News Updates

Suspects Arrested in Weekend Murders

By Bay City News Service

Tuesday May 19, 2009

Police Monday released the names of two suspects who were arrested Saturday after a fatal shooting in Berkeley that led to a vehicle pursuit and crash in Oakland that killed two bystanders. -more-

BART Moves Forward With Oakland Airport Connector

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Tuesday May 19, 2009

With a heavy majority of the Bay Area Rapid Transit directors now on record in favor of moving forward with its $550 million Oakland Airport Connector (OAC), proponents of an alternative rapid bus route are shifting their fight to a critical funding source for the proposed project: the Port of Oakland. -more-

Bloody Saturday Night Leaves Three Dead

By Bay City News Service

Sunday May 17, 2009

Three people are dead and a fourth in police custody after a violent Saturday night that began with a murder in Berkeley and ended with a collision in Oakland that killed a motorist and a pedestrian. -more-

Education Foundation Honors Teachers, Administrators, Volunteers

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Saturday May 16, 2009

Cheese Board Collective members Cathy Goldsmith and Carrie Blake receive the Berkeley Public Education Foundation's award for distinguished business partner.

There were many celebrities at the Berkeley Public Education Foundation’s “Seeding The Vision” spring luncheon Friday, but the real stars of the evening were less conspicuous. -more-

Plaintiffs Win Pesticide Fight; Feds Withdraw LBAM Sprays

By Richard Brenneman

Friday May 15, 2009

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered a ban on two controversial sprays used to battle the light brown apple moth (LBAM), ending a lawsuit filed by attorney Stephan Volker on behalf of environmental activists and the mayors of Albany and Richmond. -more-

More Pink Slips for School District Classified Staff

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Friday May 15, 2009

Ann Butts, an eight-year Berkeley Adult School employee, was one of 10 district classified employees to receive a pink slip in the latest round of layoffs.

Berkeley Unified School District sent pink slips to 10 classified employees Thursday, May 14, informing clerks, custodians and bus drivers that they would be losing their jobs at the end of the school year. -more-

Tentative Deal Gives Teachers 1 Percent Raise for 2008-09

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Friday May 15, 2009

Berkeley teachers may have come to terms with the school district over their 2008-09 and 2009-10 contracts. -more-

News

Berkeley Dropout Rates Still High for Minorities

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 14, 2009

State schools chief Jack O’Connell released the 2007-08 dropout and graduation rate report Tuesday, May 12, calling for comprehensive reform to address the large number of California students leaving high school before getting a diploma. -more-

City Staff Propose Two-Year Budget

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday May 14, 2009

With Berkeley City Manager Phil Kamlarz saying that the city’s proposed fiscal year 2010 budget “is balanced and it looks pretty good,” Kamlarz’ office is already making preparations for what he calls “major problems” that are looming two years down the road. -more-

School District Will Review Attendance Zones to Address Overcrowding

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 14, 2009

Berkeley’s Board of Education voted unanimously April 29 to ask the school district to review classroom capacities and attendance zones to address overcrowded elementary schools. -more-

UC Berkeley Databases Hacked; Students Warned of Identity Theft

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 14, 2009

UC Berkeley officials announced Friday, May 8, that Social Security numbers and other identification had been hacked from restricted university health services databases, putting students at risk of identity theft. -more-

LeConte Students Learn About Traffic Safety

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 14, 2009

The Big Tadoo Puppet Crew paid a visit to LeConte Elementary School Tuesday to teach students about traffic safety rules. -more-

UC Berkeley Names Neil Henry New Dean of Journalism School

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 14, 2009

Berkeley Unified Gets $2.4 Million in Stimulus Funds to Offset Budget Cuts

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 14, 2009

UC Regents Approve Tuition Hike

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 14, 2009

AFSCME union workers protest the arrest of Jesus Gutierrez by UCPD officers during a rally at Sproul Plaza Wednesday, May 13.

UC Berkeley Workers, Students Protest Arrest of Immigrant Custodian

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 14, 2009

City Council Gets First Look at Downtown Area Plan

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday May 14, 2009

BART Board to Consider Airport Connector Line

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday May 14, 2009

Landmarks Commission Questions Missing Data for 740 Heinz EIR

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 14, 2009

Small Quake Hits Berkeley

By Bay City News Service

Thursday May 14, 2009

67th Street Victim Identified

Thursday May 14, 2009

Correction

Thursday May 14, 2009

First Person: A View From the Central Valley: For Me, It’s Still the ’60s on Telegraph Avenue

By Susan Hopkins

Thursday May 14, 2009

First Person: A Berkeley Treasure

By Dorothy Snodgrass

Thursday May 14, 2009

Riya Bhattacharjee

Freda Walk-a-Ton (Aima Paule) and DJ (Afi Ayanna) show LeConte Elementary School students how to walk and bike to school safely as part of Alameda County’s Safe Routes to School program.

Editorials

Privatizing Public Servants

By Becky O'Malley

Thursday May 14, 2009

A fellow who covered Berkeley city politics back in the day (in the 1990s) used to talk, not without a certain smirk, about the Berkeley 200. That would be that hardy little band of citizens who actually cared about what happened to the city and were willing to tolerate endless meetings in order to make sure that important issues were not just swept under the rug. -more-