Page One

Press Release: Telegraph and Haste Open to Traffic

From Mary Kay Clunies-Ross, City of Berkeley Public Information Officer
Wednesday December 07, 2011 - 12:39:00 PM

Telegraph Avenue and Haste Street in Berkeley were both opened to vehicle and pedestrian traffic today, less than three weeks after a raging fire forced the demolition of a 39-unit apartment building at the intersection. -more-



Contractor Error Completes Destruction of Most of Berkeley Building

By Dave Blake
Tuesday December 06, 2011 - 04:18:00 PM

Last Saturday the wrecking crew employed by Kenneth and Gregory Ent, owners of the Sequoia Apartments, began demolishing what remained of the mixed-use apartment building at the northwest corner of Haste and Telegraph,which was the subject of a fire on November 18 of still undetermined origin that left the building uninhabitable, and also necessitated the evacuation of the apartment building directly west on Haste. -more-



Occupy Berkeley Survives—For Now!(News Analysis)

By Ted Friedman
Tuesday December 06, 2011 - 12:31:00 PM
A portion of the burgeoning encampment at the "other" Occupy Berkeley, Monday at MLK Civic Center Park.

It is often confused with Occupy Cal, especially on-line, has launched no major actions, and has not distinguished itself from thousands of similar-sized Occupies—but it has something that other Occupies, (including O.C.) might envy—it has survived. -more-



Berkeley Councilman Says Growing Encampment is Creating More Issues

By Jeff Shuttleworth (BCN)
Tuesday December 06, 2011 - 11:29:00 PM

The Occupy Wall Street encampment in downtown Berkeley is creating more issues now that it is growing in size but there still aren't any serious problems there, Berkeley City Councilman Jesse Arreguin said today.

The encampment in Civic Center Park, which began in early October, along with similar encampments around the country, initially had only 30 to 40 tents but now has reached about 100 tents. -more-



Public Comment

Tax Breaks for Millionaires in Berkeley at City Council Tonight

By Paul M. Schwartz
Tuesday December 06, 2011 - 09:04:00 AM

Are you fed up with Millionaires not paying their fair share of federal taxes and not paying their fair share of state taxes? If so, would you be interested in knowing the City of Berkeley has an item on their agenda to provide city tax breaks for local well heeled people? -more-


Demolition Ordinance Before Berkeley City Council Neglects Tenants

By Igor Tregub, Berkeley Rent Board Commissioner
Tuesday December 06, 2011 - 08:18:00 AM

This evening, the Berkeley City Council will be considering a framework for revisions to the ordinances governing the demolition and elimination of housing units. I believe that the language in the framework is a huge improvement over previous language that has been shared with me, as it includes provisions for tenant protections.

However, there are two gaping problems with it:

1) Although tenants of the demolished building have the right of first refusal to return to new construction that replaces it, there are almost no provisions that these new units will be at anything other than market rate. Thus, a situation similar to Park Merced in San Francisco could arise, in which low-income tenants are would be unable to move back into the new units. -more-


Editorial

Assigning Liability in Recent Berkeley "Accidents"

By Becky O'Malley
Friday December 02, 2011 - 01:02:00 PM

Accidents will happen.

That’s the truism that links the reports on the biggest Berkeley happenings in the last month, the police break-up of the Occupy Cal demonstration and the big fire which destroyed the Sequoia apartments. Something unpleasant takes place, and the people in charge report that they are shocked and surprised by the outcome—which, however, could have been predicted. -more-


The Editor's Back Fence

A Pair of Tantalizing Tales

Tuesday December 06, 2011 - 05:36:00 PM

Richard Brenneman's blog this week spotlights a remarkable report: that the UC Police Department trained with the Alameda County Sheriff's Department on campus to shut down Occupy camps, and "even more astounding: The exercise was part of a national training exercise that included elements of Israeli border police." -more-


Columns

WILD NEIGHBORS: Deception on the Lek

BY Joe Eaton
Wednesday December 07, 2011 - 12:39:00 PM
Resident Male Ruff

This is the last of what turned into a series on the female impersonators of the animal kingdom: males that temporarily or permanently mimic the females of their respective species to enhance their mating opportunities. Cuttlefish do it, as do isopods, a whole slew of fish, one snake, a couple of lizards, and at least two birds. (If the phenomenon occurs among mammals, I haven’t located any examples.) One of the birds is the western marsh-harrier, in which 40 percent of males have female-typical plumage and are not recognized as rivals by “normal” males. The other, better-known species is the ruff (Philomachus pugnax), which has a much more complicated arrangement. The Latin name translates as “combative battle-lover.” -more-


MY COMMONPLACE BOOK: (a diary of excerpts copied from printed books, with comments added by the reader.)

By Dorothy Bryant
Tuesday December 06, 2011 - 01:18:00 PM

Nothing makes you hate people as much as knowing in your heart that you are in the wrong and they are in the right. — Paul Krugman, Nobel Prize-winning economist, author, in his NY Times column, Sept. 3, 2004 -more-


ON MENTAL ILLNESS:Conclusion

By Jack Bragen
Tuesday December 06, 2011 - 09:29:00 AM

I have been writing this column for the Planet for about a year, and have covered a lot of territory about the plight and the needs of persons with mental illness. I have reached a point where it feels like it is time to do something else with my writing career. -more-


Arts & Events

AROUND AND ABOUT THEATER: Inferno Theatre's 'Adoration of the Magi' at South Berkeley Community Church

By Ken Bullock
Tuesday December 06, 2011 - 04:59:00 PM

Inferno Theatre, founded by Giulio Perrone—maybe best-known in the theater community as set designer for local professional theaters and once director at Dell'Arte School of Physical Theater in Blue Lake near Eureka—has produced some of the most interesting original work around here in the past few years: 'Galileo's Daughters' and 'The Iliad,' both at the Berkeley City Club. -more-


AROUND AND ABOUT MUSIC : Berkeley Symphony--Sarah Cahill plays Lou Harrison

By Ken Bullock
Tuesday December 06, 2011 - 01:23:00 PM

This Thursday—December 8—Berkeley Symphony, led by guest conductor Jayce Ogren, will explore the late Bay Area composer Lou Harrison's seldom-played Piano Concerto, featuring Berkeley's Sarah Cahill on the keys. Harrison, student of Henry Cowell and early promoter of Charles Ives, Alan Hovhaness and Harry Partch, among others, is known for his works in just intonation (versus equal temperament) and for composing in microtones, influenced by Indonesian, Chinese and other Asian musics. -more-


THE CHRISTMAS REVELS:Chase the Holiday Yuck with Yule

By John A. McMullen II
Tuesday December 06, 2011 - 05:04:00 PM

For thinking folks, the holidays can be conflicting and a downer. If you aren’t religious, and maybe a tad cynical like me, you might consider taking a flight to India or Peking to get away from all the “stuff” surrounding Christmas. -more-


Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Assigning Liability in Recent Berkeley "Accidents" 12-02-2011

The Editor's Back Fence

A Pair of Tantalizing Tales 12-06-2011

Public Comment

Tax Breaks for Millionaires in Berkeley at City Council Tonight By Paul M. Schwartz 12-06-2011

Demolition Ordinance Before Berkeley City Council Neglects Tenants By Igor Tregub, Berkeley Rent Board Commissioner 12-06-2011

Miami "Condo King" Wants Berkeley's Public Housing By Lynda Carson 12-02-2011

Whistling in the Dark: Berkeley Budget Woes By David M. Wilson 12-02-2011

News

Press Release: Telegraph and Haste Open to Traffic From Mary Kay Clunies-Ross, City of Berkeley Public Information Officer 12-07-2011

Contractor Error Completes Destruction of Most of Berkeley Building By Dave Blake 12-06-2011

Occupy Berkeley Survives—For Now!(News Analysis) By Ted Friedman 12-06-2011

Berkeley Councilman Says Growing Encampment is Creating More Issues By Jeff Shuttleworth (BCN) 12-06-2011

Berkeley Moves Fast To Resume Sequoia Demolition After Permit Beef Quells Jawzilla By Ted Friedman 12-02-2011

Sequoia Fire: Death Blow to Our lungs and Other Street Talk By Ted Friedman 12-04-2011

Press Release: Neighbors and Students to Participate in Seismic Compliance Day of Action in Berkeley From Igor Tregub 12-02-2011

Columns

WILD NEIGHBORS: Deception on the Lek BY Joe Eaton 12-07-2011

MY COMMONPLACE BOOK: (a diary of excerpts copied from printed books, with comments added by the reader.) By Dorothy Bryant 12-06-2011

ON MENTAL ILLNESS:Conclusion By Jack Bragen 12-06-2011

ECLECTIC RANT: Is the American Psychiatric Association in Bed with Big Pharma? By Ralph E. Stone 12-02-2011

DISPATCHES FROM THE EDGE: Pakistan: Anatomy Of A Crisis By Conn Hallinan 12-02-2011

SENIOR POWER … piqued By Helen Rippier Wheeler 12-02-2011

THE PUBLIC EYE: Occupy Wall Street: the Enthusiasm Gap By Bob Burnett 12-02-2011

WILD NEIGHBORS: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard By Joe Eaton 12-02-2011

Arts & Events

AROUND AND ABOUT THEATER: Inferno Theatre's 'Adoration of the Magi' at South Berkeley Community Church By Ken Bullock 12-06-2011

AROUND AND ABOUT MUSIC : Berkeley Symphony--Sarah Cahill plays Lou Harrison By Ken Bullock 12-06-2011

THE CHRISTMAS REVELS:Chase the Holiday Yuck with Yule By John A. McMullen II 12-06-2011