News

Partisan Position: Legislation Allows UC to Duck Alquist-Priolo Restrictions to Rebuild Stadium on Fault Line

By Janice Thomas
Monday November 02, 2009 - 10:00:00 AM

UC Berkeley has found a way to evade the limitations on new construction atop earthquake faults which are imposed by the Alquist-Priolo Fault Zoning Act by persuading the California legislature to add just a few sentences to its 61 page Omnibus Act of 2009. -more-


Berkeley Ferry Project Makes Waves But Doesn't Win Recommendation

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday October 30, 2009 - 08:57:00 AM

When news of the Bay Bridge closure broke at the Berkeley City Council meeting on Tuesday Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates asked, jokingly: “Where’s our ferry?” -more-


Disabled Workers Win Ruling Against McDonald’s

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday October 29, 2009 - 09:12:00 AM

The disability community won a victory Tuesday when the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission ruled that the McDonald’s in Berkeley, on University and Shattuck avenues, discriminated against three of its disabled employees when it fired them from work last year. -more-


Partisan Position: Protesters Give UC President a Cemetery

By Raymond Barglow
Thursday October 29, 2009 - 09:16:00 AM

A day-long conference held this past Saturday on the UC campus addressed the California public education crisis. In late afternoon of the same day, about 200 students, workers, and community activists visited UC President Mark Yudof’s house in the Oakland hills. On the hillside below his residence, the protesters built a mock cemetery, in keeping with Yudof’s recent comparison of the university to a cemetery.  -more-


BMW Waits on Lease After City Waives Fees

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday October 29, 2009 - 09:15:00 AM

Weatherford BMW said this week that it has not finalized lease agreements for renovations and new construction at its current 735 Ashby Ave.-750 Potter St. dealership location in Berkeley, although the Berkeley City Council approved about $500,000 dollars in building permit fee waivers for the project earlier this month. -more-


Neighbors Launch Rescue of Hillside Building

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday October 29, 2009 - 09:16:00 AM
Neighbors and tenants are fighting to save the 80-year-old landmark Hillside School at 1581 Le Roy Ave.

Neighbors and tenants of Berkeley’s Hillside School say they are determined to do what it takes to save the 80-year-old architectural landmark. -more-


BUSD Plans $10M Upgrade for Oregon Street Maintenance Facility

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday October 29, 2009 - 09:18:00 AM

The Berkeley Unified School District plans to demolish its seismically unsafe maintenance facility at 1707 Russell-1720 Oregon streets in South Berkeley and build new, smaller buildings on the site. -more-


City Council Asks for Troops to Come Home

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday October 29, 2009 - 09:20:00 AM

Berkeley once again dipped into U.S. foreign policy Tuesday when its City Council passed a resolution asking the Obama administration to withdraw troops and private armed contractors from Afghanistan. -more-


Students Absent in Health Care Debate

By Rozina Ali, Special to the Planet
Thursday October 29, 2009 - 09:19:00 AM

In 2007, Fatimah Simmons was attending rallies and fundraisers around New York City for the man she hoped would become her country’s next president. When the presidential campaign was in full swing, she spent hours every week encouraging people to register to vote. And in 2008—largely due to support like hers—President Obama was elected to office. -more-


Bay Area Briefs

Thursday October 29, 2009 - 09:20:00 AM

High Winds Slow Bay Bridge Repairs, No -more-


Remembering Harold Murphree

By Matt Cantor
Thursday October 29, 2009 - 09:21:00 AM
Harold Murphree

Our dear friend Harold Mark Murphree died in his sleep in the early morning of Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, at the age of 60, after a night of warm banter with close friends. We are all deeply grieved at this profound loss. -more-


Remembering Seymour Fromer

    By Dorothy Snodgrass
Thursday October 29, 2009 - 09:22:00 AM

On Tuesday I attended a memorial service at Congregation Beth El for my good friend and neighbor, Seymour Fromer. Seymour passed away Sunday, Oct. 25 at age 87 after a lengthy illness.  -more-