News Updates

Flash: Court Upholds Decision in Favor of BUSD Student Assignment Plan

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday March 17, 2009
Berkeley Unified School District earned another legal victory Tuesday for its student placement plan. -more-

Berkeley Police Chief to Retire in Summer

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday March 17, 2009
Berkeley City Manager Phil Kamlarz announced Tuesday morning that Berkeley Police Department Chief Douglas Hambleton will retire from his position this summer. -more-

Community Remembers Zachary Michael Cruz

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Monday March 16, 2009
Flowers surround a photo of Zachary Michael Cruz in front of the UC Berkeley Campanile, one of the 5-year-old's favorite places.
Just as his father promised, Zachary Michael Cruz’s memorial was more a party than a funeral. -more-

Chronicle Union Bows to Hearst, Accepts Longer Hours, Layoffs

By Richard Brenneman
Monday March 16, 2009
San Francisco Chronicle workers voted Friday to cut their benefits and extend their working hours so that fewer of their colleagues would lose their jobs. -more-

Commissioners Take Up Revised Downtown High-Rise Boundaries

By Richard Brenneman
Monday March 16, 2009
Planning commissioners are scheduled to meet Wednesday night to wrap up their revisions on a critical map that will determine the future skyline of downtown Berkeley. -more-

Friends of Activist Critically Injured in Palestine Plan SF Demonstration Today

Bay City News
Monday March 16, 2009
Friends of a Bay Area activist who was critically injured while demonstrating in a village on Palestine's West Bank have organized their own demonstration in downtown San Francisco today as a show of solidarity. -more-

Berkeley Teachers Protest Layoffs; District Rescinds 49 Pink Slips

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Sunday March 15, 2009
Berkeley Federation of Teachers Vice President Cynthia Allman hands out pink roses to laid-off teachers at the "Pink Friday" rally.
Pink balloons, pink bow-ties, pink arm bands and even pink toilet seats marked a rally organized by the Berkeley Federation of Teachers Friday. The "Pink Friday" event was part of a statewide protest of teacher layoffs in response to state education budget cuts. -more-

Flash: Former Tree-Sitter Critically Hurt During Protests on West Bank

By Richard Brenneman
Friday March 13, 2009
Erstwhile Memorial Stadium tree-sitter Tristan "cricket" Anderson was critically injured Wednesday in the West Bank.
A one-time Memorial Stadium tree-sitter was critically injured in a clash between Israeli troops and Palestinian protesters in the West Bank. -more-

Firefighters Save Family From Monoxide Poisoning

By Richard Brenneman
Friday March 13, 2009
Firefighters saved seven members of a West Berkeley family from a Friday the 13th early morning encounter with a silent, deadly killer—carbon monoxide. -more-

School Board Approves Cuts to Programs to Address Budget Deficit

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday March 13, 2009
The Berkeley Board of Education unanimously approved revisions to the school district’s 2008-09 budget Wednesday to offset this year’s $3.1 million shortfall. -more-

AC Transit Raises Fares; More Belt-Tightening to Come

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday March 13, 2009
AC Transit, battered by the economic downturn, is raising its fares. At a March 4 meeting, AC Transit announced a 25-cent increase for regular bus fares and a 15-cent hike for youth, senior and disabled fares. -more-

Three Home Invasion Suspects Arrested, Five Remain at Large

Bay City News
Thursday March 12, 2009
Still at large are Vern Town Saelee, 21, of Fairfield, Vern Sio Saelee, 18, of Fairfield, and Anthony Ray Douglas, 18, of Richmond.
Berkeley police have arrested three suspects in connection with a brutal home invasion robbery two weeks ago but five suspects remain at large. -more-

Late-Night BART Incident Draws Heavy Police Response

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday March 12, 2009
A Berkeley police officer stands with weapon drawn at the Downtown Berkeley BART station entrance on the west side of Shattuck Avenue.
Berkeley police officers responded with guns drawn to an incident at the downtown Berkeley BART station late Wednesday night, cordoning off sections of the station for approximately 30 minutes. -more-

Golden Gate Fields Auction Set for April 3

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday March 12, 2009
Albany’s Golden Gate Fields goes on the auction block April 3 as part of a court-mandated sale of properties owned by ailing Magna Entertainment. -more-

News

District Sends Layoff Notices to Berkeley Teachers

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday March 11, 2009
The Berkeley Unified School District sent out at least 130 potential layoff notices to teachers and counselors Tuesday, district officials said. -more-

UC Berkeley Considers Tuition Hike

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday March 11, 2009
UC Berkeley announced plans to institute a 9.3 percent tuition increase to address a state budget crisis that is taking away millions of dollars in public education funding. -more-

Whole Foods Market Allows Ashby Flowers to Stay Put

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday March 11, 2009
Whole Foods Market announced last week that the company has reversed its plans to let the lease expire for its tenant, Ashby Flowers. -more-

Berkeley Humane Society Closes Veterinary Hospital to Public, Focuses on Rescuing Abandoned Animals

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday March 11, 2009
Cherry, a rescued papillon mix, recovers after undergoing an eye operation at the shelter’s veterinary hospital.
On a recent Friday morning, the lobby of the Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society in West Berkeley was missing the noisy barking and pitter-patter of tiny paws that has greeted visitors for the last five decades. -more-

Landmarks Commission Embraces Modernism

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday March 11, 2009
Donald and Helen Olsen house, at 771 San Diego Drive.
The home of Berkeley architect Donald Olsen became a city landmark Mar. 5 in a move that marked the embrace of a new era of design. -more-

Council Makes Minor Changes to Cell Tower Ordinance

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Berkeley Bests Bay Area Competitors For Most Solar Panel Systems

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Union Concessions Save the Chronicle—For Now

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Berkeley Agrofuel Research Hits Temporary Roadblocks

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Golden Gate Fields Owner Delisted by Stock Exchanges

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday March 11, 2009

March 23 Special Meeting Begins Housing Plan Update

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Three Arrested in South Campus Stabbing

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Police Blotter

By Ali Winston
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Oscar Grant Demonstrators Rally but Decide Not to Close Fruitvale BART

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Spring Garden Events and Sales

By Steven Finacom Special to the Planet
Wednesday March 11, 2009

<b>Hello, Dalai</b> On Tuesday night, the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against Chinese occupation, thousands of UC Berkeley students began lining up at the Zellerbach Hall box office for a chance to get tickets to hear the Dalai Lama speak at Berkeley’s Greek Theater April 25. Sleeping bags, mattresses, and even tents festooned Sproul Plaza throughout the day Wednesday, as the line wound back and forth around the south-central campus area. UC Berkeley faculty and staff have a chance to line up to buy tickets starting Monday, March 16. Tickets go on sale for the general public at noon March 23. For event and ticket details, see www.berkeley.edu/dl.
Steven Finacom
Hello, Dalai On Tuesday night, the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against Chinese occupation, thousands of UC Berkeley students began lining up at the Zellerbach Hall box office for a chance to get tickets to hear the Dalai Lama speak at Berkeley’s Greek Theater April 25. Sleeping bags, mattresses, and even tents festooned Sproul Plaza throughout the day Wednesday, as the line wound back and forth around the south-central campus area. UC Berkeley faculty and staff have a chance to line up to buy tickets starting Monday, March 16. Tickets go on sale for the general public at noon March 23. For event and ticket details, see www.berkeley.edu/dl.

Editorials

The Price of Everything, the Value of Nothing

By Becky O’Malley
Wednesday March 11, 2009
“As UC president, Yudof will receive a compensation package valued at $828,000 in the 2008-09 year, compared to a current package estimated at $790,000 at the University of Texas. (These figures do not include standard retirement plan funding for future retirement benefits for university employees at both institutions.)" -more-

Editorial Cartoons

School Cycle

By Justin DeFreitas
Monday March 16, 2009

The Fate of Newspapers

By Justin DeFreitas
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Reader Commentaries

Letters to the Editor

Wednesday March 11, 2009

Daily Planet Attacker Shoots Self in Foot

By Mary Lou Van Deventer
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Money to the People

By Fred Foldvary
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Population Growth Is the Problem

By Jane Powell
Wednesday March 11, 2009

A Better Choice Than Bus Rapid Transit

By Russ Tilleman
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Reindustrializing America

By Harry Brill
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Proposition 8: Contradiction in the Constitution

By Thomas Lord
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Columnists

The Public Eye: Afghanistan May Prove to Be Obama’s Weakness

By Bob Burnett
Wednesday March 11, 2009

UnderCurrents: To Stop Crime, Strengthen Oakland’s Black Middle Class

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Wednesday March 11, 2009

A female northern harrier cruising for voles.

Wild Neighbors: Habitat for Harriers and the Restoration Paradox

By Joe Eaton
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Arts & Entertainment

Arts Calendar

Wednesday March 11, 2009

Berkeley High Jazz All-Stars Honor Longtime Band Director

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Alameda’s Virago Stages ‘The Hermit Bird’

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Wednesday March 11, 2009

The cast of The Marriage of Figaro: Steven Hoffman (Figaro), Eliza O'Malley (Susanna, Berkeley shows), Joaquin Quilez (Count Almaviva), Meghan Dibble (Cherubino), and Suzanna Mizell (Susanna, San Francisco shows)

SF Cabaret Opera Presents ‘Marriage of Figaro’

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Wednesday March 11, 2009

24th Jewish Music Festival Presents an Eclectic Program

By Ira Steingroot Special to the Planet
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Humor and Education in Berkeley Symphony’s Family Concerts

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Baroque Orchestra in Richmond Sunday

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Around the East Bay: 'Favorite Cantatas'

Friday March 13, 2009

Around the East Bay: 'The Nose'

Friday March 13, 2009

Home & Garden

About the House: Home Repairs: Best to Broaden Your Approach

By Matt Cantor
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Events Calendar

Community Calendar

Wednesday March 11, 2009