Flash: Court Upholds Decision in Favor of BUSD Student Assignment Plan
Berkeley Unified School District earned another legal victory Tuesday for its student placement plan. -more-
Berkeley Unified School District earned another legal victory Tuesday for its student placement plan. -more-
Berkeley City Manager Phil Kamlarz announced Tuesday morning that Berkeley Police Department Chief Douglas Hambleton will retire from his position this summer. -more-
Just as his father promised, Zachary Michael Cruz’s memorial was more a party than a funeral. -more-
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-
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 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-
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-
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 saved seven members of a West Berkeley family from a Friday the 13th early morning encounter with a silent, deadly killer—carbon monoxide. -more-
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-
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-
Berkeley police have arrested three suspects in connection with a brutal home invasion robbery two weeks ago but five suspects remain at large. -more-
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-
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-
The Berkeley Unified School District sent out at least 130 potential layoff notices to teachers and counselors Tuesday, district officials said. -more-
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 announced last week that the company has reversed its plans to let the lease expire for its tenant, Ashby Flowers. -more-
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-
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-
The City of Berkeley continued in its place at the head of urban green technology, winning a first place City Solar Award from the non-profit Northern California Solar Energy Association (NorCal Solar) as the Bay Area city with the highest number of solar panel systems installed within its borders. -more-
The Berkeley City Council took a small step this week toward overhauling the city ordinance governing cellphone towers, approving on first reading Councilmember Gordon Wozniak’s substitute motion to adopt a slightly watered-down version of modifications to the ordinance. -more-
By Richard Brenneman -more-
Just as UC Berkeley researchers are poised to lead a national effort to create new fuels from genetically altered plants and microbes, they have encountered obstacles closer to home. -more-
Golden Gate Fields is up for sale as owner Magna Entertainment (MECA on the NASDAQ stock exchange), a move announced when the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Mar. 5. -more-
Berkeley’s Planning Department will begin its mandatory update of the city plan’s housing element on Monday, Mar. 23. -more-
Berkeley police arrested three men in the early-morning stabbing of a UC Berkeley student Mar. 7 in the city’s south campus area. -more-
Some 50 to 75 demonstrators rallied for an hour and a half in front of the Fruitvale BART station turnstiles on the afternoon of March 5 in continuing protests over the New Year’s Day shooting death of a Hayward man by a BART police officer, but the sponsoring organization backed off on its pledge to attempt to shut the station down. -more-
Rain or shine, drought or deluge, the greater Bay Area has an extensive array of spring garden tours, shows, and plant sales from March through June. -more-
It’s the height of cynicism to accuse someone of being hateful in a letter that is itself filled with hate and misrepresentation, then try to inflict financial damage. It’s the best irony when the attacker shoots himself in the foot. -more-
The bailout money handed to financial firms was supposed to relieve the credit constraints of the economy. Perhaps this prevented a greater crash, but the effects have been relatively minor. Some of the bailout funds will be used by banks to pay dividends, bonuses, and to buy out other banks rather than lending it to credit-starved customers. -more-
When God said “Be fruitful and multiply” perhaps he should have added “within reason.” -more-
After many months of considering Bus Rapid Transit, my neighbors and I have developed an alternative plan that we think is much better. Our plan should provide the benefits desired by transit supporters without damaging our neighborhood. This should satisfy AC Transit, the City of Berkeley, and the people who live and work in this part of Berkeley. -more-
According to the Department of Commerce, foreign affiliates of American multinational corporations employ about 10 million workers. As many as 400,000 jobs annually are being lost as a result of foreign outsourcing. Another study revealed that three years after layoffs about one third of displaced workers were still unemployed. Moreover, about half who did find jobs suffered substantial wage reductions. Millions more blue and white collar jobs are expected to go abroad by the end of this decade, leaving behind the damage—mass unemployment, underemployment, poverty, and even substantially higher mortality rates, as a study at Johns Hopkins showed. -more-
I watched the oral arguments before the California Supreme Court in challenge and defense of Proposition 8. -more-
“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-
So far, President Obama has kept his campaign promises by addressing the economy, Iraq, healthcare, civil liberties, and a host of other issues. Nonetheless, liberals fear Obama is about to make a big mistake in Afghanistan. -more-
Over the past several years, Oakland has been using a two-prong strategy to attack its nagging and serious problem of violent crime: police-related solutions (more police, better targeted policing strategies, “community policing”) and strengthening and creating violence-prevention projects and programs. -more-
Tinkering with the natural world often invites unintended consequences. Replacing exotic weeds with native vegetation is usually a laudable goal. But what if a sensitive species has its own plans for the weeds? -more-
Bay Area Baroque Orchestra, a group of Bay Area musicians led by conductor Frances Blaker, will play a program of Corelli, Bach and Lully at 4 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 15 in Richmond. -more-
Adventure in Music, the second installment in Berkeley Symphony’s new family concert series, led by conductor Ming Luke and featuring San Francisco Opera violinist Dawn Harms, will include “Spring” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Violin Concerto in D Major”; Leopold Mozart’s “Toy Symphony”—and the theme (by Danny Elfman) from The Simpsons TV series. -more-
American Bach Soloists bring Favorite Cantatas of their namesake to First Congregational Church at 8 p.m. Saturday (lecture at 7), a show that will also play in Belvedere, San Francisco and Davis, featuring remarkable baritone William Sharp, excellent singers soprano Yulia Van Doren and alto Jennifer Lane, and Bach Soloists’ own extraordinary tenor, musical director Jeffrey Thomas. $10-44. (800) 838-3006. http://americanbach.org. -more-
Russian actor-director Oleg Liptsin, who has presented a piquant Beckett’s Happy Days and a remarkable staging of Dostoyevsky (Notes From Underground as Apropos of the Wet Snow) in Berkeley, will premiere the first part of his latest project, The Nose, a solo show centered around Gogol’s Overcoat, celebrating the great Russian author’s 200th anniversary. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Phoenix Theatre Annex, 414 Mason St., Suite 406, San Francisco (near Union Square). $15-20. (415) 944-1555. http://phoenixtheatresf.org, http://theatreensemble.org. -more-
Some of you may remember Rube Goldberg. He’s a favorite case study of mine when it comes to home remodeling. If you know who he is, you’re giggling now. Rube, a UC Berkeley grad and local engineer (he worked on the sewer systems in San Francisco!) invented cartoon machinery that would perform one simple task in 20 or more complicated and ludicrous steps. -more-
The Price of Everything, the Value of Nothing 03-11-2009
School Cycle By Justin DeFreitas 03-16-2009
The Fate of Newspapers By Justin DeFreitas 03-11-2009
Letters to the Editor 03-11-2009
Daily Planet Attacker Shoots Self in Foot By Mary Lou Van Deventer 03-11-2009
Money to the People By Fred Foldvary 03-11-2009
Population Growth Is the Problem By Jane Powell 03-11-2009
A Better Choice Than Bus Rapid Transit By Russ Tilleman 03-11-2009
Reindustrializing America By Harry Brill 03-11-2009
Proposition 8: Contradiction in the Constitution By Thomas Lord 03-11-2009
Flash: Court Upholds Decision in Favor of BUSD Student Assignment Plan By Riya Bhattacharjee 03-17-2009
Berkeley Police Chief to Retire in Summer By Riya Bhattacharjee 03-17-2009
Community Remembers Zachary Michael Cruz By Riya Bhattacharjee 03-16-2009
Chronicle Union Bows to Hearst, Accepts Longer Hours, Layoffs By Richard Brenneman 03-16-2009
Commissioners Take Up Revised Downtown High-Rise Boundaries By Richard Brenneman 03-16-2009
Friends of Activist Critically Injured in Palestine Plan SF Demonstration Today Bay City News 03-16-2009
Berkeley Teachers Protest Layoffs; District Rescinds 49 Pink Slips By Riya Bhattacharjee 03-15-2009
Flash: Former Tree-Sitter Critically Hurt During Protests on West Bank By Richard Brenneman 03-13-2009
Firefighters Save Family From Monoxide Poisoning By Richard Brenneman 03-13-2009
AC Transit Raises Fares; More Belt-Tightening to Come By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 03-13-2009
School Board Approves Cuts to Programs to Address Budget Deficit By Riya Bhattacharjee 03-13-2009
Three Home Invasion Suspects Arrested, Five Remain at Large Bay City News 03-12-2009
Late-Night BART Incident Draws Heavy Police Response By Riya Bhattacharjee 03-12-2009
Golden Gate Fields Auction Set for April 3 By Richard Brenneman 03-12-2009
District Sends Layoff Notices to Berkeley Teachers By Riya Bhattacharjee 03-11-2009
UC Berkeley Considers Tuition Hike By Riya Bhattacharjee 03-11-2009
Whole Foods Market Allows Ashby Flowers to Stay Put By Riya Bhattacharjee 03-11-2009
Berkeley Humane Society Closes Veterinary Hospital to Public, Focuses on Rescuing Abandoned Animals By Riya Bhattacharjee 03-11-2009
Landmarks Commission Embraces Modernism By Riya Bhattacharjee 03-11-2009
Berkeley Bests Bay Area Competitors For Most Solar Panel Systems By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 03-11-2009
Council Makes Minor Changes to Cell Tower Ordinance By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 03-11-2009
Union Concessions Save the Chronicle—For Now By Richard Brenneman 03-11-2009
Berkeley Agrofuel Research Hits Temporary Roadblocks By Richard Brenneman 03-11-2009
Golden Gate Fields Owner Delisted by Stock Exchanges By Richard Brenneman 03-11-2009
March 23 Special Meeting Begins Housing Plan Update By Richard Brenneman 03-11-2009
Three Arrested in South Campus Stabbing By Riya Bhattacharjee 03-11-2009
Police Blotter By Ali Winston 03-11-2009
Oscar Grant Demonstrators Rally but Decide Not to Close Fruitvale BART By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 03-11-2009
Spring Garden Events and Sales By Steven Finacom Special to the Planet 03-11-2009
The Public Eye: Afghanistan May Prove to Be Obama’s Weakness By Bob Burnett 03-11-2009
UnderCurrents: To Stop Crime, Strengthen Oakland’s Black Middle Class By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 03-11-2009
Wild Neighbors: Habitat for Harriers and the Restoration Paradox By Joe Eaton 03-11-2009
About the House: Home Repairs: Best to Broaden Your Approach By Matt Cantor 03-11-2009
Arts Calendar 03-11-2009
Berkeley High Jazz All-Stars Honor Longtime Band Director By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 03-11-2009
Alameda’s Virago Stages ‘The Hermit Bird’ By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 03-11-2009
SF Cabaret Opera Presents ‘Marriage of Figaro’ By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 03-11-2009
24th Jewish Music Festival Presents an Eclectic Program By Ira Steingroot Special to the Planet 03-11-2009
Baroque Orchestra in Richmond Sunday By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 03-11-2009
Humor and Education in Berkeley Symphony’s Family Concerts By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 03-11-2009
Around the East Bay: 'Favorite Cantatas' 03-13-2009
Around the East Bay: 'The Nose' 03-13-2009
About the House: Home Repairs: Best to Broaden Your Approach By Matt Cantor 03-11-2009
Community Calendar 03-11-2009