News Updates

Berkeley High Opens Scheduling Committee Meetings to Public

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Tuesday May 26, 2009

Berkeley High School will allow the public to participate in meetings held by a committee charged with planning a new schedule for the high school, Berkeley Unified School District Superintendent Bill Huyett said Tuesday. -more-

Protesters Decry Proximity of Fast Food Outlets, Schools

By Rio Bauce Special to the Planet

Tuesday May 26, 2009

Ten Berkeley citizens and leaders of Corporate Accountability International (CAI) protested in front of McDonald’s in downtown Berkeley Tuesday to draw attention to the restaurant’s proximity to schools. -more-

Police Arrest 150 in Prop. 8 Protests in San Francisco

By Bay City News

Tuesday May 26, 2009

San Francisco police arrested at least 150 protesters this afternoon after a large crowd blocked a major intersection in response to the state Supreme Court’s ruling upholding Proposition 8, the voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage. -more-

Testimony Continues in Mehserle Hearing

By Bay City News

Tuesday May 26, 2009

OAKLAND — An Alameda County Superior Court judge said today he won’t allow witnesses to testify that they overheard former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle mention using his Taser stun gun before he fatally shot Oscar Grant III on New Year’s Day. -more-

State Election Results Impact Higher Education

By Rio Bauce Special to the Planet

Friday May 22, 2009

The defeat of five of the May 19 special election ballot initiatives means trouble for the economic future of California’s universities, colleges and community colleges. -more-

Berkeley Police Identify Homicide Suspects

By Bay City News, Special to the Planet

Saturday May 23, 2009

Two gang members who remain at large following a triple homicide in the East Bay last weekend have been identified, the Berkeley Police Department announced today. -more-

Berkeley City College Graduation

by Rio Bauce, Special to the Planet

Saturday May 23, 2009

Zellerbach Auditorium was filled to capacity Thursday, May 21, for Berkeley City College's 2009 graduation ceremony. -more-

Drop in Berkeley’s Immigrant Students Leads to Loss of Federal Funds

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Saturday May 23, 2009

A significant drop in the number of immigrant students in the Berkeley Unified School District has resulted in the loss of federal funding for some services and programs meant to help them. -more-

Police Announce Rewards in Two Recent Homicide Cases

By Bay City News Service

Friday May 22, 2009

Berkeley police have announced rewards for information leading to -more-

API Scores Show Growth for State, Berkeley Schools

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 21, 2009

Although the 2008 Base Academic Performance Index (API) report released Thursday shows progress for California’s public schools, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell warned that the mounting budget cuts to education could be a major threat to improving student achievement. -more-

News

Tentative Deal Gives Teachers A One Percent Pay Increase

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 21, 2009

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

Plaintiffs Win Pesticide Fight; Feds Withdraw Apple Moth Spray

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday May 21, 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 activ-ists and the mayors of Albany and Richmond. -more-

More Pink Slips for District Classified Staff

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 21, 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-

Competing Downtown Plans Promise Lively Council Debate

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday May 21, 2009

The Berkeley City Council got its first formal look at its competing Downtown Area plans, with disagreements erupting immediately over the differences, in-cluding a debate on whether or not the two plans were substantially different. -more-

Commissioners Finish With Downtown Plan

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday May 21, 2009

Planning commissioners gave the downtown plan a final sendoff last week, passing their approval of the plan’s environmental review on to the City Council. -more-

Council Raises Fees, Sets Timetable for Pools Plan

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday May 21, 2009

School Board Approves New Middle School Grading System

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 21, 2009

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

Education Foundation Honors Teachers, Administrators, Volunteers

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 21, 2009

Parents Question Arts Magnet Leadership

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 21, 2009

BART Moves Forward With Oakland Airport Connector

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday May 21, 2009

Problems and One Bright Spot on Biofuels Horizon

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday May 21, 2009

$1 Million Settlement in Suicide of Berkeley’s ‘Naked Guy’

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 21, 2009

Police Blotter

By Ali Winston

Thursday May 21, 2009

Zoning Board, Landmarks Will Meet to Vote on New Lab

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 21, 2009

Homicide Suspects Identified

By Bay City News Service

Thursday May 21, 2009

Obama Mural at King Middle School

Thursday May 21, 2009

Mark Coplan

Editorials

Paying for the News Upfront, Part 2

By Becky O'Malley

Thursday May 21, 2009

After what seems like years but in fact has only been months of reading everything available and going to endless panel discussions, lectures and conferences about the state of the News Biz, we’ve finally come to a conclusion. We’d like to say we were the first to have this immortal insight, but in fact it seems to be the same conclusion now being reached by our colleagues at other papers large and small. -more-