News

BART Unions Vote to Strike

Bay City News
Wednesday June 24, 2009 - 01:57:00 PM

Two of BART’s three largest unions have voted to authorize a strike, but BART spokesman Linton Johnson said today that “it’s outrageous to even talk about a strike in these economic times.” -more-


Seniors, Disabled Take to Streets in SF to Protest State Budget Cuts

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday June 23, 2009 - 05:46:00 PM

More than 200 seniors and disabled citizens rallied at the San Francisco Civic Center Tuesday to protest cuts to social, elder and disability services, which they said would force them from their homes and into institutions. -more-


More Cuts On the Way for School District, Adult Education

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Monday June 22, 2009 - 05:05:00 PM

The Berkeley Board of Education approved more budget reductions at a board meeting Wednesday in response to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s May revision to the state budget. -more-


School District Convenes Committee to Address Drug, Alcohol Use at Berkeley High

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Saturday June 20, 2009 - 09:09:00 AM

In a push to reduce drug and alcohol use by Berkeley’s public school students, the Berkeley Unified School District will collaborate with the City of Berkeley government to form a committee by September to address the issue. -more-


West Berkeley, Housing, Signs Top Planning Commission Slate

By Richard Brenneman
Friday June 19, 2009 - 02:25:00 PM

Housing, West Berkeley and signs will be on the minds and lips of planning commissioners when they meet for their final June meeting Wednesday night, June 24. -more-


Man Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter for 2006 Homicide

Bay City News
Friday June 19, 2009 - 02:24:00 PM

One of two men accused of murder for the 2006 death of a man who succumbed to a gunshot wound shortly after stumbling to the door of a University of California at Berkeley sorority house has pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter, a prosecutor said today. -more-


School Board Asks Berkeley High to Weigh in on School Governance Reform

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 09:49:00 PM

The Berkeley Board of Education will seek input from Berkeley High School before crafting any kind of policy seeking to reform its School Governance Council. -more-


Parent Complaints Prompt Berkeley High School Governance Realignment

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:41:00 PM

A Berkeley Board of Education policy subcommittee was scheduled to recommend realigning Berkeley High School’s Governance Council to make it more consistent with that of the district’s K-8 public schools at the board’s meeting, which took place yesterday, Wednesday, June 17, after the Planet went to print. A report on the meeting can be found at berkeleydailyplanet.com. -more-


County Supes Look for Ways to Close Budget Gap

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:43:00 PM

Facing a $177.6 million funding gap for the upcoming fiscal year, Alameda County Administrator Susan Muranishi has proposed a $2.4 billion county budget that makes severe cuts across all levels of county services. -more-


Students Protest Racism on Berkeley High School Campus

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:43:00 PM

At Wednesday’s Berkeley Board of Education meeting, about 20 Berkeley High School students protested what they called campus racism. -more-


Berkeley Animal Shelter Gets a New Home

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:44:00 PM
Mia Lancaster, 8; Elanie Cassero, 9; and Mirei Machiyma, 9, shake hands with Autumn, an 8-month-old red and white pitbull mix who was found in the basement of an abandoned house during a police raid in Albany three weeks ago. Her owner, the person who was squatting on the property, has not claimed her yet.

The Zoning Adjustments Board approved a use permit for a new facility for the Berkeley Animal Shelter Thursday, June 11. -more-


Bevatron Demolition Underway

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:36:00 PM

The unique igloo-domed Bevatron building at UC Berkeley is coming down, the closing chapter in a political battle between city activists and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). -more-


Commissioners Praise Plan for Center Street Pedestrian Plaza

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:38:00 PM

As plazas go, Walter Hood’s design was a great one, Berkeley planning commissioners seemed to agree last week. -more-


State Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to Berkeley’s Assignment Plan

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:38:00 PM

The state Supreme Court Wednesday rejected a challenge to Berkeley Unified School District’s student assignment plan, upholding a March appellate court decision and paving the way for other school districts to replicate it. -more-


West Berkeley Zoning Changes Stir Neighbor Concerns

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:33:00 PM

With changes in West Berkeley zoning rules on the Planning Commission’s slate, residents of the area say they want a seat at the stakeholders’ table. -more-


Richmond Toxic Oversight Panel Gets Mixed Message From State

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:35:00 PM

What began as a heated confrontation ended with qualified applause for the state’s top environmental cop during last week’s meeting of the citizen panel advising the state about the cleanup of toxic sites in South Richmond. -more-


Council to Vote on Final Budget June 23

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:35:00 PM

The Berkeley City Council is expected to give final approval to its 2010 and 2011 biennial budget at its meeting on Tuesday, June 23, although “final” is a relative term in the current economic times. With continued certainty that a final state budget package will include reductions in state revenue coming to Berkeley—as well as uncertainty over how much and in what areas—the council is expected to come back after the summer break to make adjustments after the full economic situation is known. -more-


Port Agrees to Seek Airport Connector Money

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:39:00 PM

Members of the Port of Oakland’s Board of Commissioners put off the toughest decision on the controversial BART Oakland Airport Connector (OAC) project for another day, agreeing on Tuesday, June 16, to apply for federal funds for the project but adding a provision to study a rapid bus alternative. -more-


Alameda County Reports Second Swine Flu Death

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:40:00 PM

Alameda County public health officials announced the county’s second swine flu death Thursday. A middle-aged man who had been hospitalized for pre-existing health conditions died two days after the first death was reported. -more-


Chancellor Warns of Hiring Freeze, Program and Wage Cuts for UCB

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:28:00 PM

Calling the current budget crisis “the most difficult financial situation that we have ever encountered in our university careers,” University of California Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost George Breslauer said this week in a general letter addressed to the campus community that the university is facing severe program and personnel cutbacks for the 2009-10 academic year. -more-


Fire Dept. Log

Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:30:00 PM

Fire de-ranged -more-


More Juneteenth Photos

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:44:00 PM

Clarification, Corrections

Thursday June 18, 2009 - 07:11:00 PM

CLARIFICATION -more-