Less than a day after an Oakland judge refused to order the eviction of protesters at the Memorial Stadium tree-in, UC Berkeley police staged a pre-dawn raid Friday, evicting supporters of the tree-dwellers and leveling their encampment. 

There were no arrests. 

Shortly after 6 a.m., “about 10” uniformed officers swooped in, backed up by two front-end loaders, a stake-bed truck a dump truck and campus building and grounds workers. 

Giving the protesters less than three minutes to move out, officers surrounded the scene with crime scene tape and the protesters made frantic calls to supporters. 

“It’s a public safety issue,” said Mitch Celaya, the department’s assistant chief. “We’re trying to get things back to normal before students return.” 

As campus workers in yellow vests gathered up scattered belongings and leveled the shelters which had housed the ground support volunteers who were helping the six protesters camped out in the branches overhead a growing crowd of demonstrators briefly broke into a chant:  

“Thieves! Thieves! Thieves in the Night. 

“The trees aren’t going down without a fight.” 

Another supporter called out, “Hang in there, tree people.” 

Another passer-by was less supportive, saying, “Get out of the trees, guys. Oak trees are everywhere in California.” 

At least six volunteers were camped out on the ground when the police staged their predawn raid, including Richard Goodreau, who was asleep under a plastic tarp and missed by the officers on their initial search. 

“I heard yelling and I peeked out, and they had already driven everybody else out. So I gathered all my stuff and quietly stuffed my sleeping bag into my pack and ran down the hill,” he said. 

Others weren’t so lucky, including one volunteer who lost a personal computer and another who said he lost prescription medications. 

An officer told them their possessions could be reclaimed later after they’d been booked into evidence—as long as they could prove they owned them. 

Celaya said the material was being taken into evidence, but the material wasn’t tagged or marked as is usually the case at crime scenes, nor was any effort made to keep items separate. 

The raid came on the year’s coldest morning and on the day of the sixth week since former mayoral candidate Zachary Running Wolf began the protest by climbing into the branches of a redwood before dawn on Big Game Saturday. 

After sitting out a seven-day stay-away order Running Wolf was back in the redwood Friday—the day after a judge refused to give campus attorneys permission to chop it down. 

Doug Buckwald, who is coordinating support for the protesters, said a rally is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday (today) at the site. 

The tree-in is being staged to protest university plans to chop down a grove of California Live Oaks, the redwood and other trees to make way for a four-story, $125 million gym complex along the stadium’s western wall. 

Four lawsuits have been filed by the city and private organizations challenging university development plans in the area, and another suit is being planned—this one alleging civil rights violations in the Friday morning raid, said Buckwald.  

Photograph by Richard Brenneman. 

Two UC Berkeley workers dump the remains of the shelter that once housed protesters at the stadium grove into a front-end loader after campus police raded the site before dawn Friday, evicting protestors and destroying their encampment.

The battle between developers and Berkeley preservationists appears to be headed back to the ballot box. 

Foes of a developer-backed City Council revision of the Landmarks Preservation Ordinance (LPO) turned in 5,947 signatures Thursday on petitions to freeze implementation of the new law pending a public vote. 

The signature drive, backed by many of the same activists who failed in November to win voter endorsement of a rival ordinance designed to update the existing LPO, culminated Thursday afternoon when activists presented the petitions to City Clerk Pamyla C. Means. 

“We’re just totally, totally happy,” said Julie Dickinson, one of the two chairs of the signature drive. “We pulled a lot of people together, and we’re very pleased that so many people signed.” 

The petitions included 1,816 more signatures than the required 4,092, a figure based on the required 10 percent of the turnout in the last mayoral election. 

In November, 40,914 Berkeleyans voted in the race in which incumbent Mayor Tom Bates handily defeated four other foes by capturing 62.8 percent of the vote. Those same voters rejected measure J by a 57-43 percent margin. 

After Dickinson and her allies handed over the petitions, Means said, “We’re doing a prima facie examination now, and if it is passes, we’ll deliver them to the Registrar of Voters tomorrow. They’ll have 30 days to verify them.” 

The county registrar is required to examine a minimum of 3 percent of the signatures to determine if they were made by eligible Berkeley voters. 

Asa Dodsworth, a neighborhood activist who worked on the campaign, said the referendum supporters had aimed to gather at least 20 percent more than the required figure to make up for signers who might be rejected. 

Dickinson said the campaign relied on a core group of about a dozen activists. “They brought in their friends, so the effort was dispersed, like a spider’s web,” she said. 

Under Article XV of the City Charter, voters can block enforcement of a City Council ordinance if they gather the needed signatures within 30 days after the council’s last vote on the ordinance. 

The measure is then stayed until the next regularly scheduled statewide general or special election. The next California primary will be held in June 2008 followed by a general election in November. 

Means said that City Attorney Manuela Albuquerque has also said that the City Council could call a special election on its own. 

Referendum backers fear the new law, sponsored by Mayor Tom Bates and Councilmember Laurie Capitelli, will pave the way for neighborhood-changing demolitions. 

The most controversial aspect of the mayor’s ordinance is the Request for Determination, or RFD. 

That procedure allows a property owner to demand an LPC decision either to landmark the property or to decline to make that designation. Failure to designate would give the owner a two-year exemption from any further landmarking efforts. 

Developers say the measure is needed because landmarking has been used by neighborhood activists to block projects that would otherwise be allowed by city codes. 

Critics charge that by granting the exemption before a project is floated, neighbors are stripped of a crucial tool to block projects that will alter their communities and destroy crucial neighborhood landmarks. 

The new ordinance does include the structure of merit category, which developers had wanted out because designations of less-pristine buildings had been used to delay and, in one case, block projects. 

Developer appeals to overturn structure of merit designations raised after projects had been proposed were granted by city councilmembers in recent cases, but the delay in the case of one project at 2901 Otis St. led developers to abandon the project even though they had won a favorable council vote. 

If the signatures are valid and a referendum is held, the vote will be all-or-none—either voters accept or reject the new law in its entirety. 

Any effort to challenge only parts of the law, specifically the RFD, was blocked by a last-minute change of language that made it unseverable—a referendum could not be used to stop only part of it. 

Measure J was defeated in an election in which the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee served as a conduit for large sums of developer money that targeted the measure and the two city councilmembers most critical of development projects, Dona Spring and Kriss Worthington.

Black Oak Books is up for sale and could close as soon as this summer if no buyer is found.  

If the owners decide to renew the lease, they said it will likely mean an end of author book readings at the store and a reduced staff. 

A sign on the independent bookstore’s website informs visitors that the Berkeley store at 1491 Shattuck Ave., as well as the 630 Irving St. store in San Francisco, have been put up for sale. 

“Yes, Black Oak Books is for sale but we haven’t decided what to do yet. We have a lease coming up for renewal on June 30, 2008, which we may or may not renew. But we are looking into all the possibilities,” said Don Pretari, one of the co-owners of Black Oak. 

Known for keeping many rare and signed first edition and out-of print titles, Black Oak has offered an eclectic selection of “new, used and antiquarian” books to Bay Area readers for more than two decades. 

Pretari said that the business has suffered heavy losses in the last few years and blamed slow foot traffic, the rise of the Internet and big chain bookstores. 

He added that the owners were required to inform the landlord about not renewing the lease a year in advance and that was why the search for possible investors in the store started in January. 

“We have a choice of renewing our lease in June and carrying on. We would probably have to bring about some organizational changes but we will try and keep the essence of the store as what it is, a general scholarly new-and-used book store.” 

Pretari said the organizational changes could include lay-offs and getting rid of readings. 

“The events at the bookstore are free,” he said. “True that it brings in people who buy our books but we don’t get any financial assistance for hosting book readings. It’s more like a community service and we are losing money because of it.” 

Store hours would also be reduced from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. to 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Pretari said that the selection of books at the store would not change. 

“I am committed to selling the kind of books that we are selling right now,” he said. “I am not interested in selling other kinds of books at Black Oak.” 

Bob Brown, one of the partners of Black Oaks, echoed Pretari’s thoughts and said it was becoming harder and harder to run the independent bookstore. Pertari, Brown, Herb Bivins and Jeanne Baldock opened Black Oak Books in 1983 and have operated the bookstore together since then. 

“Black Oaks is still viable as a bookstore but it’s becoming increasingly harder to be successful,” Pretari said. “I am getting tired of it. One of my partners is 68 years old. He could easily retire. We once had lucrative health plans at the store which we had to end.” 

The second option the owners have decided on is to sell the store to someone who would want to invest in it before the lease ran out. 

Pretari and Brown said that it was difficult to zero in on an exact figure for the price of the store but added that so far they had five responses from interested parties. 

The current lease on the bookstore is for $16,000 per month. 

“We hope the buyer continues to run Black Oaks as an independent bookstore, but in the end what they do with it is up to them,” said Pretari. 

The last option would be not to renew the lease and to close down the business between July 2007 to July 2008.  

When asked if Black Oak’s customers had been disappointed by the news, Pretari talked about the lack of supportive customers. 

“We have had a lot of valuable customers in the last 23 years, but the important question to ask today is that are there enough people who value this kind of business? Far too many people are using the bookstore just as a showroom. They come in and browse the titles but when it comes to buying them from the store, they prefer getting the discounted versions either online or somewhere else.” 

With Cody’s Books on Telegraph Avenue going out of business in July, Black Oak Books could become the second independent bookstore in Berkeley to close if its owners decide that they do not want to continue with the business. 

Pretari said that if the community really cared about independent book stores going out of business, not enough was being done to show that. 

“Large publishers have also become extremely tough to deal with. They are not as lenient with credit or payment of bills as they used to be,” he said. 

At a recent meeting about the North Shattuck Plaza in October, an employee from Black Oak books had expressed concern about the Plaza taking away parking spaces and decreasing foot traffic.  

Pretari added that although plans for the plaza had not been responsible for the current situation, the plaza would not help the store.

After months of conflict with Berkeley’s Zoning Ordinance and some neighbors, the Milo Foundation has decided to close the doors at its 1575 Solano Ave. pet adoption store on June 1 and move to another location. 

News of the closure was posted on the Milo Foundation website Tuesday morning and visitors are being greeted by a similar message displayed on their store window. 

“We have told city officials that we won’t have any dogs in the store as of June 1,” Lynne Tingle, founder and director of the Milo Foundation, said Tuesday. 

Tingle added that although they were closing down the Solano Avenue location, the pet store was not going to disappear. 

Milo first approached the Zoning Adjustments Board in September 2006 to authorize the animal adoption agency’s continued use and plans for 1575 Solano Ave. and 1572 Capistrano Ave. 

According to the proposal, the exterior changes would have been limited to a new door, window and landscaping on the Capistrano facade and a new driveway gate, open space, and new windows on the Solano facade.  

Some area residents, however, described the business as a nuisance and asked ZAB to deny the request and not allow the Milo Foundation to continue its operation, arguing that it fouled the area with dog feces, drainage problems and barking at all hours.  

City Attorney Manuela Albuquerque deemed the adoption store’s current use a “kennel” under the zoning ordinance in November—something that is prohibited on Solano Avenue.  

An amendment to the zoning ordinance governing pet adoption facilities was being considered by the City of Berkeley Planning Department in November, but nothing further has been done since then. 

“After Manuela Albuquerque called us a ‘kennel’ instead of a ‘pet store,’ it made the business illegal under the current zoning ordinance,” Tingle said. “Albuquerque hasn’t backed down from her ruling and with the innumerable restrictions that are being imposed on us, it’s becoming very difficult to carry on.” 

She said, “We can’t overnight dogs and we can’t take them out to the backyard. We weren’t able to do any of the improvements on the building we had hoped to do so far. We could go on fighting the city and the neighbors for a year and a half, and we’d probably win, but I think that’s distancing us from the real mission, which is rescuing animals.” 

Tingle said that the foundation would be looking at one or two locations in a commercial district that had open space and would allow overnighting of dogs.  

“We are looking at Emeryville, El Cerrito and Marin but we are not ruling out Berkeley either,” she said. “We have made lots of friends in the city, in the Berkeley City Council, the Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) and the City Planning Department and that means a lot to us.”  

The news has shocked friends of Milo in Berkeley who have sent dozens of e-mails to the foundation calling the decision a loss for Solano Avenue and Berkeley. 

ZAB commissioner Dave Blake said that it was unfortunate that the Milo pet store backyard was in a residential neighborhood. 

“They had a bad history with the neighborhood and although they did a lot to clean up their act, it wasn’t really helping the situation,” Blake said. “There’s a hole in our ordinance that doesn’t allow us to deal in a normal fashion with pet stores that deal in dogs. The existing ordinance only covers dog boarding which we call kenneling and that is not allowed in their district. It’s lamentable because they perform such a valuable service.” 

Councilmember Laurie Capitelli, in whose district the Milo adoption store is located, told the Planet that although he was sorry to see Milo leave Solano, it had been a difficult fit for that particular commercial district. 

“It wasn’t just a pet store. It was a hybrid,” he said. “It wasn’t just puppies and kittens, it was adult dogs and cats that were living there and there was no place to walk the dogs. I don’t think Milo thought of some of the difficulties and challenges they would have to face at that location. The neighbors had some serious concerns and I don’t think they could have been addressed.” 

Capitelli added that he hoped the decision to close down would not damage Milo in the long run. 

Michael Sandroff, a Solano resident and a member of the Solano Avenue Neighborhood Association—a group that has protested against Milo’s operations—told the Planet that the news had taken most of the neighbors by surprise. 

“It alleviates the problem for us but it definitely wasn’t what we had expected to happen,” Sandroff said. “However, we respect the decision.” 

He added that the inherent problem some SANA members had had with Milo was that the organization had wanted to have a large number of animals in the store. 

“The noise and smell impacted us greatly,” Sandroff said. “Legally, businesses on Solano Avenue are not supposed to have an impact on the neighborhood. In fact, none of the other businesses do.”

With a tentative date for a hearing on an injunction to impose a freeze on UC Berkeley construction plans at Memorial Stadium set for Jan. 23, attorneys were negotiating Thursday to define terms for an interim agreement. 

Meanwhile, the tree-in protest by opponents of the university’s plans to fell a stand of native Coastal Live Oaks next to the stadium entered its 42nd day today (Friday). 

In a ruling issued Tuesday, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch ordered consolidation of three of the four lawsuits challenging the $300 million-plus in UC Berkeley development projects planned at and near the stadium. 

A second hearing Thursday morning ended with the county court’s Presiding Judge George Hernandez setting the Jan. 23 hearing before Judge Barbara Miller in the court’s Hayward Branch. 

Attorney Stephan Volker, who represents the California Oaks Foundation, said the judge rejected a request by UC Berkeley attorneys to issue a court order demanding the removal of protesters who are camped out in the branches on trees slated for demolition if the projects are approved. 

“They wanted to be able to erect a fence around the trees and to remove a redwood tree and to announce the contract for removal of the trees,” Volker said. “They want all the protesters out of there.” 

The tree-in has drawn national media attention, most recently with a major article in Thursday’s USA Today. 

The redwood in question is the current abode of Zachary Running Wolf, the former Berkeley mayoral candidate who launched the tree-in Dec. 2 by ascending the branches of a redwood in the grove adjacent to Memorial Stadium’s western wall. 

The activist was cited last month and ordered off-campus for a week, but he returned last week and reclimbed the redwood—where he is currently one of a half-dozen protesters inhabiting the foliage of the grove. 

It is that same tree the university asked Judge Hernandez for permission to ax. 

“They also asked for permission to prune the trees, and we’re negotiating that,” Volker said.  

“I’m still here,” Running Wolf said Thursday afternoon, speaking by cell phone from his plywood platform high up in the threatened redwood. 

Told that the university had singled out his perch for destruction, the activist replied, “Of course. They know it’s our power base.” 

As attorneys for the City of Berkeley, the Panoramic Hill Association and the California Oaks Foundation negotiate with university officials, the protesters are continuing to organize. 

UC Berkeley students from Lothlorien Hall, a vegetarian coop at 2405 Prospect St., have joined the protest are occupying one of the six trees. 

“We are hoping to get more coops involved, and we are going to be organizing among students when they return on the 15th,” Running Wolf said. 

The protesters have also strung lines between five of the six trees they occupy that will allow quick traverses from one tree to another if university officials attempt to remove them from the branches, Running Wolf said. 

“We’re really excited. We want to used the protest as an educational tool for understanding the importance of trees in the environment and the need to preserve old growth,” he said. 

While the media’s attention has been drawn to the arboreal environmentalists, more pragmatic concerns have driven the city’s lawsuit, which charges that the university failed to consider all of the environmental impacts of a set of projects that will cost at least $330 million and result in massive loads of outgoing excavated earth and incoming building materials on crowded city streets.  

Another concern is the impact on city emergency services and surrounding neighborhoods in the event of a disaster affecting projects built on or near the Hayward Fault, rated by federal geologists as the likeliest site of the next major Bay Area earthquake. 

All of the suits allege the university violated both the California Environmental Quality Act and the Alquist Priolo Act, which governs construction on active faults. 

A fourth suit, relying on similar grounds, was filed by fans of Tightwad Hill, the slope above the stadium where fans watch games for free. Volker said he expects that action to be joined with the others. 

Levelling the grove is the crucial first step to develop the first of the university Southeast Campus Integrated Projects—construction of a 132,500-square-foot, four-story gym and office complex demanded by Cal Bears football coach Jeff Tedford before he would accept a seven-figure contract to coach what had been a losing team. 

Another demand, for renovations of the stadium itself, is slated to occur later in the course of the projects.

The war over Berkeley’s architectural legacy, waged at the polls in November and in the current referendum effort, continues on another front in the struggle to create a new downtown plan. 

Just what role should historic buildings play in a city center being shaped, in part, by the increasingly heavy hand of a powerful and expanding university? 

That question has dominated the meetings of a small committee formed to advise the Downtown Area Plan Advisory Committee (DAPAC) about the role of historic buildings in the new plan. 

Comprised of members of DAPAC and the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), the subcommittee has been preparing the first comprehensive review of downtown’s historical heritage in more than a decade. 

As the chief player in the downtown development game, UC Berkeley is funding DAPAC as a condition of the settlement of a city lawsuit challenging the institution’s Long Range Development Plan 2020—or LRDP. 

The perimeters of downtown planning were expanded over those of the earlier 1990 plan, largely to encompass the scope of the university’s plans to occupy an additional 800,000 square feet of off-campus space in the city’s core. 

One key issue that emerged early on is the future of downtown’s array of buildings erected before World War II, some by well known local architects. And while Berkeley voters may have minimal regard for “old buildings,” the citizen commissioners and committee members appointed by the officials they elect seem to value preservation. 

Matt Taecker, the planner hired by the city—with university funds—to manage the planning process conceded as much during a recent DAPAC meeting. 

Subcommittee members early on rejected the city’s planned approach to the subject—a quick survey followed by a collection of individual reports on 30 buildings—and insisted on a more detailed survey without the 30 reports. 

Unlike many city meetings where public comment is tightly controlled and limited to two- or three-minute pitches, the subcommittee has opened itself to a free-flowing dialog with the handful of community members who attend its sessions in an upstairs room of the North Berkeley Senior Center. 

“This has been a pretty free dialogue,” said chair Steven Winkel, “an interchange without being a free-for-all.” 

As a result, the city-commissioned survey has gradually emerged as a cooperative effort, with the key players being subcommittee members, the city-hired consultants from Architectural Resources Group (ARG) of San Francisco and local preservationists, most notably John English, a retired planner who has emerged as Berkeley’s leading preservation policy wonk. 

A diminutive man with unruly hair and a matching full white beard, English sits in the audience, offering frequent, polite comments and serving as the group’s de facto fact-checker, pointing out errors and flaws in documents and maps and making suggestions that are greeted with respect. 

(It was English who prepared the documents leading to city and national recognition of Memorial Stadium as a historic site, a move that followed the university’s announcement of major building plans at and near the stadium.) 

The resignation of City Council hopeful and DAPAC member Raudel Wilson after his move from the city following his defeat in November has left the subcommittee with only one serious critic of the preservationist majority, Carole Kennerly—though her attendance has been irregular. 

Wilson’s replacement on DAPAC is Jim Novosel of Bay Architects, who has worked on the adaptive restoration of several historic buildings as well as the construction of new in-fill apartment developments . 

The results of the subcommittee’s work will be presented to a joint meeting of the full memberships of DAPAC and the LPC when they meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the senior center at 1901 Hearst Ave. at Martin Luther King Jr. Way. 

During Monday night’s subcommittee meeting, the last before the joint session, two members of the public—graduate planning student and Livable Berkeley board member Jennifer Phelps-Quinn and architectural historian Sally Woodbridge—urged greater density downtown. 

Woodbridge urged planners to “make a deliberate and serious examination of one- and two-story buildings downtown, even if they are landmarks and structures of merit or not,” referring to the city’s two classes of officially designated historical resources. 

Phelps-Quinn called for adding density “in a positive way that will make it (downtown) an interesting place to be for young single women like myself.” 

John Parman, who has written about Berkeley’s downtown architecture for design 1, an online architectural journal, said the city center density could be increased, but only by buildings of architectural merit and without demolishing significant historic structures. He faulted some recent developments downtown and along the city’s major thoroughfares for adding excessive density without quality. 

Another voice from the audience belonged to DAPAC member James Samuels, an architect who also sits on the city’s Zoning Adjustments Board. 

Samuels urged the committee to bear in mind their possible impacts on economic revitalization of downtown “and the effects on attracting or discouraging private capital from investing in downtown.” 

Rhoades urged the creation of guidelines specific enough to allow projects that meet them to sail through the permit process. 

Matrix, maps, ideas 

One result of the subcommittee’s efforts has been the creation of a still-imperfect but extensive matrix of properties within the planning area, listing such categories as age, architects (when available), relative integrity, alterations, relative significance and inclusion in other surveys and reports. 

Data from the matrix can be displayed on the charts in a process that city Planning Manager Mark Rhoades described as “the most difficult mapping project” since he started work for the city. 

Some of those maps will be presented at Wednesday’s joint meeting, including one prepared with the significant help of English. 

As critical for the emerging downtown plan as locating historic structures may be, the maps also identify development sites: parcels without notable structures which could be developed without raising preservation issues. 

The subcommittee has reached several specific conclusions, including: 

• a call for preserving the city’s existing downtown design guidelines; 

• refining the architectural survey with the participation of both LPC and DAPAC; 

• development of guidelines for alterations and new construction in areas of the downtown where historic buildings are concentrated; 

• development of a spectrum of policies to enhance good development, including tax credits and incentives, historic districts, loans and grants, facade improvements and transfer of development rights, and 

• rejection of redevelopment. 

Other policies would focus on 

• using preservation to revitalize community life, encourage restoration as a green policy; 

• developing programs to celebrate the downtown’s historic character to improve tourism;  

• enhancing opportunities for small business; 

• encouraging suitable development of one- and two-story historic buildings with projects that add height and density while preserving historic facades. 

Photograph by Richard Brenneman.  

Matt Taecker, the city planner charged with preparing a new downtown plan, talks with Planning Manager Mark Rhoades (center) as their boss, Planning and Development Director Dan Marks, listens during Monday night’s meeting of a subcommittee of the DAPAC and the Landmarks Preservation Commission that is formulating proposals for the future of historic buildings in the new plan.

Acting Alameda County Registrar of Voters Dave Macdonald, who led the county through the June and November elections that included the implementation of the new scanned paper-ballot voting system, has been named the county’s permanent registrar by the county board of supervisors. 

At the same time, voting rights activists in the state received a significant boost to their efforts to slow down the move to electronic voting with reports that newly-inaugurated California Secretary of State Deborah Bowen has named one of their own—Berkeley attorney Lowell Finley—to the post of Deputy Secretary of State for Voting Systems Technology and Policy. 

Last March, the Daily Planet reported that Finley, a member of the non-profit election watchdog organization Voter Action, was the lead attorney in a California Superior Court lawsuit in Superior Court seeking to halt the use of the Diebold paper trail electronic voting machines in California. Finley has been a persistent critic of electronic voting in California and the nation. 

In his capacity as deputy secretary of state, Finley will oversee the approval of new voting systems in the state. 

Meanwhile, county officials spoke out in praise of Macdonald, with Board of Supervisors President Keith Carson issuing a statement that the decision to hire Macdonald on a permanent basis “reflects this board’s belief that he performed exceptionally well in leading Alameda County through both the June and November elections,” and County Administrator Susan Muranishi adding that “Dave’s technological expertise helped us greatly as we made the transition to a completely new voting system.” 

Macdonald had been serving as Alameda County’s Director of Information Technology when he was named acting registrar in May 2006 to replace the outgoing Elaine Ginnnold.

A leading California hotelier will unveil plans Feb. 1 to transform the ailing Shattuck Hotel into a“three or four star” accommodation, reports city Planning Manager Mark Rhoades. 

Preliminary plans for the first phase of renovations will be presented by Palo Alto-based BPR Properties on that date to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). 

“The overarching goal is to create an upscale hotel, and to add conference facilities in the future,” said Rhoades. 

If all goes as officials expect, the Shattuck Hotel would become the second major upscale hotel and conference center on Shattuck Avenue in the heart of downtown Berkeley—joining the Berkeley Charles, the planned 19-story hotel at the northeast corner of Shattuck and Center Street. 

Initial construction at the Shattuck Hotel would focus on the interior of the building, a city landmark that was, for a time, the longest building in Northern California after it opened on Dec. 15, 1910. 

Fireproof and built of heavy, reinforced concrete, the building was constructed in response to the disastrous 1906 earthquake that left much of San Francisco a smoking ruin. 

“The first phase will reduce the number of rooms and redo the ground floor restaurant and bar area and create a grander lobby,” Rhoades said. 

Most of today’s 205 hotel rooms are small, and many lack baths, Rhoades said. “They want to reduce the number to 150 so they can enlarge the rooms.” 

In a second phase of construction, the developer would add an additional 100 rooms. Plans also call for creation of conference facilities. 

Rhoades said any additional construction would preserve the existing facade. 

BPR Properties owns nine California hotel properties, eight operating under the Best Western Inn banner. The company’s flagship hotel and the site of its corporate offices is the Crowne Plaza Cabana in Palo Alto, where the firm restored a long-vacant hotel built by actor Doris Day and future Caesars Palace casino tycoon Jay Sarno. 

On Nov. 29, BPR president Bhupendra B. Patel—a native of India who holds a masters degree in mechanical engineering from Villanova—filed papers creating BPR Properties Berkeley, LLC, a limited liability corporation formed to own and operate the Shattuck Hotel. 

“Unlike previous owners, this company is experienced in operating hotels,” said Rhoades. 

Developer Roy Nee, who bought the hotel two years ago and announced plans for similar renovations, was unable to complete the project. 

“We knew he was in trouble when he came to us two months later and said he needed $8 million from the city,” said Rhoades. 

Parimal “Perry” Patel, son of the corporate chief, is development manager for the Shattuck Hotel project, said city officials. 

A graduate of UC Berkeley, he obtained a master’s in hotel administration from Cornell University. 

Sale of the property is currently pending, with escrow expected to close within a month, said one city official who spoke on condition of anonymity. 

Dave Fogarty of the city’s Office of Economic Development said the city “can easily absorb two four-star hotels downtown. Many of the people who stay in Emeryville hotels would love to stay in downtown Berkeley.” 

As the Bay Area’s number two visitor destination after San Francisco, Berkeley is a major draw for parents of UC Berkeley students and the frequent conferences held at the university, he said. 

Fogarty said he and Mayor Tom Bates met with the Patels and toured their flagship hotel in Palo Alto. 

“The (Crowne Plaza Cabana) was vacant for many years and they renovated it into a very successful hotel,” said Fogarty. 

The Cabana advertises itself as California’s first green hotel, the only one in California powered by solar energy.

The Live Oak Coordinices Creek Neighborhood Association will be holding a community meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 17, at the Live Oak Park Recreation Center to develop a neighborhood alternative to the North Shattuck Plaza plan. 

The plan, proposed by Councilmember Laurie Capitelli and North Shattuck Plaza Inc. Chair and City Planning Commissioner David Stoloff, seeks a $3.5 million transformation of Shattuck Avenue between Vine and Rose streets. 

The focus of the neighborhood meeting, organizers said, will be on what area residents and merchants want to see happen on North Shattuck. So far, about a dozen merchants have opposed Stoloff’s and Capitelli’s plans and they will be showing up at the meeting. 

The North Shattuck Plaza, Inc. and the North Shattuck Association are sponsoring a site tour and a series of community workshops over the next few months to plan the North Shattuck Plaza 

At the last community meeting in October, residents and merchants expressed concerns over parking, the selection of trees and access for the elderly and the disabled. 

Neighbors also said that moving the parking northward would not help to solve the problem of already struggling independent stores—such as Black Oak Books—because customers would have to walk some distance to get to them. 

Black Oak Books recently announced that the bookstore was going up for sale and could close as soon as this summer if no buyer could be found. 

Although Black Oak co-owner Don Pretari said that plans for building the North Shattuck Plaza had not led to the bookstore being put up for sale, he acknowledged that the plaza would not help the business either. 

Stoloff told the Planet on Thursday that concerns from independent stores would be addressed at the different meetings. 

“I have heard that Black Oak Books is up for sale but it’s not because of the proposed North Shattuck Plaza,” he said. “There are a lot of businesses who are backing the project. The meetings are being held to make the design better, to hear what people would like to see there.” 

Stoloff added that Peter Hillier, Berkeley’s assistant traffic engineer, address traffic concerns and Councilmember Laurie Capitelli would answer questions about panhandling and other neighborhood issues. 

The Live Oak Coordinices Creek Neighborhood Association Community meeting is Wed., Jan. 17, at 7:30 p.m. at the Live Oak Park Recreation Center (Shattuck & Berryman).  

The North Shattuck Plaza, Inc., and the North Shattuck Association will hold a site tour on Sat., Jan. 20, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Participants will meet on the sidewalk in front of Bel Forno Bakery Café, 1400 Shattuck Ave. RSVP to help us prepare for the tour at info@northshattuckplaza.org. 

A workshop will be held Wed., Feb. 7,  

7-9 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut St. The impact of a pedestrian plaza on traffic, parking, and panhandling will be the primary issues to be discussed. Councilmember Laurie Capitelli, Transportation Director Peter Hillier and design consultants David Meyer and Ramsey Silberberg will be available to answer questions.  

A second workshop is scheduled for Wed., March 7, 7-9 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center. Alternative design approaches and concepts will be discussed. 

A third workshop will be held Thurs., April 19, 7-9 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center. Presentation and review of the preferred design.  

For more information: email info@north shattuckplaza.org or call (510) 558-0860.

More than four years after Oakland voters overwhelmingly passed the $198 million Measure DD water and recreation bond, Oakland city officials are learning a truism: Spending city money can sometimes be far more difficult than obtaining it. 

In the fall of 2002, backed by an impressive coalition of city officials, environmentalists, and public parks advocates, Measure DD was approved by an 80 percent to 20 percent vote of city residents. 

Aside from setting aside more than $88 million for restoration and water quality improvements for Oakland’s “crown jewel,” Lake Merritt, the bond included a grab bag of popular expenditures, including $53 million for ensuring public access to the long closed-off Oakland Estuary waterfront, $10 million for restoration of creeks and waterways throughout the city, and another $20 million for building or upgrading public recreation facilities. 

$70.5 million of the $198 million has already been issued in city bonds. 

Measure DD’s most dramatic and signature projects were penciled in for the bottom of Lake Merritt, where the lake waters look across to the city’s Kaiser Convention Center. The bond language proposed to completely narrow and restructure the freeway-wide 14th Street-12th Street interchange that currently divides Lake Merritt from the Convention Center grounds. 

According to the project description on the city’s Measure DD website, “12th Street will be redesigned into a tree-lined boulevard with signalized intersections and crosswalks and a landscaped median. The redesign would create significant new parkland at the south end of Lake Merritt Park, remove unsafe and unsightly pedestrian tunnels, provide safer and continuous access for pedestrians and bicyclists along the perimeter of Lake Merritt, and improved access between the Kaiser Convention Center and Laney College.” 

In addition, the bond set aside $27 million for opening up the Lake Merritt Channel, which drains the lake waters into the estuary through a hidden culvert running under the interchange. In practical terms, the two projects on the lake’s western edge would extend the Lake Merritt park land all the way into the public lands abutting the Oakland Unified School District administrative properties and the Peralta Community College District and Laney College athletic fields, as well as effectively extend Lake Merritt itself, through the Lake Merritt Channel, all the way out into the estuary. 

Oakland had not seen such a dramatic public works water project since the mid 1800’s when what we know as the present Lake Merritt was created out of its original tidal estuary marshland. 

Even before a single shovel of dirt had been turned, at least one of Measure DD’s proposed projects has already had a profound effect on Oakland’s political landscape. The prospect of opening up the now all-but-hidden Lake Merritt Channel resulted in a sudden and dramatic rise in value for the public property surrounding the waterway, leading to intense pressure to turn the property over to private development. 

In late 2004, members of the Peralta Community College District Board of Trustees authorized negotiations with Oakland developer Alan Dones to come up with a development plan that included channel-abutting lands owned by the district and Laney College. Intense opposition from the Laney College community and unions representing Peralta workers led to a scuttling of the deal, but the controversy contributed to the defeat in last November’s elections of Peralta Trustee Alona Clifton, who was closely associated with Dones. In addition, a federal grand jury looking into corruption in Oakland politics has issued subpoenas to Peralta, seeking details of the Dones deal. 

Meanwhile, California Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, in his capacity as legal operator of the state-seized Oakland Unified School District, is currently negotiating a contract with an east-coast development team to purchase OUSD administrative and school properties bordering on the Lake Merritt Channel.  

Acknowledging how the Measure DD money had suddenly transformed what once had been an obscure part of Oakland’s landscape, the school district’s 2005 Request For Proposals on its downtown-area property said that the district was “seeking a real estate development team to enhance the value of several parcels in the highly desirable Lake Merritt Channel Area.” 

That proposed deal has resulted in a rare unity of Oakland politicians in opposition, with newly-elected Mayor Ron Dellums and newly-elected Assemblymember Sandré Swanson as well as the Oakland City Council, the OUSD Advisory Board of Trustees, and the Peralta Community College Board of Trustees all coming out in opposition to the proposed sale.  

But while developers wheedle and wrangle with local politicians over how to get some financial benefit from the Measure DD makeovers, many of the Measure DD projects have stalled despite their general popularity, delayed by citizen protest and lawsuits, as well as higher-than-expected costs. 

City officials have issued $9.5 million in bonds to finance the 12th Street renovation portion of the Lake Merritt project, an EIR was completed and bids were put out last November, with construction scheduled to begin this winter or spring. 

But with construction bids coming in some 25 percent higher than expected, Oakland’s Department of Public Works has put the 12th Street renovation project on hold while the city seeks $10 million in federal highway money to meet the project’s higher-projected budget. Instead of a projected construction completion date of the 12th Street renovation by the end of 2008, city officials are now saying that the city will not even be ready to put out bids for the project again until the end of this year. 

In the summer of 2006, landscaping of the Lake Merritt parkland called for in Measure DD was halted when members of the Friends of the Lake organization filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court blocking the removal of more than 200 trees that were part of the renovation. Residents along Grand Avenue have also loudly complained about another facet of the project, the proposed paving over of a meadow near the Lake Merritt Boathouse, turning it into a parking lot to accommodate a new restaurant. 

As a result of the delays and citizen complaints, city officials are working on a second Environmental Impact Report to supplement and expand upon the original EIR issued after the bond measure was initially passed. Officials hope that the new EIR will answer the complaints, help win the lawsuit, and address National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) concerns necessary to obtain federal monies. 

A scoping session for the new EIR was held by the City Planning Commission last week, with the comment period for written statements from the public now extended to the close of the business day on January 22. 

Meanwhile, work on another Measure DD project, construction of the 150,000-square-foot Oakland Family and Aquatics Center in East Oakland, is also stalled. A pet project of District Seven Councilmember Larry Reid, the proposed indoor sports and swimming pool recreation complex proposed for Edes Avenue between 98th and 85th has yet to either get off the ground or spend much of its allotted money.  

$1 million of the $10 million East Oakland center’s allocation was set aside in the city’s initial round of bond issuance and $3 million in state money was granted in 2003, but a plan to enlist the Salvation Army to run the center has fallen through, and the Measure DD official project status summary says only that “other options are now being considered.” 

For his part, Measure DD Project Manager Joel Peter is philosophical about the delays. 

“You win some and you lose some,” Peter says in a telephone interview, adding that “we’re moving ahead on several of the [Measure DD] projects,” including renovation of the Studio One Arts Center (one of the two recreation centers named in the measure), restoration of the municipal boathouse, new construction at Children’s Fairyland, and restoration of creeks outside of the Lake Merritt watershed. 

Meanwhile, Peter says that, perhaps as karmic compensation for the overbid of the 12th Street project, bids for the Measure DD extension of the estuary waterfront trail near the Fruitvale bridge came in lower than expected, and construction on that portion of the project is expected to begin this spring.  

And Measure DD bond money is having a spin-off effect on various other areas of city life seemingly unrelated to the bond’s original goal of water quality restoration and creek daylighting, with the City Administrator’s office, for example, estimating that the bond “will generate approximately $2.8 million for public art projects pertaining to Measure DD.” 

Details of Measure DD, including the bond measure’s original ballot language and a spreadsheet of project status, is available on the City of Oakland’s website at http://www.oaklandpw.com/Page794.aspx. 

Soaring construction costs and tight money have forced the developers of the two David Brower Center projects to alter their plans, while forcing the city to up its direct subsidy of the project to $6.2 million. 

But the changes won’t delay construction, now scheduled to begin in March or April and leaving the city without a popular parking lot probably until work is completed 22 months later, said the project’s builder, John Clawson of Equity Community Builders 

The two most visible project changes will involve replacement of costly metals by less expensive materials. 

While the design of the six-story affordable housing building dubbed Oxford Plaza remains the same, the originally planned metal siding will be replaced with stucco. 

City Housing Director Steve Barton said that while the stucco will be an adequate material for the housing, “metal would’ve been more striking, and the center of the downtown is a good place for striking architecture.” 

And metal awnings for the ground floor retail spaces of Oxford Plaza and the companion David Brower Center office and retail center will also change, with canvas replacing metal, said Clawson. 

“I didn’t feel the changes were significant in view of the incredible cost pressures,” said Bob Allen, the architect who chairs the city’s Design Review Committee. 

Some DRC members were dismayed at the switch of sidings for the housing project, and one member complained it would be “just another stucco box.” 

In their resolution approving the alterations, the committee urged the City Council to encourage project developers to reverse the changes if possible. 

A major culprit in the construction inflation is China, which is in the midst of a major building boom that has sent prices of concrete and steel soaring. 

“For the last three or four years, costs have been going up 10 to 15 percent a year, where 5 to 6 percent was typical,” Allen said. “I’ve got projects where I’m fighting these costs.” 

“Overall constructions costs in the Bay Area have gone up 15 to 20 percent,” said Clawson. 

The project consists of two buildings which will rise at the site of the city’s Oxford Lot, the ground-level pay parking facility on Fulton between Allston Way and Kittredge Street. 

That facility, a favorite of movie-goers and shoppers, will close when construction begins in March or April and will be reincarnated as an underground lot 22 months later when construction is complete—though “there’s a possibility we may be able to reopen the lot sooner,” Clawson said. 

Oxford Plaza will offer 97 housing units, all priced at rates affordable to low-income tenants and families in a 55,000-square-foot building with ground floor retail space and a central courtyard. Tenants will have access to 41 parking spaces. 

The companion David Brower Center features 31,700 square feet of office space, a 7,000-square-foot conference center, a restaurant and 8,500 square feet for retail sales. 

The underground lot, which will be the first phases of construction, will offer 97 spaces. 

The office building is designed to meet the highest, or “platinum,” rating conferred by the U.S. Green Building Council, and the office building won’t offer any parking spaces in line with the philosophies of the environmental organizations which are the center’s primary tenant base. 

Still, Clawson has acknowledged that nothing would preclude the lease of up to half of the spaces to downtown Berkeley’s biggest and fastest-growing tenant, UC Berkeley and the remainder to non-environmental groups—although many environmental organizations have signed letters of intent to move into the building. 

But the project has been attended by conflict, in part because it has consumed the city’s Housing Trust Fund, leaving no revenues for other projects. 

The latest blow came when the largest tenant, eco-retailer Patagonia, backed out, leaving the city council no choice but to sign as guarantor of the $1 million in estimated lost revenues. 

That million was part of the $2.2 million in additional loans approved by the City Council last month, and brings the city’s total loan guarantees for the project to $4.7 million. 

The most recent cost estimate for the two projects has reached $55.2 million, up from the previous estimate of $44.7 million—a 24 percent increase. 

While Clawson said the council’s decision to up the ante will provide all the needed funding, Barton adds a caveat. 

“That’s true in the sense of a scenario in which everything works out the way we hope, but a consultant who looked at the project said costs could increase by as much as a couple of million dollars more,” he said.

Foes of the new Landmarks Preservation Ordinance have the signatures they need to block the law from taking effect, said Laurie Bright, the man doing the counting. 

“As it stands now, we’ve got more than enough,” he said. 

“We’ll have to wait and see,” said Mayor Tom Bates, the principal author of the measure Bright’s allies are trying to block 

After the defeat of Measure J in November—an initiative designed to save the city’s current landmarks law—the Berkeley City Council adopted a rival ordinance by Bates and Councilmember Laurie Capitelli. 

“My personal feeling is that it’s an excellent ordinance,” said Bates. “The council and commissioners worked on it for six years and they came up with an excellent ordinance by making some good compromises.”  

Critics like Bright, one of the two sponsors of Measure J, said the council ordinance could allow for a massive wave of new development that would destroy the character of the neighborhoods, especially in the Berkeley flats. 

Bates and Capitelli said the new law is needed because the existing ordinance is used as a weapon of last resort against worthwhile developments. 

“I think they can put their law away,” said Bright. “We’ll be in the city clerk’s office Thursday afternoon with bells on and petitions in hand.” 

“We’ll wait and see,” said the mayor. “My experience is that they have to have at least 10 to 15 percent more signatures that the number required” because of errors and signatures by those unqualified to sign. 

Foes of the new law are using a provision of the city election code that allows citizens to block enactment of new legislation through the referendum process. 

Under that law, opponents of any new law passed by the council can block enactment if they gather signatures of eligible voters totaling at least 10 percent of the turnout in the last general election with a mayor’s race. 

The referendum committee, chaired by Austene Hall and Julie Dickinson, needs 4100 valid signers, the figure drawn from the election in November in which Bates was reelected and Measure J defeated. 

“We have them, but we’re going to keep going,” Bright said. “The reason we have them is because of the tremendous efforts of our volunteers who had to work straight through the holidays, even giving up their families briefly. Some even took off work,” he said. 

Enforcement of the law halts until the signatures are validated, and if the magic number is attained, the issue then goes to the next general or special election, where voters will be asked to say yes or no to the Bates/Capitelli ordinance. 

“I’m a patient man,” said the mayor. 

Bright said that once the referendum is certified, organizers will form a committee and begin actively campaigning for a no vote. 

“I intend to let people everyone know that we have a good law, and they should support it,” said the mayor. 

Enactment 

Meanwhile, members of the city planning staff are bracing for the changes that will take effect if the effort of Bright and his allies fails. 

City Planning and Development Director Dan Marks said his staff is racing to prepare for the law to take effect—which will be the same day referendum supporters will turn in their signatures. 

“There are a whole lot of changes in procedures and administration we’ll have to figure out if it takes effect,” he said. 

Planning staff has already drawn up a tentative list of historic architecture consultants whose services will be needed for the most controversial provision of the mayor’s ordinance—the Request for Determination, or RFD. 

Under that procedure, a property owner will be able to demand a decision by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) either to landmark the property or decline. If the LPC fails to act, the owner will have a two-year exemption from any further landmarking efforts during which to pursue development. 

The LPC will act based on reports prepared by architectural consultants drawn from a pre-approved list whose members have been accepted by the commission. 

Landmarks commissioner Lesley Emmington said Marks presented a list to commissioners at Thursday’s meeting which featured only two Berkeley architects, one of them—Burton Edwards—being an LPC member. 

When the law takes effect, commissioners will have two meetings to act on proposals, and on lists of properties for which development permits have been sought. 

“If the law goes into effect, we’ll bring them the first list in February,” said Marks. “We’re going to have to make sure the commission looks at them closely.” 

“If someone asks the commission for an RFD, I guess we’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it. It will be an awkward time, but startups of new ordinances are always awkward.”

Spaceship Earth, that 175-ton sculpture that made an aborted effort to land in Berkeley, has died a premature death in Georgia, giving headline writers and bloggers everywhere endless occasions for schadenfreude. 

The opus, a monument to Berkeley-born environmentalist David Brower, was waved away in Berkeley as too massive and both environmentally and politically insensitive. 

Commissioned by the late PowerBar millionaire Brian Maxwell and spouse Jennifer, the million-dollar creation was championed by Mayor Tom Bates, a friend of both Brower and the Maxwells. 

Commissioned to devise a suitable monument to the environmentalist, Finno-American sculptor Eino created a life-size bronze Brower astride a 15-foot globe crafted form 350,000 pounds of blue Brazilian quartzite adorned with the planet’s islands and continents in bronze bas relief. 

The Maxwells first tried to get San Francisco to take the Brower-bedecked orb, but a San Francisco Arts Commission committee rejected the work, labeling it “extremely grand and flamboyant,” devoid of “sensitivity to environmental issues.” 

That latter point may reflect on the fact that the stone is gouged from the earth of a fast-vanishing rain forest. 

Rebuffed, the Maxwells redirected their pitch across the bay, where they found willing ears in the Berkeley mayor’s office. 

“It’s a gem,” said Bates at the time. “I’d be very proud to have it here in the city of David Brower.” 

But the city had already given its blessing to one monument — the still-to-be-built David Brower Center on Oxford Street — and members of the Civic Arts Commission greeted the would-be gift with somewhat less enthusiasm than the Trojans once greeted a certain equine sculpture. 

“How would you like to have a 350,000-pound political football tossed in your lap?” said then-Commissioner Bonnie Hughes. 

Then there was the figure of Brower himself, a bronze marching across the North America with his right arm outstretched in a gesture eerily reminiscent of a similar hand-thrusting very popular in Germany during the 1930s. 

Complained one citizen to Berkeley’s Civic Arts Commission, “Oh great, that’s just what we need—another white man dominating the globe.” 

On a split vote, commisioners gave their reluctant approval after Eino and the Maxwells agreed to move Brower from globe-trodding stance to a more contemplative pose, sitting to one side away from the sphere, contemplating its majesties. 

But even then, the commission couldn’t find a single neighborhood in the city willing to house the 15-foot sculpture, its pedestal and a newly benched Brower. 

The city’s waterfront commission also panned the piece, and the thumbs of UC Berkeley officials and the East Bay Regional Parks District turning similarly downward. 

Frustrated, Jennifer Maxwell—her spouse had died after the work was commissioned—accepted an invitation from Kennesaw State University in suburban Atlanta, Ga., where students and faculty had been awed by a presentation Eino had made earlier when he thought his piece was still San Francisco-bound. 

So the artwork—1,426 pieces of bronze and a collection of polished blue stone wedges—was trucked to Georgia and assembled on the campus, with the Brower figure back on top. 

To add to the grandiosity of the moment, the university added a time capsule, “sealed for 1,000 years” and, according to the university’s website, containing “articles, essays, and answers to the question, ‘What can we do to save Planet Earth?’” 

So the massive creation was finally assembled under the gaze of a live web camera outside the KSU Social Sciences building, where it was unveiled three months ago to great fanfare. 

And then Wednesday it all fell apart, burying the bronze Brower in blue debris, his arm reaching plaintively skyward like a bombing victim trapped in rubble. 

“Kind of ironic,” university employee Mary-Ellizabeth Watson told the Atlanta Jorunal-Constitution.  

Indeed. 

Headline writers had a ball, peppering newsprint and weblogs with their witticisms.  

• “Fragile Earth collapses in irony,” declared the Metro, Britain’s equivalent of USA Today. 

• “The parlous state of the world,” headlined the blog secrets & lies. 

• “Earth-Shattering” read the head in the Winston-Salem Journal. 

• “Ever Get the Feeling the World is Falling Apart?” asked the blog Yippee-Ki-Yay! 

• “Iron ‘e’” declared blogger Joe Givens. 

• “Talk About Atlas Shrugging,” trumpeted the Compass, blog of the Sierra Club—an organization which once numbered Brower among its leading luminaries (he later quit and founded the rival Earth Island Institute). 

• And leave it to the London Times to declare, “End of the world as we know it as Earth sculpture collapses.” 

Meanwhile, Eino told the Georgia paper he’s ready to put his sculptural Humpty Dumpty together again, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation told the Journal-Constitution they’re working to see if foul play was involved. 

Maybe, however, it was just a foul ball.

Dan Sicular, spokesperson for an unincorporated group of football fans calling themselves “Save Tightwad Hill!”, announced late Monday that attorney Susan Brandt Hawley has filed in California Superior Court in Alameda County on their behalf to require the UC Regents to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act by doing adequate study and mitigation of the proposed UC Berkeley Memorial Stadium expansion. Their petition charges that “substantial new seating approved on the east side of the stadium would restrict views and thereby substantially alter the use of the unique cultural landscape known as Tightwad Hill.” It says that the hill “is located 100 feet above the stadium and provides panoramic views of the football field” and that “generations of football fans since the mid-1920s” have gathered there to watch Cal Bear games.  

This suit is the fourth to be filed against the stadium expansion project and its companion Student Athlete High Performance training center.  

The City of Berkeley, the Panoramic Hill Association and the California Oaks Foundation will be in court with UC on Thursday seeking to delay the start of construction and the destruction of the oak grove on the site of the center.

The City of Oakland put several of its many moods and faces on full display for the inauguration of its 48th mayor on Monday, with a rowdy City Council reorganization meeting that ended in spirited boos and catcalls from the audience, an onstage, interfaith, hand-holding prayer featuring representatives of many of the city’s widely diverse ethnic and religious communities, and ending with the usual and expected rousing and uplifting speech by the new mayor himself, Ron Dellums. 

The three and a half hours of ceremonies, including the swearing in of newly elected City Auditor and members of City Council and Oakland Unified school board, took place before a packed, downstairs-and-balcony audience at the downtown Paramount Theater. 

Dellums actually took office a week ago due to a quirk in Oakland’s City Charter, which allows the new mayor to take office on the first Monday of the new year following the election. Since the first Monday of this year fell on a holiday—Jan. 1—and the city would have been left without a mayor until this week’s scheduled inaugural, the city attorney’s office advised Dellums to take office in a private swearing-in last week. Dellums repeated his swearing-in for the public at Monday’s Paramount Theater event. 

With the soaring rhetoric with which he has become synonymous through four decades of public life, Dellums invoked the grandeur and importance of the moment, both for himself, personally, and for the city as a whole in his inaugural address. 

“When I first decided to run for mayor of Oakland, many people came up to me and asked me why I was doing it,” he said. “Why, at the end of your career, do you want to worry about fixing potholes and putting up street signs? And it made me think that if this is what people believe is the role of the mayor of Oakland, no wonder the city is in trouble.” In contrast, Dellums recalled words given to him recently by a woman in a local supermarket. “She told me that all of your globetrotting, all of your work in D.C., has only prepared you for your work in Oakland. She told me, ‘this is your greatest moment.’” He added that “you have asked me to run this city, and I accept it with great humility.” 

As he did during last year’s election campaign, Dellums said he was declining to set specific policy goals for his new administration. 

“It would be easy to give you one or two targets and then, at the end of four years, all you would have to do to determine my success would be to see if I had met them,” Dellums said. Calling that pathway a “cop out,” the new mayor noted that “we cannot afford the luxury of focusing on only one or two issues. We have to attack all of them, simultaneously.” 

He said that as a first job, he was “reading every word” of the reports of the various task forces he set up over the summer to draw up policy recommendations for all aspects of Oakland life. 

The absence of setting a handful of specific policy goals seemed to be a pointed reference to the policies of Dellums’ immediate predecessor in the office, Jerry Brown, who set four specific goals for his first administration in 1999-bringing 10,000 new residents downtown, reducing crime, improving education, and sponsoring the arts. Brown cut that list down to three when he was re-elected in 2002, dropping arts sponsorship as one of his goals. 

Brown was conspicuously absent from the inaugural ceremonies. A seating plan for the stage handed out to the media listed his name sitting on the dais next to Dellums, but with a question mark behind it. 

Another local politician conspicuously absent was State Senator Don Perata, who represents Oakland in the legislature. Perata once had aspirations for mayor himself, and supported De La Fuente in last summer’s election. Other local politicians were well in attendance, however, including both former 16th Assemblymember Wilma Chan and her successor, Sandré Swanson. Oakland Congressmember Barbara Lee, who succeeded Dellums in Congress, introduced Dellums at Monday’s events. 

Meanwhile, the only specific target Dellums set was a familiar one from his campaign, health care for all Oakland citizens currently uninsured. 

“Everybody in Oakland should have the right to a healthy life,” Dellums said. “We can no longer afford not to have universal health care. We know at the federal level that Congressmembers like Barbara Lee and Sheila Jackson Lee are fighting for that. We also know that the issue has begun to percolate on the state level. But we need it in Oakland, and I am going to fight for it. And if we end up not having enough money to implement that idea, then put me on a plane to Washington, or to see Bill Gates, and I will find the money.” 

Dellums also made one reference to Oakland’s crushing violent crime wave, tying it together with the mounting movement to end the war in Iraq that was escalated by the recent Democratic takeover of Congress. “As we attempt to bring peace abroad,” he said, “let us strive to bring peace to the streets of Oakland.” 

In the place of invoking more specific policy goals, however, Dellums stressed the invocation of a new era in Oakland politics, saying that his overall goal was to set up Oakland as a “model city, anchored in a vibrant economy with healthy, well-educated, well-trained citizens. We want a city that works for everybody. We need to delight in our diversity, not be paralyzed by parochialism.” 

But it was parochialism and partisan, personal politics that were on open display shortly before Dellums’ unity-invoking speech, when members of the City Council held a special meeting on the inaugural stage to re-elect Ignacio De La Fuente to the presidency of the Council. 

The election of De La Fuente to the presidency has added significance this year because De La Fuente, a political foe of Dellums, is in a powerful position to block Dellums’ initiatives going before the Council. 

In recent weeks, there had been rumors throughout Oakland that De La Fuente might receive a stiff challenge for the presidency from Councilmember Jane Brunner, or that one of his Council allies--Larry Reid or Henry Chang--might get his support to take the office. But the possible Brunner challenge never surfaced and though another veteran Councilmember, Nancy Nadel, received a nomination for the presidency from the floor from community activist James Vann, no Councilmember placed her name in nomination. Instead, in a surprise move that seemed to signal a break in the longtime De La Fuente-Larry Reid alliance, Councilmember Desley Brooks--a longtime De La Fuente opponent--nominated Reid for Council president. De La Fuente easily beat Reid for the position, and a defiant-sounding Reid later said that “no one should presume that the Council presidency is a lifetime position. I had earlier wanted to run for mayor of Oakland, but when Mr. De La Fuente stepped forward, I demonstrated my support for him by declining to run, myself. I had hoped that he would reciprocate.” Apparently signalling that he would no longer be a De La Fuente ally on the Council, Reid concluded by pledging his support to Dellums and saying “to my colleagues [on the Council], I think you are going to see a different Larry Reid. Larry Reid’s got a different attitude.” 

Reid’s announcement of independence may signal a shuffling of alliances on Council. While outgoing mayor Jerry Brown never tried to cultivate a reliable block of Council votes of his own, Council is now expected to divide along a rough line between De La Fuente (and his political mentor, Don Perata) and Ron Dellums. 

De La Fuente’s election led to prolonged jeering from the crowd that distrupted the Council meeting and only could be halted when Dellums stood up and admonished people that “even if we disagree, we have to allow others to be able to speak. We have to send a signal to our children, who are settling their arguments through violence in the streets, that we as adults can adopt a more civil way to settle our disputes.” 

Oakland’s inaugural events will continue throughout the week. 

Berkeley’s Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) weighed in on the side of the tree-in protesters at Memorial Stadium Thursday, urging the preservation of a grove threatened by university building plans. 

Commissioners voted unanimously to send a letter to UC Berkeley officials urging preservation of the stand of trees marked for destruction to make way for a gym along the stadium’s western wall. 

Meanwhile, former mayoral candidate Zachary Running Wolf is back in the branches, perched even higher in a towering redwood from which he had been banished Dec. 13 by a seven-day stay-away order served by campus cops. 

“They served another stay-away order Saturday, and that’s the sixth or seventh time they’ve done it,” said Running Wolf. 

The latest to be ticketed was Jess Walsh, one of the first to join Running Wolf after he climbed into the branches on Big Game Saturday, Dec. 2. 

“Now we’ve got six people up,” said Doug Buckwald, who has been coordinating ground support for the arboreal activists. 

“Zachary (Running Wolf) went up very early this morning, about three o’clock. It’s the same tree he was in before, but he’s even higher. He’s got the penthouse suite, with all the comforts of home.” 

Meanwhile, UC officials and their lawyers are preparing for a court hearing Thursday in Oakland on efforts to delay university plans to launch the first phase of a construction program budgeted at more than a third of a million dollars. 

The City of Berkeley, the Panoramic Hill Association and the California Oaks Foundation are each seeking to delay the start of construction of a four-story, 132,500-square-foot Student Athlete High Performance Center at the site of the grove. 

The actions charge that the project—along with planned renovation of the stadium—violates the California Environmental Quality Act and state law governing construction on and adjacent to earthquake faults. 

The LPC’s objections are based on federal, state and city ordinances governing designated landmarks. 

The stadium and nearby grounds were named a city landmark this summer and added to the National Register of Historic Places in the fall. The stadium is also a state landmark. 

But the LPC’s motion Thursday night was also based on impacts to another landmark, Piedmont Avenue—known as Gayley Way on campus. 

The roadway is a city landmark, and its landscape and setting were designed by America’s preeminent landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, whose best-known creation is New York City’s Central Park. 

“We are urging the university to respect the grove because of its significance to Piedmont and because it is important to preserve as a retention of the rustic landscape that reflects the original condition of the site as Olmsted found it,” said Landmarks Commissioner Lesley Emmington. 

Attorneys are scheduled to meet Tuesday afternoon with an Alameda County Superior Court judge to discuss consolidating all three legal challenges into a single case. 

A hearing on a motion to grant an order blocking further work on the gym project until the issue is resolved is scheduled for Thursday afternoon in Dept. 140 of Alameda County Superior Court, 600 Washington St. in Oakland. 

“We want everybody to show up for the hearing,” said Buckwald. “We want people to know how the community feels.”

For the Berkeley Unified School District, 2006 was a very good year.  

Measure A, the school parcel tax which renews two existing school measures—Berkeley School Excellence Project (BSEP) and Measure B—won by a large margin in the Nov. 7 election, ensuring that the current level of school funding in Berkeley will be extended by 10 more years. 

Both BSEP and Measure B, which expire in June, provide the Berkeley Unified School District with $19.6 million annually, which primarily pays for 30 percent of Berkeley’s classroom teachers and all elementary and middle school libraries and music programs as well as school site funds. 

Class size reduction, music and art, and site enrichment programs which have been authorized and reaffirmed by Berkeley voters since 1986 will be funded by 90 percent of Measure A. 

Had it failed, the schools would have lost 25 percent of their budget, which would have meant the elimination of 30 percent of the teachers, libraries, and the music program among others. 

Although a majority of Berkeley voters came forward to show their support for Measure A, there were those, such as the Council of Neighborhood Associations, the Berkeley Alliance of Neighborhood Associations and Berkeleyans Against Soaring Taxes, which fought to defeat it. 

“Measure A’s victory will help us to focus on narrowing the achievement gap instead of having to focus on budget issues,” School Superintendent Michele Lawrence told the Planet last week. 

School board member Nancy Riddle, CFO of Monster Cable Products, and a strong supporter of Measure A, captured the most votes in the school board elections in November and is currently serving her second term.  

Karen Hemphill came in second place in the school board elections, making her Berkeley’s first African-American school board director in eight years. Previously a member of Berkeley’s Civic Arts Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women, Hemphill is an assistant to the city manager in Emeryville. 

Incumbent Shirley Issel, a clinical social worker by profession, also won one of the three seats that were up for grabs in the November elections. This will be Issel’s ninth year on the board.  

November also saw the farewell of Berkeley school board president Terry Doran. A teacher and administrator, Doran served in the Berkeley Unified School District since 1966. 

While serving as school board president, Doran was involved with the school district’s Construction Advisory Oversight Committee and worked with the mayor and City Council on the warm water pool and South Campus. 

At his farewell ceremony on Nov. 15, Doran said that his retirement did not spell the end of his public service. 

“I am really not ready to run away,” he said. “Some people go to retirement homes, others go on long vacations. But I am not there just yet. Land use is one of the most exciting and contentious areas of concern in the city and it’s the direction I would like to go in.” 

Doran was named as the permanent replacement for former ZAB commissioner Raudel Wilson earlier this month. 

December also saw the swearing in of school board members Joaquin Rivera as president and John Selawsky as vice president of the board. 

Out-of-district students 

The question of how to deal with out-of-district students in the Berkeley public schools—which became a major issue this school board election season—still lingers on in the new year. 

While the school district has ensured Berkeley parents that new positions will support a more careful registration process and that routine checks on students— including home visits when necessary to contact parents or verify residence—will be carried out vigorously, skeptics continue to argue that this is not enough.  

Re-registration—the process of re-enrolling students when they enter Berkeley High School—is a method some school board members think could help enforce the residency requirement for registration in Berkeley public schools. 

Speaking to the Planet in October, school superintendent Michele Lawrence said that if the school board voted for re-registration, the process could be introduced as early as spring. 

School food upgrade 

Berkeley also attracted quite a bit of attention in the national media last year because of BUSD’s revamped nutritional services, courtesy of Berkeley’s “Renegade Lunch Lady” Chef Ann Cooper. 

Cooper, who did away with the pre-packaged heat-and-serve frozen lunches that Berkeley public school kids got little more than a year ago, started a revolution by introducing “made from scratch” nutrient-based lunches, such as rotini with fresh tomato sauce, roast herb chicken or tofu, fresh fruit and low-fat milk. 

Funded by a three-year financial grant from the Chez Panisse Foundation last October to rebuild the nutrition services in the schools, Cooper met a lot of obstacles in Berkeley—from fussy fourth-grade kids to a limited budget—but continued in her mission to feed healthy food to 4,000 hungry children on a staff of 53 and a budget of $3.50 for two meals every day. 

B-Tech 

B-Tech, or Berkeley Alternative High School, as it was formerly known, has also been the subject of much attention this past year. 

With a revamped system, a new principal and new staff who care about the students, attendance has increased in this school once known as the “dumping grounds,” “pre-prison,” and “a place for bad kids.” 

Suspensions have also gone down and for the first time in its history, a group of 16 seniors and juniors from the school got the opportunity to fly to Atlanta, Ga., to participate in the four-day 18th Annual Fall Black College Tour. 

Racial discrimination suit 

In October, there was a bit of bad news for the BUSD. The Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) sued the Berkeley Unified School District for the second time, charging it with violating California’s Proposition 209 by racially discriminating among students during placements at elementary schools and at programs at Berkeley High. 

School district officials, however, said they would not change their policies. 

“The judge has currently given an extension on the case and the school district’s lawyer is currently preparing the paperwork. We are confident that we will prevail,” said Lawrence. 

To reaffirm its commitment to integration, the school board passed a resolution in November supporting Brown v. Board of Education and the Seattle, Wash., and Louisville, Ky., public school integration plans, both of which have been challenged by Sacramento-based non-profit PLF. 

Student slain 

Berkeley High School students ended 2006 mourning the loss of fellow-student Yonas Mehari. Yonas, 17, his mother Regbe Baharengasi, 50 and sister Winta Mehari, 28, were killed by gunfire in their Keller Plaza Apartment complex in North Oakland on Thanksgiving Day.  

Yonas, a member of the BHS varsity soccer team and an excellent student, had started the Ethiopian Eritrean Students Union at Berkeley High, something his friends have pledged to carry on even after his death. 

The Berkeley Unified School District was back in session on Monday after winter break. Elementary, middle and Berkeley High School students started classes Monday.  

The first school board meeting for 2007 will be held on Jan. 17 at the Old City Hall Chambers, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, 7:30 p.m. 

Other matters 

At the school board meeting on Dec. 13, the board approved a recommendation to establish the Office of Evaluation and Assessment to help in the development of the new tax measure, specifically Measure A.  

Three new positions—director of evaluation and assessment, data technician and program assistant—will constitute this new office to help the district evaluate educational programs effectively. 

The annual costs of the three new positions—approximately $270,000—had been calculated while developing the plan that served as the basis for the funding model for Measure A. 

The board also approved the out-of-state travel request for the recruitment of minority teachers and counselors to Atlanta, Ga., and Washington, DC, from Feb. 11 to Feb. 17. 

This is the first time the board has gone out of state for recruitment efforts. The disproportionate discipline rates and academic gaps between African American and white students have often been attributed to the shortage of African American teachers in BUSD. Retirement has also impacted the population of African American teachers in the district, with 10 retiring in the past year. 

Although BUSD has a 36 percent minority student population, only 14 percent of its teachers are minorities. The group will visit six black colleges, including Spelman and Clark Atlanta in Atlanta, and Howard and Morgan State in DC. 

The board also received information on the average daily attendance summaries.  

Student enrollment for October 2006 totaled 8,924, with an absence rate of 6.8 percent. This cost the district $ 323,667 (in lost revenue), compared to an absence rate of 5.03 percent, with a loss of $239,647 in September. 

Each student absence amounts to $31.86 per day in lost revenue for the district. Since 1997, school districts can no longer claim any absences, including excused absences, for apportionment attendance.

Second Derby Field Community Meeting 

The Berkeley Unified School District will be holding the second of two community meetings to discuss the Closed Derby Street option for the Derby Street Athletic Field on Thursday, 7-9 p.m., at the Berkeley Technical Academy, 2701 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. 

The meeting will include: 

• An open floor public comment session regarding the Closed Derby Street Plan. 

• A review of public comments from Dec. 7. 

• Further presentation of the “Curvy Derby” Plan. The creators of the Curvy Derby Plan will make a 15-minute presentation, sharing more details of their proposed plan. 

• Discussion of the goals and desired outcomes for these meetings. 

• Discussion on whether this process will allow for the possibility of changing the EIR preferred plan to one of the open street plans. 

• Discussion on how the information collected in these meetings will get to the Board of Education. The information from these meetings will be put into a document that will go before the Board at a February or March meeting. 

The mayor and city manager's offices have been looking at the proposed plan and will comment on what would be needed if the street were to remain open (with the Curvy Derby Plan) as opposed to what is needed for the Closed Derby Plan. 

Berkeley Family Diversity School/ LGBT Inclusion Strategy Meeting 

The Berkeley Unified School District Parent Outreach Office, district parents and Our Family Coalition will be holding its second Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Inclusion meeting today (Tuesday) at Berkeley B-Tech, 2701 Martin Luther King Jr. Way at 6 p.m. 

The discussion will inform people about how Berkeley Public Schools are working to be welcoming to all families, including those headed by LGBT people.  

Administrators, staff, parents/caregivers and others will discuss ways to integrate LGBT and general family diversity curriculum into schools, how to make schools safer and more inclusive, how to work with the parent community and how to incorporate these issues into overall anti-bullying work.  

At the first meeting, the importance for LGBT and heterosexual parents/caregivers to participate in conversations about these important issues was discussed. 

For more info call Judy at (415) 981-1960.  

The Zoning Adjustments Board returns to session on Thursday to hear requests by Verizon Wireless and Nextel Communications for use permits to construct a new wireless telecommunications facility that will host eighteen cell phone antennas and related equipment atop the UC Storage building at 2721 Shattuck Ave. 

Local residents have opposed the facility, citing concerns related to health, parking, and loading docks. Some neighbors fear that the radio frequency produced by telecom antennae could cause cancer and interfere with medical devices. The item was remanded back to ZAB from the City Council. 

Nextel and Verizon, the applicants of the proposed project, have argued in letters to ZAB that the companies need the antennas in order to fill “holes” in their system. 

According to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, local governments are prohibited from rejecting wireless facilities based on health concerns as long as the stations conform to Federal Communication standards. 

Other matters 

East Bay Iceland will once again appear in front of the ZAB, on Thursday, to request the installation of a temporary outdoor refrigeration system on the southern side of the property. Board members had asked the rink to return with a report which shows considerable reduction in the amount of noise generated by the system. 

The board will also hear a request for a use permit by Timothy Carter to demolish an existing dwelling and build a two-unit building with three stories, average height of 32 feet 5 inches, floor area of 4,432 square feet, and two parking spaces on a 4,996 square foot lot.  

At the Dec. 14 meeting, ZAB members had concerns about the proposed building towering over the neighboring buildings on the east and had asked the owner to scale it down.  

The Trader Joe’s Project which had been approved in concept at the Dec. 14 meeting will come up once again on Thursday for further discussion. 

The board will also hear: 

• Request for a use permit to increase alcohol service at Ethiopian Restaurant, 2953-2955 Telegraph Ave., by adding service of distilled spirits to existing service of beer and wine, and by increasing operating hours from 8 a.m. to midnight daily to 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. 

• Request for a use permit to expand the kitchen and interior seating area of the Missouri Lounge at 2600 San Pablo Ave., add outdoor seating, reconfigure and reduce the required parking, and expand alcohol service to new seating areas. 

• Request for a use permit for the conversion of an existing commercial building (The Wright’s Garage Building) into a multi-tenant commercial building at 2629-2635 Ashby Ave. 

• Appeal of an administrative use permit to construct a fence over six feet in height along the rear property line at 635 Spruce St. 

• Request for a use permit to construct a two-story 944-square-foot addition to an existing single-family dwelling at 8 Panoramic Place. 

• Request for a use permit for a full service restaurant with beverage service of beer and wine with prepared food; including the retail sales of beer and wine at In and Out Deli, 2012 Shattuck Ave., and to extend hours of operation from 8 a.m. to midnight. 

• Request for an use permit to construct a 2,529-square-foot single-family dwelling, a 399-square-foot accessory dwelling unit, and a 483-square-foot garage on an 8,157-square-foot vacant lot at 156 Vicente Road.

A Few Prominent Businesses Abandoned Berkeley in 2006 

If Cody’s Books and Radston’s Office Plus cited poor sales and an expensive lease as respective reasons to close down their much-loved stores in Berkeley in 2006, there were others such as PowerBar and Clif Bar who felt the need to leave the city in order to grow. 

Andy Ross, owner and president of Cody’s Books Inc., announced in May that he was closing down the chain’s oldest store, on Telegraph Avenue, on July 10 with a heavy heart. 

Ross blamed big chain and Internet booksellers and a lack of help from the city.  

In a statement Ross informed people of the 15-year sales decline in the south-of-campus area, which he said had led to Cody’s Telegraph Avenue, doing only one-third of the business it did in 1990.  

He noted that the company’s attempt to keep the Telegraph store open had caused a loss of over $1 million. 

“Cody’s is an idea, not a building. That idea will endure in our other stores on Fourth Street and in San Francisco,” Ross said in his announcement. 

For many Bekeleyans, the closing of Cody’s Books signaled the end of an era. Long-time patrons remembered the 1960s when Cody’s was part of the great anti-war movement that had its roots in Berkeley and how in 1989, the store had been bombed for carrying Salman Rushdie’s controversial novel The Satanic Verses. 

In September, a Tokyo-based company,Yohan, Inc., purchased the two remaining Cody’s bookstores on Fourth Street in Berkeley and Stockton Street in San Francisco. 

Radstons Office Plus, which celebrated its 98th birthday in 2006, also closed the doors to its 1950 Shattuck Avenue retail store on July 14.  

Diane Griffin, president and third- generation owner of the stationery store, had told the Planet in June that it was difficult to point a finger in any particular direction for the store’s closure. 

“Let’s just say that it’s all things Berkeley, topped off with the fact that our lease ran out,” she said. “We just couldn’t afford to pay the prohibitive increase in rent any more, as there wasn’t enough profit out of our downtown retail store. I hope both my father and grandfather who ran the business before me are looking down and understanding the decision we had to take.” 

Speaking to the Planet at that time, Mayor Tom Bates had said that while he was sorry to see Radston’s leave Berkeley, he was looking forward to positive changes such as condos, boutique hotels and jazz clubs that would help make Downtown more attractive. 

Currently, Radston’s is focusing more on its core delivery business in Hercules, which accounts for 90 percent of the company’s sales and caters to public institutions and small- to medium-sized, independently owned businesses. 

Another big loss for Berkeley last year was Nestle USA’s decision to move its PowerBar business from Berkeley to Glendale. 

The move, however, received mixed responses from the community. While city officials said that they’d rather that the business had stayed in Berkeley, there were those who greeted the news jubilantly. 

Ever since it was first installed in December 1997, PowerBar’s controversial 26-foot-wide sign atop their downtown office on Shattuck Avenue had been a source of constant complaints from residents who called it an eyesore. 

PowerBar spokesperson Vanessa Wager told the Planet that it was not space constraints but the need to be close to its headquarters that had initiated the move. 

Not long after PowerBar’s move to Glendale, rival company Clif Bar announced in August that it would be moving its Berkeley headquarters to Alameda after the company’s current lease expired in July 2008. 

The need to expand its facility was stated as the main reason for leaving its West Berkeley site. Berkeley residents were sorry to hear about the loss of this green company, as Clif Bar had been known for its all-natural and organic energy snacks for athletes (such as Clif Bar, Clif Shot and Luna) and its environment-friendly approach. 

The proposed site for Clif Bar’s new facility in Alameda is a waterfront location at the Navy’s former Fleet Industrial Supply Center across the estuary from Jack London Square, which is part of the 777-acre Alameda Landing Project. 

In an interview to the Planet in August, chief of staff to the mayor, Cisco De Vries, said that while the City would have wanted both PowerBar and Clif Bar to stay, citizens should not get alarmed by the moves. 

“A lot of companies are interested in moving into downtown Berkeley. The mayor’s office gets calls from interested parties all the time,” he said.

Planning Commissioners will vote Wednesday on a last, crucial legal step to transform what was once the site of one of Berkeley’s more notorious brothels into a 15-unit condo complex. 

The new building is clad in copper that reflected sunlight with blinding intensity on Monday afternoon, though oxidation should eventually turn it a duller turquoise green. 

From 1977 to 2001, 2628 Telegraph Ave. was the home of the Golden Gypsy Massage Parlor, where clients were treated to more than simple back rubs. 

Then Berkeley Police received two letters, one from a client who was frustrated he couldn’t get a real rubdown and a second from the wife of another client—reportedly from a well-known Berkeley family—who had hired a private eye to catch her philandering spouse en flagrante delicto. 

Detectives investigated, leading to a July 30, 2001 raid that ended with 20 arrests and the seizure of $273,000 in cash from the parlor and the home of the couple who owned it. The Zoning Adjustments Board voted five months later to shutter the place as a public nuisance. 

Two years later, ZAB approved use permits to allow construction of a four-story building at the site, located at the corner of Telegraph and Carleton Street, and the construction is nearly complete. 

Planning Commission approval of a condominium map is a necessary step before units can be sold. 

One-bedroom units are currently listed to start in ”the high $300,000s,” with two-bedroom units starting in “the mid-$400,000s,” according to the project website, 2628telegraph.com. 

One item commissioners won’t have to deal with is dogs, and the ongoing dispute over the Milo Foundation’s adoption facilities in the Solano Avenue neighborhood. 

Commissioners will also consider a staff report on the impact of the Association of Bay Area Government’s upcoming Housing Needs Assessment, a crucial document used in determining the city’s obligation to build more new housing. 

The other major item that is up for action is a set of zoning ordinance amendments designed to speed up and simplify the process of enforcing permit violations and making public nuisance declarations against properties. 

The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. and Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

Donning gas masks to protest against emissions from Pacific Steel Casting, risking arrest to save the People’s Park free box, organizing the city’s first ever international food festival and cooking up civic participation through a website were some of the ways in which Berkeleyans took control in 2006. 

Pacific Steel 

Entire families, with toddlers in arms, turned up in front of the West Berkeley- based steel foundry in November to rally against Pacific Steel—the third largest foundry of its kind in the country—and demanded an answer to when emissions of the noxious fumes would stop. 

Innumerable protests and three lawsuits later— one by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District against PSC—community members were informed earlier this month that the City of Berkeley had requested an extension of time for public review of the emissions inventory report. 

The Air District along with District 4 councilmember Linda Maio—in whose district PSC is located—will hold a community meeting on Feb. 7 where questions about emissions will be answered. 

While some West Berkeley residents would be glad to send the steel foundry packing off to somewhere else, there are those who would like to see it clean up its act and stay. 

People’s Park 

People’s Park free-box users sued the City of Berkeley in June for not holding to its 1994 agreement with UC Berkeley, which stated that a free-box, in which people put clothing and other items for others to pick up, must remain in People’s Park. 

The UC Berkeley Police Department tore down each free box that advocates built in the last year. 

UC Berkeley is accelerating efforts to clean up the park and make it drug and alcohol free. In November, the university unveiled its plans to bulldoze the berms (mounds) on either side of the park’s Community Garden to allow police officers to patrol the park better. 

But once again it was the people of Berkeley who prevailed, and their protests made university officials scrap the plans. However, the university is going ahead with its plan to hire a landscape design team that will help beautify this plot of land. 

The Wishing Well 

Currently the only free box in the city exists in the form of the 35-year-old recycling box on the sidewalk parking strip of the 1700 block of Channing Way.  

Known as the Wishing Well to local residents, this box was seen as an encroachment by the City of Berkeley and well on its way to being demolished in 2006 until neighbors stepped in to save it. 

Bateman Mall 

The Bateman Mall has been restored, but nothing has been done to fix the drainage problem. It was last reported in the Daily Planet on Nov. 28 that one of the neighbors had removed the rotting grass on the mall to solve the strong stench and the drainage issue, but neighbors told the Planet on Monday that nothing has been done to fix the problem permanently. 

It was also reported to the Planet that there has been “no apparent activity to fix the drainage problems, with the exception of several trips by city personnel to view the construction errors and take some measurements.” 

Willard Park declared rat-free 

Parents of children who were scared away by rodents at the Willard Park Tot Lot were relieved when the city decided to clean out the park in March. Neighbors complained that large quantities of food and human waste had contributed to a dramatic increase in rats. 

The city at first had decided to bait the rats, but health concerns limited the rat control efforts to trapping only. 

Kitchen Democracy 

For those who find it difficult to keep up with civic issues affecting Berkeleyans daily, help came in the form of kitchendemocracy.com. The husband-and-wife duo of Robert Vogel and Simona Carini promised to bring City Hall to you, courtesy of the Internet. 

Today the website is used by councilmembers, ZAB commissioners, Berkeley voters and even the curious Cal undergrad. A website that is probably the first of its kind, KD might just go on to become the Craigslist for Municipal Government in the near future. 

The naked guy dies in jail 

Andrew Martinez, who as a 19-year-old UC Berkeley undergraduate created a splash in the national media for getting suspended from the university for attending class in little more than a pair of sandals and a backpack in 1992, died in his Santa Clara County jail cell in May, leaving friends, family and community members shocked. 

The untimely death of 33-year-old Martinez caused people to question the American legal system, specifically the Santa Clara County Jail system, which had housed Martinez in solitary confinement even though he had been mentally disturbed. 

Ruby Harmon turns 100 

Berkeley resident Ruby Harmon celebrated her centennial birthday in May.  

Her amazing journey through life as a social worker and BUSD volunteer was celebrated by friends at the Trinity United Methodist Church. Although Ruby is unable to speak today, her memories of the Civil Rights movement in Louisiana, the segregated school system and the integration that followed thereafter live on in transcriptions. 

BAM curator quits over exhibit dispute 

Chris Gilbert—who served as a curator at the Berkeley Art Museum since September 2005—resigned in May because of rising conflicts with museum administrators over his controversial project “Now Time: Media Along the Path of the Bolivarian Process.”  

Peter Selz, founding director of the Berkeley Art Museum and a former curator of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, expressed shock over Gilbert’s resignation in May. 

When the Planet asked Connie Lewellen, BMA chief curator, to comment about the reasons for resignation stated in his e-mail in May, she said, “Chris couldn’t do the program as he wanted and therefore he wanted to resign.” 

Gilbert told the Planet that his decision to leave had started from an argument over a text panel for the ‘Now Time’ exhibit. “Their plan was to replace the phrase ‘in solidarity with revolutionary Venezuela’ with a phrase like ‘concerning revolutionary Venezuela,’ for another phrase describing a relation that would not be explicitly one of solidarity,” he said. 

Berkeley remembers the Waving Man 

Residents of South Berkeley and the Berkeley NAACP Youth & College Division found a way to remember the legacy of Mr. Charles, Berkeley’s “Waving Man,” in March.  

For 30 years, Mr. Charles stood on the busy intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Oregon to smile and wave hello to morning commuters, an act which earned him the title “Waving Man” and made him the “face of Berkeley” worldwide. 

On the morning of March 22, Mr. Charles’ 96th Birthday, a group of people stood at this very same intersection and greeted people just like Mr. Charles had and helped to make the world a happier place. 

First International Food Festival lands in Berkeley 

West Berkeley played host to the city’s inaugural International Food Festival in May. Organized by the West Berkeley Neighborhood Development Corporation and the City of Berkeley, the festival celebrated diversity in the city by bringing together Indian, Fijian, Filipino, Spanish, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Turkish, Lebanese, Jamaican and many more ethnicities in one place. 

Bleak future for Berkeley’s Sea Scouts 

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to review a ruling that allows the City of Berkeley to deny the Sea Scouts a free dock at the Marina because of discrimination against gays and atheists.  

The 74-year-old Sea Scouts are bound to the policies of their parent body, the Boy Scouts of America, which mandates that gays and atheists be excluded from the organization. 

Ever since the city began charging the Sea Scouts for the berth at the Marina, Sea Scouts’ Boat Skipper Evans has been paying $500 a month, something he said was gradually becoming a problem economically. 

Pole to head 

A Thursday afternoon fracas between two 36-year-olds in People’s Park took a violent turn when one of the pair picked up a long wooden pole and clouted the other over the head. 

Officers arrived in time to slap handcuffs on the attacker and summon paramedics to rush the victim to Alta Bates Hospital for treatment of lacerations to his cheek and nose, according to a statement by UC Berkeley Police Chief Victoria L. Harrison. 

Gun to head 

As one teenage gangbanger held a pistol to their victim’s head, three cohorts rifled through his pockets during a brazen robbery near Wellman Hall on the UC Berkeley Campus Sunday night. 

A quick response by campus police ended with arrests of all four teens identified as the robbers by the 34-year-old victim. 

The heist happened at 7:32 p.m. on Wickson Road just south of the building, according to a report by campus police. The robbery victim wasn’t hurt during the crime, police said.

From just the smell of their breath or the look on their faces, Karl Smith could tell which of his students at Dejean Middle School in West Contra Costa County were doing poorly in school. 

“There were a number of students I’d have in a week who were visibly not well, and you just can’t learn if you’re sick,” said Smith, who recently quit his job at the Richmond school where he had taught English as a second language to immigrant children for almost 10 years. He said some of his students had teeth so rotten it interfered with their ability to form English words properly. 

Nationwide studies show that 45 million people in the United States have no health insurance. In California, about 6.6 million are uninsured. On Monday, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled his much-anticipated health care plan. The $2 billion in tax money that now goes to hospitals will shift to buy insurance for some of the state’s neediest. 

The governor might have borrowed provisions from health care plans enacted by Vermont and Massachusetts last year that promised expanded health care coverage to their residents, or he might have drawn upon some of the provisions of the AllKids plan Illinois finalized, that would provide health care for all children in the state. 

The uninsured in the immigrant community are watching closely, especially Latinos for whom the problem is more common. In California, nearly 32 percent of Latinos are uninsured. And almost 20 percent of the state’s uninsured are children, the majority of them of Hispanic descent. 

Among the undocumented, not having insurance is more complicated than simply a matter of money. Many simply don’t seek treatment because they fear they could be deported if their illegal status becomes known. 

Many of Smith’s students were children of undocumented Latinos, so public health care programs such as Medi-Cal and Healthy Kids were unavailable to them. And because private health insurance is too pricey, often the only health care facilities they could go to are community clinics. But though these clinics never ask clients about their legal status, not every immigrant knows this and they would understandably be scared to ask. 

Often, fear of being reported “keeps them from going to community clinics,” said Fremont resident Agha Saeed, national chairman of the American Muslim Alliance. “For minor illnesses, they self-medicate. Some (undocumented Muslims) seek free advice from doctors while attending prayer services in mosques. 

“But I know people with high blood-pressure or poor vision who are too scared to seek treatment because they do not want to call attention upon themselves,” Saeed said. 

Study after study has shown that the longer the less educated and less affluent immigrant stay in the U.S., the more likely he or she was to report declining health. 

“Many folks won’t show up at our clinics until they are in dire straits,” observed Jane Garcia, chief executive officer at the Clinica de la Raza Health Project in Oakland. La Raza offers multi-service, low-cost health care to anyone who needs it. 

Racial and ethnic minorities tend not to practice preventative health care says Andres Tapia, chief diversity officer at Hewitt Associates, a global, multi-services human resources firm, which works with health management. As a result, third and fourth generation Asians and Latino immigrants, more often than whites, wait until they are in a health crisis before they visit emergency rooms. 

Disputing the myth that newer, undocumented immigrants are clogging up emergency rooms, a new study suggests that undocumented people use them far less than legal immigrants and Americans. According to researchers at Mexico’s National Population Council and the University of California, only 9.8 percent of Mexican adult migrants living in the U.S. 10 years or less visited an emergency room in the past year. That’s less than half the rate among people born in the U.S. 

“Communities with the lowest [emergency department] use tended to have a higher percentage of Hispanics and non-citizens than communities with high ED use,” said the study’s author, Peter Cunningham, a senior fellow at the Center for Studying Health System Change in Washington, D.C. 

By moving the burden on to individuals for their own health care, the governor is recognizing preventative care as the most important aspect of staying healthy. 

“Preventative health care requires the belief that what I do today can prevent a health problem tomorrow,” Tapia said. “But unfortunately, with many Latinos and Asians, there’s a strong sense of external control, a sense of que sera, sera.” 

Wade Rose, vice president of External and Government Relations at Catholic Health Service West, believes that “the American psyche defining health care as an individual’s responsibility” is wrong. Health care is “a societal problem” he says, and Americans “should come together as a society and come to a [collective] decision to take care of members of our society.” 

As he puts it, “Are we our brother’s keeper? The answer is yes.”  

Viji Sundaram is health care editor at New America Media.

Froilan Chan-Liongco didn’t hear the explosion that incinerated his clothes and left him with second and third degree burns on the lower part of his body. As a welder at Romic Environmental Technologies’ hazardous waste recycling facility in East Palo Alto for 16 years, he’d seen his fair share of chemical fires at work, but this one caught him by surprise. 

After months of recovery, Chan-Liongco feels burned in more ways than one. Suddenly, the 64-year-old Filipino immigrant—who resigned because of the company’s handling of the incident—finds himself working with protesters he was once told to ignore by company managers. 

For the past 15 years, Romic has been embroiled in a fists-up fight with residents of East Palo Alto, who claim the company has been polluting their community with toxic waste and avoiding closure of its plant by holding regulatory agencies at bay. 

One of those agencies, the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), slapped Romic with 28 violations from 1999 to 2004—everything from mislabeling chemicals to storing them in unauthorized places—resulting in a 2005 settlement of $849,500 in penalties. Another, the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (CalOSHA), discovered 57 violations at the plant from 1988 to 2004, totaling $163,360 in fines. 

Incredibly, Romic’s DTSC permit expired in 1991; despite some extensions, it has been operating with a provisional permit for the last 11 years. Community members who oppose the plant believe that in Chan-Liongco, they’ve found the smoking gun whose testimony could shut it down for good. 

After years of mounting pressure from local community groups, the DTSC is finally investigating whether or not to approve Romic’s operating permit. Chan-Loingco’s accident is one of the factors the agency will consider in its deliberations. 

High tech’s dirty laundry 

Underneath the controversy over Romic is a larger story about one of Silicon Valley’s least-talked-about exports: toxic waste. Romic specializes in industrial recycling of liquid waste—solvents, inks, acids and other dangerous chemicals that are involved in the production of computer parts. The importation of this waste into their community has East Palo Alto residents worried, and many believe it is no coincidence that Romic’s plant is allowed to continue operating, despite multiple safety violations, in an area whose residents are 97 percent people of color. 

“There is a blind eye cast upon how businesses operate in communities like ours,” says Annie Loya, an organizer for Youth United for Community Action, an environmental justice organization based in East Palo Alto. 

At a time when some teenagers are busy Myspacing themselves into cybercomas, the East Palo Alto youth at YUCA spend their evenings sifting through almost unintelligible state regulatory reports. They are battle-tested organizers topped off with teenage swagger—an underestimated, yet effective, combination. They have been at it for over 12 years, and have waged an effective campaign, drawing other community organizations, legislators (most recently U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo) and environmental advocates into their fight. 

Loya, 22, has worked with the group since she was 13. She says the chemicals Romic works with are polluting the city and increasing the risk of cancer and asthma. When her group conducted their own health survey of over 700 East Palo Alto residents, they found that one out of every four 13-to-21-year-old had asthma, and found cancer rates for all ages to be well above the rest of San Mateo County. 

Tragedy of errors 

Sixty-four-year-old Chan-Liongco has trouble sitting for long periods of time since his injury. He shifts in his seat in his Union City apartment as he tells the story of Tank 104. 

Romic has over 100 tanks containing mostly flammable or combustible liquid, according to Chan-Liongco’s OSHA report. Tank 104, which had previously contained solvent-contaminated wastewater, ignited as he was cutting a hole on the top. He had conducted all the required safety precautions, he says, but there was one reading that had raised his suspicion before the accident. 

“I went to our safety manager to see what I should do. He said to just go ahead, that it was safe,” Chan-Liongco says. According to the OSHA report, Chan-Liongco then climbed back up on top of the 26-foot-high, 12,000 gallon steel tanker to begin his work. 

As soon as Chan-Liongco brought his lit torch to the tank, the explosion rocked him back. He was trapped, strapped by his harness to the tank itself. 

“I felt my body burning, and saw my work clothes burned off,” says Chan-Liongco. Another Romic employee rushed to shut off the oxygen and acetylene valves. Chan-Liongco says he heard a number of workers yelling to call 911. But an unexpected accident turned even more bizarre, Chan-Liongco says, when his manager decided not to call 911. 

Chan-Liongco says he went to the locker room, where another worker gave him some underwear and he put on his street clothes. According to Chan-Liongco, his manager instructed him to wait in the lobby, where he sat for close to two hours. 

“I remember how long the time was because I couldn’t really even sit because of the pain, and wanted to go to the hospital already,” says Chan-Liongco. 

In a phone interview, Mary Kilgo, the plant’s director of operations, denied that Chan-Loingco waited in the Romic lobby at all, saying that “he must have meant the hospital lobby,” and that he was taken to the hospital immediately. 

When asked why he thinks Romic did not call 911, or at least request an ambulance, Chan-Liongco pauses, leans forward and says, “I think they were trying to cover their ... you know.” 

A plant safety manager eventually drove Chan-Liongco to Stanford Medical Center, which does not have a burn unit. Unable to receive treatment there, Chan-Liongco was put on morphine and an ambulance took him to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. 

According to OSHA compliance officer Vajie Motiafard, Romic should have known which hospital to go to, because they’d made the same mistake two years earlier, when another employee was burned on his legs and left arm while cleaning a tanker. 

In all, from the time of the incident, it took over six hours for Chan-Liongco to receive the needed medical attention. 

The aftermath 

As soon as Chan-Loingco got home from his 11-day hospital stay, he started looking for legal assistance. He eventually found Alex Bravo of Sacramento and Bert Vega of Vallejo, both Tagalog-speaking attorneys. Together, they are filing a willful-misconduct claim against Romic. Chan-Liongco returned to the East Palo Alto plant one last time in August, to submit his resignation letter. 

In November 2006, Chan-Liongco got a call from YUCA organizers. “I remember seeing the protesters outside, but we were always told to not pay attention to them and drive right by them,” says Chan-Liongco. Now, those same protestors are his staunchest allies. 

YUCA—which is also working in partnership with Indian elders in Arizona to combat another Romic facility—had been stepping up its fight against the East Palo Alto plant even before talking to Chan-Loingco. In the late-night hours of June 6, a Romic tanker had a chemical leak that produced a vapor made up of 15 different chemicals. Police told residents to stay indoors within a half-mile perimeter surrounding the plant. Romic claims the release did not affect residents, but community members, many of whom said they saw a large plume spanning over 200 yards coming from the facility, complained of headaches and skin, ear, and throat irritations after the release. 

The June leak, coupled with the Chan-Liongco incident, does not bode well for Romic. The East Palo Alto City Council, once a defender of the plant because of the tax revenue it brought in, recently voted unanimously to oppose Romic’s permit to operate. Another East Palo Alto councilmember, Ruben Abrica, has tried to meet with Romic’s client companies to raise money to relocate the waste company. 

“When the day comes, we can all pitch in, get trucks and help them move out,” Abrica says. 

Angela Blanchette, spokeswoman for the DTSC, has been very busy lately as community groups like YUCA begin to target the regulatory agency’s lack of action. Once of YUCA’s most recent tactics was to send the DTSC office a “Deny the Permit” teddy bear handmade by a YUCA member’s mother. The DTSC told YUCA organizers that it will release a new timeline for the permit decision at the end of January. For now, Blanchette said, the permit decision “is temporarily on hold in order to conduct the investigations required that may have an impact on the decision.” 

Chan-Loingco is still recuperating from his injuries, and will have his hands full with the lawyers, courts and regulatory agencies over the next year. While his newfound activism seems to have given him some peace, one cannot help but wonder, as he lifts his shirt to show his wounds: What if the DTSC had conducted its investigations earlier, sometime over the 15 years since the last permit expired? Would Chan-Loingco have these burns? Would the residents of East Palo Alto have been exposed to a chemical plume in their neighborhood in June? And will voices of those like Chan-Loingco and his YUCA allies finally be heard, or will the lowest-income parts of Silicon Valley continue to be the dumping ground for high tech’s dirtiest secrets? 

Raj Jayadev is the editor of Silicon Valley De-bug, a collective of writers, artists workers and activists in San Jose.

The consultant who will help improve People’s Park in the coming months will be selected from a list of three finalists at a closed panel interview session on Friday (today). 

MKThink (San Francisco), Campbell & Campbell (Santa Monica) and The 106 Group (St. Paul, Minn) were the three consulting firms selected from a list of seven. 

“We will be looking for someone who is interested in the rich history of the park, is familiar with its documents and who can combine construction and design with community outreach,” said Irene Hegarty, director of community relations at UC Berkeley. 

At the People’s Park Advisory Board meeting on Monday, a People’s Park Advisory Board Selection Subcommittee, comprising of board members John Selawsky, Sam Davis, Joe Halperin and Ionas Porges-Kiriakou (a UCB undergraduate), selected the top three finalists along with a few other members and UC Staff. 

Speaking to the Planet, board member and School Board Director Selawsky said that he was happy with the way the process of selecting the main consultant was going so far. 

“I think we have three viable candidates,” he said. “Friday’s interview will play an important role in deciding who will be the most capable in coming up with ideas that will benefit People’s Park and the community.” 

Friday’s interview will go on for most of the day and will be closed to the public. Apart from the People’s Park Advisory Board Selection Subcommittee, two other advisory board members—George Beier and Lydia Gans—as well as Hegarty and a few other UC Berkeley staff members will be part of the panel. 

“There will at least be 10 to 12 people on the panel. And it’s a job interview, therefore it’s closed to the public,” said Selawsky, adding that the panel was scheduled to meet at a university-owned facility on University Avenue. 

“I would like to see how they would take into consideration current and potential uses of the park,” said Selawsky. “How they would make it more open to neighbors, families and UC students. I think most of us agree that the park is underutilized by residents. I would like to see it become a place for the community, a real urban center.” 

Both Hegarty and Selawsky said although the panel would come to a consensus Friday on which consultant would be hired, the decision would not be announced right away. 

“There are background and reference checks that need to be done and that would take some time,” said Hegarty, adding that the consultant was scheduled to start work from March 2007. 

People’s Park user and community gardener Terri Compost expressed her displeasure with the selection process. 

“It’s very disappointing that the advisory board gave up the decision-making and it was narrowed down to a sub-committee and a few UCB staff. A broader committee and community input would have been welcomed,” she said on Thursday.  

“It’s discouraging that they are hiring a landscape architect instead of a community person to decide about the future of the park,” Compost said. “It’s already atypical to hire an expert for People’s Park. They are saying that they are hiring an expert to see what the community wants, but there’s no broad community input in the selection process itself. I hope this process will involve all the voices and not pit people against one another. I am not sure it’s going to do that. We require vigilance to see that it doesn’t turn out be just a corporate design.” 

Selawsky told the Planet that the board had been narrowed down to a subcommittee as the process of having each of the ten advisory board members go through all the proposals would have been unnecessary and time consuming. 

Among the criteria that the People’s Park advisory board used to review proposals and evaluate prospective planning consultants were professional experience (which includes landscape architecture/design, community planning, sustainable design, urban parks and environmental approach to social issue), political process experience (which included controversial issues, diverse stake holders, widely divergent viewpoints and facilitation), creativity and appreciation of park history. 

The criteria for evaluation during interview included objectivity, patience, and a sense of humor. 

Porges-Kiriakou, a cognitive science and computer science major at UC Berkeley, and a homeless activist who helps run the Suitcase Clinic, described the selection process as “good.” 

“I’d like to see the park be something more than a landscape project,” he said. “It’s important for it to have a good image. More students should be using it. I will be looking for a consultant who can open up a dialogue between the different groups in the community and who can bridge the gaps. I think communication between people will play an important role in making this project successful.” 

Hegarty also told the Planet that at the last meeting, the board had brainstormed and identified a list of People’s Park planning community stakeholders, which includes just about every community group or subgroup who would have an interest in the planning process for People’s Park. 

The first draft of the list included current park users (students, regular participants of park events, gardeners/activists and homeless service providers), UC Berkeley faculty, staff, and related departments, city officials, neighbors, nearby merchants and property owners, nearby churches and institutions, alumni of the late ’60s/park founders, students from Berkeley and Maybeck high schools, the Berkeley Historical Society, members of the Ecology Center and many others.

From here it looks like a triumph of “Framing”—that’s the name given by my old friend George Lakoff to a political technique which is part of what we used to call “marketing” in the software industry. I’m referring to the iconic image of the new speaker of the House on the podium surrounded by small children. There were a few cynical cluck-clucks in the Planet newsroom, but in the living rooms of parents and grandparents across the country it brought tears to not a few eyes. An early version of same was Ronald Reagan shown against a background of American flags, but the framing of Nancy Pelosi was much better: dynamic and heartwarming, all at the same time.  

We don’t watch much television, but we happened to catch the McNeil-Lehrer news hour segment on Pelosi last week because one of our granddaughters was rumored to be part of it. And she was there, in all of her 4-year-old glory, in leotard with tutu, for all of 30 seconds, as one of the students at a dance school headed by the woman who ran against Pelosi as a Green candidate back in November. In order to catch this precious moment, we viewed the whole piece, which included lots of footage chosen to show Pelosi’s roots in Baltimore, where her father and brother had both been mayors.  

It couldn’t have been a more ideal picture of Pelosi if it were a paid political advertisement. The setting was Old Back East Urban: gritty brick row houses, corner grocery stores, kids playing in the street in front of stoops, old guys sitting around on benches reminiscing. It could have been The Hill in St. Louis, which I knew as a child, or South Philadelphia, or the Lower East Side of New York City—in other words, any of those places where Democrats once ruled, and where they delivered what local folks needed to get ahead as immigrants in a tough environment.  

A woman I know who lived in Baltimore for a while remembers that Nancy’s father, Tommy D’Alesandro, Jr., was thought of not only as the mayor, but as the “Boss” who ran the “Democratic Machine.” Those were terms used, mostly by members of the White-Anglo-Saxon-Protestant former ruling class, to disparage political organizations run by upstart immigrants who learned how to work the system on behalf of countrymen. Rose Kennedy’s father and John Kennedy’s grandfather, “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald, was an Irish version in Boston. Often, though not always, Bosses and Machines had cryptic or open ties to organized crime, but D’Alesandro padre was known for standing up to the muscle boys.  

New York Times columnist David Brooks, who may be a member of the WASP ruling class or may just act like one hoping to fool us, had a snidely stupid column last week equating Nancy Pelosi with George W. Bush as just another rich kid. Berkeley blogger Brad de Long deftly refuted that one by running photos of childhood homes of both—with the Bush mansion on the shores of something-or-other looking way more impressive than Albemarle Street in Baltimore. It is true that husband Paul Pelosi has made a sizable fortune for the family with his investments, though nothing on the scale of a Bill Gates or a Larry Ellison, but Nancy was not born with a silver spoon in her mouth. 

(DeLong quoted a colleague’s take on the ever-more-unattractive Brooks in another context: “David Brooks? You’re using a tenured Harvard statistician to refute David Brooks?! You don’t use a tenured statistician, you use a fly-swatter!”) 

The interesting thing about Pelosi is that she is, relatively speaking, an old woman—that is to say she’s my age. That means she’s just about old enough to remember real Democrats, Roosevelt and Truman Democrats, who sincerely believed that it was the government’s job to take care of people who couldn’t take care of themselves. Unlike, for example, Hillary Clinton or Rahm Emmanuel or any of the other neo-Democrats who do their best to wiggle out of that responsibility. Pelosi hagiography says that as a child she worked in the office where her father’s constituents came to seek help, and it’s probably a true story.  

Emmanuel, in his role as chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, did his best to make sure that the Democrats fielded centrist candidates who looked as much like Republicans as possible last November, but luckily he failed. Jerry McNerney is the best local example of the triumph of the Real Democrats, since he beat a DCCC entry in the primary before going on to win his House seat. Most of the newly elected Democrats supported ending the Iraq War right away, and Pelosi seems to be carrying the ball for them. East Bay people are cheered to see that she’s advised by our own George Miller, another legacy Democrat who can remember Real Democrats. If Nancy hangs in there, she just might be able to reclaim the Democratic heritage of being the people’s party.  

BROWER CENTER 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

The sound of the Brower Center sucking more and more money from the city should come as no surprise since the City Council signed a blank check when they approved the project. The least the council can do is change the name of the project to the Black Hole Center. 

Frank Greenspan 

• 

FREE-BOXES 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Riya Bhattacharjee’s lovely “Local Davids Battled Goliaths in 2006” erred in one small respect: the “Wishing Well” free-box is not the only one in Berkeley. There are two currently on Monterey, another one behind the Monterey Market, another near the tunnel on Henry, and several along San Pablo Avenue. Many neighborhoods use this innocent, practical method of exchange. The University of California’s effort to erase this tradition in People’s Park is quite comic in contrast. 

Carol Denney 

• 

RESPONSE 

Editors, Daily Planet:  

Kris Martinsen says “the state itself is the most conservative, unproductive, and parasitic fossil in existence,” a claim that in my opinion places him firmly into the ranks of the reactionaries. Then he calls my distinction between reactionary and conservative “absurd,” while preferring to call himself a libertarian. Libertarians, he states, “do not want to conserve the New Dealish status quo.” 

My Illustrated Oxford Dictionary says reactionaries “oppose change and advocate return to a former system.” My American Heritage Dictionary says reactionaries “oppose progress or liberalism.” These conceptual shoes seem to fit Mr. Martinsen’s sentiments pretty well, so why not wear the label? 

Interestingly, his phrasing betrays a dislike of conservatives, too. This animus bordering on contempt by reactionaries toward conservatives was part of the point I made in response to Bob Burnett’s column on how it’s time for victorious liberals to “kill conservatism.” That point was: far from killing conservatism, liberals should help conservatives shuck off the reactionaries who have taken over their party. Then both liberals and conservatives should go back to the business of creating an enjoyable, just, inclusive, and sustainable culture here on earth, giving our young’uns a platform from which they can go off and explore the galaxies together.  

Liberals need conservatives like a car needs brakes. Reactionaries can probably be useful someplace, but not in the drivers’ seat. 

Dan Knapp 

Richmond 

• 

QUARTZITE MINING 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

In response to the article about the Spaceship Earth statue (“Brower Sculpture Comes to Ignominious End,” Jan. 9) I would like to point out that while not environmentally sustainable yet, quartzite mining is not the worst kind of dig in Brazil. For one, the quartzite is not extracted from the rainforests as the article quoted as “fact.” Quartzite, regardless of color, is gleaned either from alpine deposits or cavernous areas. It’s a metamorphic rock, and as such can be found where high temperatures and pressure meet (e.g. volcanoes, mountain ranges, magma tunnels, etc.). Secondly, shallow tin and gold mining, along with petroleum, represent more of a problem than the 30 or so stone and tile companies currently digging in Brazil. 

Matthew Mitschang 

• 

LANDMARKS ORDINANCE 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Richard Brenneman’s story on the anti-LPO referendum petition shows precisely why it is misguided: “Critics like Bright, one of the two sponsors of Measure J, said the council ordinance could allow for a massive wave of new development that would destroy the character of the neighborhoods, especially in the Berkeley flats.” While the nature and quantity of future new development is a very relevant question for the city, that is not a question that the Landmarks Preservation Ordinance—either the old or the newly passed version—addresses. The LPO only allows the Landmarks Preservation Commission to decide if nominated properties meet specific defined criteria for designation as landmarks or structures of merit, and allows the LPC to control the alteration or demolition of established historic resources. The LPO does not allow the LPC to consider the relative merits of a proposed project vs. an existing property it would replace—only the merits of that property on its own.  

Development policy, in general and in specific, is governed by the General Plan, administered by the Planning Commission and City Council. Opponents of further development in Berkeley, however, have long seized on the current LPO as a last-ditch weapon—contrary to its intention and its actual provisions—to increase the cost of some proposed projects by injecting months or years of delay into the permitting process. The fact that they now admit to doing so at least clarifies their motivations. The referendum simply continues a years-long anti-democratic effort by a fanatical band of hyper-preservationists to deny the will of the City Council and the vote of the people in favor of an appropriately updated new ordinance. The much-feared “request for determination” provision of the new law presents a danger not to preservation but only to the misuse of the LPO for unintended anti-growth purposes; we should look forward to its enactment. 

Alan Tobey 

• 

CELL PHONE  

TOWER GRIEF 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Patrick Kennedy claims in Making Waves (East Bay Daily News, Friday, Jan. 5) that he has “gotten nothing but grief from neighbors.” His proposed installation of 18 cell phone antennas 500 feet from my home on top of his newly acquired U.C. Storage building has given me nothing but grief as well. 

Ever since I heard about the project, I have been doing research on the issue. It is not a pretty picture. Epidemiological studies indicate clusters of childhood leukemia, as well as other forms of cancer, found around cell phone towers. Scientific studies done in reputable research facilities in Europe show cell damage and carcinogenic effects in mice when exposed to radio-frequency (RF) emissions. Rather than debunking health concerns, these studies raise a red flag. Studies conducted by the Food and Drug Administration conclude that low frequency, non-thermal, cumulative, radio frequency emissions are carcinogenic. Now add anger to my grief and fear. Ponder these facts: South Berkeley already has 15 locations with an unknown number of antennas at each one, all emitting RF radiation continuously, whereas North Berkeley has only two and the Berkeley hills have none. Is this the zoning practice of a city committed to equity? I hope Mr. Kennedy is sleeping better than I am. I am up into the wee hours worrying about my son who grew up in South Berkeley, worrying about my neighbors and their children, worrying about the youth pressing cell phones up against their heads hour upon hour. 

Grief is arguing with my husband about moving before our property value deteriorates, knowing it will break our hearts to leave the home we have ever-so slowly fixed up, closet by closet, window by window, tree by tree, over the last 22 years. Grief is knowing that although the humane path is precaution, we continually come up against industry-driven laws and developers who profit as we suffer the health consequences. Kennedy goes home each night to his house in Piedmont, where I would wager, there are no cell phone antennas radiating his home and family or blocking his view with ugly towers or adding new industrial noise into the peace and quiet of his environment. The Berkeley Neighborhood Antenna Free Union (BNAFU) is calling for: 

1) A renewed moratorium on cell phone antennas. 

2) Measurements of emissions from operating antennas to determine safe setbacks. 

3) A rational plan for placement of antennas in Berkeley away from places where people live and work. 

4) A city-initiated forum to study and discuss health issues related to wireless technology. 

Laurie Baumgarten 

• 

BUSH’S WORDS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

“Surge” is another word for “escalation.” “Iraq” is another word for “Vietnam.” After successfully invading Iraq, the incompetent Bush-Cheney administration has botched winning the peace for four years. Every opportunity for success has been squandered; unrepairable damage to our cause has been self-inflicted, repetitively. Bush’s so-called “new strategy” is more of the same. Compulsive denial has blinded their ability to make rational correction. This is the last-ditch desperate act of an obsessive gambler. The stakes are more American lives; yet, since Abu Ghraib, the game has already been lost. There are no aces in the hole; no magic bullets; only delusion. 

For four years, the Republican-led Congress failed to oversee and prevent this catastrophe. To be fair, it took time for the depth of incompetence to become fully apprehended. Now, Democrats have Congress and the opportunity to restrain further madness. 

Bruce Joffe 

Piedmont 

• 

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Since when has election season become a year-round event? Sen. Joe Biden says he will run for president; Sen. John McCain stakes his 2008 presidential bid on a buildup of more troops in Iraq (Bush lite). Obama and Hillary are in the hunt and there all those wannabees tossing their hats in the ring. 

I like a good political tyrst as well as the next person but we’ve just finished the 2006 midterm elections. It’s not even spring of 2007 and these political jockeys are at it again. 

Ron Lowe 

Grass Valley 

Councilmember Wozniak recently removed his appointee, Dean Metzger, from the Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB). Since Mr. Wozniak has not publicly thanked Mr. Metzger for his ZAB service, I would like to do so—on behalf of many. In addition, Mr. Metzger has served his community on the Transportation Commission and through his neighborhood association (CENA), Berkeley Alliance of Neighborhood Associations (BANA), and Berkeleyans for a Livable University Environment (BLUE), among others. All these organizations and the city have profited greatly from his intelligence, integrity, and hard work.  

Mr. Metzger would be the first to acknowledge that three years on the ZAB was barely enough time to become comfortable in the bizarro world of Berkeley’s zoning ordinance and its ever-more-fantastic manifestations. Peeling away the layers of deception, manipulation, and “creativity” on the part of the planning staff and developers is a permanent full-time job, as neighborhood leaders know.  

Mr. Metzger also spent 18 months on the density bonus subcommittee. His attempt to quantify the application of the bonus, to create predictability for both developers and the public, was opposed by planning staff, which views the law as a kind of interpretive dance in which buildings can leap at will to intoxicating heights and densities. Does it benefit the public to lose Mr. Metzger’s expertise on that very complex matter, after eighteen months of intensive education? 

Long-term commissioners are effective commissioners. Yet the council is poised at its January 16 meeting to ensure that commissioners can serve on a commission no more than eight years in 10, and to prevent simultaneous service on more than one commission. This proposal might seem reasonable if, in fact, Berkeley had lots of capable individuals clamoring to serve on commissions. But we do not. Very few Berkeleyans are willing and able to devote as much time and energy to the service of their fellow citizens as Mr. Metzger. This is why there are now 50 commission vacancies.  

The January 16 council item is intended to remove “trouble-makers” from powerful commissions, those who have served long enough to think independently and question staff. The targets are old-time progressives who champion public input and neighborhood livability, unlike today’s pseudo-progressives who prefer government of, by, and for developers and planners. It is an unseemly attempt by some council members to prevent other council members from re-appointing commissioners who effectively stand up for the public. Others support it because they are “tired” of certain long-term commissioners. I was tired of President Bush about fifteen minutes after he was elected, but I don’t advocate limiting presidential terms to fifteen minutes. The public is best served by experienced policy makers. 

So a better idea would be to eliminate commission term limits entirely until Berkeley comes up with at least 50 more people to fill commission vacancies, and several more to replace the effective commissioners we would lose to term limits. And if you want effective commissioners working on your behalf—challenging the status quo, the local bureaucracy, and moneyed interests—I recommend that you contact the council to oppose the January 16 council item.  

Commissioners serve at the pleasure of their council appointers, who deserve both credit and blame for their appointments, actions, and removals. Council members usually try to appoint competent people who share their philosophies, and then let them make independent decisions. However, commission members make critical decisions that impact the lives of thousands, and our elected officials are ultimately responsible for them. 

Council members who know their commissioners will be in the minority usually try to maximize the impact of their appointees by leaving them in place long enough to acquire experience and knowledge, and thereby influence with their colleagues. In land use issues, it is equally important to have the self-confidence to question staff. 

So why did council member Wozniak appoint Mr. Metzger to the ZAB, permit him to serve without interference for three years, and then summarily dismiss him as his influence increased? For the answer, let’s look at Mr. Wozniak’s history on land use issues.  

Mr. Wozniak’s first significant action, when elected to the council in 2002, was to effectively oppose the proposed neighborhood-busting development by the American Baptist Seminary of the West on Benvenue Avenue. I and the Benvenue neighbors will always appreciate Mr. Wozniak’s assistance on that project—the only large damaging project to have been defeated in Berkeley in recent memory.  

However, I am very sorry to say that since then, although Mr. Wozniak has done useful work on some other issues, like the budget and public safety, on land use issues his record is dismal. When faced with a choice between neighborhood livability and developer interests, he votes for the latter. Most significantly for his own district, when faced with a choice between assisting the university or protecting the neighborhoods of his constituents, he always represents university interests—vigorously. These pro-development, pro-university leanings have made it easier for Mr. Wozniak to fall in line with the Bates agenda, although sometimes against his better judgment, as with the Brower Center, Downtown’s sacrifice to political correctness. 

Appointing Mr. Metzger to the ZAB was one of Mr. Wozniak’s few neighborhood-friendly actions, for which he deserves full credit. However, Mr. Metzger probably never reflected Mr. Wozniak’s land use philosophy, especially as Mr. Wozniak has moved steadily to the “right.” Given his experience in neighborhood organizations, Mr. Metzger entered the ZAB as a development skeptic. And as a principled person, the more Mr. Metzger learned while on the ZAB, the more he had to oppose Berkeley’s current damaging developments. 

Nonetheless, Mr. Metzger’s appointment was good politics for Mr. Wozniak. For years the pro-neighborhood members of the ZAB had been in a 3-6 minority. As long as Mr. Metzger’s vote did not threaten to create a pro-neighborhood majority, Mr. Wozniak could get “credit” for his neighborhood-friendly appointee without risk to the development agenda, or of alienating colleagues like Bates and Capitelli. But as more ZAB members began to express occasional concern about bad planning, raising the possible threat of an enlightened pro-neighborhood majority, Mr. Wozniak had to remove Mr. Metzger. Now with the ZAB back to 6-3, the council can again feel entitled to refuse to reconsider ZAB decisions. 

The imminent cause of Mr. Metzger’s dismissal was his opposition to the Kragen project (1885 University), for the reasons he stated in his Planet commentary (“Trader Joe’s—For Whom?” Jan. 5). That project needed another vote to pass, so a few days before the vote, Mr. Wozniak replaced Mr. Metzger with a newcomer who voted for the project. This is similar to the recent last-minute shuffles on the Landmarks Preservation Commission, designed to make it appear that the LPC overwhelmingly endorsed the Bates revision of the Landmarks Preservation Ordinance. 

Experienced commissioners are a valuable commodity that add efficiency to government. Finding and educating new commissioners takes the time and resources of staff, council members, citizens, and other commissioners. Ideally, council members should draw on the specialized knowledge of their commissioners instead of throwing it away. Although council members have every right to disagree with their commissioners and overturn their decisions, it is not good for public policy or for taxpayers when council members use commissioners cynically and wastefully. 

Most commissioners from comfortable neighborhoods like CENA (and even some from poorer ones) are all too eager to vote in lockstep with staff and the pro-development agenda. Kudos to those few who, like Dean Metzger, care enough about others to try to help those bearing the burdens of density and bad development. They are precious few, and we cannot afford to lose them, to either term limits or political games.  

Sharon Hudson is active in Berkeley land use issues and is a member of Berkeleyans for a Livable University Environment (BLUE), www.berkeleyblue.org. 

When the Democrats obtained a congressional majority in November’s midterm elections, it sent a message to the White House, and to all of America, that people are ready for change. Change in Iraq, change in the power of the presidency, change in foreign policy, and change in the way citizens are treated at home. But, in the throws of such a heated election, at least one important issue was left largely unaddressed—what America’s role should be in quelling the genocide in Darfur.  

As hundreds of thousands of refugees struggle to survive, time is running out for the American government to get serious about Darfur, and it is imperative that the American people themselves catalyze Washington to take on this effort.  

When the Democrats took office Jan. 4, they outlined a grueling agenda for the first few weeks of the new congress. But with a disaster to clean up in Iraq, a Social Security crisis to fix, and relations with several key nations to repair, the plight of a far off African nation seems to fall by the wayside in congress. It is not that American politicians don’t care or want to help, but the nation’s plate is quite full already, and policy makers prefer to focus on issues that will make an impact on their constituents. In the game of American politics, reelection is always a top priority, even the week after a new congress is inaugurated. Office holders need to be able to show voters that they are making positive changes on the voter’s behalf, and no matter how you look at it, Darfur policy doesn’t fit this mold.  

Politicians will take on such an issue, however, if their constituents coax them to do so. Thus, it is crucial that voters urge both their congresspeople and senators to put the Darfur issue on the agenda.  

Berkeleyans can be a pioneering force in this effort. Taking a step in this direction, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who has consistently pressed for congressional action in Darfur since the genocide began in 2003, introduced a resolution urging the League of Arab States to acknowledge the Sudanese genocide on the first day of the new congress.  

But Lee cannot single handedly make Darfur a top congressional priority. Our politicians cannot make headway on this issue unless we encourage such efforts. While it is easy to reprimand Congress for failing to place humanity before politics, it is far more difficult to admit the fault in oneself. The old cliché is true: unless an individual is actively doing his part, he is a part of the problem.  

Californians have a commendable track record when it comes to Darfur activism. Last summer, a Darfur awareness march was held in San Francisco. Students at California colleges and universities have worked tirelessly to bring awareness and aid to the Darfur crisis, and have the potential to invoke even more action.  

As a student at Pomona College, in Claremont, California, I have been both invigorated and disheartened by on campus Darfur activism. Many students have taken the responsibility to stay informed and raise money and awareness for Darfurian refugees, and hundreds of letters have been signed and sent to the White House. But as life goes on normally each day, I cannot help but feel that we should be doing more. If students can become educated and inspired to mobilize their local communities, groups of voters around the country can begin urging their representatives to take on Darfur. Similarly, if California residents can motivate their elected officials to put Darfur on the congressional agenda, other states may lead by example. A grassroots movement of this kind would be an effective way to get Washington to take serious action. 

America, of course, is not, and should not be solely responsible for the Darfur effort. As a world power however, the U.S. has a responsibility to lead in this endeavor, and in order to be effective, our policy makers must be at the forefront of the effort. 

At a rally for Darfur in Washington, D.C. earlier this year, Samantha Powers, Harvard professor and leading thinker and activist on human rights policy, said, “Some people think that the politicians are the leaders, but the people are the leaders. If you keep leading, we will keep following.”  

No statement could better capture the stance that we, as voters, as global citizens must take; if we lead, we can get our congressional leaders—and hopefully our president—to follow. And together, we can work towards policy and change. 

Rachel Hamburg is an Oakland resident and a student at Pomona College. 

INDEED, IT IS APARTHEID 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Matthew Taylor’s excellent commentary on President Carter’s courageous book is just what this country needs to bring peace to the troubled Middle East. It is no help for anyone to deny what is before our very eyes. These echo the thoughts of Shulamit Aloni, former Minister of Education under President Rabin who wrote a recent editorial in the popular “Yediot Acharonot,” Israel’s largest circulating newspaper. Aloni also affirmed the truthfulness of Carter’s words.  

How do we as Americans respond? This next June marks the 40th anniversary of the illegal occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. We expect tens of thousands to converge on Washington DC to say a resounding NO to continuing U.S support for the occupation. We need all people of goodwill across the nation to be a part of this effort. We the people stopped US support of South Africa Apartheid, when most politicians were reluctant to oppose the status quo. This June we will again make history. See www.endtheoccupation.org for more information. 

Jim Harris 

• 

LEFT-WING LUNACY 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Imagine if you would a former U.S. president prior to World War II supporting the people and government of Germany during the era of the Third Reich, a tyranny based upon demonization of Jews. Now leap forward to ex-president Jimmy Carter’s support of the Palestinians, a people who freely elected Hamas, a party which like the Nazis advocates Jewish genocide, a political organization similar to its predecessor Fatah in its dedication to the destruction of Israel. 

Moreover, that Carter would appropriate the term “apartheid,” heretofore only ascribed to Israel by the lunatic left, is as disgusting as it is inappropriate. Twenty per cent of Israel’s citizenry are Palestinians and other than not being permitted to serve in the army, they have all the rights and privileges of Israel’s Jewish populace. Indeed, if Israel’s Arab populace were so oppressed, why do they not move a few miles to live with their Arabic brethren in Palestinian-ruled Gaza or the West Bank? 

There is not sufficient space in a letter to detail all the flaws and outright lies in Carter’s screed. Since the book’s publication, the former head of the Carter Center has eviscerated the ex-president for the manifest inaccuracies within the tome and Dennis Ross, Clinton’s chief envoy to the Middle East and a mediator in the meeting between Clinton, Arafat and Barak, has scoffed at the untruths Carter has penned about peace talks during the Clinton presidency. 

And now we see an absurd op-ed in the pages of this publication by one Matthew Taylor. Without any substantiation, Taylor parrots Palestinian propaganda spouting allegations that “many” Arab women have given birth to stillborn babies because they couldn’t get through Israel’s protective barrier (which has saved countless lives by its deterrance of suicide bombers). And that Israel has some “plan” to “force” thousands of Palestinians to emigrate. Couple this with absurd allegations of “ethnic cleansing” because Israel has bulldozed houses hiding tunnels for arms-smuggling, a fabricated quote supposedly from Ariel Sharon, the cartoonish notion of Israeli usurpation of water for swimming pools while Palestinians scrounge for enough to barely subsist, and other such inanities, and one wonders what opiate Mr. Taylor has been smoking. 

Well, one need not wonder too much as Taylor is identified as a “fifth year Peace and Conflict Studies” student at UC Berkeley. He hails from a department infamous for its politically simplistic student-initiated courses and those taught by some of Berkeley’s most ideologically-driven faculty. Most responsible UCB professors laugh at this department and those I know tell me that PCS students are not the “sharpest nails in the shed.” Indeed, Mr. Taylor affords ample evidence of this in his commentary. 

Yes, Mr. Taylor, Carter is right when he says there is apartheid in the Middle East. But President Peanut Brain mislocates its source. For it is the Palestinians who are the true practitioners of odious societal fissures, be it third class citizenry for women, the brainwashing of children taught to become homicidal martyrs, the honor murder of young women, the brutalization of homosexuals, or the suppression of intellectuals. In sum, if one truly cares about the violence of discrimination, one must first look to the Palestinians whose practices are sickeningly at odds with any semblance of a civil and progressive social order. 

Dan Spitzer 

Kensington 

• 

WHY I’LL READ CARTER’S BOOK 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

No doubt Matthew Taylor’s defense of Jimmy Carter’s Palestine Peace Not Apartheid will be met with the same condemnations that greeted Carter, (and I quote) “rigidity of thought,” “apologist for terrorists,” “one blatant falsehood after another,” “warped sense of history,” “malice and error,” “delivered from on high and believed on faith,” and, of course, “anti-Semite” (in Taylor’s case I suppose “self-hating Jew” might be added). I have not yet read Carter’s book, nor am I well enough informed to evaluate every bit of it or of Taylor’s article. Yet, I feel I ought not to be silent as the usual avalanche of furious letters hits the Daily Planet. Jimmy Carter does not need my defense. His worldwide stature is so secure that these attacks may only sell more books. Bill Cosby could not be destroyed by attacks following his speech before the NAACP about the dangers to his people from within black culture. Turgenev survived the attacks from the Leftist rebels, worse than from Czarist police, after publishing Fathers and Sons (though he had to leave Russia to live in peace). Hardy stopped writing novels after the reaction to the truths he wrote about English poverty, marriage law, sex, and education in Jude the Obscure, but he always wanted to go back to writing poetry anyway. Orwell’s career was almost nipped in the bud when his Homage to Catalonia detailed how he saw the Stalinist communists killing anarchists during the Spanish Civil War, barely escaping with his own life, but he bounced back with savage fantasy satires like 1984 that have never stopped selling. 

The greater danger is the effect of such attacks on writers or public servants who are not so famous as to live safely above the fray. Only one example: Kate Chopin, whose The Awakening (1900)—with its very delicately expressed story of female sexuality overruling “sacred” motherhood—wrecked her career. Chopin (widowed mother of six) died young, forgotten until feminists revived her work in the 1970s. How many other expressions of denied realities are murdered at birth by hostile social, religious, or political special interests? Like the exhibit of the Enola Gay (the plane that carried the atom bomb to Hiroshima) canceled by the Smithsonian Aeronautical and Space Museum (1997), when veterans’ groups united and lobbied legislators to protest captions whose wording failed to portray the Japanese as complete devils? How many beginning writers, seeing attacks on famous leaders like Carter, will risk being attacked in this way before they even get started? Or will write a controversial book that no publisher would touch? Why write it? Why support someone who has the guts to write it? Play it safe. Keep quiet. Back in 1999, in the New York Times, Margot Jefferson described a PEN-sponsored panel discussion by prominent writers titled, “Blasphemy: What You Can’t Say Today in America.” According to Jefferson the panelists did not talk about being ostracized for something they had written. They talked about fear of being ostracized, about “what happens when one is left alone with the constraints the psyche imposes, and with anxieties about how one’s audience will respond.” In other words, they talked about what they were not writing, out of fear of their readers. 

If this doesn’t scare us, it should. That’s why I believe it is important for me to buy Carter’s book, to thank Matthew Taylor for his defense of it, and to thank the Daily Planet for printing Taylor’s piece. 

Dorothy Bryant 

• 

CARTER DESERVES CREDIT 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Thank you for publishing Matthew Taylor’s commentary in the Berkeley Daily Planet on the new book by Jimmy Carter, Palestine: Peace not Apartheid, in which Mr. Carter has correctly described what is happening in the Occupied Territories. Anyone who has traveled to Gaza or the West Bank cannot but be shocked by what crimes are being committed quite openly by the Israeli army and Jewish settlers. It is a situation which is worse than Apartheid, and although this term still seems to be taboo in the United States, even critical Israeli journalists, writers and soldiers and reservists who have served in the Army are writing and speaking constantly and honestly about it. It is a pity that this criticism is hardly ever found in U.S. media. 

I have been to Israel and the Occupied Territories 14 times, and have seen the situation for myself, as Mr. Taylor has done. Mr. Carter deserves great credit for being truthful and courageous in writing this book and thanks are also due to Mr. Taylor for his commentary on the book and the situation. It is to be hoped that the fact that such a high-ranking person as Mr. Carter, a former President and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, has been brave enough to publish this book will have an impact on U.S. media and on the current, tragic situation in the Occupied Territories, a situation which is having a terrible effect on Palestinian life and society but will undoubtedly affect Israeli society itself in an adverse way if it is allowed to continue. Indeed, it is already doing so. 

No military solution and no military means will bring peace; only an end to the occupation and justice for both Palestinians and Israelis will bring peace to this troubled and tragic area. 

Paula Abrams-Hourani 

Vienna, Austria 

• 

FINDING OUR VOICE 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Free speech is one of the most important values of progressive people. Speaking out against abuse or apathy is a core force for creative change and the betterment of people everywhere. But sometimes speech can be hurtful or even hateful. It is possible to promote free speech while drawing the line against hateful speech, but this careful balance must be subject to ongoing debate and scrutiny. Speech that is racist, homophobic, sexist, or violence-inciting needs to be dealt with effectively. 

Many progressive activists are concerned about the increase in hate speech against Jews. At a recent Bay Area antiwar rally, some protesters were chanting in Arabic, “Jews are our dogs.” At another local event, someone toted a sign with a Jewish star engulfing a swastika. A Hollywood figure notoriously accused Jews of “starting all the wars.” Even in this very newspaper, a letter was submitted accusing Jews of being responsible for their own oppression. These incidents need to be challenged, as the editor of this paper did in her op-ed denouncing anti-Semitism in response to the aforementioned hateful letter. 

Sometimes hate speech against Jews emerges from discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but there is much confusion about where political discourse ends and anti-Semitism begins. Criticizing the decisions and actions of the Israeli government is not anti-Semitic. Sympathizing with the plight of Palestinians is not anti-Semitic. Plenty of Israelis and Jews do both of those things. However, referring to Jews as dogs or comparing them to Nazis is hateful, anti-Semitic and uninformed.  

Many progressives are looking for ways to constructively address this kind of anti-Semitism. Sometimes it emerges from ignorance and misinformation. Sometimes it is a product of a lack of good communication or general anger. Sometimes, as with racism, anti-Semitic perspectives are the result of deep-seated historical and cultural prejudice against an entire group of people.  

A group of grassroots progressive activists are organizing a conference to help progressives deal with anti-Semitism in a constructive rather than confrontational manner. The conference is called Finding Our Voice. Finding Our Voice, January 28th, 2007, in San Francisco will bring together a number of diverse organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League, the New Israel Fund, and Americans for Peace Now united with the common cause of addressing this important issue. Our goal is to create a healing dialogue and a safe forum to address difficult issues in a proactive and helpful way. Non-Jewish progressive allies are very welcome. Speakers will include many thought-provoking activists, politicians, media professionals, and scholars, and there will be break-out sessions focusing on addressing the needs of feminists, queer activists, youth, and people of color. To register or to see a complete list of session, speakers, and co-sponsors visit: www.events.org/findingourvoice.  

This conference is not about Israel. It is not about the suffering the Palestinian-Israeli conflict causes on both sides. It is not about American foreign policy or Iraq. Instead, we are talking about the anti-Semitism that can surround these issues. By increasing awareness, we aim to inspire, educate and empower attendees with practical knowledge and tools to voice their opposition to hatefulness and direct their positive energy toward creating peace and justice.  

Tami Holzman 

ADL Assistant Director 

Oakland Resident 

As I move toward the conclusion of my first year as president of the Downtown Berkeley Association Board, I can look back with satisfaction on a number of partnerships we have formed in recent months which I think have made DBA increasingly influential as a molder of public policy in the downtown. One of the most important, I believe, has been the relationship we have crafted between the DBA and the group known as Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE)—an innovative economic development organization.” 

The Business Alliance For Local Living Economies (BALLE) is a growing alliance of businesspeople around the United States and Canada who are committed to building strong, sustainable local economies. At the present time, there are almost 40 networks with a membership of over 11,000 members. Businesspeople organize into local business networks—each fully autonomous, with its own name, mission, and initiatives. 

All networks share a commitment to Living Economy principles, including: 

• Living economy communities produce and exchange locally as many products need by their citizens as they reasonably can, while reaching out to other communities to trade in those products they cannot reasonably produce at home. 

• Living economy public policies support decentralized ownership of businesses and farms, fair wages, taxes and budget allocations, trade policies benefiting local economies, and stewardship of the natural environment. 

• Living economy consumers appreciate the benefits of buying from living economy businesses and, if necessary, are willing to pay a price premium to secure those personal and community benefits. 

• Living economy investors value businesses that are community stewards and as such accept a “living return” on their financial investments rather than a maximum return, recognizing the value derived from enjoying a healthy and vibrant community and sustainable global economy. 

• Living economy businesses are primarily independent and locally owned, and value the needs and interests of all stakeholders, while building long-term profitability. 

BALLE is an incubator of sorts which works to catalyze, strengthen, and connect these local business networks dedicated to building Local Living Economies. The long-term vision is to build a sustainable global economy that builds long-term economic empowerment and prosperity through local business ownership, economic justice, cultural diversity, and environmental stewardship. 

BALLE members around the country, including the DBA, staged Shop Local First campaigns in December 2006. DBA encourages our community to shop locally and multiply the value of every dollar spent by keeping it circulating within the Berkeley economy.  

Mark McLeod is a managing partner of downtown restaurant. 

After recently going through my first election cycle as chair of government affairs, I wanted to offer a few thoughts on the Great ’06 Berkeley Political Struggle. I recently finished reading 1776 and John Adams by David McCullough and Founding Brother’s: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph Ellis, and so was able to experience this election cycle in the context of political history. Then, as now, the political bickering and posturing began before and lasted long after the actual votes were counted. There is a major difference however, the bullhorns are much larger today. 

Today, a single sentence may be spoken; then that sentence may be repeated ad nauseum. It will be commented on and analyzed in print, on radio, on television and on the internet. Thankfully, in most places, while there are obvious opinions, there are at least attempts to be journalistically objective. Not in Berkeley where our dubiously self-proclaimed “second most read paper” avoids even an attempted veil of objectivity. 

I believe in things, I have opinions and I admit that freely. I am, quite obviously, involved in the Chamber and, perhaps less obviously, an enormous advocate and proponent of business in Berkeley. I believe in the Chamber of Commerce and I believe in the businesses the Chamber represents. The Chamber is an amazingly open institution where ANY member may serve on the Government Affairs (GA) Committee. All Chamber political positions start in the GA Committee (about 25 members). Every political issue starts with research and work that is done by members of GA who bring to the table different understandings and opinions and different research capabilities and expertise. The GA committee makes recommendations to the Board (about members), who bring even more breadth, depth and often times passion to the discussion and who ultimately decide upon the positions the Chamber will take publicly. 

Contrast the Chamber’s decision-making process to a privately held newspaper subject to little or no checks and balances. It would be extremely seductive to take one’s millions (assuming one had millions) and buy a “news”paper to print one’s own opinion and hire private eyes to dig up dirt (or manufacture it when it is otherwise unavailable) and hire shills to write articles that support that opinion and tear down opposing views. It may be tempting, but it does not make for a better world. Everyone knows there is a bias in the “Second most read paper”; not everyone knows the enormous amount of money that stands behind that bias. Thankfully, Berkeley is a thinking town and I am certain I am not the only person wondering if their unrelenting front-page “articles,” editorials and ultimate doorstep delivery (first time in history) pushes them over the line from “news”paper into sneaky vehicle to dodge campaign finance rules and support their hegemony? 

The Chamber of Commerce freely admits that we have an interest in the economic development and the commercial success of Berkeley. Someone has to pursue this end and I am simply baffled that we don't all have an interest in it? What's more, we are in business for ourselves and so know a thing or two about how we could improve the business climate in Berkeley. We believe the commercial success of Berkeley leads to, among other things, more purchases from other local merchants (success breeds success), more and better jobs, new business formations, gifts for non-profits, more well-funded arts institutions and increased tax revenues that ultimately feed city services. Wouldn’t these be good things? 

While I don’t expect a repeat of the 1804 Burr-Hamilton pistol duel in Berkeley, a duel may be a more civil way to deal with our differences than the interminably nauseating barrage of absurdity that wafts from the “Second most read paper’s” pages. At least, if we did it the old fashioned way and we lost to their much larger and more well-financed bullhorn, we wouldn’t have to be around to listen to it anymore. 

Jonathan DeYoe is chair of the Government Affairs Committee of the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce. 

UC ATHLETIC FACILITY 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I hope that the various lawsuits against the proposed addition of yet another athletic facility to be built where the oak trees stand will be successful. The Hayward Fault is warning us. It appears that the football coach, Jeff Tedford, an individual whose salary thus far exceeds that of distinguished professors on the faculty, has stated that his ill-conceived project would attract better football players to Berkeley. Is that what higher education is about? The University of Chicago went from being a fine school to a university of world renown when its chancellor, R.M. Hutchins, banned intercollegiate football from the campus. 

Peter Selz 

Professor Emeritus 

UC Berkeley 

• 

ETHICS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Democrat leaders are so concerned about House ethics that they are going to vote on new ethics rules as one of their first priorities. What hypocrites! What about the ethics of pretending to be against a war and then consistently voting to fund that war to the tune of half-a-trillion dollars? What about the ethics or failing to even consider impeachment of the president who initiated that illegal and immoral war and who has made torture U.S. policy? Failing to end the war by cutting off funding immediately and beginning to impeach Bush is highly unethical. 

To learn more about impeaching Bush see worldcantwait.org. 

Kenneth J. Theisen 

Oakland 

• 

‘STUPID LETTERS’ 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Dan Knapp and David Altschul had two of the stupidest letters I’ve ever read published and it was good editorial judgment to let one follow the other. Knapp’s premise that it is reactionary to oppose strong government is absurd because the state itself is the most conservative, unproductive and parasitic fossil in existence. As libertarians we do not want to conserve the New Dealish status quo. Even “conservatives” have better things to do than pick up liberals trash. 

Altschul is deliberately misrepresenting Jimmy Carter’s views and is projecting when he calls the former president a liar. Carter has begun a long overdue national dialogue and the hysterical Israeli apologists are besides themselves. Frankly they are out of their minds and they have my most insincere pity. 

Kris Martinsen 

• 

AN OPEN MIND 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Message to David Altschul: Would you please open your mind and stop repeating all your prejudiced blanket statements about Arab people, and maybe look into some more unbiased sources of information? 

Vivian Warkentin 

• 

PROMISED LAND 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

In his denunciation of former president Jimmy Carter, David Altschul says that Carter “ignores 80 years of homicidal Arab violence against Jews in the land promised them.” David, a quick question: Promised them by whom? 

Joanna Graham 

• 

DEADLY LEADERS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

The celebration of the murder of Saddam Hussein is understandable, but, if we consider numbers, hasn’t President Bush been responsible for far more human deaths than Hussein was, if truth be told? 

Gerta Farber 

• 

HOUSING  

EMERGENCY? 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Is Berkeley having a hidden housing emergency? 

During the past two Berkeley Housing Authority meetings, Berkeley City Manager Phil Kamlarz and Housing Director Steve Barton airily told a largely passive City Council that they were going to, in effect, subject people with disabilities, the elderly, disabled veterans (and politically active Section 8 advocates) to a harsh form of discriminatory treatment. Kamlarz and Barton are punishing those Section 8 tenants who live in studio and one-bedroom apartments with sudden huge HUD rent hikes. Since the Rent Stabilization law went into effect, These highly vulnerable people arguably are now the most discriminated against rental population in Berkeley’s history. 

Barton admitted to the City Council that he and Kamlarz are not asking for financial rental relief for these at risk tenants, rather, they have apparently chosen to only request HUD waiver assistance with expensive units that have two or more bedrooms.  

This egregious action could effectively put a significant number of disabled and elderly tenants on the streets.  

Meanwhile, Barton and Kamlarz directed what Kamlarz characterized as Berkeley’s “deep pockets” to go to developer’s projects that unbelievably use HUD funds to build more expensive buildings. Wells Fargo’s representatives made sure to come down from Oregon to get their share of the booty for one of these buildings. The usual suspects on the City Council enthusiastically welcomed these HUD buildings, at the same time; there is supposedly no money to keep many long time Berkeley residents housed. 

Also, Berkeley hired an outside consulting firm that came up with the astounding conclusion that a person living in a one-bedroom unit only pays $10 on utilities per month. The council was aghast. The council asked Barton if his staff could come up with the correct numbers. Barton declared that it might be expensive to have city staff figure out the correct utilities amount, even though the correct utilities amount might help Section 8 tenants stay in their homes. 

Housing advocates are beginning to see no other choice than to begin building the foundation for a massive class Action discrimination lawsuit against the City of Berkeley and its officials. 

Vita Viola 

Save BHA and Section 8@yahoo.com 

• 

TIMBER! 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Does anybody besides Richard Brenneman and Judith Scherr write for this paper? Didn’t Mr. Brenneman write for the Berkeley Barb? Sure sounds like it. Ho, Ho, Ho Chi Minh, NLF Is Going to Win. TIMBER! Go Bears!  

Matthew Shoemaker 

• 

BIGOTED EDITORIAL 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

What a bigoted sounding editorial (Dec. 22)! Many acts of personal charity don’t require membership in a formal organization, and if you do want to join one there are lots of secular humanitarian organizations which don’t ask about your religious beliefs (or lack thereof). There is no particular benefit in organizing a humanitarian group that is only open to atheists. In fact, I suspect that most atheists are still pretty much in the closet. Historically it has been, and in some places still is, a dangerous philosophy to profess. 

I am an atheist, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want my life to have meaning. If there is no god to provide meaning, then you have to provide your own. For me, and I suspect for many other atheists, that means striving to make the world a better place. 

A burden of atheism is that there is no revealed source for what makes the world a better place, or what actions are ethical. You have to figure it out. The risk associated with theism is that what is ethical or correct is often taken as given, and not subject to debate. Unfortunately, it sometimes can be, as Dawkins noted, dangerously lethal nonsense. 

Robert Clear 

• 

‘WORDS OF MY  

PERFECT TEACHER’ 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

It’s always interesting to see what a critic has to say about a film, what perspective one takes. “Words of My Perfect Teacher” (reviewed in the Daily Planet, Dec. 22) was second best in the 2004 Himalaya Film Festival. So far we have screened more than 200 film and documentaries. Below is the comment of the jury of three Himalayan-oriented filmmakers/anthropologists: 

Jury Comment: Words of My Perfect Teacher is a fantastic, warm and humoristic film. It is inventive in the sense that it has a new way of telling a story. I have seen many ethnographic-documentary films on the Himalayan region. Some are very good and some are very bad. Some repeat a genre and never invent a new language in the way of telling a story. Words of My Perfect Teacher has in my opinion a beautiful and very lively freshness and the filmmaker has been able to create a deep relation with the people involved in the film. This is Varan principle number one, and it has personal rhythm which is rarely found in ethnographic filmmaking and yet it reveals a lot of ethnographic knowledge about what is actually going on between master and pupils. I think many anthropologista will think this film is too smart —and in a way it is true, but smart in a warm and kind way. There is a lot of humor, and a lot of reflection upon what Tibetan Buddhism does with Westerners! And that is an interesting angle to look upon that relation. 

Glenn Mitrasing 

Himalayan Festival Director 

• 

BUS PASSES 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

The Alameda-Contra Costa District shold fight the pliticians in both Sacramento and Washington, D.C. for more funding so they can lower the price of the bus pass for both seniors and the disabled. It is a shame that both groups had to pay $20 a month for a bus pass.Using the bus is their only transportation. The majority of them don’t own cars and do not drive.  

Because of the price of the bus pass, both the seniors and the disabled had to make some choices on whether to buy a bus pass every month or buy food. I don’t think that the transit district understands that their decision can have terrible impacts on these groups. I understand that they had to balance the budget with less money. But they shouldn’t balance it on the backs of these two groups. 

Both the majority of the seniors and the disabled have been dedicated passengers. Beause of their use of the bus instead of cars, they are doing both Alameda and Contra Costa counties a favor by sparing the air. For their help in sparing the air, I would hope that the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District show some balance by lowering the price of the bus pass for both seniors and the disabled.  

Billy Trice, Jr. 

Oakland

The mayor’s new “Landmarks Preservation Ordinance,” which is more like a Demolition Ordinance, is deeply flawed and should be repealed by the referendum process. 

The property tax problem 

After much thought about the new ordinance, I believe that the crux of it is the provision allowing developers to demolish old buildings when they have no plans to replace them, essentially clear-cutting the land for possible future use.  

It is mainly parts of south and west Berkeley developers wish to denude, areas with warehouses and older commercial buildings, many of which are excellent candidates for adaptive reuse. The mayor’s ordinance allows developers to hire an “expert” to declare a building non-historic and destroy it even though there is no replacement project in the works.  

Why should people care? Well, why did almost 80 percent of the citizens who went to the polls vote for Measure A, the school bond, in the last election? Because they wanted tax money for our schools, for our teachers and classrooms. When a site is cleansed of buildings, it is cleansed of Special Assessment property taxes (what Measure A provided for), which are based upon the square feet of the structures on the site. No buildings—no taxes for our schools. 

But developers build shiny new buildings to increase the tax base, right? Wrong, sometimes. I think it’s now evident to most people that the real estate market is undergoing a major shift, and that construction of massive condo boxes might not be a wise choice at this time.  

Two sites which had functional commercial buildings of 1920s vintage have recently been leveled by developers who do not seem to be proceeding with their plans for condos. My bet is that neither project will be built, and that the owners of both sites will enjoy a very large tax break for the foreseeable future. To view the blighted vacant lots left after demolition, see 1122 University Ave. and 2041-2067 Center St. 

The Drayage Building is poised to become the third such site. People may remember the eviction of 30 artists in 2005 for “code violations” despite two decades of the Fire Department and the Building Department finding no violations upon inspection of the building. The new owners have just received approval for demolition, even though they have no permits pending for construction, and have revealed no plans to build something new.  

The bogus code violations the Drayage Building was cited for pertained to its residential usage. It is perfectly serviceable as a warehouse. Since it is five feet from an underground jet fuel pipeline designated a hazardous facility, the lot is not really suitable for much else but warehouse space. I would be very surprised if anything is built to replace it.  

With just two sites cleared thus far, the tax losses are already in the tens of thousands of dollars per year. If the mayor’s ordinance becomes law, the tax losses will soon rise to hundreds of thousands per year, probably for many years—until the next real estate boom begins. 

Meanness and misfeasance 

While there are many problems with the ordinance, my number two reason why it needs to be repealed is the misfeasance and just plain meanness behind the process. The mayor and his five City Council yes-persons broke the rules to put citizens in the position of gathering signatures between Dec. 14 and Jan. 11, over the holidays when all the students are gone, in the coldest, darkest month of the year. 

Ordinances are supposed to be read twice by the City Council before adoption. The public then has only 30 days to get signatures to repeal a bad ordinance. Last minute changes cobbled together meant that the “second reading” of the ordinance on Dec. 12 was really a first reading. Had councilmembers waited until the next meeting to adopt it, as they should have, the signature period would have been in January to February. I believe that sheer meanness overcame any sense of responsibility to the people of Berkeley. 

This is illegal, of course—but the mayor’s team doesn’t care. Our only recourse is to sue. But judges don’t like to rule against charter cities, which means they don’t like to rule against the City Council, so lawsuits by citizens are likely to fail, even when there is misconduct on the part of officials. 

I hope the people of Berkeley will see through the mayor’s ordinance, and sign the referendum petition to repeal it. We have only two days left. Petitions can be signed in front of many grocery stores, at Anna’s Jazz Island at 2120 Allston Way in the evenings, and of course at Laurie Bright’s D & L Engine Repair at 2626 San Pablo Ave. Please, neighbors, run, don’t walk, to preserve our town. 

Gale Garcia is a Berkeley activist.

Jimmy Carter’s Palestine Peace Not Apartheid paints a disturbing picture: of a state, Israel, that has consistently violated international law in its pursuit of territorial expansion at the expense of an indigenous population. A life-long friend of the Israeli people and the mediator of Israel’s peace agreement with Egypt, Carter is like a wise elder statesman who performs an intervention and tells an alcoholic in no uncertain terms, “It’s time to end this addiction, for your own benefit as well as for your family and friends.” Only in this case, the addiction is not to alcohol, but to colonization. 

Based on personal experience, I can verify that the overall narrative and factual account of the book is not only accurate, it is of vital importance for all Americans to understand given the ways in which this systematic and willful oppression and dispossession of an entire people reverberates into the international arena. 

Treating Palestinians as human beings of equal worth to Israelis, much less telling the whole truth about Israel’s destructive policies, is nearly taboo in the United States. When presidential candidate Howard Dean had the temerity in 2003 to propose that the United States be “even-handed” in its dealings with the two nations, he was furiously rebuked by a broad cross-section of Democratic Party leaders, including then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. The influence of the pro-Israel lobby is undeniable, documented, and at odds with the best interests of Americans, Palestinians, and yes, even Israelis and Jews around the world. The United States sends billions in military aid to Israel every year, which is used to fund the occupation and confiscation of Palestinian land in the West Bank. Thus, American taxpayers pay for Israel to oppress Palestinians, which inflames hatred against Israelis and Americans, and stokes anti-Jewish sentiment worldwide. How on Earth could that be a good thing? But the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and its cohorts, including the Christian Zionists, have succeeded in creating a climate of fear, self-censorship, and near-uncritical support for Israel. In this context, Carter’s book is truly remarkable, a profile in courage writ large. 

My extensive travels throughout the Holy Land in the summer of 2005 confirm that President Carter is telling a painful truth. When I was in a small Palestinian town adjacent to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, I witnessed the Israeli military bulldozing a Palestinian man’s home. Why was it demolished? For one reason: to build a road that is only accessible to Israeli colonizers (euphemistically known as “settlers”). The man and his family were not suspected of any form of undesirable activity. The Israeli government simply chose to steal their land. 

This incident encapsulates the crux of the problems described in Carter’s book: colonization, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid. On one hand, he tells us, Israel for the past 39 years has willfully and flagrantly violated the Fourth Geneva Convention (to which it is a signatory) that “forbids an occupying power from transferring any parts of its civilian population into territories seized by military force.” Over 400,000 Israeli colonizers now live in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank (seized in the 1967 war), taking an enormous bite out of the 22 percent of British mandatory Palestine that the Palestine Liberation Organization has claimed as its state since 1988. 

On the other hand, many Israeli colonizers live, work, or drive on stolen land. Bulldozing homes is ethnic cleansing, a deliberate attempt to make life so miserable for Palestinians that they have no choice but to emigrate. Israel has instituted numerous obstacles to normal life, such as movement barriers internal to Palestine that prohibit most citizens from traveling from one Palestinian city to another. In fact, many Palestinian women have given “birth” to stillborn babies at these movement barriers because they are denied the ability to travel to a hospital. Israel’s plan to force Palestinians to flee their homeland is working—thousands emigrate every year as they lose their land, their livelihoods, and their communities. 

Finally, all of this constitutes apartheid (literally, “apartness” in Afrikaans) because in the West Bank, Israel has constructed an entirely separate set of exclusive facilities, public works, and roads for its colonizers, such that they live inside armed garrisons, completely separated from Palestinians. Israeli colonizers are provided up to 17 times more water access than Palestinians, and are able to comfortably fill swimming pools whereas Palestinians scrounge for enough to drink and cook. Israel’s apartheid is based on only slightly different criteria than it was in South Africa—in this case, Jewish vs. non-Jewish as opposed to white vs. non-white—but otherwise, the injustice is almost the same. Actually, it’s worse if one considers the extent of the land theft, exacerbated by Israel’s recent construction of an illegal wall/barrier inside the West Bank that has taken over 80 percent of the farmland of villages such as Bil’in. 

I have personally met and spoken to numerous Israeli colonizers, and for the most extreme among them, Palestinians are barely recognizable as human beings if at all. According to these colonizers, all Palestinians are inferior to Jews and “they are all terrorists” no matter how obvious it is that Palestinian violence is a desperate response of a small minority of Palestinians to the oppression under which they live. For these colonizers, Palestinians should have no rights of any kind. Many prominent leaders of the colonizers openly advocate ethic cleansing (“transfer”) and propose that every last Palestinian be shipped off to Jordan. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who President Bush named a “man of peace,” called the Oslo peace agreement of the 1990s “national suicide” and stated, “Everybody has to move, run, and grab as many hilltops as they can to enlarge the settlements because everything we take now will stay ours_ Everything we don’t grab will go to them.” 

Carter’s overarching point is that successive Israeli governments have consistently undermined and frustrated every serious attempt to resolve the conflict by allowing their policies to be controlled and guided by the ideology and practice of colonization. For example, during Clinton’s administration and the Oslo accords, there was a 90 percent growth rate in illegal Israeli colonies in the occupied territories. 

Carter’s account is both a personal reflection on his involvement in the Arab-Israeli conflict—before, during, and after his presidency—and a detailed analysis of the current state of affairs. His writing is generally dry and descriptive, with occasional wry humor, and is rarely inspirational, emotional, or moving in its use of language. What is important about Carter’s treatment is the way in which he tells us the truth, bit by bit, about just how bad things have gotten. 

There is hope: Carter details a variety of possible peace frameworks, such as the Arab League peace plan, to which every Arab government is a signatory. The plan calls for fully normalized relations with Israel in exchange for a return to the 1967 borders and a mutually agreed, just solution for refugees. Another possible two-state solution to the conflict is the Geneva Initiative, an unofficial agreement signed by numerous high-profile Palestinian and Israeli negotiators but never seriously considered by any Israeli government (Sharon rejected it out of hand, and current Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has indicated no interest).  

As an introduction to the conflict, Carter’s book is light on context and historical background. For instance, the founding of the state of Israel, which Palestinians describe as “Al Naqba” (The Catastrophe) because it led to roughly 700,000 refugees being prohibited from returning to their homes, is barely mentioned. (See historians Mark Tessler, Charles Smith, or Ilan Pappe.) Further, little attention is paid to grassroots peace movements or their significance. Carter also does not mention the less severe, though still systematic and deplorable discrimination against Palestinians inside pre-1967 Israel. What Carter successfully provides is a thorough and accessible political exploration of what is necessary to achieve a two-state solution to the conflict, and what’s standing in the way. 

Carter’s conclusion—that the primary obstacle to peace is Israel’s unending colonial project—is a profoundly unsettling one. And his analysis is quite similar to that of many Israelis who have devoted their lives to peace and justice, such as Nobel Peace Prize nominee Jeff Halper of the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions, who recently published an even more pointed critique of Israel’s policies entitled “The Problem with Israel” (see www.icahd.org). Will Americans finally wake up to the truth and push the U.S. government to change its foreign policy to stop financing the occupation and compel Israel to implement one of the above-mentioned plans for peace, justice, and reconciliation? If such a thing happens, Carter will be rightly acknowledged as the best friend Israelis ever had, even as many attack and denigrate him now for exposing an inconvenient truth about Israel’s addiction to colonization. 

Matthew Taylor is a fifth-year Peace and Conflict Studies student at UC Berkeley, editor of PeacePower magazine (www.calpeacepower.org), and Jewish.

Walking around my old neighborhood—it is also my current neighborhood, as well, having returned to the place where I grew up—used to be a pleasure, but in recent years it has become something of an obstacle course, with most blocks having at least one car pulled up on the sidewalk, lengthways or crossways, blocking the way.  

I used to think this was terribly inconsiderate of the owners, making pedestrians walk around their cars and out into the street, but I have since come to realize that this is a necessity. There simply is not enough room on our neighborhood streets to park all of the cars owned and operated by the people who live in the neighborhood. Residents who want to be able to keep their eyes on their vehicles at night—a necessary practice hereabouts—and who also don’t want to have long walks in the dark to get to and from them. Even in Deep East Oakland, virtually untouched by the dotcom housing boom of the last decade, we are slowly but steadily running out of room in which to live. 

You see the phenomenon in other small ways, as well. Driving up to a stop sign on International Boulevard from any one of the back streets in the avenue ‘80s in the middle of the day, it is virtually impossible to make an immediate left turn because of the oncoming traffic. I have learned to be patient in my eldering age, but for young drivers it must seem interminable, waiting for the long line of cars to go by, and so you have to be constantly vigilant as you drive the International Boulevard corridor to watch for the cars suddenly darting into traffic, not to joyride, but simply to get where they are trying to go.  

At the same time, in some of the rare stretches of International that have experienced the recent boom, such as the Fruitvale, traffic virtually comes to a standstill during the “rush” hours. It can sometimes take you as much as twenty minutes just to navigate the six blocks between 29th and 35th avenues, making any attempt to avoid the 880 gridlock pretty much meaningless.  

Meanwhile, my good friend, journalist Sanjiv Handa, is fond of pointing out that the people who put those sleek new double-length AC Transit buses on our streets neglected to also provide for the lengthening of the bus stops where the buses are supposed to pull out of traffic, so that the buses routinely block one lane while they hover at the stops, and instead of helping to eliminate the city’s traffic problems, the new buses tend to exacerbate. Sigh. 

There are other, many examples, which you can think of yourself, if you travel Oakland’s streets for any length of time. It is almost as if someone in City Planning either forgot to plan for these things, or thought them not important enough to bother with. For the little frogs in our particular pot of water, the temperature slowly rises over the years, tensions build, and sometimes boil over. 

It is said that enough material passes by you in the course of an hour or two to fill several good-sized novels, the trouble being that it’s all jumbled together like a ball of grandma’s old yarn, so that the individual storylines are hardly recognizable, one from the other. Let me pull out a couple of revealing recent bits of string for you, in case you missed them or their connection. 

On Tuesday of this week, both of our local daily newspapers reported a similar conclusion, that Oakland’s third murder of 2007 occurred following a dispute over a parking space. “Cops say man killed over a parking space,” reads the headline in the Oakland Tribune. “Oakland man killed over parking-space argument,” says the Chronicle. According to papers and police, Samuel Navarro was shot and killed by a fellow tenant at his Adam’s Point apartment building near Lake Merritt after a car Navarro was riding in pulled into the parking space reportedly set aside for the suspected shooter. 

The Chronicle quoted investigating homicide sergeant Tony Jones as saying getting killed over a parking space was “just silly,” but by the time he got to the Tribune, Mr. Jones had modified that diagnosis to concluding that “this is just madness,” the police sergeant adding that the shooting was “almost unbelievable … It was a parking space. A parking space.” 

Of course, no one gets shot and killed only over a parking space, just as nobody ever got killed only over a watermelon, despite what the old segregation-era Southern papers used to assert in their nigger-stories about hot-times in old darky-town. What eventually triggers the violent act is only the last in a long series of events and pressures and buildup, few of which get bothered to be investigated or fully reported by the local media. Even the Oakland police admit that there may be more to the story than a parking space murder, with the Tribune noting that “since the suspect has not been arrested yet, [Sgt.] Jones did not want to get too specific as to the details, like whose car was involved or if the men knew each other.” 

But let’s accept, for the sake of advancing the discussion, that tensions over parking played a significant immediate part in Mr. Navarro’s murder. That is given a bit more context by the Chronicle, which wrote that “there are only eight spaces for the apartment complex [in which Mr. Navarro was killed] and there sometimes are tensions over parking. [The apartment complex] is [in] an area known for its lack of street parking.” 

Which, of course, one might say for most parts of Oakland, which has seen a steady increase in automobiles over the past years, but little increase in spaces to put them. 

Let’s pick up, now, the second thread in the story. 

On the day before the murder of Samuel Navarro in an Adams Point apartment complex parking lot, the Chronicle reported on the inauguration to the post of California Attorney General of the man who served as mayor of Oakland over the past eight years: Jerry Brown. 

During his inaugural address, Mr. Brown spoke of a number of things, including how his views on urban development have been by his experiences as mayor of Oakland, some of which touch on the present matter.  

“There are people who try to block density in built-up urban areas,” the Chronicle quoted Mr. Brown as saying, “so the attorney general may consider joining on the side of intensified density. We have a lot of lawsuits in Oakland trying to block what I consider intelligent development. If you want to protect the open spaces and the far reaches of California, you've got to have more people living in other areas, it's that simple.” 

We have seen development in Oakland over Mr. Brown’s eight-year tenure. Whether or not it was intelligent, I suppose, depends upon one’s point of view. 

But one of the criticisms of Mr. Brown’s development binge, such as it was, is that in trying to pack more and more people into the finite geographic space that is the Oakland city boundaries, not enough attention was paid by city officials to what effects that packing in was going to have, and how to mitigate those effects so that the city remains livable. Scientists concluded long ago that this is not a wise course of action even when it involved crowding monkeys into a cage, and we are more restless than monkeys. “Elegant density,” Mr. Brown used to call his development policies, in one of those cutesy flying phrases so loved by the press, but void of meaning in the real world. There is nothing elegant about packing more and more people into confined spaces, until the spaces become unbearable, and the people explode. 

Does this mean that Jerry Brown is ultimately responsible for the shooting death of Samuel Navarro in the parking lot of his Adams Point apartment complex? That would be true, only if this were a novel. But this is real life, our lives, and Oakland’s task now is to understand the mistakes of the past years, and to slowly correct them and make sure they are not repeated. 

Fundraising for the modern university is increasingly dependent on skyboxes and suchlike mammoth public structures where the golden deal can be clinched amid resplendent surroundings. But it wasn’t always so. There used to be a time when personal magnetism was enough to accomplish the goal. 

When Benjamin Ide Wheeler was president of the University of California, his most constant fundraising partner was the indomitable UC regent and benefactress Phoebe Apperson Hearst. During their 20-year joint reign, from 1899 until 1919, Wheeler and Hearst were an unbeatable team. For close to ten of those years, they owned adjoining houses on what has come to be known as Holy Hill. 

On May 12, 1900, about six months after Wheeler’s inauguration, the university officially broke ground for the President’s Mansion—the first building sited under the new Phoebe Hearst Architectural Plan for the campus. Now called University House and occupied by the UC Chancellor, the mansion was designed by the distinguished San Francisco architect Albert A. Pissis. Some of Pissis’ better-known buildings are Hibernia Bank (1892), the Emporium (1896), the James Flood Building (1904), the Mechanics Institute (1909), and the Crocker Bank Building (1910). 

The President’s Mansion exterior was completed in 1902, but the university ran out of resources to finish the interiors, and Wheeler would not occupy his official residence until 1911. In 1900, he had a private house built at 1820 Scenic Avenue, just north of the campus. Designed by architect Edgar A. Mathews, the brown-shingle box is now the home of New Bridge Foundation, a substance-abuse recovery center. 

Supervising the construction of Wheeler’s house was Daley’s Scenic Park’s chief landowner and developer Frank M. Wilson, who lived across the street at 2400 Ridge Road. At about the same time, Wilson also initiated the building of a university reception hall adjacent to Wheeler’s house at 1816 Scenic Avenue. This building was financed entirely by Phoebe Apperson Hearst. It was designed by Ernest Coxhead, who also created for Mrs. Hearst a residence at 2334 Le Conte Avenue, abutting the reception hall. The residence and the reception hall were connected in the rear via a covered passage. 

A true VIP, Mrs. Hearst was never listed in the Berkeley city directory or in the assessor’s records. The 1900 U.S. census listed her address at 1 Third Street (the Examiner Building) in San Francisco. With several homes in northern California—including Hacienda del Pozo de Verona in Pleasanton and Wyntoon in McCloud, Shasta County—it is doubtful that she spent a great deal of time in her Berkeley house. 

This house is an oddity in Coxhead’s body of work. A plain Colonial Revival box blown up to freakish size, it has little to distinguish itself save the two mock-Ionic columns supporting a broken scroll pediment. Coxhead was one of the leading lights of the First Bay Region Tradition and a pioneer in the use of clinker brick and brown shingles. His clinker brick-clad Allenoke Manor (1903) at 1777 Le Roy Avenue radiates all the visual excitement that the Hearst house lacks. 

Phoebe Hearst was an architectural patron par excellence. It was at her bidding that Bernard Maybeck designed the revolutionary Hearst Hall. Her Pleasanton hacienda, designed by A.C. Schweinfurth in the mid-1890s, was a great, innovative building. So why was her Berkeley house so drab? 

It’s possible that Mrs. Hearst wished her residence to be inconspicuous and in keeping with Wheeler’s house. She is said to have planned a much larger, palatial house at the top of the hill, where the Pacific School of Religion now stands. (Across the street, Frank Wilson also planned to build a more lavish home but remained in his srown shingle, originally intended as the barn, for the rest of his life. That site is now occupied by the Graduate Theological Union Library.) 

Whether she planned for opulence or not, Mrs. Hearst disposed of her Berkeley house after less than a decade’s ownership. She may have done so because Wheeler was soon to move to the President’s Mansion on campus. 

The reception hall was sold in 1908 to Astronomy Professor Armin O. Leuschner, who hired William C. Hays to put a second story upon it. Like the Wheeler house, this building is now occupied by the New Bridge Foundation. 

The Le Conte Avenue house was sold in 1909 or 1910 to George and Louise Reed. George Walter Reed (1856–1921) was a self-made millionaire. Born in Maine and a carpenter by trade, he became a major coffee planter in Colombo, Guatemala, where he lived for nearly 40 years. His wife, Louise Matilda Reddan (1868–1948) was born in Yuba County, CA. The 1900 U.S. census listed her as an actress living with her parents in San Francisco. 

The Reeds spent several months each year on their plantations in Guatemala. In January 1921, tragedy struck them when Reed got into an argument with two of his workers. According to Reed family lore, the two Guatemalan brothers, Modesto and Adrian Santos, were riding the boss’s private mules without permission, for which Reed reprimanded them. Being quite drunk, Modesto pulled out a gun and shot the unarmed Reed. The death report from the American Consular Service determined the cause of death as “Shot to death by Modesto Santos, an employee. Three revolver bullets entered body—first through heart. Body lay where it fell for six hours.” 

The murderers fled to Mexico, where they were spotted working in the petroleum industry under assumed names. 

On March 8, 1921, the Oakland Tribune devoted a front-page article to Mrs. Reed when she returned with her husband’s body aboard the Pacific Mail liner Golden State. Mrs. Reed told the newspaper that she had been driven from the plantation and was threatened by “influential friends of the murderers.” 

Mrs. Reed also reported that Guatemalan President Carlos Herrera y Luna was “making special efforts to run down Reed’s slayers.” However, the two were never apprehended. 

Within a few years, Louise Reed had married the Berkeley realtor Charles E. Grigsby, fifteen years her junior. They made several trips to Guatemala and eventually sold the plantations. The proceeds were invested in East Bay real estate. Grigsby’s green thumb soon turned the garden at 2334 Le Conte Avenue into a showplace. 

The house, along with the Wheeler house and the former reception hall, was one of just a few structures in the vicinity that survived the 1923 Berkeley fire. In the late 1920s, when land was cheap, religious seminaries wishing to build near the campus snapped it up. As a result, the neighborhood’s character changed from residential to institutional. 

Following Louise Reed Grigsby’s death in 1948, her property (now renumbered 2368 Le Conte Ave.) was sold to the Mormon Church. The garden was replaced by a large featureless building, but the original house is preserved largely as it used to be. The only discernible physical difference is the paint on the once natural stucco, but without a spacious garden to offset it, the fomer Hearst residence looks more than ever like an overblown tract house. 

Daniella Thompson edits berkeleyheritage.com for the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA). 

Photograph by Daniella Thompson  

The former Hearst-Reed house at 2368 Le Conte Ave. has been occupied by the Mormon Berkeley Institute of Religion for nearly six decades.  

It has come to my attention that the hard freeze predicted (as I write this) for late this week is the first some of my fellow Berkeley denizens have experienced here. If it happened on time, you’re reading this in the Retrospectroscope, that scientific instrument that gives us 20-20 hindsight. Still, this might be useful. 

First: Don’t panic. If you have plants already hurt by frost, don’t rush out and start whacking off the damaged bits. Leave them alone until you see new growth. Some things will be OK under it all, and the dead tissue you leave on the plant can insulate the growing points against further damage. The brown stuff looks ugly but it won’t harm and it might help.  

Second: Don’t despair. If there was a freeze and you didn’t get your plants covered and there’s another night of frost on the horizon, cover them. Preventing more damage will give them a better chance to recover. 

Third: Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. If you can’t quite do it right, protect your plants as well as you can. I’ll explain this more, below. 

Fourth: Get out there early the morning after and uncover those plants, especially if you’ve used plastic sheeting over them. That stuff works as a solar oven in the daytime, and your poor plants can get cooked.  

Plants typically freeze when the night is clear and the air is still. A decent breeze will decrease the peril – that’s why you see those big propeller-looking fans in Napa Valley vineyards—and cloud cover will moderate the temperatures. Your garden’s in more danger if it’s at the bottom of a hill, because cold air drops and warm air rises.  

If you have tender plants—tropicals and subtropicals, generally—in pots, bring them under the eaves, into the garage, or onto the porch. Anything overhanging them will help. Also, the thermal mass of a building, the heat it’s absorbed from the sun all day, will moderate temperatures near it.  

If you can’t move it, cover it. Blankets, old curtains, sheets – some extremists use the old down sleeping bag the dog peed in last summer. In Britain, they sell lengths of synthetic fleece for plant cozies.  

Plastic sheeting is a classic here. To best protect the plants, build a framework to hold the sheet. This can be as simple as three garden stakes around the plant, or a tipi of poles with a garbage bag pulled over it. The idea is not to let the cover touch the plant, because where it touches will be damaged.  

If you can’t avoid that, though, just throw the sheet over. Better to lose a few leaves than the whole plant.  

Experts advise watering plants before a frost, because frostbite is mostly dehydration. Maybe, but there’s one big exception: cacti and succulents. I’ve had a cactus explode—really; pieces were scattered over three feet or more—when a freeze hit it. Water expands when it freezes and turgid cells burst. Spectacular, but fatal.  

Ron Sullivan is a former professional gardener and arborist. Her “Garden Variety” column appears every Friday in the Daily Planet’s East Bay Home & Real Estate section. Her column on East Bay trees appears every other Tuesday in the Daily Planet.

I am something of a purist when it comes to our older housing stock. Well actually, let me revise that. What I really am is a lover of old houses and all the bits of antiquity that inhabit our cities. Buildings, signage, concrete sidewalk stamps and vintage cars.  

I guess I’m just permanently nostalgic and in love with a time before my birth. It’s not fair, really. I don’t genuinely believe that the past was uniformly preferable and Polio was no walk in the park. But there is something sweeter, more innocent and more cherishing of who we are that seems to inhabit the articles of our past. Modern buildings don’t seem to care who they sell to, who lives in them and whether they’re burned for firewood or just e-traded in on some junk bonds. A 1920s house would refuse such a sale. It would just lock itself up and grow vines. 

Ah, but as usual, I utterly digress. The reason I make the point about older homes is that I do, in point of fact, believe that portions of them tend to need revision. Despite the umbrage the old girl might take, I think that there are a few innovations that might make her a smidge more habitable. 

The one I’d like to tackle today is the matter of lighting. As anyone who’s ever owned a home from before 1940 will tell you, the built-in lighting leaves much to be desired and owners of older homes often salivate amidst soirées in modern homes. While the fenestration (window placement) in older homes is often quite good, electric lighting was quite new in the first half of the 20th century and builders didn’t know much regarding what could or should be done with this newfangled stuff. Most houses from before 1950 have a single junction box at the center of each ceiling and thus rely upon the single fixture to provide for all the needs of a room, large or small.  

A few homes featured wall-set junction boxes that allowed for, mostly simple, sconces to be placed upon walls. These fixtures usually had their own switches and lacked any sort of wall switch to operate them singly or in groups. Wall switching did come along after a while and the occasional clever electrician did manage to add well-placed switching. In the 1950’s an odd thing happened and ceiling lamps went missing altogether. 

I’m not sure if someone misplaced them, forgot to put them in or simply decided that nobody of any aesthetic metal would stoop to installing a fixture on that serene white speckled landscape. I fear the latter must have been the case. Those houses were fitted with switchable outlets where standing lamps could be installed and, clever as that was, the absence of a permanently installed overhead light source was soon recognized for it’s inherent retardedness and rectified by nearly all subsequent parties. 

One nice thing about old houses is that, with a little respect for their dignity and richness, many modern accoutrements can be added without deeply damaging their appeal. I’ve seen many fitted with sprays of recessed lighting to very good result and have a particular favor for this choice. The latter requires access to the ceiling space and is easiest when installed below an attic of moderate size. 

If installed in the ceiling below another floor, the ceiling will generally have to be removed to accommodate the installation. Wires can be pulled through joist spaces but this is quite difficult and often not worth the hardship. In my experience, it’s better to remove the drywall or plaster from a trapped ceiling prior to the installation of more than one or two lighting fixtures. By the way, replacing a single ceiling with drywall is not all that difficult or expensive and is hugely liberating in terms of the work that one can do in a short period of time when things have been opened up. 

Even if you’re not in the mood for the more arduous task of adding a field of cans to your ceiling there are so many ways to improve lighting without touching a single foot of Romex. Simply changing the fixtures on the ceilings or walls can increase luminosity, improve the directing of light and add some flair for amazingly little cost and complexity. This is actually a job that many individuals can manage on their own. Here are a few tips: 

Changing a light fixture usually involves the simple removal of a pair of screws on the old fixture, disconnecting a pair of wires and reversing the procedure with a new fixture. There are some problems to expect. First, removing the old screws often means clearing the paint from the screw heads. I have found that a slotted screwdriver and a small hammer work well to “drive” the wafer of paint out of the slot of an old slotted screw. Place the screwdriver on a steep angle and tap sharply to force the paint free. Once done, it’s a simple matter to remove the screw. I suggest running a utility knife with a fresh blade around the base of the fixture if it is also painted into place (most very old light fixtures have both these problems). This will allow the fixture to practically fall into your hands. Careful with the blade knife. They’re particularly well suited to slicing hands wide open. 

Regarding ladders; If you’re a cheapskate like moi and are still using that rickety fright of a wooden ladder. Get down, bust it into pieces and go spend 50 bucks on a nice ladder. It’s best to do electrical work on a fiberglass ladder since it can’t conduct electricity and deprive your darling children of that parent they so badly need. Go borrow Ed’s ladder. He’s not using it and you can buy him a bottle of Chianti when you’re done. 

Replacement fixtures don’t always have the screw holes spaced the same as the original but there are a range of solutions. The best one, in most cases, is to use an adapter that allows for this difference. The adapter gets screwed onto the old junction box in the walls first and then has several screw holes in the adapter itself to allow the fixture to be screwed into it. This works well for lightweight fixtures but not for behemoths. If you have something huge, get help. That’s not the beginning course.  

The adapters come in different types but all require a second set of screws that are the right length. A nice trick to know is that many wire splicing tools have a screw cutting feature. This proves quite handy in this particular situation wherein you may need a screw of a specific length to get the fixture to lie nicely against the ceiling (or wall). This is the central problem with these adapters. If not used properly or if used with a certain type of fixture, they can result in a fixture that doesn’t lie flat. Not to worry. Most problems resolve themselves with a bit of head-scratching and this is a very worthwhile starter project that more than earns its worth despite the few difficulties that are sure to arise. 

When you swap the fixture, you’ll want to be damned sure that the power is off. I’d acquire a non-contact voltage tester. They’re commonly available at most hardware stores for roughly 15 bucks and they make a sound (most do) when they’re near hot current. They don’t need to be on the hot wire. When you turn off the power, you can use this device to be sure that the wire is actually dead before handling it. I’d test it against a known hot wire just to be sure it’s working. I’d also use a common wire tester before handling any wire. 

When you replace the lamp, use a new pair of wire nuts and be sure that the old and new are nice and tight. 

When you replace a light fixture, consider the total wattage of the fixture as compared to the original one. Most wiring is not suitable for a fixture that adds several powerful bulbs. Try to keep your fixture down to 200 watts or less, unless you’ve checked with an electrician. That means 3-60 watt bulbs or a pair of hundreds at most. Low voltage halogens rate in a different way but you can just read the package to see the total wattage.  

This brings me to my last tip, that being an upgrade to something high-tech for your senescent dandy (your house, not your husband). I’ve seen cable lighting in older homes (and done this myself) and it can look just great in the right room. Aside from being really fun, it’s pretty easy to install and most kits are pretty low in total wattage. Ikea has some nice sets for a pittance. They have quite a range of lamps for very small sums, not that I’m trying to push Ikea. There are lots of great places for fixtures. 

Our own Metro Lighting of Berkeley makes delicious lamps, many of which harken back to our own Craftsman roots and fit our Bay Area style with great aplomb. They’re on the web at metrolighting.com if you want to take a look. 

Lighting is such a bargain and certainly one of the first things I’d do to any old house if I were pinching pennies. If you’re looking to spruce up or to try a first project, add some lighting to your old gal. She’ll just glow with pride. 

Got a question about home repairs and inspections? Send them to Matt Cantor at mgcantor@pacbell.net. 

Matt Cantor owns Cantor Inspections and lives in Berkeley. His column runs weekly. 

Copyright 2006 Matt Cantor

Washington, D.C.: On Jan. 4 at 1:44 p.m. (EST), Nancy Pelosi was sworn in as the first female speaker of the House of Representatives. Besides the historic significance, what difference will this make in American politics? A lot, I believe. 

First a disclaimer: I’m a long-time supporter of Ms. Pelosi and, therefore, not impartial. That said, I believe Nancy Pelosi is the best thing to happen to American politics in many years. 

First of all, Speaker Pelosi is a woman and it’s important that a woman ascended to the third-highest political position in the United States. After 150 years of struggle, American women achieved the right to vote in 1920, but it’s only been in the last few years that significant numbers of women were elected to Congress. Nancy Pelosi told her House colleagues: “By electing me speaker, you have brought [all women] closer to the ideal of equality that is America’s heritage and America’s hope.” But, it’s not simply a symbolic gesture. Having a mother and grandmother as speaker of the House sounds a different political tone; one that adds heart to the Democratic vision for America. Pelosi’s speeches resounded with words like “hope” and “compassion,” as well as phrases such as, “We’re here to build a future for our children.” 

Nonetheless, electing Ms. Pelosi as speaker would be an empty gesture if she did not have other qualifications. The dictionary defines a politician as either an office holder “who is more concerned about winning favor or retaining power than about maintaining principles” or “a person who exhibits great wisdom and ability in directing the affairs of a government or in dealing with important public issues.” Speaker Pelosi is a politician in the latter sense: a person with both wisdom and ability. She’s been involved in politics for most of her life, coming from a political family, and representing her congressional district for 19 years. Nonetheless, her experience hasn’t rendered her cynical and self-serving. Ms. Pelosi remains convinced that politics can be a force for good, given proper leadership. 

And, Nancy Pelosi is a leader. She didn’t get to be speaker of the House simply because she is a woman and a skilled politician. She won this honor because Democratic members of Congress recognized that she has distinctive leadership qualities. Will Rogers famously quipped, “I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat.” During the last two decades, rank-and-file Democrats have grown painfully aware of the lack of organization in their party; joked that managing Dems was like herding cats. Nonetheless, in her four-year tenure as House minority leader, Ms. Pelosi effectively led Democrats: organized opposition to Bush’s plan to privatize Social Security, galvanized resistance to the occupation of Iraq by appointing Congressman John Murtha as the Democratic point person, and engineered the Democratic victory in the Nov. 7 election. Speaker Pelosi is smart and tenacious, while gracious; but above all, focused. She understands that Democrats will not be successful opposing a rigidly ideological, lame duck president unless they stay unified and on message. She’s managed to unite the Dems. Now, her message is beginning to emerge: “The American people rejected an open-ended obligation to a war without end,” “the American people told [Congress] they expected us to work together for fiscal responsibility, with the highest ethical standards and with civility and bipartisanship,” and Democrats envision “America as a just and good place, as a fair and efficient society, as a source of opportunity for all.” 

Not that her job as speaker will be easy. In the next few months, Speaker Pelosi will be under pressure from factions within the Democratic Party to do many different things: bring U.S. troops home from Iraq, impeach President Bush, roll back tax cuts, and change our policy in the Middle East, to mention only a few. Rather than resort to factional infighting, Democratic partisans should trust Ms. Pelosi to stay focused and move the Democratic agenda through the House. 

Speaker Pelosi doesn’t trust George Bush and believes his administration to be self-serving and incompetent. Moreover, she’s convinced that the administration’s handling of Iraq and Homeland Security have made America less safe, and weakened our struggle against terrorism. Nonetheless, she’s confident that it’s possible to secure America and protect our Constitution. 

After 25 years of conservatism, and six disastrous years of the Bush administration, America has spun wildly off course. Nancy Pelosi won’t rectify this overnight: too much damage has been done. What she will do is to serve as the focal point for a disciplined, tenacious opposition. She’ll bring attention to the big issues facing the United States. And, Speaker Pelosi will appeal to our patriotism: ask all Americans, as she asked the House of Representatives: “Let us all stand together to move our country forward, seeking common ground for the common good.” “Let us focus on a future that is not enslaved by the past.” And, “Let us build a future for our children.” 

Bob Burnett is a Berkeley writer. He can be reached at bobburnett@comcast.net. 

It was going to be a long night. I was spending some time during the holidays with my friend Karen and a group of people I barely knew, including two hard-of-hearing 91-year-olds. There was a lot of shouting and repetition at the dinner table.  

“How do you and Suzy know one another?” asked Julie, the female half of the almost-centenarians. 

“We met in Aspen,” said Karen. It sounded more glamorous than it really was. 

“At a writing conference,” I added. “Can somebody pass me the peas, please?” 

“Suzy was in a class with a man I thought I knew, so I asked her about him.” 

“Did you know him?” asked someone at the far end of the table. 

“I thought so, but I wasn’t sure. It was his profile, and the way he chewed gum that got my attention. I asked Suzy to find out his name, and report back to me.” 

“And?” 

“Where’s the gravy?” I asked. 

“Oh, I knew him all right. Had an affair with him 20 years ago in Mexico.” 

“Mexico!” shouted 91-year-old John. “I’ve been there!” 

“You have?” asked Karen politely. 

“What hotel did you stay in?” asked John.  

“John,” lectured the woman across the table from him. “There’s a lot of hotels in Mexico.” 

“I know that,” said John, “but you never know, you know what I’m saying?” 

“I’m not sure,” said the woman. 

“What he’s saying,” said Julie, John’s wife, “is that he wants to know if he’s met Karen before.” She paused. “In Mexico.” 

We all looked at Karen. She smiled. “I don’t think we’ve met before, John. I’d remember you.” 

“And I’d remember you,” said John. He winked.  

Karen laughed. “As I was saying, I re-met this guy in Aspen and—” 

“These mushrooms are very good,” interrupted Julie. “John, aren’t these mushrooms good? Here, try some.” 

“I don’t like mushrooms, you know that,” said John. “But in Mexico—” 

“We’ve got mushrooms in our backyard—” said Julie. 

“In Asp—” said Karen. 

“-and the squirrels eat them,” continued Julie. 

“The squirrels?” asked John. 

“Yes, the squirrels,” said Julie, smiling. “You heard me. The squirrels eat them but I don’t think I could eat them, you know what I’m saying?” 

“Maybe not,” said Karen. “In Aspe—” 

“In Mexico—” interrupted John. 

“Forget Mexico,” said Julie. “My grandfather was in the Russian secret police.” 

“The what?” asked John. 

“The secret police,” said Julie  

“Will someone please pass me the mushrooms?” I asked. 

“… and the army,” continued Julie. “It was all the same thing back then. He didn’t have a choice. If they said you had to go, you went. So they told him to go and he went.” 

“Where?” asked the man sitting next to me. 

“Into the forest,” answered Julie. 

“Into the forest?” 

“Yes. They told him to go into the forest, to visit a house where some people lived. And he was scared because he didn’t know why he was being sent there but in those days when they told you to go—” 

“You went,” finished John. 

“That’s right,” said Julie. “They told him to go so he went and when he got there he opened the door and—” 

“And what?” asked Karen. 

“Every one of the family members was sitting around the dinner table and—” 

“And?”  

“They were all dead!” 

“Dead?” shouted the person at the end of the table. 

“Dead as doornails,” said Julie, shaking her head.  

“Why?” asked several people in unison. 

Julie looked slowly around the table at each one of us before she replied. We all leaned in forward so that we could hear her answer. “Mushrooms!” she said in a dramatic whisper. 

“Don’t bother passing me the mushrooms,” I said. “I’ve changed my mind.” 

John turned to Karen. “Where did you say you stayed in Mexico?” 

Picture a winter’s day 30 years ago. Even in lousy weather you couldn’t wait to get outside. Explore the neighborhood, build a fort, climb a tree, head down to the pond for crawdads; you knew the limits of your adventures but they extended beyond your door. On weekends, family outings ventured into the hills or along the coast and lasted an entire day. Hiking, wildlife viewing, building castles in the sand, being outdoors in nature, giving free reign to your imagination. 

Today, our children’s lives, as well as our own, experience nature through technology, in software or through television nature programs. We know facts about global warming, the rain forest and Galapagos tortoises, but are unfamiliar with wildlife around us. Our lives cycle with little non-programmed time; parents fear unsupervised play and emphasis leans toward academic achievement. Today’s children are isolated from nature. 

In Lost Child in the Woods—Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, Richard Louv equates non-contact with the natural world to the withholding of oxygen and links this deficit to ADD, childhood obesity and depression. Doug Gibson of the San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy states, “Children develop love of nature by seeing it, smelling it, touching it”. He echoes the concerns of many—children may never develop that love of nature that drives people to fight to protect it. 

Studies have shown that the natural environment has far-reaching effects on the health of all ages, physical, psychological and cognitive, while fostering a positive environmental ethic. Who can gaze at an arrow of pelicans grazing the ocean without a sense of wonder, imagining their capture of a meal? Who can linger beneath towering cathedral redwoods without a profound sense of peace? 

It’s time to return to nature, alone, in groups, with the kids—as close as your backyard, neighborhood, or regional park. As far as the West Marin Coast and forests. There’s no time like the present. Don’t wait for the “right” day, don’t pencil in your outing between noon and 1 p.m. Give yourself time to observe, absorb the rhythms of life. Prolong the day with a thermos, snacks, a meal. 

With over 95,000 acres, 65 regional parks and 1,150 miles of trails, there’s always wilderness nearby. You can’t go wrong supporting an organization dedicated to protecting and restoring parkland and preserving critical wildlife habitat. On your own or through a naturalist-led activity, you’ll find more choices than days in a year. 

Where better to renew your acquaintance with nature than at Tilden Regional Park, at Berkeley’s backdoor? Use the Visitor Center’s exhibit telling the story of Wildcat Creek Watershed to take an imaginary walk through a land shaped by water, through native stream, woodland and chaparral. Outdoors, experience these communities and their denizens firsthand. The Jewel Lake Trail, a multi-generational crowd-pleaser, carries you by trail and boardwalk over marsh and through a jungle of foliage to a small lake, home to raccoons, ducks, turtles and a wonderful Great Blue Heron. Every weekend naturalists lead activities highlighting evergreens, slugs, salamanders, owls and newts. 

Robert Sibley Volcanic Reserve offers a geologic treasure box—volcanic dikes, mudflows and lava flows. At the Visitor Center, pick up a self-guided tour of Round Top. Walk past the cross-section of a great volcano observing the folding of rock formations resulting from uplifting and erosion. On broad trails marvel at seasonal adaptations among coyote bush, wild current, snowberry, big leaf maple and madrone. 

In Alameda, Crab Cove Visitor Center makes estuary and bay learning fun. Interactive displays peak your curiosity, leaving you hungering for more. Microscopic organisms, crab “innards,” mud flat dwellers, barnacles, anemones, an 800-gallon aquarium and the Old Wharf classroom make the park’s mission clear: marine and shore life are interdependent and worth preserving. Take your wonder outdoors to the Marine Protected Area to explore tidal pools and mudflats. 

Exquisite bay vistas, windswept bluffs, eucalyptus forests, pebble beaches and rare coastal prairie all thrive at Point Pinole creating habitat for wildlife. Within the forests, deer, owls, hawks and migrating Monarch butterflies; in the salt marshes song sparrows and harvest mice. On 12-miles of mostly level trails across 2,300 acres changes in scenery are subtle; look for patterns on eucalyptus trunks and mud flats. Pick a bench to look out across the bay or a narrow trail to explore the shore. Naturalists focus on over-wintering birds and Monarchs for activities through January. 

Point Reyes National Seashore speaks to the believer in all of us. Believers in the importance of preserving open space. So many options exist within this expanse, your head will spin. Select one and take time to get the sense of the land, feel its cadence. Consider the links that connect all living things and the ethics of our treatment of nature. 

Winter in Point Reyes means whales and elephant seals. At the Elephant Seal Overlook, elephant seals’ natural behaviors are both amazing and comical. Huge males with Durante proboscises stake out their claim before females arrive to give birth. Watch males contest dominance and mother-pup interactions. Even with eyes closed the spectacle grabs your attention—males trumpeting and pups crying. On weekends and holidays trained docents man the cliff with spotting scopes and Elephant Seal 101 data. 

Though the Lighthouse is the ideal whale-watching locale, bird-lovers are also impressed. In the cypress trees roost songbirds, warblers and grosbeaks. Soaring through thermals are hawks, turkey vultures, ravens, Peregrine falcons and common murres. Nearby Chimney Rock also offers whale-watching vantage points and blossoms with wildflowers in spring. 

The Tule Elk Preserve out to Tomales Point is home to over 500 elk on 2,600 acres of open grassland and coastal scrub. Commanding vistas are breathtaking—a cerulean Pacific Ocean, Tomales Bay and Hog Island, corrugated coastline. You’ll be transported to Scotland in the blink of an eye. 

At Drake’s Estero, a one-mile walk through a deserted Christmas tree farm brings you to a footbridge over brackish waters. Here shorebirds, herons, egrets, hawks and osprey forage for food. At low tide, the exposed mudflats come to life, while the largest Point Reyes’ harbor seal breeding site lingers nearby. 

In you’re still unconvinced of the power of nature and vision, visit Muir Woods National Monument. In 1905, William Kent secured almost 300 acres of old-growth forest in the name of America’s foremost conservationist. Over one hundred years later, we walk beneath these giants, humbled by their peace. Winter brings fungi and banana slugs to the forest floor and Coho salmon to Redwood Creek. Follow trails past named redwood groves, illustrated kiosks and ecology talks. Venture away and discover a Muir Woods all your own. 

Relish the sunshine but bring on the rain and cold. Sharpen your senses, juice up those creative brain cells; salute the natural world. Recognize what’s worth preserving. Batteries not included.  

East Bay Regional Parks 

Naturalist activities published bi-monthly in Regional In Nature and on-line. Many require advance registration. 

www.ebparks.org. 

Point Reyes National Seashore 

Ranger-guided programs are offered each weekend, check web-site for schedule. 

(415) 464-5100, www.nps.gov/pore.  

Muir Woods National Monument 

Mill Valley. (415) 388-2596, www.nps.gov/muwo.  

Photograph by Marta Yamamoto 

I went trolling through my photo files, looking for a good shot of a willow for this column. It took forever to find one—and as you can see, it’s not a beauty shot, but a short horrow show, a big tree split by last year’s windstorms. I found lots of other willows, but always lurking in foreground corners of something more spectacular: fall color on a big-leaf maple, or a sway of gray pines across a creekbed.  

I take willows for granted, true, and I blame my spoiled urban existence for that. Willows —the genus Salix—in general are among the most useful species in the world. 

A traveler seeking water in the western plains or the California foothills would scan for a line of willows in an arroyo, because they’re a sure indicator of surface water. Under their low shade, a cool drink and a cool place to drink it: a pre-twentieth century roadside rest.  

Someone looking to make a basket to hold water, to cook acorn porridge in, would seek out a stand of willows and might have coppiced it the year before, to make long straight shoots for weaving. She’d have to work fast, get the supple twigs peeled the day she picked them so the bark didn’t stick.  

Maybe she’d cut a few inches of bark and slide it from its twig whole, in a cylinder, and add a notch near one end to make a whistle for the kids. When they gave her a headache with an hour of incessant whistle-blowing, she could chew on a slice of the inner bark for that too. Willow is the original source of salicylic acid, which the original Herr Bayer modified into acetylsalicylic acid—aspirin.  

Urban life has its willow markers too. The weeping willow, Salix babylonica, (or Salix babylonica ‘Pendula’), is a cultural marker of peaceful and gracious parks, and of a certain step from utilitarian to decorative homes, in the form of Grandmother’s Blue Willow china. I know I’m not the only one who made up stories about the people on the arched bridge, the stream, the distant and different pavilion. All concealed by mashed potatoes and peas and a slice of roast beef, to be revealed slowly before dessert. 

Like the imaginary scene on the plate, weeping willow originated in China, where it was an early cultivar of a native Chinese species. I guess the association was just too strong, though, for Linnaeus and his colleagues: “By the waters of Babylon we sat and wept for thee, O Jerusalem!” That sad trope gets the weeping willow onto gravestones, too, as a stylized silhouette, an emblem of mourning for the departed.  

Our local willows—arroyo willow (S. lasiolepis) and red willow (S. laevigata) are among the most common—have no end of usefulness too. Willows make lots of a rooting hormone, indolebutyric acid, in all their tissues. This makes then champion rooters; you can stick a hank of willow twigs in the damp ground along a streambank and count on several of them to take root and grow there. I’ve seen willow fences striking roots even in desert gardens, nipping a share of the irrigation water from the squash and beans. Wattle-and-daub walls have been known to do the same, turning a simple shelter into a live house. 

Restorationists use willow to stabilize streambanks against the destructive rush of winter flood rains, and the willows that grow are streambank natives anyway so it’s all as natural as possible. Water stays clear, soil stays in place for other plants to colonize, and the ubiquitous black phoebe (or maybe a willow flycatcher) comes along to perch on a willow branch: voila! Ecosystem! 

There’s another use for that rooting habit, even closer to home. Willow water, made by soaking mashed-up willow sprigs overnight, is a great aid for getting cuttings of other plants to root too. It doesn’t keep well, so don’t try to make a season’s supply. And don’t go denuding the willows in the parks for this, either; wild species do nosh on tender willow shoots. Trust me: you don’t want to find a posse of indignant raccoons with headaches at your door with torches and pitchforks. 

Ron Sullivan is a former professional gardener and arborist. Her “Green Neighbors” column appears every other Tuesday in the Berkeley Daily Planet, alternating with Joe Eaton’s “Wild Neighbors” column. Her “Garden Variety” column appears every Friday in the Planet’s East Bay Home & Real Estate section.  

Photograph By Ron Sullivan.  

A big split in a big willow near Jewel Lake in Tilden Park. Willows generally have brittle wood, though their twigs are supple.

FRIDAY, JAN. 12 

THEATER 

Azeem’s “Rude Boy” at 8 p.m. at The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way and runs Thurs.-Sat. through Jan. 27. Tickets are $15-$22. 800-838-3006. 

Rough and Tumble “43 Plays for 43 Presidents” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m. at La Val’s Subterranean Theater, 1834 Eucid Ave. through Jan. 27. Tickets are $15-$20. 499-0356. www.randt.org 

Shotgun Players “The Forest War” Thurs.-Sun. at 8 p.m. at the Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., extended through Jan 28. Sliding scale $15-$30. 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org 

Starlight Circle Players “Dead Men Tell No Tales” A piratical musical at 8 p.m. Fri.-Sun., through Jan. 21, at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, 1924 Cedar St. at Bonita. Tickets are $10-$25. 647-5268. 

FILM 

The Lubitsch Touch “Lady Windermere’s Fan” with Bruce Loeb on piano at 7 p.m., and “The Shop Around the Corner” at 8:45 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Poetry Flash presents Sandra M. Gilbert reading from “Belongings” and Willa Schenberg reading from “Storytelling in Cambodia” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books, 1491 Shattuck Ave. 486-0698. www.blackoakbooks.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Arias From “X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X” in honor of the inauguration of Ron Dellums at 8 p.m. at Oakland Metro Operahouse, 201 Broadway, Oakland. Tickets are $20. www.oaklandopera.org 

The Crucible’s Fire Ballet “Romeo and Juliet” Wed. - Sat. at 8:30 p.m. at 1260 7th St., Oakland, through Jan. 20. Tickets are $30-$55. 444-0919. www.thecrucible.org 

Ras Midas & Root Awakening in a MLK Day Reggae Celebration at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $13-$15. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Dan Zemelman Quartet, original and traditional jazz 8 p.m. at the Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St. Cost is $15 at the door. www.hillsideclub.org 

Julian Pollack, pianist, at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $12-$15. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

E.W. Wainwright Tribute to Max Roach at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $12. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Atmos Trio, jazz, at 8 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Rebecca Riots at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Rebecca Griffin Quartet at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

The Nomadics, jazz, at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

Victor Krummenacher, Jonathan Segel, Mia & Jonah at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $7. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Arnocorps, Judgement Day, Cookie Mongoloid at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

A Night of Voices with stories by Matt Holdaway and music by Cervantes, Isabellas, River of Rust at 9:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $5. 451-8100.  

Low Red Land at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790.  

Sunhouse at 9 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low, 2284 Shattuck Ave. Cost is $5-$8. 548-1159.  

Wayward Monks at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Gerald Albright at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, through Sun. Cost is $22-$26. 238-9200.  

SATURDAY, JAN. 13 

CHILDREN  

Storytelling Worshop on “Abuela” by Arthur Dorros, for ages 7-10 at 2 p.m. in the Story Room, Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge St. 981-6224. 

Andy Z at 11 a.m. at Studio Grow, 1235 10th St., at Gilman. Cost is $7. 526-9888. 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Can We Spare Some Change? - A Change in Attitude” Paintings by Milton Bowens. Exhibition Closing Reception at 6:30 p.m. at African American Museum and Library, 659 14th St. Oakland. 637-0200. 

“New Beginnings” The art of Vesta Kirby and others opens with a reception at 6 p.m. at Expressions Gallery, 2035 Ashby Ave. Gallery hours are Wed.-Sat. noon to 5 p.m. 644-4930. 

Deborah Muse “Paintings and Quilts” Reception for the artist at 4 p.m. at La Peña, 3105 Shattuck Ave. Exhibition runs to Feb. 24. 849-2568. 

“Passages and Packages: Messages of Our Mothers” opens at 7 p.m. at Rock Paper Scissors, 492 23rd St., Oakland. www.weekendwakeup.com 

“Fire in the Heart” Paintings by Foad Satterfield influenced by African art. Reception at 4 p.m. at the Community Gallery, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, 2450 Ashby Ave. Exhibition runs through March 2. 204-1667. 

“Watercolors of Oakland” by Alan Leon Reception at 2 p.m. at Oakland Public Library, Lakeview Branch, 550 El Embarcadero, Oakland. 238-7344. 

FILM 

“Dodes Ka-den” Akira Kurosawa’s 1970 film of Tokyo slum dwellers, at 3:30 p.m. at Berkeley Public Library, Third flr. Community Room, 2090 Kittredge St. 981-6139. 

A Theater Near You “Le cercle rouge” at 5:30 p.m. and “Army of Shadows” at 8:20 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“Storytelling in Cambodia” with Willa Schneberg at 4 p.m. at Eastwind Books of Berkeley, 2066 University Ave. 548-2350. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

“The Dream of a King” Music, song and stories with Diane Ferlatte in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at 2 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St. 238-2220. www.museumca.org 

Berkeley Symphony “Hold On” Music by Stravinsky, Sibelius, Locke and Wilson, with George Thomson conducting, at 8 p.m. at Zellerbach Hall, UC Campus. Tickets are $10-$56. 841-2800. www.berkeleysymphony.org 

Musica Pacifica performs “Jácaras!” The Spanish Baroque and the New World at 8 p.m. at St. John's Presbyterian Church, 2727 College at Garber. Tickets are $10- $25. 528-1725 or www.sfems.org 

The KTO Project at 8 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $15. 849-2568.  

Jazzalicious at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $12. 841-JAZZ.  

Beausoleil with Michael Doucet at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cajun dance lesson at 8 p.m. Cost is $18-$20. 525-5054.  

Moment’s Notice Improv music, dance and theater at 8 p.m. at Western Sky Studio, 2525 8th St. Ticets are $8-$10. 847-1119. 

Capricornicopia II at 8:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $5. 451-8100.  

Atmos Trio, jazz, at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344.  

Jinx Jones Trio at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Steve Seskin, Craig Carothers & Don Henry at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761.  

Maya Kronfeld Trio at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

Beep with Michael Coleman Jazz Trio at 9 p.m. at Albatross, 1822 San Pablo Ave. Cost is $3. 843-2473. 

Aoede, folk, at 8 p.m. at Spuds Pizza, 3290 Adeline St. Cost is $7. 558-0881. 

El Capitan Axton Kincaid, Robber Barons at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. All ages show. Cost is $7. 841-2082.  

Lucky Stiffs, Nothington, Those Unknown at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

Gerald Albright at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, through Sun. Cost is $22-$26. 238-9200.  

SUNDAY, JAN. 14 

CHILDREN 

“Life at the Little Farm” A puppet show and sing along for the whole family at 11 a.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

EXHIBITIONS 

Benicia Gantner “Recent Work” and Charles Labelle “Bldgs Entered, 1997-2007” Exhibitions open at the Traywick Gallery, 895 Colusa Ave. and runs through March 31. Gallery hours are Thurs.-Sat. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment. 527-1214. 

FILM 

The Lubitsch Touch “Ninotchka” at 3 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Sandy Florian and Arielle Greenberg, poets, at 7:30 p.m. at Pegasus Books Downtown, 2349 Shattuck Ave. 649-1320. 

Ross King describes “The Judgment of Paris: The Revolutionary Decade That Gave the World Impressionism” at 4 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Oak, Ash & Thorn, a capella at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761.  

Ben Adams Quintet at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Richter Scales & Roshambo, a capella, at 7:30 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $8-$10. 849-2568.  

Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers at 4:30 at the Jazzschool. Cost is $18. 845-5373.  

SoVoSo at 7 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

Diablo’s Dust at 11 a.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344.  

Gerald Albright at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, through Sun. Cost is $22-$26. 238-9200.  

MONDAY, JAN. 15 

FILM 

“The Mind is a Liar and a Whore” A new film by Antero Alli at 7 p.m. at the Gaia Arts Center, 2118 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 464-4640. 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Bill Berkson and Lyn Hejinian read from their new poems at 7:30 p.m. at Moe’s Books, 2476 Telegraph Ave. 849-2087. 

PlayGround Six emerging playwrights debut new works at 8 p.m. at Berkeley Repertory Theater, 2025 Addison St. Tickets are $18. 415-704-3177.  

Poetry Express Annual “Other People’s Poety Night” at 7 p.m. at Priya Restaurant, 2072 San Pablo Ave. berkeleypoetryexpress@yahoo.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Anne Feeney, on tour with Western Workers Labor Heritage Foundation, at 7 p.m. at Redwood Gardens, 2951 Derby St. Tickets are $15-$20. 848-6397. 

Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a youth talent show from 2 to 5 p.m. at Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts, 1428 Alice St., Oakland. 238-7217. 

Blue Monday Jam at 7:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $5. 451-8100.  

Greg Pratt &La Wanda Ultan, blues, jazz, country folk, at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave. 548-5198.  

The Robert Stewart Experience, A Dedication to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. 238-9200.  

TUESDAY, JAN. 16 

FILM 

Yoko Ono: Imagine Film “No. 4” at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

Sustainable Peralta Film Festival at 6:15 p.m. at Laney College, Oakland, followed by panel discussion on California’s Clean Air Campaign. Free. www.peralta.edu/sustainable 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“True West” Actors Ensemble director, Paul Shepard, will discuss the play at 1:15 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. 981-5190. 

Alan Deutschman, senior writer for Fast Company magazine will talk about his latest book, “Change or Die” at 7:30 p.m. at the Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St. 527-0450.  

Poetry Flash with Natalie F. Anderson, Jessica Fisher and Lisa Coffman at 7:30 p.m. at Berkeley City College Auditorium, 2050 Center St. 525-5476. 

Freight and Salvage Open Mic at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $4.50-$5.50. 548-1761. 

Rafaela Castro reads from “Provocaciones: Letters from the Prettiest Girl in Arvin” at 3 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Fishtank Ensemble at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $TBA. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Ellen Hoffman and Singers’ Open Mic at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $5. 841-JAZZ.  

Different Strokes, jazz, at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave. 548-5198.  

Spencer Day at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $20. 238-9200.  

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 17 

EXHIBITIONS 

“A Rose Has No Teeth: Bruce Nauman in the 1960s” opens at the Berkeley Art Museum, 2626 Bancroft Way, and runs through April 15. 642-0808. 

FILM 

“Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes” Byron Hurt’s documentary at 6 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak Sts. Panel discussion with the filmmaker follows. Oakland. Free. 238-2200. 

History of Cinema “Introduction to Film Language” at 3 p.m. and “Free to Be ... You and Me Invitational” at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Peter Sussman reads from “Decca: The Letters of Jessica Mitford” at 7:30 p.m. at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave. 883-9710. 

Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio discuss “Hungry Planet: What the World Eats” at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way. Donation $10.  

Stanley Brandes introduces “Skulls to the Living, Bread to the Dead: The Day of the Dead in Mexico and Beyond” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698. www.blackoakbooks.com 

Berkeley Poetry Slam with host Charles Ellik and Three Blind Mice, at 8:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $5-$7. 841-2082  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

The Crucible’s Fire Ballet “Romeo and Juliet” Wed. - Sat. at 8:30 p.m. at 1260 7th St., Oakland, through Jan. 20. Tickets are $30-$55. 444-0919. 

Whiskey Brothers Old Time and Bluegrass at 9 p.m. at Albatross, 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473. www.albatrosspub.com 

No Ordinary Noise! at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $7. 841-JAZZ.  

Bernard Anderson & The Old School Band at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. West Coast Swing dance lesson at 7:30 p.m. Cost is $10. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

La Verdad at 9:30 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low, 2284 Shattuck Ave. Salsa lessons at 8 p.m. Cost is $5-$10. 548-1159.  

Mo’ Fone at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Paul Manousos at 8:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $5. 451-8100.  

Preston Reed, guitar, at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761.  

Whicked Oystahs at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790.  

Ledisi at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, through Sun. Cost is $22-$26. 238-9200.  

THURSDAY, JAN. 18 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Shanghai Alleyways” Photographs by Jianhua Gong opens with a reception at 6 p.m. at the IEAS Gallery, 2223 Fulton St. 642-2809. 

Oakland Art Association Juried Show Reception at 4 p.m. at the MTC Offices, Bort MetroCenter, 3rd floor, 101 Eighth St., Oakland. Exhibition runs to March 30. 817-5773. 

FILM 

“Touch of Evil” Film series with David Thomson at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

Sustainable Peralta Film Festival at 6 p.m. at Laney College, Oakland. Free. www.peralta.edu/sustainable 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Tony Bellaver, Barbara Foster and Scott Serata will give a gallery talk about their works in the exhibition “Interventions” at 6:30 p.m. at Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St. in Live Oak Park. Exhibit runs to Feb. 10. 644-6893. 

“A Rose Has No Teeth: Bruce Nauman in the 1960s” Curator’s talk by Constance Lewallen at 12:15 p.m. at the Berkeley Art Museum, 2626 Bancroft Way. 642-0808. 

“New Media and Social Memory” A symposium to discuss strategies for preserving digital art from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Berkeley Art Museum, 2626 Bancroft Way. Free but regitration requested. bampfa.berkeley,edu/ciao/avant_garde.html 

Christopher Moore reads from “You Suck: A Love Story” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

Rudy Rucker reads from his newest novel “Methematicians in Love” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698. www.blackoakbooks.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

“The Math of Music” Suites for solo cello by J.S. Bach performed by Tanya Tomkins on Baroque cello at 5:30 p.m. in the Simons Auditorium, 17 Gauss Way, near the intersection of Centennial Dr. and Grizzly Peak Blvd. Free. 642-0143. www.msri.org 

Soul Majestic, reggae, at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $10. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Utah Phillips at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $22.50-$23.50. 548-1761.  

Ken Berman Trio at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Teed Rockwell, touch style guitar, at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Likewise, Keith Varon at 9 p.m. at Oakland Metro, 201 Broadway. Cost is $10. 763-1146. www.oaklandmetro.org 

Selector: Jazz Mafia Unit at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277.

ARIAS ABOUT MALCOLM IN HONOR OF RON 

Arias from X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X, will be performed in honor of the inauguration of Ron Dellums as mayor of Oakland at 8 p.m. tonight (Friday) at the Oakland Metro Operhouse, 201 Broadway. $20. www.oaklandopera.org. 

HITCHCOCK CLASSICS IN EL CERRITO 

The Cerrito Theater continues its series Hitchcock thrillers this weekend with Rear Window (1954), starring Jimmy Stewart as a man who becomes obsessed with the possibly murderous actions of his neighbors. 9 p.m. Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday and at 5 p.m. Sunday. Later films in the series include North by Northwest (1959), and Psycho (1960). 10070 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito.picturepubpizza.com. 

CURATOR’S TALK AT 

BERKELEY ART MUSEUM 

Curator Constance Lewallen will present a discussion of the work of Bruce Naumann entitled “A Rose Has No Teeth: Bruce Naumann in the 1960s” at 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18 at the Berkeley Art Museum, 2626 Bancroft Way. 642-0808. 

PARAMOUNT CLASSICS 

Oakland’s  

Paramount Theater will screen the  

film noir classic Double Indemnity (1944) at 8 p.m. tonight (Friday). The program features vintage cartoons, trailers and newsreels, as well as Dec-O-Win, a prize give-away game. Patrons are invited to show up as much as an hour ahead of showtime to stroll through the restored Art Deco theaters lavish lobbies and mezzanine and to enjoy a cocktail at the downstairs bar. 2025 Broadway, Oakland. 465-6400. www.paramounttheatre.com.

Though Eve A. Ma traveled the world, she spends much of her time trying to bring that world back home to the rest of us. Ma is the entrepreneurial force behind Palomino Productions, a Berkeley-based company producing DVDs and television programs on the art of dance.  

As a writer, professor, dancer and now as a producer and director, Ma has devoted years to honoring and promoting diversity in the arts. Her latest work, Improvising Jerez-Style, will be screened at 8 p.m. tonight (Friday) at La Peña Cultural Center in South Berkeley as part of a program of film and live performance. The evening’s entertainment will include a second film, Arts That Cross Borders, a compendium of previous Palomino programs about Mexican, Afro-Peruvian and Ecuadorian performers living in the Bay Area. Live entertainment will include the Afro-Peruvian group de Rompe y Raja, Mexican dance troupe Grupo Folklorico, and Ma herself dancing flamenco.  

Though Palomino is a relatively recent creation, Ma has been involved with diversity in the arts for some time. Her resume includes a Ph.D in modern Chinese history, and stints as a historical researcher for the Golden Gate National Recreational Area and the Army Corp of Engineers, as well as a stint as a professor of Chinese and Japanese history at Mills College and the former Cal State Hayward. She has published several books and more than two dozen articles and is a member of the state bar association. 

Ma also founded and served as executive director for six years for a Contra Costa County cultural nonprofit, Celebrating Culture and Community. 

In 2004, with little experience in the field, Ma created Palomino Productions and essentially learned the ropes of film and video production through trial and error. “I just made enough mistakes so that I learned how to do it,” says Ma. 

She soon launched a six-part series on rural music and dance entitled “The Languages of Sound and Movement,” co-directed by Richard R. Lee. The series examines Afro-Peruvian, southern Indian, Tahitian, Thai, Mexican and West African music and traditions. The first film in the series, Of Beauty and Deities: Music and Dance of India, is hosted by Ma and spotlights the artistry of rural Indian dance, with performances interspersed with interviews with the dancers and musicians, including a Berkeley group called Kalanjali: Dances of India, led by K.P. and Katherine Kunhiraman. The film was honored at the Berkeley Film and Video Festival and also received a Western Access Video Excellence award. It was screened at the annual conference of the UNESCO-sponsored Center for International Dance in Athens, Greece, in addition to several airings over Peralta TV and KCCC TV in Contra Costa County. The film is available, along with another Palomino title, Weaving With Spanish Threads: The Spanish Immigration to Hawaii and California in the Early 1900s, through the company’s website: www.PaloPalomino.com. 

Her most recent work, Improvising Jerez-Style, takes a look at Jerez-style bulerias, a fast-paced improvised dance often considered the quintessential flamenco form, known for its passion. The film was shot in the city of Jerez in southern Spain and includes interviews with dancers such as Moralito Chico and Antonio de la Malena.  

“In ‘the good old days,’ you learned to dance it in the community,” says Ma in her notes on the film. “This meant you learned by watching other people in your family, at fiestas, and on the street corners. ... But when modern times came to Spain and the southern Spanish city of Jerez, life changed. Around the same time, flamenco also began to be seen around the world. Now, in addition to the thousands of flamenco academies in almost every country imaginable, many hundreds of foreigners come to Jerez every year to learn the dance form and find out more about flamenco. 

“Our show was filmed in Jerez where bulerias is taken very seriously—so seriously, that there are two forms of it in today’s Jerez, related to the two historically Gypsy (gitano) neighborhoods in the old city. The show gives us lots of professional level dance footage as well as the all-important singing, interviews with famous flamencos, historical videos, classroom shots and vistas of this city which gave birth to and still inspires the art form.” 

The primary interview subject in the film is famed bulerias teacher Ana Maria Lopez. Ma explains: “Since the art of dancing bulerias can no longer be learned in the community, it has now become a gift from a very small number of specially talented teachers. There are a few, select dance masters in Jerez who have developed a way of teaching how to improvise in this exciting solo dance without going outside of its essential form and losing the tradition.” 

IMPROVISING JEREZ-STYLE 

8 p.m. tonight (Friday) at La Peña Cultural Center, . $10-$12. 3105 Shattuck Ave.  

849-2568. www.lapena.org.

Berkeley composer and retired UC Berkeley professor Olly Wilson’s Symphony No. 3, Hold On, which sets and responds to the old African-American spiritual of that name, celebrating its sense of spiritual tenacity and persistence, will be featured as George Thomson returns to the podium of the Berkeley Symphony, 8 p.m. this Sat. at Zellerbach Auditorium, with an eclectic program including Stravinsky’s Concertino for Twelve Instruments, Sibelius’ Violin Concerto and Matthew Locke’s Restoration era theater music for The Tempest.  

Wilson described his symphony shortly after a talk to fourth graders at Rosa Parks Elementary School on African American music and spiritual traditions, part of Berkeley Symphony’s educational program that culminates in the spring with a concert where, as the Symphony’s Kevin Shuck put it, “the Symphony plays as back-up” to student participants.  

Wilson’s Hold On Symphony’s three movements go from an initial address, not of the spiritual itself, but of “capturing that notion, that ability to maintain focus against incredible odds, which goes back to slave culture, but becomes universal.” 

The second movement frames the spiritual itself, introduced in the middle—(“Nora said, You’ve lost your track/Can’t plow straight while looking back/Keep-a your hand on-a the plow/Hold on, hold on ...”)—with more ethereal music, “a dynamic between two ways of thinking--one more direct, precise, straight forward; the other, vague, imprecise ... the emergence of a more spiritual provenance, the more reflective Sorrow Song type of spiritual.” 

Orchestrally, Wilson “attempts to imitate vocal gestures in the context of a 20th century orchestra, evoking the commonality of the singing, the collective moans and grunts, sometimes a combination of different languages from Africa, that were unintelligible to the slaveholders, according to early chroniclers.”  

The third movement moves from the practical and determined, then inward and sorrowful phases of the second, into the celebratory Jubilee Song, “music you have to move to, driving, upbeat; riffs against changing harmonics with strong rhythmic impetus; flashbacks to the first two movements, and finally four or five riffs building polyphonically to a big climax.” 

“It’s a phenomenon you find all over the African diaspora, the same way of doing things, varying in the way things get done, and by what’s there” Wilson said of the tradition he’s drawing from. “Music’s the causal agent, essential, obligatory. Before Christianity, in African pantheism, you call forth the deity only by music. I’ve reinterpreted all this, living in Berkeley and writing music for a 20th century orchestra, through my own personal prism, which includes African American culture.” 

Wilson, who retired from the UC Berkeley Music Department (which he has chaired, also serving as assistant chancellor) in 2002 after 32 years, still lives in Berkeley. A native of St. Louis, he came from a musical family with four siblings, his father “an excellent amateur singer, who wanted all of us to study music when young, as he did later. There were piano lessons; he could always use an accompanist!” 

Wilson and his sister were the ones who went on studying and playing, “in pop music when I was a teenager, then jazz.” After receiving a scholarship for his clarinet playing, Wilson thought of becoming a band leader, but “I had pretty broad taste even as a youngster, and by the end of my sophomore year, after all I’d been exposed to in music—and all I transcribed, before there were so many fake books!—I understood” what his career was to be. After studying at Oberlin and the University of Illinois, he took his PhD. at Iowa. 

Of his long academic career, Wilson comments, “The musician’s patron in the 20th century has been the university.” 

Of the other diverse pieces on the program at Zellerbach, the selection from Matthew Locke’s 1674 score for a Restoration “modernization” of The Tempest features an oboeist, and is a short musical description of the storm itself. 

“The Locke piece is a curtain-raiser for Olly’s Symphony,” commented George Thomson. “It’s a little wild, unusual for a 17th century piece, and very brief, ending quietly, so it adumbrates the beginning of Olly’s stormy piece. It’s scene-setting; we’ll allow just enough time between for the sound to clear.” 

Indeed, the eclecticism of the program wasn’t “schematically-oriented,” according to Thomson, but constructed around the sound of Wilson’s Symphony. “The Stravinsky has a strong rhythmic, almost jazzy, element that ties it to Hold On; it’s a miniature concerto followed by a proper one. With a big, big contemporary piece, programming a concerto is typical, and with the other pieces, there’s a balance that’s good for both audience and orchestra. From our position today, we can make connections between pieces calling to each other over centuries.”  

The Berkeley Symphony presents George Thomson conducting Stravinsky, Sibelius and Olly Wilson’s Hold On at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 at Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley. 841-2800, www.berkeleysymphony.org.

Silent film star Mary Pickford famously described director Ernst Lubitsch as a “director of doors,” a man more at home working with the choreography of entrances and exits than with actors and emotions. This acerbic remark, uttered in the awake of an ill-fated collaboration with the director on Rosita, his first American production, has a grain of truth but should be taken with a grain of salt as well.  

Pickford was one of the most powerful figures in Hollywood and not inclined to accept a secondary role in a film’s creation. But Lubitsch’s films were not so much vehicles for stars so much as they were vehicles for Lubitsch, for his subtle and distinctive wit, both with images and later with dialogue.  

A viewing of Lady Windermere’s Fan (1925) shows the truth behind both sides of the argument. The film shows tonight (Friday) at Pacific Film Archive as part of a month-long career-spanning retrospective of the director’s work entitled “The Lubitsch Touch.” The series runs through Feb. 16 and tracks the legendary director’s career from his early German silent films to his much-celebrated American comedies of the sound era. 

Lady Windermere’s Fan is an adaptation of an Oscar Wilde play that brazenly tosses out the words of Wilde in favor of sly visual humor and cues, replacing Wilde’s verbal wit with Lubitsch’s visual wit. The actors do good work, but clearly the director is in control, for the performances are not inspired but are instead matched meticulously to the staging and camerawork. There’s very little dialogue; most of the information is imparted to us simply through facial expressions, mannerisms and editing. 

Many stars appeared in Lubitsch’s films, but Lubitsch himself was the true star of his productions, a noted auteur who guided the performances of his actors down to the smallest detail. Like Chaplin, he acted out each role and instructed his actors to mimic him, and, as with Chaplin again, this at times led to rather stilted performances. The actors were not permitted much leeway in plying their trade. However, the fact that the technique so often found such great results was a testament to Lubitsch’s unique talents.  

One scene in particular illustrates Pickford’s dissent perfectly: Lubistch, in order to quickly and comically expresses the increasing intimacy between a couple, gives us two scenes of the suitor approaching the front door of his lady’s apartment. A close-up shows just his hand as he starts to ring the doorbell, things twice, hesitates, pulls out a pocket mirror, replaces it, then rings the bell and politely offers his coat and hat to the maid while waiting to be introduced. A second scene, taking place some weeks later, shows the hand again ringing the bell, this time with no hesitation. The man then walks brusquely through the door and past the maid, hanging his hat and coat without her help before bursting into the lady’s rooms unannounced. All necessary information is conveyed through intertitles, camerawork and editing. The acting is almost superfluous; it’s Lubitsch’s performance through and through. 

His technique is not exactly subtle; in fact, Lubitsch’s presence can almost always be felt in his films, and this is a mixed blessing. Just as it is difficult to read Wilde without marveling at his wit, one cannot view a Lubitsch film without being made acutely conscious of the wit and style of the director. At its best it is a seductive technique, one that draws the viewer into an alliance with the director, making one feel as if one is in on the joke, sharing in the sense of superiority toward the objects of that wit; but at times it has a tendency to drain a film of drama and impact, maintaining a cynical distance from characters who are reduced to mere pawns in the director’s cinematic game. 

The result is that Lubitsch’s films, though often just as entertaining today as they were in their time, are less art than entertainment, fun for their two-hour span but with little impact beyond the moment the theater lights come up. The “Lubitsch touch,” though deft, is a light touch, one that only lingers playfully amid the more complex, underlying themes of the story, rarely delving deeply into character, motivation or import. He won’t change your life but for two hours he’ll take you for a fun and stylish ride. 

Other films in the series include Ninotchka, The Shop Around the Corner, Angel, Heaven Can Wait, Trouble in Paradise, The Marriage Circle, Rosita, The Love Parade and The Smiling Lieutenant. The series runs through Feb. 16.$4-8. 2575 Bancrot Way. 642-5249. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu. 

Photograph: Ernst Lubitsch’s Lady Windermere’s Fan shows tonight at Pacific Film Archive.

Fundraising for the modern university is increasingly dependent on skyboxes and suchlike mammoth public structures where the golden deal can be clinched amid resplendent surroundings. But it wasn’t always so. There used to be a time when personal magnetism was enough to accomplish the goal. 

When Benjamin Ide Wheeler was president of the University of California, his most constant fundraising partner was the indomitable UC regent and benefactress Phoebe Apperson Hearst. During their 20-year joint reign, from 1899 until 1919, Wheeler and Hearst were an unbeatable team. For close to ten of those years, they owned adjoining houses on what has come to be known as Holy Hill. 

On May 12, 1900, about six months after Wheeler’s inauguration, the university officially broke ground for the President’s Mansion—the first building sited under the new Phoebe Hearst Architectural Plan for the campus. Now called University House and occupied by the UC Chancellor, the mansion was designed by the distinguished San Francisco architect Albert A. Pissis. Some of Pissis’ better-known buildings are Hibernia Bank (1892), the Emporium (1896), the James Flood Building (1904), the Mechanics Institute (1909), and the Crocker Bank Building (1910). 

The President’s Mansion exterior was completed in 1902, but the university ran out of resources to finish the interiors, and Wheeler would not occupy his official residence until 1911. In 1900, he had a private house built at 1820 Scenic Avenue, just north of the campus. Designed by architect Edgar A. Mathews, the brown-shingle box is now the home of New Bridge Foundation, a substance-abuse recovery center. 

Supervising the construction of Wheeler’s house was Daley’s Scenic Park’s chief landowner and developer Frank M. Wilson, who lived across the street at 2400 Ridge Road. At about the same time, Wilson also initiated the building of a university reception hall adjacent to Wheeler’s house at 1816 Scenic Avenue. This building was financed entirely by Phoebe Apperson Hearst. It was designed by Ernest Coxhead, who also created for Mrs. Hearst a residence at 2334 Le Conte Avenue, abutting the reception hall. The residence and the reception hall were connected in the rear via a covered passage. 

A true VIP, Mrs. Hearst was never listed in the Berkeley city directory or in the assessor’s records. The 1900 U.S. census listed her address at 1 Third Street (the Examiner Building) in San Francisco. With several homes in northern California—including Hacienda del Pozo de Verona in Pleasanton and Wyntoon in McCloud, Shasta County—it is doubtful that she spent a great deal of time in her Berkeley house. 

This house is an oddity in Coxhead’s body of work. A plain Colonial Revival box blown up to freakish size, it has little to distinguish itself save the two mock-Ionic columns supporting a broken scroll pediment. Coxhead was one of the leading lights of the First Bay Region Tradition and a pioneer in the use of clinker brick and brown shingles. His clinker brick-clad Allenoke Manor (1903) at 1777 Le Roy Avenue radiates all the visual excitement that the Hearst house lacks. 

Phoebe Hearst was an architectural patron par excellence. It was at her bidding that Bernard Maybeck designed the revolutionary Hearst Hall. Her Pleasanton hacienda, designed by A.C. Schweinfurth in the mid-1890s, was a great, innovative building. So why was her Berkeley house so drab? 

It’s possible that Mrs. Hearst wished her residence to be inconspicuous and in keeping with Wheeler’s house. She is said to have planned a much larger, palatial house at the top of the hill, where the Pacific School of Religion now stands. (Across the street, Frank Wilson also planned to build a more lavish home but remained in his srown shingle, originally intended as the barn, for the rest of his life. That site is now occupied by the Graduate Theological Union Library.) 

Whether she planned for opulence or not, Mrs. Hearst disposed of her Berkeley house after less than a decade’s ownership. She may have done so because Wheeler was soon to move to the President’s Mansion on campus. 

The reception hall was sold in 1908 to Astronomy Professor Armin O. Leuschner, who hired William C. Hays to put a second story upon it. Like the Wheeler house, this building is now occupied by the New Bridge Foundation. 

The Le Conte Avenue house was sold in 1909 or 1910 to George and Louise Reed. George Walter Reed (1856–1921) was a self-made millionaire. Born in Maine and a carpenter by trade, he became a major coffee planter in Colombo, Guatemala, where he lived for nearly 40 years. His wife, Louise Matilda Reddan (1868–1948) was born in Yuba County, CA. The 1900 U.S. census listed her as an actress living with her parents in San Francisco. 

The Reeds spent several months each year on their plantations in Guatemala. In January 1921, tragedy struck them when Reed got into an argument with two of his workers. According to Reed family lore, the two Guatemalan brothers, Modesto and Adrian Santos, were riding the boss’s private mules without permission, for which Reed reprimanded them. Being quite drunk, Modesto pulled out a gun and shot the unarmed Reed. The death report from the American Consular Service determined the cause of death as “Shot to death by Modesto Santos, an employee. Three revolver bullets entered body—first through heart. Body lay where it fell for six hours.” 

The murderers fled to Mexico, where they were spotted working in the petroleum industry under assumed names. 

On March 8, 1921, the Oakland Tribune devoted a front-page article to Mrs. Reed when she returned with her husband’s body aboard the Pacific Mail liner Golden State. Mrs. Reed told the newspaper that she had been driven from the plantation and was threatened by “influential friends of the murderers.” 

Mrs. Reed also reported that Guatemalan President Carlos Herrera y Luna was “making special efforts to run down Reed’s slayers.” However, the two were never apprehended. 

Within a few years, Louise Reed had married the Berkeley realtor Charles E. Grigsby, fifteen years her junior. They made several trips to Guatemala and eventually sold the plantations. The proceeds were invested in East Bay real estate. Grigsby’s green thumb soon turned the garden at 2334 Le Conte Avenue into a showplace. 

The house, along with the Wheeler house and the former reception hall, was one of just a few structures in the vicinity that survived the 1923 Berkeley fire. In the late 1920s, when land was cheap, religious seminaries wishing to build near the campus snapped it up. As a result, the neighborhood’s character changed from residential to institutional. 

Following Louise Reed Grigsby’s death in 1948, her property (now renumbered 2368 Le Conte Ave.) was sold to the Mormon Church. The garden was replaced by a large featureless building, but the original house is preserved largely as it used to be. The only discernible physical difference is the paint on the once natural stucco, but without a spacious garden to offset it, the fomer Hearst residence looks more than ever like an overblown tract house. 

Daniella Thompson edits berkeleyheritage.com for the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA). 

Photograph by Daniella Thompson  

The former Hearst-Reed house at 2368 Le Conte Ave. has been occupied by the Mormon Berkeley Institute of Religion for nearly six decades.  

It has come to my attention that the hard freeze predicted (as I write this) for late this week is the first some of my fellow Berkeley denizens have experienced here. If it happened on time, you’re reading this in the Retrospectroscope, that scientific instrument that gives us 20-20 hindsight. Still, this might be useful. 

First: Don’t panic. If you have plants already hurt by frost, don’t rush out and start whacking off the damaged bits. Leave them alone until you see new growth. Some things will be OK under it all, and the dead tissue you leave on the plant can insulate the growing points against further damage. The brown stuff looks ugly but it won’t harm and it might help.  

Second: Don’t despair. If there was a freeze and you didn’t get your plants covered and there’s another night of frost on the horizon, cover them. Preventing more damage will give them a better chance to recover. 

Third: Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. If you can’t quite do it right, protect your plants as well as you can. I’ll explain this more, below. 

Fourth: Get out there early the morning after and uncover those plants, especially if you’ve used plastic sheeting over them. That stuff works as a solar oven in the daytime, and your poor plants can get cooked.  

Plants typically freeze when the night is clear and the air is still. A decent breeze will decrease the peril – that’s why you see those big propeller-looking fans in Napa Valley vineyards—and cloud cover will moderate the temperatures. Your garden’s in more danger if it’s at the bottom of a hill, because cold air drops and warm air rises.  

If you have tender plants—tropicals and subtropicals, generally—in pots, bring them under the eaves, into the garage, or onto the porch. Anything overhanging them will help. Also, the thermal mass of a building, the heat it’s absorbed from the sun all day, will moderate temperatures near it.  

If you can’t move it, cover it. Blankets, old curtains, sheets – some extremists use the old down sleeping bag the dog peed in last summer. In Britain, they sell lengths of synthetic fleece for plant cozies.  

Plastic sheeting is a classic here. To best protect the plants, build a framework to hold the sheet. This can be as simple as three garden stakes around the plant, or a tipi of poles with a garbage bag pulled over it. The idea is not to let the cover touch the plant, because where it touches will be damaged.  

If you can’t avoid that, though, just throw the sheet over. Better to lose a few leaves than the whole plant.  

Experts advise watering plants before a frost, because frostbite is mostly dehydration. Maybe, but there’s one big exception: cacti and succulents. I’ve had a cactus explode—really; pieces were scattered over three feet or more—when a freeze hit it. Water expands when it freezes and turgid cells burst. Spectacular, but fatal.  

Ron Sullivan is a former professional gardener and arborist. Her “Garden Variety” column appears every Friday in the Daily Planet’s East Bay Home & Real Estate section. Her column on East Bay trees appears every other Tuesday in the Daily Planet.

I am something of a purist when it comes to our older housing stock. Well actually, let me revise that. What I really am is a lover of old houses and all the bits of antiquity that inhabit our cities. Buildings, signage, concrete sidewalk stamps and vintage cars.  

I guess I’m just permanently nostalgic and in love with a time before my birth. It’s not fair, really. I don’t genuinely believe that the past was uniformly preferable and Polio was no walk in the park. But there is something sweeter, more innocent and more cherishing of who we are that seems to inhabit the articles of our past. Modern buildings don’t seem to care who they sell to, who lives in them and whether they’re burned for firewood or just e-traded in on some junk bonds. A 1920s house would refuse such a sale. It would just lock itself up and grow vines. 

Ah, but as usual, I utterly digress. The reason I make the point about older homes is that I do, in point of fact, believe that portions of them tend to need revision. Despite the umbrage the old girl might take, I think that there are a few innovations that might make her a smidge more habitable. 

The one I’d like to tackle today is the matter of lighting. As anyone who’s ever owned a home from before 1940 will tell you, the built-in lighting leaves much to be desired and owners of older homes often salivate amidst soirées in modern homes. While the fenestration (window placement) in older homes is often quite good, electric lighting was quite new in the first half of the 20th century and builders didn’t know much regarding what could or should be done with this newfangled stuff. Most houses from before 1950 have a single junction box at the center of each ceiling and thus rely upon the single fixture to provide for all the needs of a room, large or small.  

A few homes featured wall-set junction boxes that allowed for, mostly simple, sconces to be placed upon walls. These fixtures usually had their own switches and lacked any sort of wall switch to operate them singly or in groups. Wall switching did come along after a while and the occasional clever electrician did manage to add well-placed switching. In the 1950’s an odd thing happened and ceiling lamps went missing altogether. 

I’m not sure if someone misplaced them, forgot to put them in or simply decided that nobody of any aesthetic metal would stoop to installing a fixture on that serene white speckled landscape. I fear the latter must have been the case. Those houses were fitted with switchable outlets where standing lamps could be installed and, clever as that was, the absence of a permanently installed overhead light source was soon recognized for it’s inherent retardedness and rectified by nearly all subsequent parties. 

One nice thing about old houses is that, with a little respect for their dignity and richness, many modern accoutrements can be added without deeply damaging their appeal. I’ve seen many fitted with sprays of recessed lighting to very good result and have a particular favor for this choice. The latter requires access to the ceiling space and is easiest when installed below an attic of moderate size. 

If installed in the ceiling below another floor, the ceiling will generally have to be removed to accommodate the installation. Wires can be pulled through joist spaces but this is quite difficult and often not worth the hardship. In my experience, it’s better to remove the drywall or plaster from a trapped ceiling prior to the installation of more than one or two lighting fixtures. By the way, replacing a single ceiling with drywall is not all that difficult or expensive and is hugely liberating in terms of the work that one can do in a short period of time when things have been opened up. 

Even if you’re not in the mood for the more arduous task of adding a field of cans to your ceiling there are so many ways to improve lighting without touching a single foot of Romex. Simply changing the fixtures on the ceilings or walls can increase luminosity, improve the directing of light and add some flair for amazingly little cost and complexity. This is actually a job that many individuals can manage on their own. Here are a few tips: 

Changing a light fixture usually involves the simple removal of a pair of screws on the old fixture, disconnecting a pair of wires and reversing the procedure with a new fixture. There are some problems to expect. First, removing the old screws often means clearing the paint from the screw heads. I have found that a slotted screwdriver and a small hammer work well to “drive” the wafer of paint out of the slot of an old slotted screw. Place the screwdriver on a steep angle and tap sharply to force the paint free. Once done, it’s a simple matter to remove the screw. I suggest running a utility knife with a fresh blade around the base of the fixture if it is also painted into place (most very old light fixtures have both these problems). This will allow the fixture to practically fall into your hands. Careful with the blade knife. They’re particularly well suited to slicing hands wide open. 

Regarding ladders; If you’re a cheapskate like moi and are still using that rickety fright of a wooden ladder. Get down, bust it into pieces and go spend 50 bucks on a nice ladder. It’s best to do electrical work on a fiberglass ladder since it can’t conduct electricity and deprive your darling children of that parent they so badly need. Go borrow Ed’s ladder. He’s not using it and you can buy him a bottle of Chianti when you’re done. 

Replacement fixtures don’t always have the screw holes spaced the same as the original but there are a range of solutions. The best one, in most cases, is to use an adapter that allows for this difference. The adapter gets screwed onto the old junction box in the walls first and then has several screw holes in the adapter itself to allow the fixture to be screwed into it. This works well for lightweight fixtures but not for behemoths. If you have something huge, get help. That’s not the beginning course.  

The adapters come in different types but all require a second set of screws that are the right length. A nice trick to know is that many wire splicing tools have a screw cutting feature. This proves quite handy in this particular situation wherein you may need a screw of a specific length to get the fixture to lie nicely against the ceiling (or wall). This is the central problem with these adapters. If not used properly or if used with a certain type of fixture, they can result in a fixture that doesn’t lie flat. Not to worry. Most problems resolve themselves with a bit of head-scratching and this is a very worthwhile starter project that more than earns its worth despite the few difficulties that are sure to arise. 

When you swap the fixture, you’ll want to be damned sure that the power is off. I’d acquire a non-contact voltage tester. They’re commonly available at most hardware stores for roughly 15 bucks and they make a sound (most do) when they’re near hot current. They don’t need to be on the hot wire. When you turn off the power, you can use this device to be sure that the wire is actually dead before handling it. I’d test it against a known hot wire just to be sure it’s working. I’d also use a common wire tester before handling any wire. 

When you replace the lamp, use a new pair of wire nuts and be sure that the old and new are nice and tight. 

When you replace a light fixture, consider the total wattage of the fixture as compared to the original one. Most wiring is not suitable for a fixture that adds several powerful bulbs. Try to keep your fixture down to 200 watts or less, unless you’ve checked with an electrician. That means 3-60 watt bulbs or a pair of hundreds at most. Low voltage halogens rate in a different way but you can just read the package to see the total wattage.  

This brings me to my last tip, that being an upgrade to something high-tech for your senescent dandy (your house, not your husband). I’ve seen cable lighting in older homes (and done this myself) and it can look just great in the right room. Aside from being really fun, it’s pretty easy to install and most kits are pretty low in total wattage. Ikea has some nice sets for a pittance. They have quite a range of lamps for very small sums, not that I’m trying to push Ikea. There are lots of great places for fixtures. 

Our own Metro Lighting of Berkeley makes delicious lamps, many of which harken back to our own Craftsman roots and fit our Bay Area style with great aplomb. They’re on the web at metrolighting.com if you want to take a look. 

Lighting is such a bargain and certainly one of the first things I’d do to any old house if I were pinching pennies. If you’re looking to spruce up or to try a first project, add some lighting to your old gal. She’ll just glow with pride. 

Got a question about home repairs and inspections? Send them to Matt Cantor at mgcantor@pacbell.net. 

Matt Cantor owns Cantor Inspections and lives in Berkeley. His column runs weekly. 

Copyright 2006 Matt Cantor

FRIDAY, JAN. 12 

Impeachment Banner Fridays at 6:45 to 8 a.m. on the Berkeley Pedestrian bridge between Seabreeze Market and the Berkeley Aquatic Park, ongoing on Fridays until impeachment is realized. www. Impeachbush-cheney.com 

City Commons Club Noon Luncheon with Dr. Warren Winklstein, “Science and the Heavy Hand of Government” Luncheon at 11:45 a.m. for $14, speech at 12:30 p.m., at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant St. For information and reservations call 526-2925.  

“China Blue” Screening of the documentary which won the Amnesty International Human Rights Award, at 7:30 p.m. with post-film discussion with director Micha Peled, at The College Preparatory School Buttner Auditorium at 6100 Broadway, at Brookside, Oakland. 658-5202. 

“Wind Over Water” A documentary on the offshore wind farm proposal for Cape Cod, and “Out of Balance” the impact on climate change of ExxonMobil, at 7:30 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donation of $5 acccepted. www.HumanistHall.net 

Circle Dancing, simple folk dancing with instruction at 7:30 p.m. at Finnish Brotherhood Hall, 1970 Chestnut St at University. Donation of $5 requested. 528-4253. www.circledancing.com 

“Problems and Decisions” Learn about how indecision causes stress at 7 p.m. the Berkeley Dianetics Center, 63 Shattuck Square. 280-4690. 

SATURDAY, JAN. 13 

African American Health Expo with free health screenings, healthy cooking demonstrations, information on services for youth and seniors, and more, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Oakland Mariott City Center, 1001 Broadway, Oakland. 763-7270. www.babuf.org 

Mini-Farmers in Tilden A farm exploration program, from 10 to 11 a.m. for ages 4-6 years, accompanied by an adult. We will explore the Little Farm, care for animals, do crafts and farm chores. Wear boots and dress to get dirty! Fee is $6-$8. Registration required. 636-1684. 

“Bare Root Roses for Bay Area Gardens” with Sandy Morrill at 4 p.m. at Mrs. Dalloways Books, 2904 College Ave. 704-8222. 

Nature on an Urban Fringe Explore the Berkeley Meadow of the Eastshore State Park on a 2.5 mile hike from 2 to 4:30 p.m. For information and meeting place call 525-2233. 

Solo Sierrans Bike Trip at the Marina Join us for an easy 4 mile round trip bike ride on a paved trail. All levels of riders welcome. Meet at 1 p.m. in front of Emeryville Clipper Club, 5 Captain Dr., Emeryville. RSVP to 923-1094. 

Vegetarian Cooking Class “Healthful Resolutions” from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First Unitarian Church of Oakland, 685 14th St. at Castro. Cost is $45, plus $5 materials fee. To register call 531-2665. www.compassionatecooks.com 

“Hearing Each Other, Hearing Ourselves” with Quaker Sara Wolcott sharing her election work in Ohio during the 2004 election at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Unitarian Universalists, 1924 Cedar St. 841-4824. 

Great War Society East Bay Chapter meets to discuss “Alsace-Lorraine, 1914-18” by Robert Denison at 10:30 a.m. at 640 Arlington Ave. 527-7118. 

“How to Avoid Sabotaging Your Financial Success” from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.at Piedmont Adult School, 800 Magnolia Ave., Piedmont. Cost is $40. To register call 595-8173. www.piedmontadultschool.org 

Seminar on Osteoarthritis of the Knee at 9:45 p.m. at Mercy Retirement & Care Center, 3431 Foothill Boulevard, Oakland. Free. 534-8540. 

“Weigh to Be” Understanding your metabolism at 10 a.m. at Elephant Pharmacy, 1607 Shattuck Ave. 549-9200. 

Studio Rasa Open House with drop-in classes and live music at 933 Parker St. Cost is $20 for the day. 843-2787. www.studiorasa.org 

Berkeley Bears Girls Fast Pitch Softball Tryouts, Sat. and Sun. at Clayton Valley High School in Concord. For details call 682-3759. www.berkeleybearssoftball.com  

The Berkeley Lawn Bowling Club provides free instruction every Wed. and Sat. at 10:30 a.m. at 2270 Acton St. 841-2174.  

Petite Pooches Playgroup for small dogs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., one block north of Solano on Ensenada at Talbot. 524-2459. 

Free Garden Tours at Regional Parks Botanic Garden Sat. and Sun. at 2 pm. Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Tilden Park. Call to confirm. 841-8732. www.nativeplants.org 

Around the World Tour of Plants at 1:30 p.m. at UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive. 643-2755.  

Car Wash Benefit for Options Recovery Services of Berkeley, held every Sat. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lutheran Church, 1744 University Ave. 666-9552. 

SUNDAY, JAN. 14 

“An Evening with Barbara Becnel” Anti-death penalty activist at Green Sunday at 5 p.m. at Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave at 65th, Oakland.  

“Open Garden” Join the Little Farm gardener for composting, planting, watering and reaping the rewards of our work, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Tilden Nature Area, Tilden Park. Cancelled only by heavy rain. 525-2233.  

“Life at the Little Farm” A puppet show and sing along for the whole family at 11 a.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

Winter Wildlife Hike Join naturalist Tara Reinertson to look for winter birds and explore the pebble beaches and salt marshes of Pt. Pinole, from 2 to 4 p.m. For meeting place call 525-2233. 

El Cerrito Historical Society Annual Meeting with speaker Wayne Westover, retired Contra Costa County Superior Court judge. Pot luck lunch at 1 p.m. at the El Cerrito Senior Center, located behind the El Cerrito Library, 6510 Stockton Ave., El Cerrito. 526-7507. 

Balinese Dance for Children begins at 11 a.m. at Ashkenaz Community Center, 1317 San Pablo Ave. Cost is $7 per class. 237-6849. 

Free Garden Tours at Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park Sat. and Sun. at 2 p.m. Call to confirm. 841-8732. www.nativeplants.org 

Lake Merritt Neighbors Organized for Peace Meet at 3 p.m. at the colonnade at the NE end of the lake. 763-8712.  

Tibetan Buddhism with Jack Petranker on “Motivation to Change” at 6 p.m. at the Tibetan Nyingma Institute, 1815 Highland Pl. 843-6812.  

MONDAY, JAN. 15 

“A Day On, Not Off” A guided walk along the shoreline with opportunity to help with planting and restoration at 8:30 a.m. at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline, Garretson Point off Edgewater Drive, Oakland. 521-6887.  

Embracing the Dream Father and Son Breakfast at 9 a.m. at the Eastside Club, McAfee Coliseum, 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland. Cost is $20, with opportunities to sponosr a young man For information call 633-5133. 

“Make the Dream Real” at 10 a.m. at Taylor Memorial Methodist Church, 1188 12th St. at Adeline, Oakland. 652-5530. 

Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a youth talent show from 2 to 5 p.m. at Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts, 1428 Alice St., Oakland. 238-7217. 

Celebrate Martin Luther King Day with activities from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Habitot Children’s Museum, 2065 Kittredge. Cost is $6 per child, $5 per adult. 647-1111. 

Berkeley CopWatch organizational meeting at 8 p.m. at 2022 Blake St. Join us to work on current issues around police misconduct. 548-0425. 

TUESDAY, JAN. 16 

Tuesday is for the Birds An early morning walk for birders through Bay Area parklands. Bring water, sunscreen, binoculars and a snack. This week we will visit Claremont Canyon. For meeting location or to borrow binoculars, call 525-2233.  

Berkeley Garden Club meets at 2 p.m. at Epworth Methodist Church, 1953 Hopkins St. The topic will be “The Treasures of Mount Diablo” with Seth Adams, Director of Land Programs. 845-4482. 

American Red Cross Blood Services Volunteer Orientation at 6 p.m. at 6230 Claremont Ave. Registration required. 594-5165, blackstonea@usa.redcross.org 

Sustainable Peralta Film Festival Films on environmental justice at 6:15 p.m. at Laney College, Oakland, followed by panel discussion on California’s Clean Air Campaign. Free. www.peralta.edu/sustainable 

Tuesday Tilden Walkers Join a few slowpoke seniors at 9:30 a.m. in the parking lot near the Little Farm for an hour or two walk. 215-7672, 524-9992. 

Family Storytime at 7 p.m. at the Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave. 524-3043. 

Discussion Salon on Modern China at 7 p.m. at JCC, 1414 Walnut.  

Berkeley Camera Club meets at 7:30 p.m., at the Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda. Share your digital images, slides and prints and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 548-3991. www.berkeleycameraclub.org 

St. John’s Prime Timers meets at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. We offer ongoing classes in exercise and creative arts, and always welcome new members over 50. 845-6830. 

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 17 

Tilden Tots Join a nature adventure program for 3 and 4 year olds, each accompanied by an adult (grandparents welcome)! We’ll learn about our feathered friends from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. Cost is $6-$8. Registration required. 636-1684. 

Tilden Mini-Rangers An afterschool programfrom 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. for ages 8-12 on conservation and nature-based activities. Dress to get dirty. Cost is $6-$8. Registration required. 636-1684. 

Berkeley School Volunteers Training workshop for volunteers interested in helping the public schools, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 1835 Allston Way. 644-8833. 

Red Cross Blood Drive from noon to 6 p.m. at Elephant Pharmacy, 1607 Shattuck Ave. To schedule an appointment go to www.BeADonor.com (code ELEPHANT) 

“Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes” Byron Hurt’s documentary at 6 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak Sts. Panel discussion with the filmmaker follows. Oakland. Free. 238-2200. 

Albany Library Evening Book Club meets to discuss “Snow Falling on Cedars” by David Guterson at 7 p.m. at The Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. 526-3720, ext. 16. 

New to DVD “The Descent” at 7 p.m. at the JCCEB, 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237. 

Balinese Music & Dance Workshops in gamelan angklung begins at 5:15 at Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 9th St. # 290, Oakland. Cost is $12 per class or $40 per month. To register call. 237-6849. 

Walk Berkeley for Seniors meets every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Sea Breeze Market, just west of the I-80 overpass. Everyone is welcome, wear comfortable shoes and a warm hat. Heavy rain cancels. 548-9840. 

Fresh Produce Stand at San Pablo Park from 3 to 6:30 p.m. in the Frances Albrier Community Center. 848-1704.  

Berkeley Peace Walk and Vigil at 6:30 p.m. at the Berkeley BART Station. www.geocities.com/ 

vigil4peace/vigil 

THURSDAY, JAN. 18 

Tilden Tots Join a nature adventure program for 3 and 4 year olds, each accompanied by an adult (grandparents welcome)! We’ll learn about our feathered friends from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. Cost is $6-$8. Registration required. 636-1684. 

“Bringing the Condors Home” a lecture by Joe Burnett, senior wildlife biologist at the Ventana Wildlife Society, at 12:30 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak Sts.. Oakland. Free. 238-2200. 

Sustainable Peralta Film Festival at 6 p.m. at Laney College, Oakland. Free. www.peralta.edu/sustainable 

“Wings in the Night: A Celebration of Bats” with Patricia Winters of the California Bat Conservation Fund at 7 p.m. at Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda, between Solano and Marin. Sponsored by The Golden Gate Audubon Society. 843-2222. 

Teen Book Club meets to discuss the most boring and most shocking books we’ve read at 4:30 p.m. at the Claremont Branch Library, 2940 Benvenue at Ashby. 981-6107. 

Avatar Metaphysical Toastasters Club meets at 6:45 p.m. at Spud’s Pizza, 3290 Adeline. namaste@avatar.freetoasthost.info  

World of Plants Tours Thurs., Sat. and Sun. at 1:30 p.m. at the UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive. Cost is $5. 643-2755.  

ONGOING 

Berkeley Winter Campaign for Cats We are providing free trapping assistance and spay/neuter to feral and homeless cats in Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville and Piedmont, through March 2007. The cats will be spayed/neutered, vaccinated, treated for fleas and returned safely back to their neighborhoods. To report a neighborhood in need or to volunteer, please contact Caitlin at 908-0709, Winterspay2006@yahoo.com 

CITY MEETINGS 

City Council meets Tues., Jan.16, at 7 p.m in City Council Chambers. 981-6900.  

Citizens Humane Commission meets Wed.,Jan. 17, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-6601.  

Commission on Labor meets Wed., Jan. 17, at 6:45 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7550.  

Disaster and Fire Safety Commission meets Wed., Jan. 17, at 7 p.m., at the Emergency Operations Center, 997 Cedar St. 981-5502.  

Downtown Area Plan Advisory Commission meets Wed. Jan. 17, at 7 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7487. 

Human Welfare and Community Action Commission meets Wed. Jan. 17, at 7 p.m., at the South Berkeley Senior Center. Kristen Lee, 981-5427.  

Library Board of Trustees meets Wed., Jan. 17, at 7 p.m. at South Berkeley Senior Center. 981-6195. 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board meets Thurs. Jan. 18, at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 644-6128 ext. 113.  

Housing Advisory Commission meets Thurs. Jan. 18, at 7:30 p.m., at the South Berkeley Senior Center. 981-5400. 

TUESDAY, JAN. 9 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Vikram Chandra reads from his new book “Sacred Games” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Yuliyan Yordanov, Balkan folk dance, at 7 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $5. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Ellen Hoffman and Singers’ Open Mic at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $6. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Mark Erelli at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $17.50-$18.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Debbie Poryes & Friends at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Buster Williams “Something More” at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $10-$18. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

Jazzschool Tuesdays, a weekly showcase of up-and-coming ensembles from Berkeley Jazzschool at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Nomadic Rambles Storytelling, hosted by Ed Silberman at 7 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344.  

Berkeley Poetry Slam with host Charles Ellik at 8:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $5-$7. 841-2082  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

The Crucible’s Fire Ballet “Romeo and Juliet” Wed. - Sat. at 8:30 p.m. at 1260 7th St., Oakland, through Jan. 20. Tickets are $30-$55. 444-0919. 

Trovatore, traditional Italian music at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Ed Johnson & Novo Tempo Trio at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $8. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Cumbiamba Eneye, Aluna at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $15. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Julio Bravo, salsa, at 9:30 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low, 2284 Shattuck Ave. Salsa lessons at 8 p.m. Cost is $5-$10. 548-1159.  

Paul Manousos at 8:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $5. 451-8100.  

Kleptograss with Eric Thompson, Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum, Scott Nygaard and Paul Shelasky at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Ezra Gale Trio at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Frank Gambale Natural High Trio at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $12-$20. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

THURSDAY, JAN. 11 

EXHIBITIONS 

Art to Action on Berkeley Creeks Photographs Opening reception at 5 p.m. at River of Words Gallery, Sawtooth Building, 2547 8th St., #13B. 848-9358. 

“Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Philosophy of Non-Violence” Books, posters, speechs and other items on display in honor of King’s birthday at te Oakland Public Library, Rockridge Branch, 5366 College Ave. 597-5017. 

“La Raza Uprising” Photographs by Francisco J. Dominguez. Reception at 6 p.m. at The Asian Resource Gallery, 310 8th St. and Harrison, Oakland.  

New Works by Vaugh Hovanessian on display through Jan. at Rooz Cafe, 4252 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. 547-5399. 

FILM 

A Theater Near You “Army of Shadows” at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“A Legacy of Beauty: The Life and Work of Julia Morgan” presentation by Mark Wilson at 7:30 p.m. at Chapel of the Chimes. Sponsored by Oakland Heritage Alliance. Donation $8-$10. 763-9218. www.oaklandheritage.org  

“The Art of Gaman” Lecture by Delphine Hirasuna on the arts and crafts of Japanese Americans detained in WWII internment camps, at 1 p.m. at the Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak Sts, Oakland. 238-2200. 

Bocalicious Spoken Word at 7 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

Vendela Vida reads from “Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. www.codysbooks.com 

Rachel Sarah reads from “Single Mom Seeking Playdates, Blind Dates and Other Dispatches from the Dating World” at 7:30 p.m. at East Bay Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut St. Sponsored by Black Oak Books. 486-0698. www.balckoakbooks.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Rebecca Riots at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Fourtet with Kasey Knudsen at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $5. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Travis Jones & Friends at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Go Go Fightmaster, Doublestroke at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $6. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Fun with Finnoula at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Selector: Machine Love at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Frank Gambale Natural High Trio at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $12-$20. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

FRIDAY, JAN. 12 

THEATER 

Azeem’s “Rude Boy” at 8 p.m. at The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way and runs Thurs.-Sat. through Jan. 27. Tickets are $15-$22. 800-838-3006. 

Rough and Tumble “43 Plays for 43 Presidents” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m. at La Val’s Subterranean Theater, 1834 Eucid Ave. through Jan. 27. Tickets are $15-$20. 499-0356. www.randt.org 

Shotgun Players “The Forest War” Thurs.-Sun. at 8 p.m. at the Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., through Jan 14. Sliding scale $15-$30. 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org 

Starlight Circle Players “Dead Men Tell No Tales” A piratical musical at 8 p.m. Fri.-Sun., through Jan. 21, at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, 1924 Cedar St. at Bonita. Tickets are $10-$25. 647-5268. 

FILM 

The Lubitsch Touch “Lady Windermere’s Fan” with Bruce Loeb on piano at 7 p.m., and “The Shop Around the Corner” at 8:45 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Poetry Flash presents Sandra M. Gilbert reading from “Belongings” and Willa Schenberg reading from “Storytelling in Cambodia” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books, 1491 Shattuck Ave. 486-0698. www.blackoakbooks.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

The Crucible’s Fire Ballet “Romeo and Juliet” Wed. - Sat. at 8:30 p.m. at 1260 7th St., Oakland, through Jan. 20. Tickets are $30-$55. 444-0919. www.thecrucible.org 

Ras Midas & Root Awakening in a MLK Day Reggae Celebration at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $13-$15. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Dan Zemelman Quartet, original and traditional jazz 8 p.m. at the Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St. Cost is $15 at the door. www.hillsideclub.org 

Julian Pollack, pianist, at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $12-$15. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

E.W. Wainwright Tribute to Max Roach at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $12. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Atmos Trio, jazz, at 8 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Rebecca Riots at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Rebecca Griffin Quartet at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

The Nomadics, jazz, at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

Victor Krummenacher, Jonathan Segel, Mia & Jonah at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $7. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Arnocorps, Judgement Day, Cookie Mongoloid at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

Low Red Land at 9:30 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Sunhouse at 9 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low, 2284 Shattuck Ave. Cost is $5-$8. 548-1159.  

Wayward Monks at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Gerald Albright at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, through Sun. Cost is $22-$26. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

SATURDAY, JAN. 13 

CHILDREN  

Storytelling Worshop on “Abuela” by Arthur Dorros, for ages 7-10 at 2 p.m. in the Story Room, Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge St. 981-6224. 

Andy Z at 11 a.m. at Studio Grow, 1235 10th St., at Gilman. Cost is $7. 526-9888. 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Can We Spare Some Change? - A Change in Attitude” Paintings by Milton Bowens. Exhibition Closing Reception at 6:30 p.m. at African American Museum and Library, 659 14th St. Oakland. 637-0200. 

“New Beginnings” The art of Vesta Kirby and others opens with a reception at 6 p.m. at Expressions Gallery, 2035 Ashby Ave. Gallery hours are Wed.-Sat. noon to 5 p.m. 644-4930. 

Deborah Muse “Paintings and Quilts” Reception for the artist at 4 p.m. at La Peña, 3105 Shattuck Ave. Exhibition runs to Feb. 24. 849-2568. 

“Passages and Packages: Messages of Our Mothers” opens at 7 p.m. at Rock Paper Scissors, 492 23rd St., Oakland. www.weekendwakeup.com 

“Fire in the Heart” Paintings by Foad Satterfield influenced by African art. Reception at 4 p.m. at the Community Gallery, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, 2450 Ashby Ave. Exhibition runs through March 2. 204-1667. 

“Watercolors of Oakland” by Alan Leon Reception at 2 p.m. at Oakland Public Library, Lakeview Branch, 550 El Embarcadero, Oakland. 238-7344. 

FILM 

“Dodes Ka-den” Akira Kurosawa’s 1970 film of Tokyo slum dwellers, at 3:30 p.m. at Berkeley Public Library, Third flr. Community Room, 2090 Kittredge St. 981-6139. 

A Theater Near You “Le cercle rouge” at 5:30 p.m. and “Army of Shadows” at 8:20 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“Storytelling in Cambodia” with Willa Schneberg at 4 p.m. at Eastwind Books of Berkeley, 2066 University Ave. 548-2350. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

“The Dream of a King” Music, song and stories with Diane Ferlatte in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at 2 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St. 238-2220. www.museumca.org 

Berkeley Symphony “Hold On” Music by Stravinsky, Sibelius, Locke and Wilson, with George Thomson conducting, at 8 p.m. at Zellerbach Hall, UC Campus. Tickets are $10-$56. 841-2800. www.berkeleysymphony.org 

Musica Pacifica performs “Jácaras!” The Spanish Baroque and the New World at 8 p.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College at Garber. Tickets are $10- $25. 528-1725 or www.sfems.org 

The KTO Project at 8 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $15. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Lloyd Gregory Quintet at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $12. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Beausoleil with Michael Doucet at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cajun dance lesson at 8 p.m. Cost is $18-$20. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com  

Moment’s Notice Improv music, dance and theater at 8 p.m. at Western Sky Studio, 2525 8th St. Ticets are $8-$10. 847-1119. 

Capricornicopia II at 8:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $5. 451-8100. www.uptownnightclub.com 

Atmos Trio, jazz, at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

Jinx Jones Trio at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Steve Seskin, Craig Carothers & Don Henry at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Maya Kronfeld Trio at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

Beep with Michael Coleman Jazz Trio at 9 p.m. at Albatross, 1822 San Pablo Ave. Cost is $3. 843-2473. www.albatrosspub.com 

Aoedbe, folk, at 8 p.m. at Spuds Pizza, 3290 Adeline St. Cost is $7. 558-0881. 

El Capitan Axton Kincaid, Robber Barons at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. All ages show. Cost is $7. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Lucky Stiffs, Nothington, Those Unknown at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

Gerald Albright at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, through Sun. Cost is $22-$26. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

SUNDAY, JAN. 14 

CHILDREN 

“Life at the Little Farm” A puppet show and sing along for the whole family at 11 a.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

EXHIBITIONS 

Benicia Gantner “Recent Work” and Charles Labelle “Bldgs Entered, 1997-2007” Exhibitions open at the Traywick Gallery, 895 Colusa Ave. and run through March 31. Gallery hours are Thurs.-Sat. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment. 527-1214. 

FILM 

The Lubitsch Touch “Ninotchka” at 3 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Sandy Florian and Arielle Greenberg, poets, at 7:30 p.m. at Pegasus Books Downtown, 2349 Shattuck Ave. 649-1320. 

Ross King describes “The Judgment of Paris: The Revolutionary Decade That Gave the World Impressionism” at 4 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Oak, Ash & Thorn, a capella at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Ben Adams Quintet at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Richter Scales & Roshambo, a capella, at 7:30 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $8-$10. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers at 4:30 at the Jazzschool. Cost is $18. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

SoVoSo at 7 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

Diablo’s Dust at 11 a.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

Gerald Albright at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, through Sun. Cost is $22-$26. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

MONDAY, JAN. 15 

FILM 

“The Mind is a Liar and a Whore” A new film by Antero Alli at 7 p.m. at the Gaia Arts Center, 2118 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 464-4640. 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Bill Berkson and Lyn Hejinian read from their new poems at 7:30 p.m. at Moe’s Books, 2476 Telegraph Ave. 849-2087. 

PlayGround Six emerging playwrights debut new works at 8 p.m. at Berkeley Repertory Theater, 2025 Addison St. Tickets are $18. 415-704-3177. www.PlayGround-sf.org 

Poetry Express Annual “Other People’s Poety Night” at 7 p.m. at Priya Restaurant, 2072 San Pablo Ave. berkeleypoetryexpress@yahoo.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a youth talent show from 2 to 5 p.m. at Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts, 1428 Alice St., Oakland. 238-7217. 

Blue Monday Jam at 7:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $5. 451-8100. www.uptownnightclub.com 

Greg Pratt &La Wanda Ultan, blues, jazz, country folk, at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

The Robert Stewart Experience, A Dedication to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com  

The Berkeley Daily Planet lists local community and arts events in our calendars on a space available basis. Preference is given to local non-profits.  

As we run week-long calendars, we appreciate receiving the information at least two weeks in advance.  

Please send the title of event, date and time, location, cost and telephone number/website in the body of an email, not as an attachment, to calendar@berkeleydailyplanet.com

‘THE FOREST WAR’ 

The Shotgun Players’ presentation of “The Forest War,” written and directed by Mark Jackson, extended through Jan. 28 at the Ashby Stage. The play starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are sold on a sliding scale, $15-$30. 1901 Ashby Ave. 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org. 

‘SPARE SOME CHANGE’ CLOSING RECEPTION 

A closing reception for “Can We Spare Some Change? — A Change in Attitude,” paintings by Milton Bowens, will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the African American Museum and Library, 659 14 St., Oakland. 637-0200. 

‘FIRE IN THE HEART’ 

“Fire in the Heart,” an exhibit of paintings by Foad Satterfield influenced by African art, runs through March 2 at the Community Gallery at Alta Bates Medical Center. A reception will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13. 2450 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. 204-1667. 

PARAMOUNT CLASSICS 

Oakland’s  

Paramount Theater will screen the  

classic film noir Double Indemnity (1944), directed by Billy Wilder and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray, at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12 as part of its “Movie Classics” series. For just $8, the Paramount offers a full program that includes vintage cartoons, trailers and newsreels, as well as Dec-O-Win, a prize give-away game. Patrons are invited to show up as much as an hour ahead of showtime to stroll through the restored Art Deco theaters lavish lobbies and mezzanine and to enjoy a cocktail at the downstairs bar. 2025 Broadway, Oakland. 465-6400. www.paramounttheatre.com.

Wesley K. Robinson died on Dec. 27 at the age of 80. Wes was a key figure in the East Bay arts scene over the past 35 years for his promotion of music and theater events. Wes was renowned for focusing on the freshness and originality of the music and passion of its artists rather than the commercial appeal. 

Wes was born in Port Arthur Texas, and came with his mother to Alameda at the beginning of the Depression. He was a star basketball player at Alameda High, and went on to play for UCLA under the Wooden era, where he was the sole black player on an otherwise all-white basketball team. 

Wes will be most remembered for his contribution to the Bay Area music scene, promoting events and musicians in the jazz, punk and metal music genres. He started promoting music after returning from New York, where he was involved in a jazz cafe and met many influential jazz musicians. Wes often told stories about being in New York and starting a coffee house there. This was when John Coltrane had broken through but was going through a big transition, playing a free style that was very controversial. Pharoah Saunders was playing with ‘Trane, and Wes suggested that he call himself Pharoah, as his real name was Farrell, and people pronounced it like that anyway. 

Returning home from New York, Wes started a “speakeasy” in a loft in downtown Oakland that, like its New York counterparts quickly ran afoul of the city officials. Wes then went on to host jazz events in many venues, including the Jazz Symposium, which ran for several years and featured well-known musicians such as Sonny Simmons and Alice Coltrane. As jazz’s popularity grew during the ’70s, Wes managed a popular band, the Hoodoo, and produced the UC Berkeley Jazz Festival for two years, while studying for a master’s degree there. 

In the early ’70s, Wes produced and directed plays in the East Bay, including Slaveship by Leroi Jones, Edward Albee’s Death of Bessie Smith, and What Have You Done for Me Lately. 

Frustrated by the increasing commerciality of jazz, in 1975 Wes’ interests moved on to the punk music scene which was just starting in the Bay Area. Searching for a venue to produce regular shows, Wes happened upon Ruthie’s Inn, a small club in Berkeley, that became instrumental in supporting the East Bay punk scene and eventually spawned a thriving thrash/metal scene from 1983-1987. Many bands played their first gigs at this club, which helped pave the way and supported an incredibly vibrant community of social misfits and serious musicians who had something to say—a great venue that has established itself in the annals of punk and metal history. 

Wes was responsible for providing this venerable niteclub to the second wave of new and established punk bands from Bad Brains, Dead Kennedy’s, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, Flipper, MDC and DOA to Code of Honor, Verbal Abuse, Fang, Special Forces, DRI and many others. Later on, this eventually segued into a weekly ritual that showcased such seminal thrash/metal bands as Metallica, Slayer, and Exodus. At the time of his death, Wes was working on a documentary called “Remembering Ruthie’s Inn” (to be completed by a dedicated and devoted group of volunteers). 

Wes was preceded in death by his parents, Wesley Sr. and Effie Robinson, sister Durell, and great-grandson Julian Donnelly. Wes leaves to cherish his memory his four children, Durelle Ali (Stan) of Berkeley, Michael Robinson (Reggie) and Amiri Robinson (Anita) of New York, and Naima Robinson (Armon) of Richmond; grandchildren Amanda Donnelly, Tariq Ali (Lisa), and Talia and Amira Brown; great-grandchildren Pilar Donnelly and Lauren Donnelly-Board; former wives Mira Talbott-Pope and Maj-Britt Mobrand; cousins Donald Julian, and Gregory, Dennis and Geoffrey Pete; friends; and his huge family in the East Bay and San Francisco punk and metal music community. 

Wes will be cremated at the Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland. A memorial service, to which all are invited, will be held on Saturday, Jan. 13, 3 p.m., at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle, 410 14th St. in Oakland. For more information, please call 384-4988. 

The stage for 43 Plays for 43 Presidents, Rough & Tumble’s show at LaVal’s Subterranean, is dressed a little like a quiz show, with a “Quotation” sign that lights up when somebody says something that a real player in history actually, originally said—and in fact the audience gets a little of the feel of being packed into an old-fashioned TV studio for a live broadcast show, in the days when there wasn’t much difference between show genres—games and quizzes being mixed together with comic and variety acts. 

And in practice, that’s pretty much what Rough & Tumble’s up to in this brisk, humorous entertainment. Cliff Mayotte, cofounder and artistic director, who presided over the production, notes that the 43 “short and distinct” plays, one for each chief exec, rely on “a relatively short attention span for narrative,” and a vaudevillized performing style, making the rather “bitty” sketches more than blackouts; the whole thing, with all its pitch and yaw, flows together—it runs, it plays. 

The actors, numbered One through Five, being Joshua Pollock, Norman Gee, Stewart Evan Smith, Louise Chegwidden and Arwen Anderson, are up to this ludic spirit and troupe through the roll call of who held the highest office. 

They juggle roles, play in turn narrator and chorus (besides candidates and presidents) and question each other—and, at times, the audience. The effect shifts around as quickly as the plays for each administration turn over, from farce (even burlesque) to occasional bittersweet irony. It’s a skeptical overview of American political life, but upbeat and savvy, though more a relating and acting-out of entertaining trivia than any particular critical scan. 

In the spirit of shows like that old daytime chestnut, Queen for a Day, the action really begins with a struggle over costumery—not a crown, but a blazer, with Old Glory on the back and bunting running down its lapels, as emblems of office. All the running and wrestling for it is preceded by the mythic original assumption of the title “In The Beginning,” by the only reluctant prez, The Father of His Country himself, to the tune of fife and drum, and intoning of an appropriately altered (or sampled?) reading of the first chapters of Genesis, to indicate where The Republic believes it truly issued from. 

There are British and French serpents in the Garden of the Enlightenment, however, and the various Founding Fathers who try on the presidential blazer in succession would concur with the view of God Almighty, “who peered back through history with 20th Century cynicism—weltschmerz that finds its simplest expression in the words of John Adams (as the “Quotation” sign lights up), “Let me have my farm, my family and goose quills.” 

“The history of our Revolution will be one continous lie from one end to another.” As the chorus swills Sam Adams and chortles, Ben Franklin roasts Jefferson in a men’s club get-together of the Founders, shamelessly quoting and promoting himself, books, inventions and all, and coming off like an Early American Henny Youngman (“How about that Napoleon? He’s got some kind of complex!”). A quick turnover has cue cards (to a Star-Spangled choir) detailing what happened to Madison when he chose the French serpent over the British: “And the English burned his house.” (Not a word about American plans to forcibly annex Canada.) 

The North and The South, wearing baseball caps, quarrel over slavery ... bilious and badmouthed Andrew Jackson points out how he’s not like his hoity-toity predecessors, but is “more like you!” (the audience)—and as an afterthought on Indians: “Kick ‘em out!”). Old Hickory also steers sycophantic O.K. (Old Kinderhook) Van Buren into office, and a national banking system., followed by “Tippicanoe and Tyler Too!” cheerleaders with pom-poms, who usher in the legend of the old Indian Fighter, red campaign balloons becoming Native American heads popping as he scalps them, while a narrator runs through his career as defender of Manifest Destiny, up to the rainy-day delivery of the longest inaugural address in history, followed by his death from pneumonia a month later, unsaved by the Indian snake remedies he requested—and his veep, Tyler—never elected to office—making jokes as the burst balloons are swept out. 

And so it goes, through the line of august office-holders, up to Watergate, Iran-Contra and the Fox that was Clinton versus the Hedgehog that’s George W. U.S. Grant, in reality a fascinating sensibility (and part-saviour of Noh theater), comes in for the usual razzing, just as Jimmy Carter is uncritically, if wryly, valorized, as usual. The sex life of a few White House residents is played up, FDR and Bill Clinton in particular, but not the greatest roué of them all, JFK. There’s audience participation, including a volunteer inaugurated, donning blazer and trivia-quizzed—though not reelected. 

Rough & Tumble, an Oakland-based troupe of a baker’s dozen in years, like many small companies doesn’t regularly stage productions—though their actors and director are familiar enough to Berkeley theatergoers. They’re a downhome group in every sense, skilled at their craft and sharing it and the fun they obviously have doing it. 

The run at LaVal’s is a good excuse to see their stuff. It’s upbeat and fast-paced, just comic and thoughtful enough. The name of the troupe that originally cowrote it, the Neo-Futurists of Chicago, makes it sound like avant-garde performance—but it’s less Neo-Futurist than it is Chicago in style—a Second City, Compass Players-style breezy improv-generated string of comic sketches, meant for a diverting evening. 

43 PLAYS FOR 43 PRESIDENTS 

8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays through Jan. 27 at LaVal's Subterranean Theatre. $15-20. 1834 Euclid Ave. www.randt.org.

Picture a winter’s day 30 years ago. Even in lousy weather you couldn’t wait to get outside. Explore the neighborhood, build a fort, climb a tree, head down to the pond for crawdads; you knew the limits of your adventures but they extended beyond your door. On weekends, family outings ventured into the hills or along the coast and lasted an entire day. Hiking, wildlife viewing, building castles in the sand, being outdoors in nature, giving free reign to your imagination. 

Today, our children’s lives, as well as our own, experience nature through technology, in software or through television nature programs. We know facts about global warming, the rain forest and Galapagos tortoises, but are unfamiliar with wildlife around us. Our lives cycle with little non-programmed time; parents fear unsupervised play and emphasis leans toward academic achievement. Today’s children are isolated from nature. 

In Lost Child in the Woods—Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, Richard Louv equates non-contact with the natural world to the withholding of oxygen and links this deficit to ADD, childhood obesity and depression. Doug Gibson of the San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy states, “Children develop love of nature by seeing it, smelling it, touching it”. He echoes the concerns of many—children may never develop that love of nature that drives people to fight to protect it. 

Studies have shown that the natural environment has far-reaching effects on the health of all ages, physical, psychological and cognitive, while fostering a positive environmental ethic. Who can gaze at an arrow of pelicans grazing the ocean without a sense of wonder, imagining their capture of a meal? Who can linger beneath towering cathedral redwoods without a profound sense of peace? 

It’s time to return to nature, alone, in groups, with the kids—as close as your backyard, neighborhood, or regional park. As far as the West Marin Coast and forests. There’s no time like the present. Don’t wait for the “right” day, don’t pencil in your outing between noon and 1 p.m. Give yourself time to observe, absorb the rhythms of life. Prolong the day with a thermos, snacks, a meal. 

With over 95,000 acres, 65 regional parks and 1,150 miles of trails, there’s always wilderness nearby. You can’t go wrong supporting an organization dedicated to protecting and restoring parkland and preserving critical wildlife habitat. On your own or through a naturalist-led activity, you’ll find more choices than days in a year. 

Where better to renew your acquaintance with nature than at Tilden Regional Park, at Berkeley’s backdoor? Use the Visitor Center’s exhibit telling the story of Wildcat Creek Watershed to take an imaginary walk through a land shaped by water, through native stream, woodland and chaparral. Outdoors, experience these communities and their denizens firsthand. The Jewel Lake Trail, a multi-generational crowd-pleaser, carries you by trail and boardwalk over marsh and through a jungle of foliage to a small lake, home to raccoons, ducks, turtles and a wonderful Great Blue Heron. Every weekend naturalists lead activities highlighting evergreens, slugs, salamanders, owls and newts. 

Robert Sibley Volcanic Reserve offers a geologic treasure box—volcanic dikes, mudflows and lava flows. At the Visitor Center, pick up a self-guided tour of Round Top. Walk past the cross-section of a great volcano observing the folding of rock formations resulting from uplifting and erosion. On broad trails marvel at seasonal adaptations among coyote bush, wild current, snowberry, big leaf maple and madrone. 

In Alameda, Crab Cove Visitor Center makes estuary and bay learning fun. Interactive displays peak your curiosity, leaving you hungering for more. Microscopic organisms, crab “innards,” mud flat dwellers, barnacles, anemones, an 800-gallon aquarium and the Old Wharf classroom make the park’s mission clear: marine and shore life are interdependent and worth preserving. Take your wonder outdoors to the Marine Protected Area to explore tidal pools and mudflats. 

Exquisite bay vistas, windswept bluffs, eucalyptus forests, pebble beaches and rare coastal prairie all thrive at Point Pinole creating habitat for wildlife. Within the forests, deer, owls, hawks and migrating Monarch butterflies; in the salt marshes song sparrows and harvest mice. On 12-miles of mostly level trails across 2,300 acres changes in scenery are subtle; look for patterns on eucalyptus trunks and mud flats. Pick a bench to look out across the bay or a narrow trail to explore the shore. Naturalists focus on over-wintering birds and Monarchs for activities through January. 

Point Reyes National Seashore speaks to the believer in all of us. Believers in the importance of preserving open space. So many options exist within this expanse, your head will spin. Select one and take time to get the sense of the land, feel its cadence. Consider the links that connect all living things and the ethics of our treatment of nature. 

Winter in Point Reyes means whales and elephant seals. At the Elephant Seal Overlook, elephant seals’ natural behaviors are both amazing and comical. Huge males with Durante proboscises stake out their claim before females arrive to give birth. Watch males contest dominance and mother-pup interactions. Even with eyes closed the spectacle grabs your attention—males trumpeting and pups crying. On weekends and holidays trained docents man the cliff with spotting scopes and Elephant Seal 101 data. 

Though the Lighthouse is the ideal whale-watching locale, bird-lovers are also impressed. In the cypress trees roost songbirds, warblers and grosbeaks. Soaring through thermals are hawks, turkey vultures, ravens, Peregrine falcons and common murres. Nearby Chimney Rock also offers whale-watching vantage points and blossoms with wildflowers in spring. 

The Tule Elk Preserve out to Tomales Point is home to over 500 elk on 2,600 acres of open grassland and coastal scrub. Commanding vistas are breathtaking—a cerulean Pacific Ocean, Tomales Bay and Hog Island, corrugated coastline. You’ll be transported to Scotland in the blink of an eye. 

At Drake’s Estero, a one-mile walk through a deserted Christmas tree farm brings you to a footbridge over brackish waters. Here shorebirds, herons, egrets, hawks and osprey forage for food. At low tide, the exposed mudflats come to life, while the largest Point Reyes’ harbor seal breeding site lingers nearby. 

In you’re still unconvinced of the power of nature and vision, visit Muir Woods National Monument. In 1905, William Kent secured almost 300 acres of old-growth forest in the name of America’s foremost conservationist. Over one hundred years later, we walk beneath these giants, humbled by their peace. Winter brings fungi and banana slugs to the forest floor and Coho salmon to Redwood Creek. Follow trails past named redwood groves, illustrated kiosks and ecology talks. Venture away and discover a Muir Woods all your own. 

Relish the sunshine but bring on the rain and cold. Sharpen your senses, juice up those creative brain cells; salute the natural world. Recognize what’s worth preserving. Batteries not included.  

East Bay Regional Parks 

Naturalist activities published bi-monthly in Regional In Nature and on-line. Many require advance registration. 

www.ebparks.org. 

Point Reyes National Seashore 

Ranger-guided programs are offered each weekend, check web-site for schedule. 

(415) 464-5100, www.nps.gov/pore.  

Muir Woods National Monument 

Mill Valley. (415) 388-2596, www.nps.gov/muwo.  

Photograph by Marta Yamamoto 

I went trolling through my photo files, looking for a good shot of a willow for this column. It took forever to find one—and as you can see, it’s not a beauty shot, but a short horrow show, a big tree split by last year’s windstorms. I found lots of other willows, but always lurking in foreground corners of something more spectacular: fall color on a big-leaf maple, or a sway of gray pines across a creekbed.  

I take willows for granted, true, and I blame my spoiled urban existence for that. Willows —the genus Salix—in general are among the most useful species in the world. 

A traveler seeking water in the western plains or the California foothills would scan for a line of willows in an arroyo, because they’re a sure indicator of surface water. Under their low shade, a cool drink and a cool place to drink it: a pre-twentieth century roadside rest.  

Someone looking to make a basket to hold water, to cook acorn porridge in, would seek out a stand of willows and might have coppiced it the year before, to make long straight shoots for weaving. She’d have to work fast, get the supple twigs peeled the day she picked them so the bark didn’t stick.  

Maybe she’d cut a few inches of bark and slide it from its twig whole, in a cylinder, and add a notch near one end to make a whistle for the kids. When they gave her a headache with an hour of incessant whistle-blowing, she could chew on a slice of the inner bark for that too. Willow is the original source of salicylic acid, which the original Herr Bayer modified into acetylsalicylic acid—aspirin.  

Urban life has its willow markers too. The weeping willow, Salix babylonica, (or Salix babylonica ‘Pendula’), is a cultural marker of peaceful and gracious parks, and of a certain step from utilitarian to decorative homes, in the form of Grandmother’s Blue Willow china. I know I’m not the only one who made up stories about the people on the arched bridge, the stream, the distant and different pavilion. All concealed by mashed potatoes and peas and a slice of roast beef, to be revealed slowly before dessert. 

Like the imaginary scene on the plate, weeping willow originated in China, where it was an early cultivar of a native Chinese species. I guess the association was just too strong, though, for Linnaeus and his colleagues: “By the waters of Babylon we sat and wept for thee, O Jerusalem!” That sad trope gets the weeping willow onto gravestones, too, as a stylized silhouette, an emblem of mourning for the departed.  

Our local willows—arroyo willow (S. lasiolepis) and red willow (S. laevigata) are among the most common—have no end of usefulness too. Willows make lots of a rooting hormone, indolebutyric acid, in all their tissues. This makes then champion rooters; you can stick a hank of willow twigs in the damp ground along a streambank and count on several of them to take root and grow there. I’ve seen willow fences striking roots even in desert gardens, nipping a share of the irrigation water from the squash and beans. Wattle-and-daub walls have been known to do the same, turning a simple shelter into a live house. 

Restorationists use willow to stabilize streambanks against the destructive rush of winter flood rains, and the willows that grow are streambank natives anyway so it’s all as natural as possible. Water stays clear, soil stays in place for other plants to colonize, and the ubiquitous black phoebe (or maybe a willow flycatcher) comes along to perch on a willow branch: voila! Ecosystem! 

There’s another use for that rooting habit, even closer to home. Willow water, made by soaking mashed-up willow sprigs overnight, is a great aid for getting cuttings of other plants to root too. It doesn’t keep well, so don’t try to make a season’s supply. And don’t go denuding the willows in the parks for this, either; wild species do nosh on tender willow shoots. Trust me: you don’t want to find a posse of indignant raccoons with headaches at your door with torches and pitchforks. 

Ron Sullivan is a former professional gardener and arborist. Her “Green Neighbors” column appears every other Tuesday in the Berkeley Daily Planet, alternating with Joe Eaton’s “Wild Neighbors” column. Her “Garden Variety” column appears every Friday in the Planet’s East Bay Home & Real Estate section.  

Photograph By Ron Sullivan.  

A big split in a big willow near Jewel Lake in Tilden Park. Willows generally have brittle wood, though their twigs are supple.

TUESDAY, JAN. 9 

“Stop the Violence - Share the Dream” to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr at noon at 300 Lakeside Drive, Second Floor Auditorium. 464-7139. 

Berkeley High School Governance Council meets at 4:15 p.m. in the Community Theater Lobby. Agenda items include Update on UC approved courses, Maintenance and Safety Plans and Attendance Policy. 644-4803. 

Why You Need A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care at 1:15 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. 981-5190. 

Opportunities Abounding Public Forum on Arts Education Explore ideas on creating equitable classrooms sponsored by Alliance for Arts Learning Leadership, Alameda County Office of Education at 6 p.m. at the Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave., Oakland RSVP appreciated. www.artISeducation.org 

“How to be Healthy through Holistic Therapy” with Su Jok, a therapy that uses stimulation of acupuncture points on the hand and foot to bring symptom relief, at 7 p.m. at El Cerrito Library, 6510 Stockton Ave., El Cerrito. Free, all welcome. 526-7512.  

Red Cross Blood Drive from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Port of Oakland, 530 Water St. To scheduale an appointment go to www.BeADonor.com (code PORT) 

Navigating with National Geographic Learn how to use a GPS with National Geographic mapping software at 7 p.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 527-4140. 

Family Storytime at 7 p.m. at the Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave. 524-3043. 

Berkeley Camera Club meets at 7:30 p.m., at the Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda. Share your digital images, slides and prints and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 548-3991. www.berkeleycameraclub.org 

St. John’s Prime Timers meets at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. We offer ongoing classes in exercise and creative arts, and always welcome new members over 50. 845-6830. 

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10  

Oakland Celebrates the Dream in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 78th Birthday at 11:30 a.m. in Frank Ogawa Plaza, 14th St. and Broadway. 444-2489. 

Shoreline Restoration and Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Life for middle and high school students from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline. Registration required. 704-4030. 

Volunteer in the Native Plant Nursery Help us reach our goal to plant 10,000 native wetland plants at Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline Park this winter. From 1 to 3 p.m. RSVP requested. 452-9261 ext. 109. www.savesfbay.org/bayevents  

Poetry Writing Workshop, led by Linda Elkin, at 7 p.m. at the Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. 526-3720, ext. 17.  

Financial Topics and You: College Funding at 6 p.m. at the Oakland Public Library, 125 14th St., Oakland. 238-3134. 

Julia Morgan School for Girls Admissions Information Meeting at 7 p.m. on the campus of Mills College, Oakland. For information and to register call 632-6000, ext. 125. 

The Culture of Japan at 1:15 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. 981-5190. 

Avalanche Safety Lecture with Dick Penniman at 6 p.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. Cost is $20. 527-4140. 

New to DVD “Quinceanera” at 7 p.m. at the JCCEB, 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237. 

Walk Berkeley for Seniors at 9:30 a.m. at the Sea Breeze Market, just west of the I-80 overpass. 548-9840. 

THURSDAY, JAN. 11 

Storytime for Babies & Toddlers at 10:30 a.m. Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave. 524-3043. 

World of Plants Tours at 1:30 p.m. at the UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive. Cost is $5. 643-2755. 

FRIDAY, JAN. 12 

Impeachment Banner Fridays at 6:45 to 8 a.m. on the Berkeley Pedestrian bridge between Seabreeze Market and the Berkeley Aquatic Park, ongoing on Fridays until impeachment is realized. www. Impeachbush-cheney.com 

City Commons Club Noon Luncheon with Dr. Warren Winklstein, “Science and the Heavy Hand of Government” Luncheon at 11:45 a.m. for $14, speech at 12:30 p.m., at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant St. For information and reservations call 526-2925.  

“China Blue” Screening of the documentary which won the Amnesty International Human Rights Award, at 7:30 p.m. with post-film discussion with director Micha Peled, at The College Preparatory School Buttner Auditorium at 6100 Broadway, at Brookside, Oakland. 658-5202. 

“Wind Over Water” A documentary on the offshore wind farm proposal for Cape Cod, and “Out of Balance” the impact on climate change of ExxonMobil, at 7:30 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donation of $5 acccepted. www.HumanistHall.net 

Circle Dancing, simple folk dancing with instruction at 7:30 p.m. at Finnish Brotherhood Hall, 1970 Chestnut St at University. Donation of $5 requested. 528-4253. www.circledancing.com 

“Problems and Decisions” Learn about how indecision casues stress at 7 p.m. the Berkeley Dianetics Center, 63 Shattuck Square. 280-4690. 

SATURDAY, JAN. 13 

African American Health Expo with free health screenings, healthy cooking demonstrations, information on services for youth and seniors, and more, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Oakland Mariott City Center, 1001 Broadway, Oakland. 763-7270. www.babuf.org 

Mini-Farmers in Tilden A farm exploration program, from 10 to 11 a.m. for ages 4-6 years, accompanied by an adult. We will explore the Little Farm, care for animals, do crafts and farm chores. Wear boots and dress to get dirty! Fee is $6-$8. Registration required. 636-1684. 

“Bare Root Roses for Bay Area Gardens” with Sandy Morrill at 4 p.m. at Mrs. Dalloways Books, 2904 College Ave. 704-8222. 

Nature on an Urban Fringe Explore the Berkeley Meadow of the Eastshore State Park on a 2.5 mile hike from 2 to 4:30 p.m. For information and meeting place call 525-2233. 

Solo Sierrans Bike Trip at the Marina Join us for an easy 4 mile round trip bike ride on a paved trail. All levels of riders welcome. Meet at 1 p.m. in front of Emeryville Clipper Club, 5 Captain Dr., Emeryville. RSVP to 923-1094. 

Vegetarian Cooking Class “Healthful Resolutions” from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First Unitarian Church of Oakland, 685 14th St. at Castro. Cost is $45, plus $5 materials fee. To register call 531-2665. www.compassionatecooks.com 

Great War Society East Bay Chapter meets to discuss “Alsace-Lorraine, 1914-18” by Robert Denison at 10:30 a.m. at 640 Arlington Ave. 527-7118. 

“How to Avoid Sabotaging Your Financial Success” from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.at Piedmont Adult School, 800 Magnolia Ave., Piedmont. Cost is $40. To regiser call 595-8173. www.piedmontadultschool.org 

Seminar on Osteoarthritis of the Knee at 9:45 p.m. at Mercy Retirement & Care Center, 3431 Foothill Boulevard, Oakland. Free. 534-8540. 

“Weigh to Be” Understanding your metabolism at 10 a.m. at Elephant Pahrmacy, 1607 Shattuck Ave. 549-9200. 

Studio Rasa Open House with drop-in classes and live music at 933 Parker St. Cost is $20 for the day. 843-2787. www.studiorasa.org 

Berkeley Bears Girls Fast Pitch Softball Tryouts, Sat. and Sun. at Clayton Valley High School in Concord. For details call 682-3759. www.berkeleybearssoftball.com  

The Berkeley Lawn Bowling Club provides free instruction every Wed. and Sat. at 10:30 a.m. at 2270 Acton St. 841-2174.  

Petite Pooches Playgroup for small dogs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., one block north of Solano on Ensenada at Talbot. 524-2459. 

Free Garden Tours at Regional Parks Botanic Garden Sat. and Sun. at 2 pm. Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Tilden Park. Call to confirm. 841-8732. www.nativeplants.org 

Around the World Tour of Plants at 1:30 p.m. at UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive. 643-2755.  

Car Wash Benefit for Options Recovery Services of Berkeley, held every Sat. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lutheran Church, 1744 University Ave. 666-9552. 

SUNDAY, JAN. 14 

“An Evening with Barbara Becnel” Anti-death penalty activist at Green Sunday at 5 p.m. at Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave at 65th, Oakland.  

“Open Garden” Join the Little Farm gardener for composting, planting, watering and reaping the rewards of our work, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Tilden Nature Area, Tilden Park. Cancelled only by heavy rain. 525-2233.  

“Life at the Little Farm” A puppet show and sing along for the whole family at 11 a.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

Winter Wildlife Hike Join naturalist Tara Reinertson to look for winter birds and explore the pebble beaches and salt marshes of Pt. Pinole, from 2 to 4 p.m. For meeting place call 525-2233. 

El Cerrito Historical Society Annual Meeting with speaker Wayne Westover, retired Contra Costa County Superior Court judge. Pot luck lunch at 1 p.m. at the El Cerrito Senior Center, located behind the El Cerrito Library, 6510 Stockton Ave., El Cerrito. 526-7507. 

Balinese Dance for Children begins at 11 a.m. at Ashkenaz Community Center, 1317 San Pablo Ave. Cost is $7 per class. 237-6849. 

Free Garden Tours at Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park Sat. and Sun. at 2 p.m. Call to confirm. 841-8732. www.nativeplants.org 

Lake Merritt Neighbors Organized for Peace Meet at 3 p.m. at the colonnade at the NE end of the lake. 763-8712.  

Tibetan Buddhism with Jack Petranker on “Motivation to Change” at 6 p.m. at the Tibetan Nyingma Institute, 1815 Highland Pl. 843-6812.  

MONDAY, JAN. 15 

“A Day On, Not Off” A guided walk along the shoreline with opportunity to help with planting and restoration at 8:30 a.m. at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline, Garretson Point off Edgewater Drive, Oakland. 521-6887.  

Embracing the Dream Father and Son Breakfast at 9 a.m. at the Eastside Club, McAfee Coliseum, 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland. Cost is $20, with opportunities to sponosr a young man For information call 633-5133. 

“Make the Dream Real” at 10 a.m. at Taylor Memorial Methodist Church, 1188 12th St. at Adeline, Oakland. 652-5530. 

Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a youth talent show from 2 to 5 p.m. at Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts, 1428 Alice St., Oakland. 238-7217. 

Celebrate Martin Luther King Day with activities from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Habitot Children’s Museum, 2065 Kittredge. Cost is $6 per child, $5 per adult. 647-1111. 

Berkeley CopWatch organizational meeting at 8 p.m. at 2022 Blake St. Join us to work on current issues around police misconduct. 548-0425. 

CITY MEETINGS 

Homeless Commission meets Wed., Jan. 10, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Jane Micallef, 981-5426.  

Housing Advisory Commission meets Wed. Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m., at the South Berkeley Senior Center. Oscar Sung, 981-5400.  

School Board meets Wed. Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m., in the City Council Chambers. Mark Coplan 644-6320. 

Planning Commission meets Wed., Jan. 10, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7484. 

Police Review Commission meets Wed., Jan. 10, at the South Berkeley Senior Center. 981-4950.  

Commission on Early Childhood Education meets Thurs. Jan. 11, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-5428. 

West Berkeley Project Area Commission meets Thurs., Jan. 11, at 7 p.m., at the West Berkeley Senior Center. Iris Starr, 981-7520.  

Zoning Adjustments Board meets Thurs., Jan. 11, at 7 p.m., in City Council Chambers. 981-7410.