News

New: UC Workers Join Student Hunger Strike

From AFSCME 3299 Press Release
Thursday May 06, 2010 - 12:58:00 PM

Saying the University of California's sharply misguided priorities call for unprecedented and unified action, two University of California employees represented by the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299 have joined students in a hunger strike at the UC Berkeley campus. Today's action comes after workers last week called on prominent graduation speakers at UC campuses statewide to refuse to deliver their commencement addresses unless workers' demands are met (see list of demands below). -more-


New: UC Berkeley hunger strike negotiations break down when administration tries to split students and workers

From the organizers' press release
Thursday May 06, 2010 - 10:31:00 AM

On Wednesday evening, it appeared a resolution was within reach to end the three-day hunger strike by students, workers and other members of the UC Berkeley community. The strike began Monday with demands of denouncing racist legislation in Arizona, creating a sanctuary campus and ending retaliation against student and worker activists (see next page for complete demands). As five negotiators were entering California Hall; Tanya Smith, the lone UC employee on the team, was denied entry into the building. “The police blocked the door and indicated that no union members would be allowed to enter,” said Smith; who also is the campus President of U.P.T.E., a UC union. “Then Isaac Castro, a fellow negotiator, came to join me outside and the police lost control”. -more-


New: Jury Starts Deliberations in UC Berkeley Student Murder Case

By Bay City News
Wednesday May 05, 2010 - 05:19:00 PM

An Alameda County Superior Court jury today began deliberating the fate of a man charged with murder for the stabbing death of University of California at Berkeley senior Christopher Wootton near campus two years ago. -more-


New: Oakland: Council Votes to Boycott Arizona over Immigration Law

By Bay City News
Wednesday May 05, 2010 - 05:17:00 PM

The Oakland City Council voted Tuesday night to boycott Arizona and Arizona-based businesses to protest the state's tough new immigration law -more-


New: Berkeley Today: Wednesday

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday May 05, 2010 - 05:06:00 PM

In the news today: Berkeley City Council postpones new marijuana regulations, tables fine proposal for large daycares, approves a proposal for amendments to Telegraph late night zoning; hunger strike at UC Berkeley against Arizona immigration bill strengthens;Berkeley Rep plays get Tony nominations and Berkeley police ask for help on missing teen. -more-


Berkeley City Council Rejects "Full Build" BRT for EIR, Endorses "Reduced Impact"

By Joyce Roy (Partisan Position)
Tuesday May 04, 2010 - 01:08:00 PM

Last Thursday night the Berkeley City Council unanimously approved the “Reduced Impact Alternative” BRT that is similar to “Rapid Bus Plus” as the “Locally Preferred Alternative.” It rejected the “Build Alternative” which would have removed traffic lanes and placed boarding stations in the middle of the street even though AC Transit sent a letter saying, more or less, that it was obliged to choose that alternative. This meeting with Bus Rapid Transit the only agenda item ended after 11:00 pm. Sixty-six members of the public were against the “Build Alternative,” twenty-three in favor and five asked all alternatives to be studied. Here are the alternatives. -more-


Rabbi's Berkeley Hills Home Vandalized

From a Tikkun Magazine Press Release
Tuesday May 04, 2010 - 12:56:00 PM

[Editor's Note: This information was received as a press release at 3 on Monday afternoon. Berkeley Police Department Public Information Officer Jamie Perkins confirmed that the crime at Rabbi Michael Lerner's home in the 900 block of Cragmont was reported at 11:40 on Monday, and she said Monday at about 6 p.m. that police had no suspects as yet.]

Berkeley police today confirmed that the attack on Rabbi Lerner's home late Sunday May 2nd or early morning Monday May 3rd was in fact a crime and was being investigated. The attackers used a powerful form of glue to attach posters to his door and around the property of his home attacking Lerner personally, and attacking liberals and progressives as being supporters of terrorism and "Islamo-fascism." -more-


Berkeley News Roundup

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday May 04, 2010 - 12:53:00 PM

In the news since the last issue: Zoning changes for Panoramic Hill and Telegraph, fines for daycare centers proposed, new marijuana regulations, 155-unit apartment complex for South Shattuck, credit card fraud, a music club in financial trouble, students begin hunger strike to protest immigration law. -more-


Arizona’s Immigration Law Spurs Copycat Legislation

By Marcelo Ballvé, New America Media
Monday May 03, 2010 - 07:19:00 PM

Arizona’s new get-tough immigration law has emboldened other state capitols to follow suit. -more-


New: Ex-Letter Carrier Tries to Run Down Postal Supervisor in Albany

By Bay City News
Wednesday May 05, 2010 - 10:20:00 PM

A former letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service has been accused of trying to kill his former supervisor by ramming the victim with a car over the weekend. -more-


UC Berkeley Students in Second Day of Hunger Strike

By Bay City News
Tuesday May 04, 2010 - 11:44:00 PM

A group of about 25 University of California at Berkeley students entered the second day of a hunger strike today asking the university to publicly oppose Arizona's new immigration law. -more-


Family Mourns Son Murdered a Year Ago Today--Crime is Still Unsolved

Tuesday May 04, 2010 - 06:54:00 PM

A year ago today, on the night of May 4, 2009 at about 11:30, neighbors reported hearing gunfire in the 1300 block of 67th Street. Berkeley police officers found Maurice Robertson, 18, of Berkeley, dead from gunshot wounds in the backyard of a home there. -more-


Berkeley High Community Members Weigh in on Principal Selection Process

By Raymond Barglow www.berkeleytutors.net
Tuesday May 04, 2010 - 07:15:00 PM

About 25 parents and other community members met at the Berkeley High School Library last Tuesday evening to present to the district board their ideas about what they are looking for in a high school principal. -more-


Closing Arguments in UC Berkeley Stabbing Trial

By Bay City News
Tuesday May 04, 2010 - 12:44:00 PM

A defense attorney told jurors today that "it's been a long and demanding ride" for a man charged with murder for the stabbing death of University of California at Berkeley senior Christopher Wootton near campus two years ago today. -more-


New: Berkeley Today: Monday

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Monday May 03, 2010 - 05:18:00 PM

In the news today: Zoning changes for Panoramic Hill and Telegraph, fines for daycare centers proposed, new marijuana regulations, 155-unit apartment complex for South Shattuck, credit card fraud and a music club in financial trouble. -more-


Flash: Rabbi Lerner's Home in the Berkeley Hills Attacked by Right-Wing Zionists

From a Tikkun Magazine press release.
Monday May 03, 2010 - 04:40:00 PM

[Editor's Note: This was received as a press release at 3 on Monday afternoon. A more complete article will follow. Berkeley Police Department Public Information Officer Jamie Perkins confirmed that the crime at Rabbi Lerner's home in the 900 block of Cragmont was reported at 11:40 today, Monday, and she said at about 6 p.m. that there were no suspects as yet.]

Berkeley police today confirmed that the attack on Rabbi Lerner's home late Sunday May 2nd or early morning Monday May 3rd was in fact a crime and was being investigated. -more-


New: Partisan Position:What the Berkeley City Council's Rejection of "Full Build" Will Mean

By Joyce Roy
Friday April 30, 2010 - 03:04:00 PM

Last night the Berkeley City Council unanimously approved the “Reduced Impact Alternative” BRT that is similar to “Rapid Bus Plus” as the “Locally Preferred Alternative.” It rejected the “Build Alternative” which would have removed traffic lanes and placed boarding stations in the middle of the street even though AC Transit sent a letter saying, more or less, that it was obliged to choose that alternative. This meeting with Bus Rapid Transit the only agenda item ended after 11:00 pm. Sixty-six members of the public were against the “Build Alternative,” twenty-three in favor and five asked all alternatives to be studied. Here are the alternatives. -more-


New: Berkeley Today: Friday

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday April 30, 2010 - 03:21:00 PM

In the news today: -more-


NEWS ANALYSIS: Walking or Driving While Brown-- Arizona’s New Immigration Law

by Ralph E. Stone
Friday April 30, 2010 - 08:51:00 AM

"Driving while Black." "Walking while Black." These are phrases in the contemporary vernacular for racial profiling, which is defined as the inclusion of racial or ethnic characteristics in determining whether a person is considered likely to commit a particular type of crime or an illegal act or to behave in a "predictable" manner. Arizona's new immigration law will now target those "walking or driving while Brown." -more-


Court Rejects Chevron Appeal of EIR Requirements

By Bay City News
Friday April 30, 2010 - 07:57:00 AM

A state appeals court in San Francisco on Monday upheld a lower court decision that the environmental report for Chevron's Richmond refinery expansion project is inadequate under state environmental laws. -more-


Berkeley News Roundup

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday April 30, 2010 - 07:50:00 AM

In the news since the last issue: -more-


Berkeley Council Rejects "Full Build" BRT, Votes for Hybrid Solutions

By Becky O'Malley
Thursday April 29, 2010 - 11:40:00 PM

In a late night vote on Thursday, the Berkeley City Council voted to support hybrid alternatives to AC Transit's Bus Rapid Transit proposal which eliminate dedicated bus lanes and bus boarding stations in the center of the street. According to AC Transit spokesperson Cory LaVigne this plan can’t be considered as part of the environmental impact study currently underway, making it effectively a "no build" alternative at this point. -more-


Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Repair

Maile Urbancic
Thursday April 29, 2010 - 08:02:00 PM
Ellie, 5, fixes a vacuum cleaner.

The usual catch-phrase for environmental responsibility is "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." However, on Earth Day, in a small computer lab in University Village, Albany, a local group added "Repair" to the list. Toolbox open, my daughter grinned as she unscrewed the base of our long-broken vacuum cleaner. In a corner, two of my friends leaned over the disassembled guts of a malfunctioning laptop. Broken cameras, microwaves, and electronics filled the tables near their hopeful owners as tools were passed around and volunteers guided each project and offered advice. -more-


New: Berkeley Today: Monday

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Monday May 03, 2010 - 05:18:00 PM

In the news today: -more-