Local News and Opinion from The Berkeley Daily Planet

News Updates

Dean Takes Out Papers for Mayoral Race

By Judith Scherr

Tuesday July 08, 2008

Two-term mayor, 15-year councilmember Shirley Dean took out preliminary papers to run for Berkeley mayor today (Tuesday). -more-

Lawsuits Challenge BP Project Lab, Computing Center at LBNL Campus

By Richard Brenneman

Tuesday July 08, 2008

Environmental activists have filed two lawsuits that seek to block construction of two major facilities at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). -more-

Economy, Downtown Plan Block High-Rises, Consultants Declare

By Richard Brenneman

Tuesday July 08, 2008

Tall buildings aren’t economically feasible for downtown Berkeley under the proposed new Downtown Area Plan, at least given the current state of the market, according to a city-funded study. -more-

State Announces Free Meals To Help Students During Summer

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Tuesday July 08, 2008

Berkeley Unified School District families in need will qualify for a free summer meal program, according to an announcement by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell today (Monday). -more-

Missing Rice University Student May Have Changed Identity

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Tuesday July 08, 2008

Literature and notes on how to assume a new identity were found in the car, abandoned on a Berkeley street, of missing Rice University student Matthew Wilson, Berkeley police said last week. -more-

Council Considers Legal Action Against Proposed Anti-BRT Ballot Initiative

By Judith Scherr

Monday July 07, 2008

At a special closed-door session at 6 p.m. Tuesday, the Berkeley City Council, on the advice of its attorney, could vote to go to court to stop a proposed ballot measure that would “require voter approval before dedicating Berkeley streets or lanes for transit-only or HOV/bus-only use.” -more-

Council May Place Tax Measures on Ballot and Address Tree Sitters’ Needs

By Judith Scherr

Monday July 07, 2008

After debating for months which tax measures to place before the voters in November, the City Council is likely to take action onTuesday night. -more-

Berkeley Gains New Treesitter

By Richard Brenneman

Monday July 07, 2008

Berkeley’s dwindling tree-sitter population notched up by one Sunday night just days after numbers had dwindled by four. -more-

Landmarks Commission Has No Say Over Fencing In Picnic Rock

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 03, 2008

Although some members of Berkeley’s Landmarks Preservation Commission expressed concern about fencing the historic Sutcliff Picnic Rock in North Berkeley, there appears little they can do to prevent it. -more-

Four Builders Picked For Art Museum Bids

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday July 03, 2008

UC Berkeley has picked four companies to bid on the new Berkeley Art Museum, the structure that is likely to become the architecturally most striking and controversial feature of the city center. -more-

Tree Sitter Jailed at Santa Rita

By Judith Scherr

Thursday July 03, 2008

Amanda Tierney, 21, better known as Dumpster Muffin, was among the three tree sitters to leave their perches at UC Berkeley’s Memorial Grove on Wednesday. After the intervention of her doctor, paramedics took her to Highland Hospital. -more-

News

Public Urges City to Appeal Stadium Decision

By Judith Scherr

Thursday July 03, 2008

More than 60 people came to the open session before the Berkeley City Council’s closed meeting Monday to urge the council to “do what’s right” by standing up to UC Berkeley and appealing the judge’s final decision in the lawsuit on the sports training/stadium issue if it goes against the city. -more-

UC, Tree-Sitter Clashes Continue in Court, Grove

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday July 03, 2008

It’s been a week of tense confrontations between UC Berkeley and the tree-sitters occupying the grove where the university wants to build its showcase high-tech gym. -more-

Fate of Grove May Hinge on Necessity of ‘Grade Beam’

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday July 03, 2008

UC Berkeley officials believe they’ve side-stepped a judge’s ruling adroitly enough to have removed the last roadblocks to building the Memorial Stadium gym. -more-

Tree-Sitter Collapses

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday July 03, 2008

Campus Police arrested treesitter Dumpster Muffin after she came down from the branches and collapsed Wednesday afternoon, as Assistant police Chief Mitch Celaya, right, watches. Supporters say she was initially denied medical aide, an account denied by the university.

A tree-sitter collapsed moments after climbing down from her perch at the UC Berkeley oak grove, and campus police initially refused to allow a doctor in to examine the ailing woman, known as Dumpster Muffin. -more-

Money Worries Top Cal’s Tree-Sit Woes

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday July 03, 2008

For UC Berkeley officials, money may or may not be the root of all evil, but it’s at the root of their opposition to the ongoing tree-sit outside Memorial Stadium. -more-

School Board Prefers ‘Curvy Derby’ Plan

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 03, 2008

The Berkeley Board of Education picked “Curvy Derby” as its preferred option for the Berkeley Unified School District’s East Campus field last week, but acknowledged that the district lacks the funds necessary to build it. -more-

Neighbors Oppose Shattuck Safeway Expansion

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 03, 2008

It was déjà vu all over again for supermarket chain Safeway when it unveiled plans to remodel its north Shattuck Avenue store at the Hillside Club last week. -more-

Gary Cornell is the new owner of Black Oak Books.

Computer Book Author Buys Black Oak Books

By Judith Scherr

Thursday July 03, 2008

Code Pink Women Claim Court Victory

By Judith Scherr

Thursday July 03, 2008

Zoning Board Gives Thai Temple a Chance to Address Violations

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 03, 2008

Lake Merritt Tree Removal Complete

BY J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday July 03, 2008

Bumpy Road for Bus Rapid Transit at Planning Commission

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday July 03, 2008

Wireless Law Rewired, More Work Lies Ahead

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday July 03, 2008

University Moves Ahead With Anna Head Housing

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday July 03, 2008

Edgerly Fired After Postponing Retirement

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday July 03, 2008

Berkeley Finds Likely Animal Shelter Site

By Judith Scherr

Thursday July 03, 2008

Keene Goes to Palo Alto

By Judith Scherr

Thursday July 03, 2008

New Candidates Take Out Preliminary Papers

By Judith Scherr

Thursday July 03, 2008

AC Transit Directors Slow Drive to Replace Fleet with Van Hools

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday July 03, 2008

Van Hool Critic Will Run for AC Transit Board Seat

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday July 03, 2008

New Layoffs Hit East Bay Papers

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday July 03, 2008

Berkeley Community Media Reaches Share Agreement with BUSD over Studio

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 03, 2008

BUSD Rescinds Most Classified Layoffs

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 03, 2008

UC Service Workers Set to Walk

By Judith Scherr

Thursday July 03, 2008

Durant Ave. Murder Plea Moved to Monday

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 03, 2008

Aquatic Park Plans Raise Issues of Habitat, Flood Management

By Kristin McFarland

Thursday July 03, 2008

City Council Sends Aquatic Park Sludge for Toxics Test, Criticizes $210,00 Clean-Up Cost

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday July 03, 2008

By Richard Brenneman

Attorney William Simpich listens as colleague Carol Strickman responds to a comment by Judge Richard Keller during Monday’s hearing on their request for an order to protect tree-sitters and for the university to provide them with food and water.

Editorials

Contemplating the Revolutionary Option

By Becky O’Malley

Thursday July 03, 2008

The approach of July 4 always moves me to ruminations on the nature and function of government. Reading the Declaration of Independence is a feature of the best holiday picnics—so much easier these days when printable copies can easily be retrieved from the Web. As always, when I download the DofA and actually read it, I’m struck by what a radical document it is, and by the annoying and alarming parallels between the bad behavior of the 18th century Brits and that of the various governments we have to contend with these days. -more-