Chilean exile and singer Jorge Tapia plays with music teacher Lydia Mills at La Peña during Sunday’s gathering to mark the death of Augusto Pinochet. Photograph by Karen Lee Wald.
Chilean exile and singer Jorge Tapia plays with music teacher Lydia Mills at La Peña during Sunday’s gathering to mark the death of Augusto Pinochet. Photograph by Karen Lee Wald.

Extra

Flash: Police Detain Tree Sitter Running Wolf

By RICHARD BRENNEMAN
Tuesday December 12, 2006

UC Berkeley Campus police detained tree-sitting former mayoral candidate Zachary Running Wolf Wednesday morning, then served him with an order barring him from campus for seven days. -more-



Page One

First Person: The Master of Political Disappearances Is Dead

By Fernando A. Torres, Special to the Planet
Tuesday December 12, 2006

You should always say something good about the dead. He’s dead. Good. —Moms Mabley -more-



First Lawsuit Filed To Stop UC Projects

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday December 12, 2006

Critics of UC Berkeley’s massive Southeast Campus Integrated Projects (SCIP) filed the first of two expected legal challenges Monday. -more-



Bates Still Hopes to Block Traffic Court Move

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday December 12, 2006

Presiding Superior Court Judge George C. Hernandez, Jr. paints a rosy picture of the planned move of Berkeley’s traffic court to the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse on Washington Street in downtown Oakland. -more-



Peralta Bond Confusion Concerns Laney Faculty

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday December 12, 2006

Six months after local voters overwhelmingly approved $390 million in facilities bond money for the Peralta Community College District under Measure A, there is confusion within the district about how the money will be allocated to each college. -more-



ZAB to Act on Controversial Trader Joe’s Project

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday December 12, 2006

The long-running battle over the proposal once dubbed the Kragen project—for one of the site’s current tenants—and now the Trader Joe’s building—for a prospective future tenant—heads for a crucial decision Thursday. -more-



Features

Candidate Count Certified, Election Winners Sworn In

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday December 12, 2006

After the battles of almost half a year, candidates winning the local mayoral and council races will be sworn in at tonight’s (Tuesday) City Council meeting. -more-


Council Questions Chamber Membership, UC Settlement

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday December 12, 2006

Councilmember Dona Spring doesn’t think taxpayers should foot the bills for membership in organizations that take part in local electoral politics. A resolution on tonight’s (Tuesday) agenda targets by name both the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber’s Political Action Committee. -more-


Violence Rises, Property Crimes Drop

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday December 12, 2006

Violent crime incidents rose nearly 15 percent in the first nine months of the year, but some of the increase stemmed from paintball attacks during the spring and summer months that were recorded as aggravated assaults. -more-


Owens River: Lessons in Collaborative Good

By Antonio Rossmann, Special to the Planet
Tuesday December 12, 2006

On Wednesday, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Inyo County Supervisor Susan Cash symbolically ended the most celebrated and notorious water war in American history. Ninety-three years after Los Angeles diverted the full flow of the Owens River into the city's aqueduct, Villaraigosa and Cash lifted a gate to reverse that complete diversion. Once again, water flows in the river channel. That act marked the consummation of the 1991 agreement between Los Angeles and Inyo County to govern the waters of the Owens Valley together. -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Tuesday December 12, 2006

FOMENTING PLANET -more-


Commentary: Basta! Stop the Condo-glomeration of Oakland

By Robert Brokl
Tuesday December 12, 2006

Condomania—the current answer to developers’ prayers for short-term gain—is sweeping the commercial corridors of MLK Jr. Way, Shattuck, Telegraph, and Broadway in North Oakland. Variances and conditional use permits are being handed out like candy by the Planning Dept. to allow condo developers to exceed height limits, eliminate or reduce setbacks from neighboring properties and residences, and provide the barest minimum of off-street parking and required open space. Inadequate noticing of projects under consideration means most neighbors are in the dark until too late to do anything. -more-


Commentary: Why Sacrifice Our Neighborhood To Entice Trader Joe’s?

By Regan Richardson
Tuesday December 12, 2006

Regarding the proposed Trader Joe’s mega-project at 1885 University Avenue: -more-


Commentary: Be Good, for Goodness Sake . . .

By Steve Geller
Tuesday December 12, 2006

Here’s the Santa Claus plan: divide Iraq into two parts, called “naughty” and “nice.” Carve out the “nice” piece from some relatively unpopulated part of Iraq, and draw on the revenue from Iraqi oil to pay for construction of a pleasant, comfortable infrastructure—farms, homes, apartments, schools, business parks, stores and restaurants. Bring in people from Turkey to run the initial temporary administration for Nice Iraq. The Turks live in the region and already know how to run a secular state full of nominal Muslims. Invite immigration into Nice Iraq from Naughty Iraq, starting with a small group of essential workers and professional people. -more-


Commentary: Pinochet’s Bloody Rise and Rule Part of U.S. Playbook

By Roger Burbach, New America Media
Tuesday December 12, 2006

As an American who watched Gen. Augusto Pinochet’s violent overthrow of Salvador Allende’s government in Chile, I’m reminded of my own government’s role in the coup as I read reports of Pinochet’s death. -more-


Editorial

Editorial: First, the Bad News . . .

By Becky O’Malley
Tuesday December 12, 2006

You work this job too long, you find that you’re often tempted to repeat yourself. In a recent letter, a Berkeley librarian voiced a complaint on behalf of herself and presumably others: “Many readers are tired of the constant divisiveness fomented by the Daily Planet. The paper should present some news on issues and culture that build community rather than encourage bickering and false differences.” She suggested, as an alternative, another nice story on the library’s new website like the ones that had already appeared in the Daily Cal and the East Bay Daily News. -more-


Columns

Collumn: The Public Eye: Killing Conservatism

By Bob Burnett
Tuesday December 12, 2006

With conservatives still reeling from their losses in the mid-term election, and President Bush’s approval ratings heading for record lows, for the first time in six years liberals have something to cheer about. Rather than gloat about Bush’s ineptness, or the failure of the GOP-controlled 109th Congress, liberals should focus on their opportunity to sink the conservative ideology that has dominated American politics for twenty-five years. -more-


Column: ‘I’m Gonna Learn How to Fly’

By Susan Parker
Tuesday December 12, 2006

For the first time in 12-plus years I’m allowing myself to think back to what life was like before Ralph’s accident. My musings began the day after he died when I started the process of planning Ralph’s memorial service. It has continued intermittently, everyday since. -more-


Who Put the Walnuts in Walnut Creek?

By Ron Sullivan, Special to the Planet
Tuesday December 12, 2006

A tree student learns a set of categories: the 50-mph tree, the 30-mph tree, the stop-and-think tree. The distinctions here concern how fast-moving and far away you can be and still be able to identify a tree—how distinctive it is from a distance. -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Tuesday December 12, 2006

Arts and Entertainment Around the East Bay

Tuesday December 12, 2006

Charlie Hunter Home for Annual Holiday Visit

By Galen Babb, Special to the Planet
Tuesday December 12, 2006

The Theater: ‘The Man Who Saved Christmas’ Comes to Alterena

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Tuesday December 12, 2006

Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Tuesday December 12, 2006

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: First, the Bad News . . . 12-12-2006

Editorial: More Attacks on Citizen Participation Rumored 12-08-2006

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 12-12-2006

Commentary: Basta! Stop the Condo-glomeration of Oakland By Robert Brokl 12-12-2006

Commentary: Why Sacrifice Our Neighborhood To Entice Trader Joe’s? By Regan Richardson 12-12-2006

Commentary: Be Good, for Goodness Sake . . . By Steve Geller 12-12-2006

Commentary: Pinochet’s Bloody Rise and Rule Part of U.S. Playbook By Roger Burbach, New America Media 12-12-2006

Letters to the Editor 12-08-2006

Commentary: Berkeley’s Charm At Risk By Fred Dodsworth 12-08-2006

Commentary: Breathable Air Is a Human Right, Too By Rita Maran 12-08-2006

Commentary: Better Places for TJ’s in Downtown Berkeley By Stephen Wollmer 12-08-2006

Commentary: Conflict of Interest, Cronyism, Secrecy and Profit Motive By Peter Warfield and Gene Bernardi 12-08-2006

Commentary: Gibson’s ‘Apocalypto’ Far From a Tribute to the Maya By Gabriela Erandi Rico 12-08-2006

News

Flash: Police Detain Tree Sitter Running Wolf By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 12-12-2006

First Person: The Master of Political Disappearances Is Dead By Fernando A. Torres, Special to the Planet 12-12-2006

First Lawsuit Filed To Stop UC Projects By Richard Brenneman 12-12-2006

Bates Still Hopes to Block Traffic Court Move By Judith Scherr 12-12-2006

Peralta Bond Confusion Concerns Laney Faculty By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 12-12-2006

ZAB to Act on Controversial Trader Joe’s Project By Richard Brenneman 12-12-2006

Candidate Count Certified, Election Winners Sworn In By Judith Scherr 12-12-2006

Council Questions Chamber Membership, UC Settlement By Judith Scherr 12-12-2006

Violence Rises, Property Crimes Drop By Richard Brenneman 12-12-2006

Owens River: Lessons in Collaborative Good By Antonio Rossmann, Special to the Planet 12-12-2006

UC Regents Approve Controversial Projects By Richard Brenneman 12-08-2006

Council Passes New Landmarks Ordinance By Judith Scherr 12-08-2006

Oakland’s Condo Conversion Bill Comes To Quick End By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 12-08-2006

Hills Opposition Doomed Measure J By Rob Wrenn, Spcial to the Planet 12-08-2006

Corbeil Named New Library Director By Judith Scherr 12-08-2006

Rosie Lee Tomkins (Effie Mae Howard), 1936-2006 By Eli Leon, Special to the Planet 12-08-2006

Committee Looks at People’s Park’s Future By Judith Scherr 12-08-2006

Police Blotter Berkeley Woman Stabbed 12-08-2006

UC Berkeley Readies for Durant Hall Renovation By Richard Brenneman 12-08-2006

Council to Look at Commission Term Limits By Judith Scherr 12-08-2006

New BUSD Board Tackles District Healthy Food Program By Sindya N. Bhanoo, Special to the Planet 12-08-2006

First Person: KALX’s ‘The Sunday Morning Show’ Will Be Missed By Jonathan Wafer 12-08-2006

DAPAC Discussion Highlights Tensions Over Downtown By Richard Brenneman 12-08-2006

Swanson Bill Seeks to Return Some Local Control to OUSD By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 12-08-2006

Richmond’s Activist Librarian Honored By Colleagues By Richard Brenneman 12-08-2006

Columns

Collumn: The Public Eye: Killing Conservatism By Bob Burnett 12-12-2006

Column: ‘I’m Gonna Learn How to Fly’ By Susan Parker 12-12-2006

Who Put the Walnuts in Walnut Creek? By Ron Sullivan, Special to the Planet 12-12-2006

Column: Dispatches From the Edge: Madness and Insanity: Deciphering Words in the Desert By Conn Hallinan 12-08-2006

Column: Undercurrents: Brown Leaves Oakland With Legacy of Improper Planning By J. Douglas Allen-Taylo 12-08-2006

About the House: Taking Action With Photovoltaic Solar Power By Matt Cantor 12-08-2006

Garden Variety: Mrs. Dalloway’s is Not Just A Garden Bookstore By Ron Sullivan 12-08-2006

You Write the Daily Planet 12-08-2006

Quake Tip: The Valves Are Coming! The Valves Are Coming! By Larry Guillot 12-08-2006

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 12-12-2006

Arts and Entertainment Around the East Bay 12-12-2006

Charlie Hunter Home for Annual Holiday Visit By Galen Babb, Special to the Planet 12-12-2006

The Theater: ‘The Man Who Saved Christmas’ Comes to Alterena By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 12-12-2006

Who Put the Walnuts in Walnut Creek? By Ron Sullivan, Special to the Planet 12-12-2006

Berkeley This Week 12-12-2006

Arts Calendar 12-08-2006

Arts and Entertainment Around the East Bay 12-08-2006

Moving Pictures: PFA Screens Two Italian Art House Classics By Justin DeFreitas 12-08-2006

The Theater: Ten Red Hen Takes on ‘365 Plays’ Project By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 12-08-2006

About the House: Taking Action With Photovoltaic Solar Power By Matt Cantor 12-08-2006

Garden Variety: Mrs. Dalloway’s is Not Just A Garden Bookstore By Ron Sullivan 12-08-2006

You Write the Daily Planet 12-08-2006

Quake Tip: The Valves Are Coming! The Valves Are Coming! By Larry Guillot 12-08-2006

Berkeley This Week 12-08-2006