Mourners lit candles at the end of Thursday night’s memorial service for Anita Gay, who was fatally shot outside her South Berkeley apartment by a police officer Feb. 16.
By Richard Brenneman
Mourners lit candles at the end of Thursday night’s memorial service for Anita Gay, who was fatally shot outside her South Berkeley apartment by a police officer Feb. 16.

Extra

Council Calls for Full Court Press to Stop Spray

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday February 26, 2008

Posted Wed., Feb. 27—The state secretary of agriculture failed to convince the Berkeley City Council Tuesday night that aerial spraying of a pesticide to eradicate the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) is either necessary or benign. -more-



Page One

Councilmember Promises Probe Of Anita Gay Shooting

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday February 26, 2008

Tears, sobs, angry words, whispered remembrances and promises of action punctuated Thursday night’s gathering in a South Berkeley church to honor the memory of a grandmother fatally shot by police on the night of Feb. 16. -more-



Assembly Resolutions Attack Moth Spraying Plan

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday February 26, 2008

Five assemblymembers introduced a swarm of resolutions Friday aimed at changing state rules that give the agriculture department secretary the authority to order aerial pesticide spraying after declaring an emergency due to the invasion of a pest. -more-



South Berkeley Man Killed; Police Reveal Few Details

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday February 26, 2008

Callers flooded the police switchboard moments before midnight Sunday with reports of shots fired in the 1500 block of Harmon Street. -more-



Wozniak Wants Two Readings For Peace and Justice Items

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday February 26, 2008

After Move America Forward took aim at a Berkeley City Council item approved Jan. 29 asking the city manager to write the Marines saying their recruiters were “unwelcome intruders” in Berkeley—and council supporters took to the streets to face off with MAF and to ask the council not to back down—the council softened its language, agreeing not to write the letter. Instead, on Feb. 12, it publicly reiterated support for the troops and opposition to the war. -more-



Dellums’ Police Proposal to Get Further Vetting

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday February 26, 2008

Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums has run into a City Council delay in fast-tracking an Oakland Police Department enhanced recruitment plan, but it remains to be seen how much that delay is due to political, policy, or fiscal concerns, and how long that delay will last. -more-



Features

Kavanagh Pleads Guilty to One Charge

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday February 26, 2008

In a plea agreement Friday, former Rent Stabilization Boardmember Chris Kavanagh pleaded no contest to one felony count of improperly registering to vote in Berkeley, when he actually lived in Oakland. -more-


Child-Caused Blaze Burns Lincoln St. House

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday February 26, 2008

Three Berkeley youths, the youngest a 6-year-old, have been criminally charged with setting the blaze that nearly destroyed a vacant home at 2050 Lincoln St. on Feb. 17. -more-


Council to Discuss Crime, Blood House

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday February 26, 2008

In addition to the discussion of the Light Brown Apple Moth and Councilmember Gordon Wozniak’s item to hear resolutions from the Peace and Justice Commission twice (see page one), the council will be looking at a number of other critical issues at its meeting tonight. -more-


Pixar Awaits Approval for West Berkeley Day Care Center

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday February 26, 2008

West Berkeley could soon be home to a child care center for Disney Pixar employees if the city’s Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) approves a variance for the proposed project Thursday. -more-


Restaurant Proposed for Act 1&2 Theatre Site

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday February 26, 2008

Developer Patrick Kennedy will ask Berkeley’s Zoning Adjustments Board for a blanket use permit Thursday to establish a 13,974-square-foot full-service upscale restaurant and bar at the former location of the Act 1&2 Theatre. -more-


Reader Report: Grandmothers Provide Supplies to Tree-Sitters

By Matthew Taylor
Tuesday February 26, 2008

UC police tried to physically prevent food, water, and supplies from reaching treesitters on Feb. 19, but failed in the face of determined efforts by grandmothers, students, and community members. Officers pushed, shoved, and used pain compliance techniques before giving up, as supporters sent supplies to the treesitters and sang “We shall not be moved.” -more-


BUSD Heads to Sacramento to Protest Education Cuts

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday February 26, 2008

Berkeley Unified School District officials and parents will be in Sacramento Wednesday to protest Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger’s proposal to slash school funding by $4.8 billion over the next 18 months. -more-


Hamill Announces Candidacy for Oakland City Council

J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday February 26, 2008

What a difference a weekend makes in politics. -more-


East Bay Climate Great for Cultivating Herbs

By Shirley Barker, Special to the Planet
Tuesday February 26, 2008

Surely the healthiest diet in the world is vegetarian, the one which balances the complementary proteins found in whole grains and legumes, which features a wide variety of brightly colored fruits and vegetables, and which is augmented by judicious amounts of dairy products. -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Tuesday February 26, 2008

Commentary: Hospital Plans Cause Stress for Neighbors

By Bob Schenker
Tuesday February 26, 2008

I awoke this morning feeling hung over from another evening of verbal mayhem. The venue: another meeting of the public with officials of Children’s Hospital Oakland. I dread these events because they are stressful and worse, seemingly completely unproductive: residents of the neighborhood voices sharp, hands gesticulating, hospital officials trying to look concerned and sincere, nodding and taking notes. -more-


Commentary: The Plentitude of Substantially Diluted Media

By Rizwan A. Rahmani
Tuesday February 26, 2008

Every four years we are subjected to a barrage of visual and aural assaults by the mainstream media—abuzz with news about the presidential campaign and the candidates. This time around the primaries have been particularly irritating, considering it started about a year ago, and the actual election is still nine months away! As far as a year or so ago, you started to hear such mundane questions as, if Hillary will run for the office or how Giuliani will fare against Hillary? This at a time, when much more important national issues were at hand regarding war and constitutional dalliances by the current administration? The amount of watered downed, insipid, corporate agenda-laced, shallow coverage of our political process has only been exacerbated by cable news and the new corporate owners. We have only Ted Turner to thank for it. The cable news media’s self professed, expert political talking heads (usually qualified by a caption), spout their biased, non-independent, political drivel as infallible commandments that we are to accept like believers. The worst part of all this is that there isn’t any other single authoritative source available to us as an alternative. -more-


Commentary: Hey, CARB! More Recycling, Please

By Arthur Boone
Tuesday February 26, 2008

On Feb. 28, the Economic and Technology Advancement Advisory Committee (ETAAC) will make its final report to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), giving its ideas on how California can reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As a 21-person committee comprised primarily of academic and business interests, the ETAAC has been charged to be the “big-picture” think tank on what California people, governments, and businesses need to do to stop the threat of global warming. (Climate change is now no longer au courant; GW is straight up; CC is a weasel word.) -more-


Commentary: Climate Action Plan is Far-Sighted, But Needs to Be Boldly Nearsighted, Too

By Alan Tobey
Tuesday February 26, 2008

There is much to praise in Berkeley’s new draft Climate Action Plan. The goal of reducing our climate-warming greenhouse gases by 80 percent before 2050 is a bold and needed one, as 81 percent of voting Berkeleyans agreed via Measure G in 2006. The vision presented is attractive and inspiring: Berkeley as a greener city with a more sustainable economy. A Berkeley less dependent on the private gasoline-powered automobile and more supportive of walkable full-service neighborhoods, housing more of our own workers. A Berkeley using more regionally-produced food and more locally-produced renewable energy, and no longer sending our waste to landfills. And a Berkeley more lively and prosperous as an inspiring urban place. -more-


Statement from Chris Kavanagh

By Chris Kavanagh
Tuesday February 26, 2008

The Feb. 22 plea agreement reached between myself and the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office reflects the reality that since my 2002 election, I complied with the City of Berkeley’s residency requirement to hold public office as a Rent Stabilization Board commissioner—with the exception of a period of time during parts of 2006 and 2007 when I involuntarily lost my Berkeley home. The original and potentially very serious counts and allegations filed against me have been dismissed, and a single, technical violation of the California election code was agreed to. -more-


Editorial

Editorial: Stuck With Bill’s Bills

By Becky O'Malley
Tuesday February 26, 2008

“I am never forget the day I first meet the great Lobachevsky. -more-


Columns

Wild Neighbors: Globetrotting Rodents: The Odyssey of the Black Rat

By Joe Eaton
Tuesday February 26, 2008

It’s the Year of the Rat again‚—but which rat? For most of us “rat” signifies Rattus norwegicus, the Norway, brown, sewer, or wharf rat, progenitor of all those rats in all those labs, whose original homeland was northern China. But a case could be made for a less-well-known relative with roots in Asia: Rattus rattus, the black, roof, house, or ship rat. -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Tuesday February 26, 2008

Eastwind Books on University Avenue specializes in books from various Asian cultures, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, 
                    Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian, Hmong, Hawaiian, Indian, Tibetan, Pakistani, Malaysian, Filipino, and Indonesian.

Books: Eastwind Books Provides Literary Hub for Asian Community

By Anna Mindess, Special to the Planet
Tuesday February 26, 2008

‘Wakefield, or Hello Sophia’ at Central Works

By Ken Bullock, Special to The Planet
Tuesday February 26, 2008

Paul Robeson leads Moore Shipyard Workers in singing “The Star Spangled Banner” in Oakland in September 1942.

La Peña Celebrates Words and Life of Paul Robeson

By Deb Schneider, Special to the Planet
Tuesday February 26, 2008

Wilde Irish Stages Centennial Bash for Irish National Theatre

By Ken Bullock, Special to The Planet
Tuesday February 26, 2008

Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Tuesday February 26, 2008

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: Stuck With Bill’s Bills 02-26-2008

Editorial: Wasting Resources on the Wrong Problems 02-22-2008

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 02-26-2008

Commentary: Hospital Plans Cause Stress for Neighbors By Bob Schenker 02-26-2008

Commentary: The Plentitude of Substantially Diluted Media By Rizwan A. Rahmani 02-26-2008

Commentary: Hey, CARB! More Recycling, Please By Arthur Boone 02-26-2008

Commentary: Climate Action Plan is Far-Sighted, But Needs to Be Boldly Nearsighted, Too By Alan Tobey 02-26-2008

Statement from Chris Kavanagh By Chris Kavanagh 02-26-2008

Marine Recruitment Letters 02-22-2008

Letters to the Editor 02-22-2008

Commentary: Developer Money in Local Elections By Stephen Wollmer 02-22-2008

Commentary: Peace, Patriotism and Politeness By Kriss Worthington 02-22-2008

Commentary: DeMint’s Proposal to Cut City’s Federal Funding By Andrew Phelps and Sue Poole 02-22-2008

Commentary: If You Can’t Take the Time, Stay Out of the Garden By Carol Denney 02-22-2008

Commentary: In Memory of Fred Lupke: Fund the Warm Water Pools By Nancy Carleton 02-22-2008

Commentary: Hopelessly Befuddled or Dangerously Devious? By George Oram 02-22-2008

News

Council Calls for Full Court Press to Stop Spray By Judith Scherr 02-26-2008

Councilmember Promises Probe Of Anita Gay Shooting By Richard Brenneman 02-26-2008

Assembly Resolutions Attack Moth Spraying Plan By Judith Scherr 02-26-2008

South Berkeley Man Killed; Police Reveal Few Details By Richard Brenneman 02-26-2008

Wozniak Wants Two Readings For Peace and Justice Items By Judith Scherr 02-26-2008

Dellums’ Police Proposal to Get Further Vetting By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 02-26-2008

Kavanagh Pleads Guilty to One Charge By Judith Scherr 02-26-2008

Child-Caused Blaze Burns Lincoln St. House By Richard Brenneman 02-26-2008

Council to Discuss Crime, Blood House By Judith Scherr 02-26-2008

Pixar Awaits Approval for West Berkeley Day Care Center By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-26-2008

Restaurant Proposed for Act 1&2 Theatre Site By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-26-2008

Reader Report: Grandmothers Provide Supplies to Tree-Sitters By Matthew Taylor 02-26-2008

BUSD Heads to Sacramento to Protest Education Cuts By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-26-2008

Hamill Announces Candidacy for Oakland City Council J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 02-26-2008

East Bay Climate Great for Cultivating Herbs By Shirley Barker, Special to the Planet 02-26-2008

La Peña Celebrates Words and Life of Paul Robeson By DEB SCHNEIDER Special to the Planet 02-22-2008

City Councilmember Promises Probe of Anita Gay Shooting By Richard Brenneman 02-22-2008

UC Removes Ropes at Oak Grove Protest, Erects Extra Barricade By Richard Brenneman and Riya Bhattacharjee 02-22-2008

Anger, Lawsuit Threats Follow Police Shooting Of Berkeley Grandmother By Richard Brenneman 02-22-2008

PRC, Copwatch Want Answers On Shooting by Police Officer By Judith Scherr 02-22-2008

Critics Organize Against Apple Moth Spraying In East Bay By Judith Scherr 02-22-2008

Basketball Threat Leads to Cold Case Murder Bust By Richard Brenneman 02-22-2008

Cody’s to Move Downtown, Leave 4th Street By Judith Scherr 02-22-2008

Council Appears Close, No Deal Yet on Affordable Housing By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 02-22-2008

Thousand Oaks to Receive Bolton Bequest Funds By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-22-2008

More Candidates File for Oakland Council, School Board By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 02-22-2008

Columns

Wild Neighbors: Globetrotting Rodents: The Odyssey of the Black Rat By Joe Eaton 02-26-2008

Column: The Public Eye: Next Time, Check Your Sources and Read the Planet By Zelda Bronstein 02-22-2008

Column: Undercurrents: Underlying Currents Run Through Oakland’s Debates By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 02-22-2008

East Bay Then and Now: William Wharff: Architect, Civil War Vet and Mason By Daniella Thompson 02-22-2008

Garden Variety: Grow Local Heirlooms and Have a Good Time Too By Ron Sullivan 02-22-2008

About the House: Some Notes on Building a Fire By Matt Cantor 02-22-2008

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 02-26-2008

Books: Eastwind Books Provides Literary Hub for Asian Community By Anna Mindess, Special to the Planet 02-26-2008

‘Wakefield, or Hello Sophia’ at Central Works By Ken Bullock, Special to The Planet 02-26-2008

La Peña Celebrates Words and Life of Paul Robeson By Deb Schneider, Special to the Planet 02-26-2008

Wilde Irish Stages Centennial Bash for Irish National Theatre By Ken Bullock, Special to The Planet 02-26-2008

Wild Neighbors: Globetrotting Rodents: The Odyssey of the Black Rat By Joe Eaton 02-26-2008

Berkeley This Week 02-26-2008

Arts Calendar 02-22-2008

The Theater: Richards’ ‘Come Home’ Comes to SF’s The Marsh By Ken Bullock, Special to The Planet 02-22-2008

Contra Costa Civic Theatre Stages ‘The Cocoanuts’ By Ken Bullock, Special to The Planet 02-22-2008

East Bay Then and Now: William Wharff: Architect, Civil War Vet and Mason By Daniella Thompson 02-22-2008

Garden Variety: Grow Local Heirlooms and Have a Good Time Too By Ron Sullivan 02-22-2008

About the House: Some Notes on Building a Fire By Matt Cantor 02-22-2008

Berkeley This Week 02-22-2008