News Updates

Future of Newspapers: Collected Stories

Tuesday February 24, 2009

Chronicle: Hearst seeks changes at Chronicle -more-

Local News Round-Up: Reports from other sources

Monday February 23, 2009

Tuesday -more-

Planners Continue Work On West Berkeley Zoning

By Richard Brenneman

Tuesday February 24, 2009

Planning commissioners will take a break from their rewrite of the Downtown Area Plan Wednesday night when they return to their revisions of West Berkeley land use rules. -more-

Environmental Review Hearing Moves Downtown Plan Closer

By Richard Brenneman

Monday February 23, 2009

With the struggle to shape the future of downtown Berkeley entering its final months, planning commissioners are moving closer to finalizing their own vision. -more-

WORTH READING: from other sources

Sunday February 22, 2009

UCB's deal with Dow Chemical produces questionable research about termite control. -more-

City Alarmed by Police Impounding Cars of Undocumented Immigrants

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Saturday February 21, 2009

Community organizers met with Berkeley city officials on Thursday to discuss concerns about the Berkeley police seizing cars of undocumented immigrants, which they said had generated fear among some Latino families. -more-

City Council to Consider Rescinding Ban on University Avenue Fast Foods

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Friday February 20, 2009

A moratorium on new fast food restaurants and convenience stores along a portion of University Avenue in downtown Berkeley may soon be lifted. The Berkeley City Council is scheduled to consider a Planning Commission recommendation to lift the ban Tuesday night, Feb. 24. -more-

AC Transit Supporters Seek to Stop MTC’s Shift of Federal Recovery Funds from Local Transit Agencies

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Friday February 20, 2009

Officials and supporters of AC Transit are mobilizing opposition to a proposal before the Metropolitan Transportation Commission that they feel could siphon away federal stimulus money from the East Bay bus agency. -more-

Berkeley Unified School District Facing State Cuts in New Budget

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Friday February 20, 2009

The state budget approved by lawmakers on Thursday to close California’s $42 billion budget deficit will impose billions of dollars in cuts on public education, leading to larger class sizes in grades K-12, fewer programs in arts and music and teacher lay-offs, officials said. -more-

Golden Gates Fields Fate Uncertain; Corporate Owner’s Stock Plunges

By Richard Brenneman

Friday February 20, 2009

After failing to raise enough cash to reorganize, the owners of Golden Gate Fields face the threat of liquidation—leaving the future of the Albany race track in doubt. -more-

News

Toward a Sustainable Planet

By Becky O'Malley

Thursday February 19, 2009

What’s with the blank front page? readers may ask. Well, what local community papers like the Daily Planet have always done, which metropolitan dailies have never done, is report in depth on local news. The fine essay Ben Bagdikian contributed to the Planet about a year ago, reprinted below, explains why this is important for democracy. -more-

The Planet and Democracy

By Ben H. Bagdikian

Wednesday February 18, 2009

This commentary was originally published in the Daily Planet on Dec. 21, 2007. Bagdikian, a Berkeley resident, is former dean of the UC Berkeley School of Journalism, former editor of the Washington Post, and the author of The New Media Monopoly. -more-

With Local Journalism in Peril, Planet’s Owners Seek Solution

By Richard Brenneman

Wednesday February 18, 2009

Confronted with the same harsh economic realities as other American newspapers, the owners of the Berkeley Daily Planet are seeking a new business model to keep community papers alive. -more-

Citizens Turn Up the Heat On Pacific Steel Again

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Wednesday February 18, 2009

Community members will take to the streets once again Saturday to protest what they called toxic emissions from the West Berkeley-based Pacific Steel Casting Company, following the publication of a report by USA Today last December which identified three Berkeley schools in the top 1 percent of the country’s most at-risk sites for exposure to dangerous toxic chemicals. -more-

UC Berkeley Wants to Buy Golden Bear Building

By Richard Brenneman

Wednesday February 18, 2009

UC Berkeley is buying the Golden Bear, the University Avenue building that sparked a major political battle 40 years ago and continues to rumble today. -more-

No More Youth Parties at Gaia Arts Center

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Wednesday February 18, 2009

Berkeley developer Patrick Kennedy announced at the Berkeley Zoning Adjustments Board meeting last week that the Gaia Arts Center in downtown Berkeley will stop renting out space for youth events in light of a series of out-of-control parties there, with the most recent one leading to shots being fired in its aftermath three weeks ago. -more-

Police Blotter

By Ali Winston

Wednesday February 18, 2009

Fire Department Log

By Richard Brenneman

Wednesday February 18, 2009

Farrakhan in Oakland to Address Grant Shooting

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Wednesday February 18, 2009

Little Action Taken After Chaotic BART Board Meeting

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Wednesday February 18, 2009

Just Four Candidates Left for AC Transit Board Seat

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Wednesday February 18, 2009

School Board Approves BHS Redesign Plan

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Wednesday February 18, 2009

Commission Expands Downtown Area for High-Rise Construction

By Richard Brenneman

Wednesday February 18, 2009

Office Vacancies Climb, But Retail Remains Solid

By Richard Brenneman

Wednesday February 18, 2009

Zoning Board Allows Thai Temple To Continue Sunday Brunch

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Wednesday February 18, 2009

In memory of Jengyee Liang, 1983-2008

By Shirley Rivera

Wednesday February 18, 2009

Mexico’s First Black President

By Ted Vincent Special to the Planet

Wednesday February 18, 2009

Editorials

Newspaper or Journal of Opinion? That’s a Good Question

By Becky O’Malley

Wednesday February 18, 2009

In the last issue of the Planet, reader Terry Doran asked some interesting questions which are central to our ongoing discussion of the future of the news. Here’s his letter again: -more-