News


Here We Are, And We’re Not Going Away” Berkeley’s Ed Roberts Campus Dedicated

By Steven Finacom
Sunday April 10, 2011 - 09:13:00 AM
Zona Roberts spoke to the crowd in front of the new building named for her son, disability rights activist Ed Roberts.

A throng of well-wishers turned out on a sunny Saturday, April 9, 2011 to formally dedicate the Ed Roberts Campus adjacent to the Ashby BART station in Berkeley. -more-


Erupting Fire Plug Creates Compendious Fountain on Shattuck in Berkeley

Wednesday April 06, 2011 - 08:48:00 PM

Planet reader Carlos Navarro sent us pictures of the tower of water from the hydrant that burst at Shattuck and Center yesterday. He was there and captured almost all of it with his camera. More of his pictures can be seen on Flickr at -more-


Flash: Berkeley Firefighters Battle Downed Power Lines, Gas Leak in Dwight Way Fire

By Bay City News
Thursday April 07, 2011 - 09:00:00 AM

Firefighters dealt with downed power lines and a gas leak while battling a blaze at a home in Berkeley this morning, a fire official said. -more-


Bay Area Workers March to Support Wisconsin Labor

By David Bacon
Wednesday April 06, 2011 - 02:48:00 PM

Over a thousand events took place across the U.S. on April 4 to support the workers and unions in Wisconsin and the Midwest, where Republican-dominated state governments are trying to eliminate collective bargaining for public workers, and cut their healthcare and pensions. In California alone, almost every central labor council organized a rally or march. Two of them took place in Crockett and San Francisco. The events were all called "We Are One" to draw attention to the solidarity of workers and unions nationally in facing this attack. -more-


16,000 New Households In “Vision Scenario” For Berkeley

By Steven Finacom
Wednesday April 06, 2011 - 02:18:00 PM

Should the number of Berkeley households increase by 34% over the next 25 years, adding as many as 35,000 new residents to the city?

That seems to be the premise of a low profile but significant item being transmitted to the Planning Commission for discussion on Wednesday, April 6, 2011. -more-


Move Your Money Has a Message: “Bye-bye BofA”

By Gar Smith
Wednesday April 06, 2011 - 01:54:00 PM

The annual agony of tax filing is always a headache but this year the average taxpayer may be complaining of migraines (and a sickening feeling in the stomach) following the New York Times’ revelation that General Electric paid no 2010 taxes despite US profits of $5.1 billion. (GE even asked for a “refund” of $3.2 billion.) It seems the argument that “corporations are people” endowed with First Amendment rights (to, say, spend millions of dollars on public elections) does not extend to include the concept that corporations also have social obligations (like abiding by the law, facing jail-time for criminal behavior, or paying taxes). -more-


Stabbing Charge Dropped in Berkeley's People's Park Tree-Sit; Midnight Matt Released From Jail Around Midnight

By Ted Friedman
Wednesday April 06, 2011 - 03:06:00 PM

Follow the synchronicity.

Matthew Dodt, 53,aka "Midnight Matt", who defended himself with a camping knife from tree invasion in his tree in People's Park only to wind up in Santa Rita Jail, was released shortly before midnight Monday, according to a releasing officer at the jail.

He served 61 days in Santa Rita and 91 days in the tree. The synchronicity is in there somewhere. -more-


Richmond Council Cancels Point Molate Casino Deal

By Janna Brancolini (BCN)
Wednesday April 06, 2011 - 01:31:00 PM

The Richmond City Council voted Tuesday night not to continue with plans to develop an Indian casino at Point Molate after more than six years of back-and-forth about development of the former Navy base. -more-


Special Meeting About the Branch Library Projects

Tuesday April 05, 2011 - 09:08:00 PM

On Thursday, April 14th at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chambers at 2134 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, there will be a special joint meeting of the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) and the Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) to consider issues related to the Branch Libraries Projects. The LPC will consider whether or not to approve the demolitions of the South and West Branch Public Libraries. (The West Branch is a Structure of Merit, and both buildings are potentially historic under California law.) The ZAB will consider whether or not to grant use permits for the construction of new libraries at these locations and whether or not to certify the Final Environmental Impact Report concerning these projects. -more-


Berkeley's Socialist Mayor--in 1911--Celebrated in Exhibit

By Steven Finacom
Wednesday April 06, 2011 - 02:29:00 PM
Wilson for Congress Button

It’s common today to date the beginnings of progressive politics in Berkeley to “The Sixties”. But leftist activism and idealism on the local scene date back at least half a century earlier. -more-


How to Cut Nuclear Weapons Spending and Save $1.15 Billion (News Analysis)

By Gar Smith / Environmentalists Against War
Wednesday April 06, 2011 - 01:43:00 PM

In the first days of April, Tri-Valley CAREs (Communities Against a Radioactive Environment), the nuclear watchdog organization based in Livermore, dispatched a team to Washington to lobby for a host of targeted reductions in the US nuclear weapons budget. Tri-Valley CAREs (TVC) is working withthe Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, a coalition of nuclear watchdogs from across the country that has scheduled 100 meetings with Members of Congress, committee staff, and the Obama Administration. -more-


Check Out These Links

By Victor Herbert
Wednesday April 06, 2011 - 02:50:00 PM

Spring is Cherry Blossom Time Everywhere

By Steven Finacom
Wednesday April 06, 2011 - 02:32:00 PM
Masses of flowering cherries flank the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington D.C.  These trees continue all around the adjacent Tidai Basin.

Spending the first part of last week in Washington D.C., and the latter part in Berkeley, I was charmed to see that ornamental cherry trees were coming into bloom in both places on almost exactly the same schedule. -more-