shells.) -more-


'Lucky Phil' Kamlarz, and other Recession-Era Berkeleyans

By Justin DeFreitas
Monday February 09, 2009 - 06:19:00 PM

Meg Whitman for Governor

By Justin DeFreitas
Tuesday February 10, 2009 - 04:15:00 PM

Daschle's Departure

By Justin DeFreitas
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:49:00 PM

A Drought of Ideas

By Justin DeFreitas
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:31:00 PM

Arts & Events

Aurora Presents George Packer’s ‘Betrayed’

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:25:00 PM

"Ever since I was a schoolboy, I loved the English language. Even during the war with Iran, I listened to English songs...” So Adnan, portrayed by Bobak Cyrus Baktiari, recalls the romance with a foreign tongue, and what it meant to a young man growing up in the Iraq of Saddam Hussein—and what it came to mean, as he waits in the half-derelict Palestine Hotel for his comrade and former fellow translator for the American Embassy, Laith, played by Amir Sharafeh. -more-


‘Absent Friends’ at Masquers Playhouse

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:26:00 PM

When Pamela Ciochetti, as Marge in the Masquers’ production of Alan Ayckbourn’s Absent Friends, calls Evelyn (Michelle Pond) and John’s (Philip Sales) baby (played by typecast Daniel Campbell) “Walter,” and is corrected sharply: “Wayne!”—she defensively says, “I thought his name was Walter ...” “Come on!” declares Evelyn, “You can’t have a baby named Walter!” “Well,” replies Marge, “Somebody must’ve done!” -more-


Around the East Bay: Discovering Paul Robeson

Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:26:00 PM

Tayo Aluko, Nigerian singer and actor living in Liverpool, who performed his one-man Paul Robeson show—a musical and political life—Call Mr. Robeson in San Francisco last year, will talk about Discovering Robeson this Sunday, 7 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center ($12) with performances of Call Mr. Robeson at Black Repertory Theatre, 3201 Adeline St., on Sun. Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. ($15–20), preceded by shows at the Phoenix Theatre in San Francisco, Fri.–Sun. Feb. 20-22. For information, call Mbali Creazzo (415) 710-5348. -more-


Around the East Bay: Noh Actors and Musicians

Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:27:00 PM

Japanese Noh Theater, an ongoing 700-year tradition, spare in movement, like martial arts, but rich in poetry and sumptuous costumes and masks, will be demonstrated in a program, “Noh—Pathos Behind the Mask,” by five performers from Kyoto, led by actor Shizuka Mikata of the Kanze School, including two drummers and a nohkan flute player, this Sun., 2 p.m., 252 McLaren St., University of San Francisco, 2130 Fulton St. Free admission. An increasingly rare treat for theater, dance, music and poetry lovers, Noh has been an inspiration to modern arts around the world. -more-


Home & Garden

East Bay Then and Now: Berkeleyan Torrey Owned Duchamp’s Most Famous Painting

By Daniella Thompson
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:30:00 PM
The International House and Memorial Stadium figure in the sweeping vista commanded from the Torrey house.

He was only one of three partners, and the last of them to join the San Francisco firm of Vickery, Atkins & Torrey, purveyors of paintings in oil and water color, fine prints, objects of art, and picture frames. -more-


Local House is Precursor to Pre-Fab Age

By Steven Finacom Special to the Planet
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:29:00 PM

On Jan. 30 in the Daily Planet, columnist Matt Cantor wrote thoughtfully about the past and potential of prefabricated dwellings. Although most of Berkeley is “custom made,” as Cantor noted, pre-fabricated structures can have a place here. -more-


About the House: The Hidden Chimney

By Matt Cantor
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:28:00 PM

A lot of us live in wonderful old homes built in the days before modern furnaces, metal flues and self-venting stoves. These are houses built before 1935 that contain—among their many other dated and cherished facets—brick flues which have nothing whatsoever to do with fireplaces. Brick flues that are sure to crumble or crash when that much lauded earthquake finally makes its, somewhat overdue, appearance here in the East Bay. -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:21:00 PM

Vladimir Berberov’s Cody’s is one of the works on display at Giorgi Gallery.

Exhibit Pays Tribute to Cody’s Books

By Dorothy Bryant Special to the Planet
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:23:00 PM

Berkeley High Senior Premieres New Composition

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:24:00 PM

First Congregational Church Hosts Philharmonia Baroque

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:24:00 PM

Ed Reed Celebrates 80th Birthday at Anna’s

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:25:00 PM

Events Listings

Community Calendar

Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:21:00 PM

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

More Bad News for the News 02-04-2009

Cartoons

'Lucky Phil' Kamlarz, and other Recession-Era Berkeleyans By Justin DeFreitas 02-09-2009

Meg Whitman for Governor By Justin DeFreitas 02-10-2009

Daschle's Departure By Justin DeFreitas 02-04-2009

A Drought of Ideas By Justin DeFreitas 02-04-2009

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 02-09-2009

Letters to the Editor 02-04-2009

Another Gaia Building Riot — With Gunfire By Anna de Leon 02-04-2009

Ending California’s Education Budget Rollercoaster By Sheila Jordan 02-04-2009

Development Kudos and Woes in North Oakland By Bob Brokl 02-04-2009

The Debate Over ‘Clean Coal’ By Jack Bragen 02-04-2009

Real Sunshine Could Be in Berkeley’s Future By Dean Metzger 02-04-2009

Human-Scale Smart Growth for Downtown By Charles Siegel 02-04-2009

Council Violates Berkeley’s Nuclear Free Berkeley Act By Gene Bernardi 02-04-2009

3M Company’s Military Contracts, Non-Equal Partner Benefits By Peter Warfield 02-04-2009

News

Media Round-Up: local news from other sources 02-11-2009

Obama Justice Department Moves To Keep Apple Moth Spray Secret By Richard Brenneman 02-10-2009

Flash: Planning Commissioners Propose Eliminating Downtown Berkeley Height Restrictions By Richard Brenneman 02-10-2009

Injured Malcolm X Kindergartner Will Receive Temporary Home Schooling By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-10-2009

Oakland Must Pay Back Measure Y Money, Says Judge By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 02-10-2009

Downtown Plan Chapters Up for Commission’s Approval By Richard Brenneman 02-09-2009

Thai Temple Brunch Dispute Returns to Zoning Board By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-09-2009

Superintendent Asks School Board to Approve Berkeley High Block Schedule, Advisories—With Delays By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-09-2009

Downtown Merchants Unhappy With ‘Riots’ at the Gaia Building By Richard Brenneman 02-09-2009

The Future of Newspapers 02-06-2009

LPC Secretary Bids Adieu to Berkeley, Elmwood Theater To Get New Marquee By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-06-2009

Planners Give Thumbs Down To Closed Center Street Plaza By Richard Brenneman 02-06-2009

Facing Budget, Berkeley School Board Says ‘Prepare for the Worst' By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-06-2009

02-09-2009

Far-Reaching New State Law May Reshape the Bay Area By Richard Brenneman 02-04-2009

Study Reveals Impacts of New Downtown Plan By Richard Brenneman 02-05-2009

West Berkeley Zoning Battle Fills Planning Commission Seats By Richard Brenneman 02-04-2009

Video of Friday Shooting Incident in Downtown Berkeley Received from a reader on Monday 02-05-2009

Police Shut Down Party At Gaia Arts Center By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-04-2009

Elephant Pharm Closes By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-04-2009

Malcolm X Kindergartner Expected to Survive By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-04-2009

BHS Redesign Attracts Critics, Supporters By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-04-2009

Dellums Hires New Staff With Berkeley Backgrounds By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 02-04-2009

Citizens vs. Caltrans Suit Wins Berkeley Road Improvements By Richard Brenneman 02-04-2009

Police Blotter By ALI WINSTON 02-04-2009

Charles ‘Ozzie’ Osborne, 1919-2009 By Derk Richardson Special to the Planet 02-04-2009

$2 Million Bail for Frat Row Murder Suspect By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-04-2009

Judge Grants $3 Million Bail For BART Police Officer By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 02-04-2009

BART Hands Over Grant Murder Investigation By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-04-2009

More Bad News for East Bay, Los Angeles Journalists By Richard Brenneman 02-04-2009

School Board Approves Funds For Development of 2020 Vision By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-04-2009

Columns

The Public Eye: The Challenges Ahead for President Obama By Bob Burnett 02-04-2009

UnderCurrents: Reporting on Dellums Often Clouded by Conclusions Already Drawn By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 02-04-2009

Wild Neighbors: Do Burrowing Owls Bait for Beetles? By Joe Eaton 02-04-2009

East Bay Then and Now: Berkeleyan Torrey Owned Duchamp’s Most Famous Painting By Daniella Thompson 02-04-2009

Local House is Precursor to Pre-Fab Age By Steven Finacom Special to the Planet 02-04-2009

About the House: The Hidden Chimney By Matt Cantor 02-04-2009

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 02-04-2009

Exhibit Pays Tribute to Cody’s Books By Dorothy Bryant Special to the Planet 02-04-2009

Berkeley High Senior Premieres New Composition By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 02-04-2009

First Congregational Church Hosts Philharmonia Baroque By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 02-04-2009

Ed Reed Celebrates 80th Birthday at Anna’s By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 02-04-2009

Aurora Presents George Packer’s ‘Betrayed’ By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 02-04-2009

‘Absent Friends’ at Masquers Playhouse By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 02-04-2009

Around the East Bay: Discovering Paul Robeson 02-04-2009

Around the East Bay: Noh Actors and Musicians 02-04-2009

East Bay Then and Now: Berkeleyan Torrey Owned Duchamp’s Most Famous Painting By Daniella Thompson 02-04-2009

Local House is Precursor to Pre-Fab Age By Steven Finacom Special to the Planet 02-04-2009

About the House: The Hidden Chimney By Matt Cantor 02-04-2009

Community Calendar 02-04-2009