News

City Planning Director Issues Scathing Critique of UC Stadium Expansion Report

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday August 01, 2006
City Planning Director Dan Marks has issued a stinging rebuke of UC Berkeley’s key environmental document covering its massive expansion plans for Memorial Stadium and its surroundings. -more-

War of Words Over LPO Ballot Measure

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday August 01, 2006
The City Council will hold a special meeting at 5 p.m. today (Tuesday) to hash out the wording describing the Landmarks Preservation Ordinance that voters will see when they vote in November. -more-

Lawrence Marks Five Years at Helm of Berkeley Schools

By Suzanne La Barre
Tuesday August 01, 2006
A poster to promote Berkeley’s libraries shows Michele Lawrence smiling in a white turtleneck and red blazer, pearls in her ears and an open novel in her hands. She looks kind and composed, every bit the spokesperson for a wholesome public service announcement—but for the novel. -more-

BUSD Interdistrict Transfer Policy Draws Criticism

By Suzanne La Barre
Tuesday August 01, 2006
As Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) officials gear up for the second parcel tax campaign in two years, some citizens question whether district administrators have done enough to ensure that school resources stay with Berkeley students. -more-

Construction to Begin on Alameda Cineplex Project

By Suzanne La Barre
Tuesday August 01, 2006
The Alameda City Council approved construction bids for the development of a controversial theater project in downtown Alameda Wednesday, dealing a blow to opponents who insist the project is out of scale with the area. -more-

Effort to Expand Public Comment Gains Steam

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday August 01, 2006
Faced with threats of a lawsuit, the City Council has begun to explore ways to increase both the number of people allowed to speak directly to the council at its meetings and the variety of topics the public can address. -more-

Feds Focus Anti-Terror Effort On Local Anti-War Events

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday August 01, 2006
Federal government “anti-terror” activities have penetrated a number of Northern and Central California cities including Berkeley, according to an ACLU report released last week: “The State of Surveillance: Government Monitoring of Political Activity in Northern and Central California.” -more-

High Court Says CSU Must Prepare New Report on Expansion

Bay City News
Tuesday August 01, 2006
The California Supreme Court ruled today that the trustees of California State University must prepare a new environmental impact report on a planned expansion of a campus in Monterey County. -more-

Bevatron, Berkeley Iceland Landmarking, Drayage Demolition on LPC Agenda

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday August 01, 2006
Will the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Bevatron building and Iceland become the city’s newest landmarks? And will the Drayage fall to the wrecking ball? -more-

Californians Seek Action on Air Quality, Global Warming

By Brian Shott, New America Media
Tuesday August 01, 2006
Californians knew global warming was real even before temperatures soared past 110 degrees in many regions for days and killed at least 75 people statewide, according to a survey released by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). -more-

Ten Questions for Councilmember Gordon Wozniak

By Jonathan Wafer, Special to the Planet
Tuesday August 01, 2006
1. Where were you born and where did you grow up, and how does that affect how you regard the issues in Berkeley and in your district? -more-

Police Blotter

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday August 01, 2006
Paintballs redux -more-

Lebanon Is the New Damascus

By Franz Schurmann, New America Media
Tuesday August 01, 2006
Arab Culture’s Genius To Communicate Beyond Itself -more-

If UC Berkeley officials don’t fix the crumbling Memorial Stadium first, they could be endangering the lives of student athletes at the 132,500-square-foot training center they plan to build next to the stadium’s west wall, right, warns Berkeley Planning Director Dan Marks. Photograph by Richard Brenneman.
If UC Berkeley officials don’t fix the crumbling Memorial Stadium first, they could be endangering the lives of student athletes at the 132,500-square-foot training center they plan to build next to the stadium’s west wall, right, warns Berkeley Planning Director Dan Marks. Photograph by Richard Brenneman.

Editorials

Editorial: Is Inevitable Killing Intentional Slaughter?

By Becky O'Malley
Tuesday August 01, 2006
One of the most heart-rending dialogues in English literature is a short scene in Macbeth. -more-

Reader Commentaries

Letters to the Editor

Tuesday August 01, 2006

Commentary: Yale Goes to War: How Disasters Happen

By Michael Katz
Tuesday August 01, 2006
The Bush administration’s foreign policy—whatever it is—is in ruins. Iraq and neglected Afghanistan are sinking into macabre violence. Israel has launched a bloody regional war, with conspicuous support from a diplomatically isolated United States. India is recovering from a major terrorist atrocity. Terror plots against North America are an apparent growth industry. -more-

Commentary: Saving the Berkeley Housing Authority

By Eleanor Walden
Tuesday August 01, 2006
Suzanne La Barre wrote an interesting report on the July 25 City Council meeting pertaining to the crisis of the Berkeley Housing Authority (BHA). While the governing body of BHA (the nine City Council members and only two appointed members at large), assumes the posture that it just now recognizes that new governance is essential to the stability of the agency, the cry of “Shocked! Shocked!” sounds a bit hollow given the history. Let’s see if we can round up the usual suspects! -more-

Columnists

Column: The Devil in Me Carries Fake Prada

By Susan Parker
Tuesday August 01, 2006
The recent heat wave has been difficult for my husband, Ralph. He is often bedridden, and because he can’t move or perspire properly, he is prone to overheating. Ralph doesn’t know he’s too hot until it’s too late. -more-

Trees, Plants are Great, But the Real Action is Underground

By Ron Sullivan, Special to the Planet
Tuesday August 01, 2006
In some ways, we humans are educating ourselves about the planet that sustains us the way the owner of a cranky old car educates herself about how cars work: We learn about systems and parts when they break down and we’re forced to figure out why. Partly that’s a matter of perceived urgency that gets grants written and funding done—“pure” research is a delicious notion, but it’s rare that anyone can get the time, facilities, and support to study a matter just because we all get intrigued by it. -more-

Arts & Entertainment

Arts Calendar

Tuesday August 01, 2006
TUESDAY, AUGUST 1 -more-

Actors Ensemble Brings ‘Night of the Iguana’ to Live Oak Theatre

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Tuesday August 01, 2006
An orchestra of marimbas playing “Down in Mexico, Joyous Mexico” ... Drinking Rum Cocos on the verandah of the Hotel Costa Verde, while below, the patrona’s nightswimming with the local boys, and that big lizard’s chafing at the end of his rope, and a hurricane’s brewing up ... -more-

Events Calendar

Berkeley This Week

Tuesday August 01, 2006