News

Media Round-Up: local news from other sources

Wednesday February 11, 2009 - 11:05:00 AM

Wednesday -more-


Obama Justice Department Moves To Keep Apple Moth Spray Secret

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday February 10, 2009 - 06:55:00 PM

For one prominent Bay Area attorney, the bloom is already off the Obama rose. -more-


Flash: Planning Commissioners Propose Eliminating Downtown Berkeley Height Restrictions

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday February 10, 2009 - 01:40:00 PM

Four members of the Berkeley Planning Commission majority—all with ties to the building industry—have proposed effectively eliminating height restrictions in the city's downtown plan. -more-


Injured Malcolm X Kindergartner Will Receive Temporary Home Schooling

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday February 10, 2009 - 05:50:00 PM

The Malcolm X Elementary School kindergartner hit by a truck on Jan. 30 on her way to school in South Berkeley was released from Children’s Hospital in Oakland last week and will be home-schooled for at least two weeks starting today (Tuesday), Berkeley Unified School District spokesperson Mark Coplan said. -more-


Oakland Must Pay Back Measure Y Money, Says Judge

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday February 10, 2009 - 01:33:00 PM

An Alameda County Superior Court judge tentatively ruled this week that Mayor Ron Dellums "Augmented Recruitment Program of 2008" was an "impermissible use" of Measure Y violence prevention funds, and that the money spent on that program must be paid back. -more-


Downtown Plan Chapters Up for Commission’s Approval

By Richard Brenneman
Monday February 09, 2009 - 04:55:00 PM

Berkeley planning commissioners will tackle three highly volatile chapters of the proposed new Downtown Area Plan (DAP) Wednesday: Land Use, Historic Preservation & Urban Design, and Environmental Sustainability. -more-


Thai Temple Brunch Dispute Returns to Zoning Board

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Monday February 09, 2009 - 04:55:00 PM

The nearly year-long zoning battle over Sunday brunch at the Berkeley Thai Temple may finally come to an end Thursday when members request the Berkeley Zoning Adjustment Board for a permit modification which would allow the temple to sell food weekly instead of only three times annually. This proposal has sparked much opposition from a group of neighbors. -more-


Superintendent Asks School Board to Approve Berkeley High Block Schedule, Advisories—With Delays

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Monday February 09, 2009 - 01:57:00 PM

Bill Huyett, superintendent of the Berkeley Unified School District, and Jim Slemp, principal of Berkeley High School, have recommended that the Berkeley Board of Education approve the Berkeley High redesign plan—which will introduce block schedules and advisory programs among other things. -more-


Downtown Merchants Unhappy With ‘Riots’ at the Gaia Building

By Richard Brenneman
Monday February 09, 2009 - 01:57:00 PM

Downtown Berkeley merchants are tired of the Gaia Building—or at least the series of disturbances stemming from wild parties held there by the business owned by the building’s former owner and a partner. -more-


The Future of Newspapers

Friday February 06, 2009 - 01:31:00 PM

LPC Secretary Bids Adieu to Berkeley, Elmwood Theater To Get New Marquee

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday February 06, 2009 - 04:16:00 PM

Terry Blount, the first person to be hired by the city to be exclusively the secretary of the Berkeley Landmarks Preservation Commission, is leaving his position Friday (today) to become the new planning manager for Martinez in Contra Costa County. -more-


Planners Give Thumbs Down To Closed Center Street Plaza

By Richard Brenneman
Friday February 06, 2009 - 04:18:00 PM

Planning commissioners sailed through two sections of the downtown plan Wednesday, in the process diluting a call for a Center Street pedestrian plaza. -more-


Facing Budget, Berkeley School Board Says ‘Prepare for the Worst'

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday February 06, 2009 - 01:42:00 PM

With the Berkeley Unified School District facing nearly $9 million in cuts over the next two years from California’s worsening economic crisis, the Berkeley Board of Education cautioned the public last week that the time has come “to prepare for the worst.” -more-


Monday February 09, 2009 - 09:46:00 AM

Far-Reaching New State Law May Reshape the Bay Area

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 07:00:00 PM

Editor’s note: This is the first of two articles on major changes in California development law. -more-


Study Reveals Impacts of New Downtown Plan

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday February 05, 2009 - 03:07:00 PM

The plan for Berkeley’s downtown results from the conjunction of two powerful sources arising outside the city itself. -more-


West Berkeley Zoning Battle Fills Planning Commission Seats

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 07:01:00 PM

The struggle over West Berk-eley’s future brought a packed house of worried small business owners, craft workers and artists to the Planning Commission last week. -more-


Video of Friday Shooting Incident in Downtown Berkeley

Received from a reader on Monday
Thursday February 05, 2009 - 10:12:00 AM

I came across the article today about the shots shutdown at the GAIA building on Friday night. I was walking home through downtown Berkeley when the shots were fired. It was disappointing to have no mention on it from ANY bay area news source over the entire weekend. The berkeley police don't even appear to mention it in their bulletin. We had no idea what was happening - or what happened.. Police were out in force and even closed off the streets... Allston, Center, etc. Anyway, the article raised doubt as to how many shots were fired. I came across this video taken during the shots fired... there were 3 - they happened just after halfway. -- Moni -more-


Police Shut Down Party At Gaia Arts Center

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:58:00 PM

The Berkeley Police Department shut down yet another party at the Gaia Arts Center in downtown Berkeley Friday night after it attracted a large unruly crowd that blocked streets at Shattuck Avenue and Allston Way. Gunshots were fired in its aftermath, authorities said Saturday. -more-


Elephant Pharm Closes

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:59:00 PM

Elephant Pharm, which opened in Berkeley six years ago as a pharmacy promoting holistic health merchandise, closed down its three stores and declared bankruptcy Tuesday, blaming the economic downturn and the tightening of the credit market. -more-


Malcolm X Kindergartner Expected to Survive

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:45:00 PM
The intersection where the elementary school student was struck by a car.

The Malcolm X kindergartner hit by a car last Friday on her way to school in South Berkeley was moved from intensive care to a regular surgery recovery room at Children’s Hospital Wednesday and will start therapy soon on her fractured clavicle, according to authorities. -more-


BHS Redesign Attracts Critics, Supporters

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:57:00 PM

The group of parents, teachers, administrators and students from Berkeley High School who spoke in support of introducing block schedules and advisory programs during a Berkeley Board of Education meeting Wednesday were joined by an equally vociferous bunch who criticized the proposed overhaul, citing research, personal experience and an online petition to prove their point. -more-


Dellums Hires New Staff With Berkeley Backgrounds

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:44:00 PM

Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums—who once served as a member of the Berkeley City Council before being elected to Congress from the East Bay—has reached into his Berkeley roots to fill several key Oakland City Hall staff positions. -more-


Citizens vs. Caltrans Suit Wins Berkeley Road Improvements

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:43:00 PM

Caltrans will fund $2 million in improvements to Highway 13 in Berkeley as the result of negotiations with neighborhood activists who had filed suit challenging the state’s plans to drill a fourth bore for the Caldecott Tunnel. -more-


Police Blotter

By ALI WINSTON
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:40:00 PM

Foiled robbery -more-


Charles ‘Ozzie’ Osborne, 1919-2009

By Derk Richardson Special to the Planet
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:39:00 PM

Charles Glenn “Ozzie” Osborne, proprietor of the legendary Elmwood Soda Fountain for nearly 40 years, died in the early morning hours of Thursday, Jan. 29. He was 89 years old. -more-


$2 Million Bail for Frat Row Murder Suspect

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:41:00 PM

Acknowledging that Andrew Hoeft-Edenfield, charged with murdering UC Berkeley graduate Chris Wootton in May posed a threat to the community and a flight risk, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Morris Jacobson set his bail at $2 million Monday. -more-


Judge Grants $3 Million Bail For BART Police Officer

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:42:00 PM

While protesters and the family of Oscar Grant III reacted with anger and anguish to the announcement that former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle would be granted bail Friday afternoon, the most significant action taken at last week’s bail hearing may have been the words directed to the former officer by the Alameda County Superior Court judge in charge. -more-


BART Hands Over Grant Murder Investigation

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:42:00 PM

Bay Area Rapid Transport (BART) announced last week that it will turn over its internal affairs investigation to an independent third party that will inspect the actions of all the officers involved in the events leading up to the killing of Oscar Grant on New Year’s Day at the Fruitvale station in Oakland. -more-


More Bad News for East Bay, Los Angeles Journalists

By Richard Brenneman
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:42:00 PM

The downward spiral of West Coast newspapers continues, with most East Bay reporters now scrambling to figure out just when to take an unpaid week off. -more-


School Board Approves Funds For Development of 2020 Vision

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Wednesday February 04, 2009 - 06:58:00 PM

The Berkeley Board of Education last week unanimously approved a $50,000 contract with the nonprofit Berkeley Alliance to oversee the process of developing a citywide plan to close the achievement gap for minority students, as outlined by the 2020 Vision, a partnership started by the City of Berkeley, the Berkeley Unified School District and a group of community organizations in June. -more-