Freda Walk-a-Ton (Aima Paule) and DJ (Afi Ayanna) show LeConte Elementary School students how to walk and bike to school safely as part of Alameda County’s Safe Routes to School program.
Riya Bhattacharjee
Freda Walk-a-Ton (Aima Paule) and DJ (Afi Ayanna) show LeConte Elementary School students how to walk and bike to school safely as part of Alameda County’s Safe Routes to School program.

Extra

Suspects Arrested in Weekend Murders

By Bay City News Service
Tuesday May 19, 2009 - 12:22:00 PM

Police Monday released the names of two suspects who were arrested Saturday after a fatal shooting in Berkeley that led to a vehicle pursuit and crash in Oakland that killed two bystanders. -more-


BART Moves Forward With Oakland Airport Connector

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday May 19, 2009 - 12:20:00 PM

With a heavy majority of the Bay Area Rapid Transit directors now on record in favor of moving forward with its $550 million Oakland Airport Connector (OAC), proponents of an alternative rapid bus route are shifting their fight to a critical funding source for the proposed project: the Port of Oakland. -more-


Bloody Saturday Night Leaves Three Dead

By Bay City News Service
Sunday May 17, 2009 - 11:23:00 AM

Three people are dead and a fourth in police custody after a violent Saturday night that began with a murder in Berkeley and ended with a collision in Oakland that killed a motorist and a pedestrian. -more-


Education Foundation Honors Teachers, Administrators, Volunteers

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Saturday May 16, 2009 - 09:39:00 AM
Cheese Board Collective members Cathy Goldsmith and Carrie Blake receive the Berkeley Public Education Foundation's award for distinguished business partner.

  There were many celebrities at the Berkeley Public Education Foundation’s “Seeding The Vision” spring luncheon Friday, but the real stars of the evening were less conspicuous. -more-


Plaintiffs Win Pesticide Fight; Feds Withdraw LBAM Sprays

By Richard Brenneman
Friday May 15, 2009 - 10:20:00 AM

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered a ban on two controversial sprays used to battle the light brown apple moth (LBAM), ending a lawsuit filed by attorney Stephan Volker on behalf of environmental activists and the mayors of Albany and Richmond. -more-


More Pink Slips for School District Classified Staff

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday May 15, 2009 - 01:19:00 PM
Ann Butts, an eight-year Berkeley Adult School employee, was one of 10 district classified employees to receive a pink slip in the latest round of layoffs.

Berkeley Unified School District sent pink slips to 10 classified employees Thursday, May 14, informing clerks, custodians and bus drivers that they would be losing their jobs at the end of the school year. -more-


Tentative Deal Gives Teachers 1 Percent Raise for 2008-09

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday May 15, 2009 - 12:44:00 PM

Berkeley teachers may have come to terms with the school district over their 2008-09 and 2009-10 contracts. -more-



Page One

Berkeley Dropout Rates Still High for Minorities

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:23:00 PM

State schools chief Jack O’Connell released the 2007-08 dropout and graduation rate report Tuesday, May 12, calling for comprehensive reform to address the large number of California students leaving high school before getting a diploma. -more-



City Staff Propose Two-Year Budget

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:44:00 PM

With Berkeley City Manager Phil Kamlarz saying that the city’s proposed fiscal year 2010 budget “is balanced and it looks pretty good,” Kamlarz’ office is already making preparations for what he calls “major problems” that are looming two years down the road. -more-



School District Will Review Attendance Zones to Address Overcrowding

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:44:00 PM

Berkeley’s Board of Education voted unanimously April 29 to ask the school district to review classroom capacities and attendance zones to address overcrowded elementary schools. -more-



UC Berkeley Databases Hacked; Students Warned of Identity Theft

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:44:00 PM

UC Berkeley officials announced Friday, May 8, that Social Security numbers and other identification had been hacked from restricted university health services databases, putting students at risk of identity theft. -more-



LeConte Students Learn About Traffic Safety

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:45:00 PM

The Big Tadoo Puppet Crew paid a visit to LeConte Elementary School Tuesday to teach students about traffic safety rules. -more-



Features

UC Berkeley Names Neil Henry New Dean of Journalism School

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:21:00 PM
Neil Henry.

UC Berkeley’s search for a dean for its Graduate School of Journalism came to an end May 7 when it selected interim Dean Neil Henry for the position. -more-


Berkeley Unified Gets $2.4 Million in Stimulus Funds to Offset Budget Cuts

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:21:00 PM

State officials announced Saturday, May 9, that the Berkeley Unified School District will receive $2.4 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. -more-


UC Regents Approve Tuition Hike

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:21:00 PM

The UC Board of Regents on May 8 approved a 9.3 percent student fee increase for the 2009-10 school year, despite criticism from students about the high cost of tuition. -more-


UC Berkeley Workers, Students Protest Arrest of Immigrant Custodian

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 07:08:00 PM
AFSCME union workers protest the arrest of Jesus Gutierrez by UCPD officers during a rally at Sproul Plaza Wednesday, May 13.

More than 100 University of California Berkeley workers and students rallied on the steps of Sproul Plaza Wednesday, May 13, to protest the arrest of an undocumented immigrant worker by UC police last month. -more-


City Council Gets First Look at Downtown Area Plan

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 07:10:00 PM

The Berkeley City Council is scheduled to take its first formal look at the city’s ambitious Downtown Area Plan (DAP) during a work session on the plan scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, at 5 p.m. -more-


BART Board to Consider Airport Connector Line

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 07:10:00 PM

BART’s Board of Directors is scheduled to consider moving forward with a controversial plan for a BART line link between the Coliseum Station and the Oakland Airport when the board holds its regular meeting Thursday morning. -more-


Landmarks Commission Questions Missing Data for 740 Heinz EIR

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:45:00 PM

Berkeley’s Landmarks Preservation Commission came away with more questions than answers at the end of reviewing the environmental impact report for Wareham Development’s proposal to tear down the historic Copra Warehouse at 740 Heinz St. and construct a new four-story laboratory building. -more-


Small Quake Hits Berkeley

By Bay City News Service
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 07:07:00 PM

The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting that an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.0 struck near Berkeley Wednesday, May 13. -more-


Correction

Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:22:00 PM

The May 7 story “B-Tech Students on Their Way to College” incorrectly stated that the school has failed to get an Academic Performance Index score for the last several years due to poor participation rates. The school’s API has increased from 311 in 2005 to 596 in 2008, which Principal Victor Diaz said was the second highest API score among continuation schools in Alameda County. Berkeley High School has failed to get an API score for the last several years because of poor participation. -more-


67th Street Victim Identified

Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:21:00 PM

The Berkeley Police Department on May 8 released the name of the victim who died of gunshot wounds in southwest Berkeley earlier this week as 18-year-old Maurice Robertson. -more-


First Person: A View From the Central Valley: For Me, It’s Still the ’60s on Telegraph Avenue

By Susan Hopkins
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:20:00 PM

In 1974 I left New York behind to live in Berkeley. I also left behind a young husband, my family and friends, furniture, job and a great antique Chinese carpet. Why? It was the call of peace, the lifestyle, the freedom and possibly a touch of insanity. Nonetheless I arrived at a two-story Victorian house on Ashby looking for Doug, who had assured me on the phone that there was a place for me. “Doug’s gone,” a long-hair told me, “but there’s room for you anyway.” -more-


First Person: A Berkeley Treasure

By Dorothy Snodgrass
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:17:00 PM

Walking home last Friday from the City Commons Club noon program, I thought how blessed I am to live so close to the Berkeley City Club, a California Historical Landmark. -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:06:00 PM

PROP. 1A -more-


Choices for Berkeley’s Downtown

By Juliet Lamont
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:07:00 PM

Berkeley residents may not know it, but over the next several weeks, the Berkeley City Council is poised to vote on competing visions and plans for Berkeley’s downtown. One is the compromise vision adopted by a community-based, multi-stakeholder committee, the Downtown Area Plan Advisory Committee (DAPAC). This vision was crafted over an intensive two-year process, and included extensive expert testimony and presentations, constant public comment, numerous public hearings, ongoing subcommittee workgroups, and continual iterations and modifications to the final plan, to develop a thoughtful, careful compromise that could be acceptable to a wide range of citizen and community interests. -more-


Berkeley Sees Local, Sustainable Food As Solution to Climate Change

By Jessica Bell
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:07:00 PM

On Tuesday, May 5, the Berkeley City Council unanimously approved its Climate Action Plan and consequently moved one step closer to becoming one the first governments in the country to address climate change by developing a more local, sustainable food system. -more-


Energy Secretary Chu And the Clean Coal Fraud

By James Singmaster
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:07:00 PM

According to report in the May 8 New York Times, reporter M. Wald indicates that Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has claimed hydrogen fuel cells for vehicles will not be given federal funding, being too far down the road—obviously very far down the road without that funding. -more-


Berkeley Ferry and Waterfront Parking

By Paul Kamen
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:08:00 PM

I share James McVaney’s enthusiasm for a Berkeley Ferry, but in his letter of May 5 I believe he has a few very important things wrong. -more-


New Bar Code Checkout System Less Expensive Than Berkeley Library’s Aging RFID System

By Gene Bernardi
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:08:00 PM

The Berkeley Public Library’s two-year budget is on the trustees’ May 20 meeting agenda. This is an opportune time to inform the trustees of our dissatisfaction with, and the dysfunction of the radiofrequency (RFID) self-checkout system. -more-


Documents Show Persistent Problems With Checkout System

By Peter Warfield
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:09:00 PM

Berkeley Public Library’s own records show persistent problems with its Checkpoint Systems, Inc. radio frequency identification (RFID) checkout and security system. -more-


AC Transit Service Cuts and BRT

By Russ Tilleman
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:09:00 PM

Over the last year, I’ve written several commentaries about AC Transit’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) proposal, the dedication of lanes on Telegraph for the 1R bus. I predicted that AC Transit could not afford to operate BRT without impacting other bus routes, and that prediction has come true sooner than I expected. It is now painfully clear that AC Transit can’t even afford to operate the 1R bus without cutting service on other routes. -more-


Thinking Outside the Box on ‘Bike to Work Day’

By Laura McCamy
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:10:00 PM

If there was one simple thing you could do that would reduce greenhouse gases, make neighborhoods safer and more livable, ease congestion on the streets, reduce your stress and your cholesterol, get rid of unwanted flab, all while saving you money, would you do it? Would you leave your car at home and hop on a bike? -more-


Vote No on Prop. 1A-1F

By Janet Arnold
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:09:00 PM

The Green Party of Alameda County urges you to vote no on all items on the ballot in the May 19 special election. We are opposed, of course, to the cuts in transportation, education, social services, and the rest, that are part of the budget deal which led to this special election. We oppose this deal even though the politicians tell us that great hardship will result if they don’t get their rotten deal passed. And it may even be true. But we are even more opposed to the process which concluded by offering us the “choice” of being shot in the leg or shot in the arm but did not offer us the choice of using our collective wealth to meet human needs. -more-


The Pacifica Financial Crisis: Who is Responsible?

By Richard Phelps
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:10:00 PM

Recently WBAI management did not pay their rent for four months and received a Three Day Notice to pay or be subject to eviction. This was not promptly communicated to the financial or executive management of Pacifica. WBAI has been losing hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for several years and currently owes Pacifica over $1,000,000.00 in back central services contributions. Each station contributes 20 percent of its listener-generated revenue to run the Foundation. When one station isn’t making its contribution the results are that the Foundation is short on money or the other stations have to pay more. This several year problem at WBAI and the current economic downturn has caused serious financial problems for Pacifica. The current Pacifica National Board (PNB), elected in January, gives hope for the survival of Pacifica. -more-


Editorial

Privatizing Public Servants

By Becky O'Malley
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:02:00 PM

A fellow who covered Berkeley city politics back in the day (in the 1990s) used to talk, not without a certain smirk, about the Berkeley 200. That would be that hardy little band of citizens who actually cared about what happened to the city and were willing to tolerate endless meetings in order to make sure that important issues were not just swept under the rug. -more-


Columns

Public Eye: Arlen Specter’s Legacy

By Bob Burnett
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:17:00 PM

For many Democrats, Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter’s change of party affiliation was a mixed blessing. While the 79-year-old Specter is liberal on many social issues and probably gives Dems the 60th vote they need to reach cloture, his mercurial personality and increasingly erratic behavior are troubling, and many political observers see Specter’s actions as self-serving. However, Specter views this political move as an opportunity to cement his legacy: reining in presidential power and restoring the constitutional checks and balances destroyed by the Bush administration -more-


Undercurrents: Why I Continue to Defend Mayor Dellums

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:16:00 PM

From time to time, when some of my blogging and columnizing friends want to dismiss my various writings about Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums without actually having to respond to my arguments, they resort to simply calling me a “Dellums defender.” -more-


Wild Neighbors: Tousled to Death by Coots

By Joe Eaton
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:14:00 PM
Grotesque little creatures: adult American coot with two chicks.

Last week I explored some of the variations of siblicide, or cainism, in golden eagles and other birds, as described by zoologist Douglas Mock in More Than Kin and Less Than Kind: The Evolution of Family Conflict. As that subtitle implies, Mock has also studied less extreme forms of sibling competition, such as begging for parental attention. He’s also interested in the parents’ role in various degrees of domestic mayhem. -more-


About the House: Can You Install a New Toilet? Yes, You Can

By Matt Cantor
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:16:00 PM

Flushing toilets account for nearly 30 percent of our water usage and with water bills at an all-time high, I thought it might be time to talk about how to replace a toilet. (It’s also a VERY green thing to do, since the system that supplies water to our homes contributes greatly to CO emissions.) -more-


Arts & Events

Jazz on Fourth Benefit for Berkeley High

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:14:00 PM

The 14th Annual Jazz on Fourth Festival, which benefits Berkeley High School performing arts program, takes place this Sunday, May 17. -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:11:00 PM

Author, Screenwriter Barry Gifford at Cerrito Theater

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:10:00 PM

Other musical performances of note this weekend

By Ken Bullock
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:13:00 PM

Women’s Antique Vocal Ensemble Celebrates 10 Years

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:12:00 PM

East Bay Symphony Presents ‘Showboat’

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:13:00 PM

Events Listings

Community Calendar

Thursday May 14, 2009 - 06:19:00 PM

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Privatizing Public Servants 05-14-2009

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 05-14-2009

Choices for Berkeley’s Downtown By Juliet Lamont 05-14-2009

Berkeley Sees Local, Sustainable Food As Solution to Climate Change By Jessica Bell 05-14-2009

Energy Secretary Chu And the Clean Coal Fraud By James Singmaster 05-14-2009

Berkeley Ferry and Waterfront Parking By Paul Kamen 05-14-2009

New Bar Code Checkout System Less Expensive Than Berkeley Library’s Aging RFID System By Gene Bernardi 05-14-2009

Documents Show Persistent Problems With Checkout System By Peter Warfield 05-14-2009

AC Transit Service Cuts and BRT By Russ Tilleman 05-14-2009

Thinking Outside the Box on ‘Bike to Work Day’ By Laura McCamy 05-14-2009

Vote No on Prop. 1A-1F By Janet Arnold 05-14-2009

The Pacifica Financial Crisis: Who is Responsible? By Richard Phelps 05-14-2009

News

Suspects Arrested in Weekend Murders By Bay City News Service 05-19-2009

BART Moves Forward With Oakland Airport Connector By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 05-19-2009

Bloody Saturday Night Leaves Three Dead By Bay City News Service 05-17-2009

Education Foundation Honors Teachers, Administrators, Volunteers By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-16-2009

Plaintiffs Win Pesticide Fight; Feds Withdraw LBAM Sprays By Richard Brenneman 05-15-2009

More Pink Slips for School District Classified Staff By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-15-2009

Tentative Deal Gives Teachers 1 Percent Raise for 2008-09 By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-15-2009

Berkeley Dropout Rates Still High for Minorities By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-14-2009

City Staff Propose Two-Year Budget By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 05-14-2009

School District Will Review Attendance Zones to Address Overcrowding By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-14-2009

UC Berkeley Databases Hacked; Students Warned of Identity Theft By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-14-2009

LeConte Students Learn About Traffic Safety By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-14-2009

UC Berkeley Names Neil Henry New Dean of Journalism School By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-14-2009

Berkeley Unified Gets $2.4 Million in Stimulus Funds to Offset Budget Cuts By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-14-2009

UC Regents Approve Tuition Hike By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-14-2009

UC Berkeley Workers, Students Protest Arrest of Immigrant Custodian By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-14-2009

City Council Gets First Look at Downtown Area Plan By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 05-14-2009

BART Board to Consider Airport Connector Line By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 05-14-2009

Landmarks Commission Questions Missing Data for 740 Heinz EIR By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-14-2009

Small Quake Hits Berkeley By Bay City News Service 05-14-2009

Correction 05-14-2009

67th Street Victim Identified 05-14-2009

First Person: A View From the Central Valley: For Me, It’s Still the ’60s on Telegraph Avenue By Susan Hopkins 05-14-2009

First Person: A Berkeley Treasure By Dorothy Snodgrass 05-14-2009

Columns

Public Eye: Arlen Specter’s Legacy By Bob Burnett 05-14-2009

Undercurrents: Why I Continue to Defend Mayor Dellums By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 05-14-2009

Wild Neighbors: Tousled to Death by Coots By Joe Eaton 05-14-2009

About the House: Can You Install a New Toilet? Yes, You Can By Matt Cantor 05-14-2009

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 05-14-2009

Author, Screenwriter Barry Gifford at Cerrito Theater By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 05-14-2009

Other musical performances of note this weekend By Ken Bullock 05-14-2009

Women’s Antique Vocal Ensemble Celebrates 10 Years By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 05-14-2009

East Bay Symphony Presents ‘Showboat’ By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 05-14-2009

Jazz on Fourth Benefit for Berkeley High By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 05-14-2009

About the House: Can You Install a New Toilet? Yes, You Can By Matt Cantor 05-14-2009

Community Calendar 05-14-2009