After months of negotiations, Berkeley has reached a tentative six-year contract with its four municipal labor unions representing 60 percent of the city’s work force, city and union leaders said Monday. -more-
Recently the City Council heard a request from members of the community to place a charter amendment on the November ballot requiring the school district to conduct performance audits. The city attorney responded by asking an attorney with experience in this area for an opinion as to whether the city has the power to do this. The reply was that the district is already required to provide a “yearly audit of its books and performance,” and that there was no evidence that the current audit structure needed to be fixed or that the request to require a performance audit was workable. As a consequence, the proposal was derailed and sent to the Joint City-School District “2x2” Committee and the superintendent of schools. The council also directed staff to seek a further opinion from the Attorney General. -more-
Teachers and community leaders are fuming about a cost-cutting move to fold Berkeley High School’s historic African-American studies department into one or several other departments. -more-
LOS ANGELES — Citing jury misconduct, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Monday ordered a new trial in the Oakland Raiders’ $1.2 billion conspiracy lawsuit against the National Football League. -more-
City Councilmember Linda Maio continues to explore the possibility of spaying and neutering Berkeley raccoons, considered a nuisance by many, despite a public outcry over the proposal. -more-
Frank and Veronica Thomas stood in disbelief on the blood-stained Berkeley street where their 7-year-old granddaughter was struck on her bike by a police car while visiting a relative Saturday. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Al Gore harshly criticized President Bush’s push for war against Iraq, saying it has hurt the United States’ standing and could dangerously undermine the rule of law around the world. -more-
Volunteers with Berkeley’s Ohlone Greenway Group are introducing one of three new public art installations as “four steel cows with distinctive personalities.” -more-
OAKLAND — A $2.4 million federal public works grant to start infrastructure design at the closed Oakland Army Base was announced Monday. -more-
Purchasing a home can be a complex process, especially for first-time homebuyers. There are many forms to read and fill out, including termite inspections, appraisals, and of course, financing details. One form that is often passed on to the buyer is an acceptance of the responsibility for compliance with the Residential Energy Conservation Ordinance (RECO). -more-
LOS ANGELES — California became the first state in the country to enact a comprehensive paid family leave program for workers under a bill signed Monday by Gov. Gray Davis. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — The state Department of Transportation has reversed course on how it will comply with a judge’s order to treat U.S. flags and banners the same, saying Monday it now will remove them all from highway overpasses because of concerns about safety. -more-
Berkeley police say they are looking for people who may have witnessed an armed robbery at the Cambridge Sound Works store at 2350 Shattuck Ave., Sept. 15, even though witnesses may not have known what was going on. -more-
The Pacifica Foundation radio network will return to Berkeley by March, three years after it fled the city amid protests and lawsuits. -more-
For three weeks the Cal football team took advantage of just about every opportunity it had. On Saturday against Air Force Academy, missing out on those opportunities cost the Golden Bears their undefeated season. -more-
For a city that has changed immeasurably since its hippie heyday, Telegraph Avenue can sometimes seem a land suspended in time. But some peace activists say that after this weekend, it will never be the same. -more-
SACRAMENTO – California opened its doors Sunday to stem cell researchers whose research has been restricted by a federal limits on the cells that come from fetal and embryonic tissue. -more-
Cornerstone principles of Berkeley Reads – the city library’s free adult literacy program – are fostering voice and action. A new publication of student writings demonstrates these ideas. -more-
Feminists objected loudly in 1997 to the content of Neil LaBute’s striking but misogynistic film “In the Company of Men.” In that tale, two corporate Gen-X guys abused and humiliated a woman for fun. -more-
The Berkeley Yellowjackets went into halftime of Friday’s game against Liberty High a team looking for their hearts. As they proved in the second half, the Jackets have plenty of it. -more-
Mayor Shirley Dean was dealt a blow by the city’s Fair Campaign Practices Commission Thursday, when commissioners found the mayor, who is rapt in her bid for re-election, to be in “probable violation” of Berkeley campaign finance law. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
PITTSBURGH — When Willie Nelson helped start Farm Aid in 1985, he and the other organizers — John Mellencamp and Neil Young — held out hope their message about the plight of America’s small family farmers would be heard, and Congress would react. -more-
St. Mary’s High squandered a 20-7 halftime lead and lost, 29-20, at El Cerrito High Friday night. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
When Cal has the ball -more-
With Berkeley’s coffers low, Councilmember Betty Olds wants the city to reduce one of its more frustrating expenses: zoning appeals. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
BERLIN — With an oblique but damaging comparison between George Bush and Adolf Hitler hanging over the final hours of his re-election campaign, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder sought Friday to defuse tensions in a conciliatory letter to the U.S. president. -more-
A step in the fight against breast cancer was made last weekend, when sports and entertainment celebrities raised $200,000 at Berkeley’s Alta Bates Summit 2000 Celebrity Classic. -more-
ALAMEDA – Alameda city officials have announced plans for a memorial service for Mayor Ralph Appezzato, who apparently commit suicide Monday. He was 67. -more-
OAKLAND – Three unrelated shootings overnight in Oakland pushed the city's number of homicides this year to 84, police officials said. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Like any proud father, Ted Benna takes pride in the accomplishments of his brainchild, the 401(k) account. -more-
Educators hope a joint doctorate program between two educational systems will create more accessible and affordable education, while bolstering urban school district leadership throughout the Bay Area. -more-
SACRAMENTO — Rural California counties will receive more than $20 million for crime prevention efforts under two bills signed Friday by Gov. Gray Davis. -more-
SAN JOSE — The Silicon Valley looked itself in the mirror Friday, and what it saw was scary. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — A new study by two Stanford University scientists could shake up a long-held theory that helps geologists forecast earthquakes. -more-
WASHINGTON — The first northern right whale calf to be seen in the eastern North Pacific Ocean in perhaps a century was reported by the National Marine Fisheries Service on Friday. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
In “Les Miserables” Jean Valjean stole a loaf of bread to feed his starving family and got in big trouble. In Dario Fo’s “We Won’t Pay, We Won’t Pay,” a contemporary housewife struggling to make ends meet helps ransack a grocery store, and gets in big trouble, too – but with a significant difference: “Les Miserables” is earnest, high-flown drama, while “We Won’t Pay” is farce. -more-
Junior Jeff Spellman will start at quarterback for Berkeley High in the Yellowjackets’ season opener tonight, head coach Matt Bissell confirmed Thursday. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
The Cal women’s volleyball team is undefeated this season – in fact, they haven’t even lost a game. At 9-0 with three tournament championships to their credit, the Bears are off to the best start in school history. But they face their biggest challenge of the season today when they face defending national champion Stanford. -more-
BANGKOK, Thailand — It’s in the running for several Emmys on Sunday. But “Sex and the City” has long been on a winning streak with viewers — and not only in the United States. -more-
WASHINGTON – President Bush asked Congress Thursday for authority to “use all means,” including military force if necessary, to disarm and overthrow Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein if he does not quickly meet United Nations demands that he abandon all weapons of mass destruction. -more-
The letters KRUDT are etched in scratched, block letters on one of the small windows at Cody’s Books on Telegraph Avenue. The mark, likely the sign of a criminal street tagger, is just one of 17 defaced glass panes at the bookstore. -more-
OAKLAND — A man died Wednesday night after his car collided with a vehicle driven by a fleeing carjacker. -more-
OAKLAND – Police report that a man was shot multiple times Wednesday evening near the intersection of 98th Avenue and Empire Road. -more-
OAKLAND — The well-known leader of a Black Muslim group was arrested Thursday for allegedly molesting a girl 20 years ago. -more-
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE— The launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile Thursday night provided a spectacular light show that was seen over much of California and as far away as Arizona. -more-
Gov signs $9.95 billion bond bill to boost high-speed rail -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — The California Public Utilities Commission voted Thursday to forward SBC Pacific Bell’s request to enter the long distance market to the Federal Communications Commission, but found that Pac Bell does not comply with a state law designed to prevent anticompetitive behavior, Commission Jeff Brown said. -more-
If you’ve been curious about community gardens, composting, and urban agriculture, this weekend may be the chance to educate yourself. -more-
LOS ANGELES — County health officials warned Thursday of a marked increase in cases of whooping cough, the highly contagious disease that can cause weeks of severe coughing. -more-
MOFFETT FIELD — Veteran NASA manager G. Scott Hubbard has been appointed director of the space agency’s Ames Research Center, officials announced Thursday. -more-
Bicycle enthusiasts met with the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission Thursday to lobby for access to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. -more-
OAKLAND — California transportation officials announced plans Thursday to divide the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge project into six separate contracts to involve more small and disadvantaged businesses. -more-
OAKLAND – The Oakland Police Department airport bureau said tonight that officers are investigating a report that an individual listed by the federal government as possibly connected with terrorist activity was inside Oakland International Airport. -more-
SAN JOSE — On the night he learned his daughter’s charred body had been found in a car trunk near Yosemite National Park, a despondent Jose “Pepe” Pelosso set off to throw himself in front of a freight train. -more-
Last spring residents at 10th Street and Allston Way in west Berkeley demanded help. Their corner had been invaded by out-of-town drug dealers, they said, who intimidated neighbors and forced parents to keep their kids indoors. -more-
When is it healthy to dream of success, and when does that dreaming turn into dark and pathological obsession? That question comes to mind watching John Guare’s 1971 New York Drama Critics Circle award winning play “The House of Blue Leaves,” which Berkeley Repertory Theater is running. It’s a rich, disturbing production on the Roda stage in downtown Berkeley. -more-
The Cal football team is a shocking 3-0 to start the season. The Golden Bears just took down Michigan State, considered by many to be a favorite to win the Big Ten. This Saturday they play a service academy team, not exactly a traditional football powerhouse. So why do the Bears sound so worried? -more-
The University of California’s chief budget official said further state cuts and voter rejection of a $13 billion construction bond in November would have grave impacts on the nine-campus system. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
I first saw “A Winter’s Tale” in Shakespeare’s hometown, Stratford-upon-Avon. That was more than 30 years ago, but I still remember the program note informing the audience that both Hermione and her daughter Perdita would be played by an up-and-coming young British actress. -more-
The taxi driver scheduled to pick up Muslim speakers Wednesday for a UC Berkeley conference on Islam backed out at the last minute. -more-
A small group of UC Berkeley students and activists called on the University of California to divest from Israel at a UC Board of Regents meeting in San Francisco Wednesday. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
UNITED NATIONS — Bucking an anti-war mood among their U.N. Security Council partners, the United States and Britain began crafting a toughly worded resolution Wednesday that would narrow the timetable for Iraqi compliance with weapons inspections and authorize force if Iraq fails to cooperate, diplomats said. -more-
UC Berkeley students were treated to a celebrity visit Wednesday when professional basketball player Adonal Foyle of the Golden State Warriors spoke about Democracy Matters, a nonprofit organization he founded a year- and-a-half ago. Democracy Matters’ goal is campaign finance reform. Foyle believes politicians should be -more-
The California Department of Forestry has issued a high fire danger alert in the North and East Bay Area hills for today. -more-
FOLSOM — Critics say the head of the agency that manages most of California’s power grid could have a conflict of interest because he also serves as attorney for a company that does millions of dollars of business with the grid operator. -more-
OAKLAND — A rookie cop who turned in three fired police colleagues now on trial for beating suspects and falsifying reports, testified Wednesday about how he was taught to “hit corners” and fabricate reports to cover his tracks. -more-
Q: I own my home in Berkeley, and I would like to share it with a roommate. Will I have trouble getting rid of the roommate if things don’t work out? -more-
LOS ANGELES — West Coast ports headed toward the brink of a major labor stoppage Wednesday as negotiators for shippers and terminal operators accused dockworkers of staging a work slowdown and threatened to retaliate by locking out workers at all 29 ports. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Sun Microsystems unveiled its latest long-range plan to take another swipe at Microsoft’s desktop dominance as the company took the wraps off “Project Mad Hatter,” a new line of low-cost computers powered by the Linux operating system and geared toward workplace environments. -more-
State Attorney General Bill Lockyer on Wednesday released annual statistics on anti-Arab hate crimes showing a roughly 15 percent spike in such incidents following last September's terrorist attacks. -more-
The county has rejected Berkeley Unified School District’s budget for the second straight year, citing a $3.9 million deficit and a vague financial recovery plan, county officials said Tuesday. -more-
The fight for mayor has a new battleground – campaign finance. -more-
A BART scheduling change designed to ease travel to the San Francisco International Airport has added up to five minutes to the Berkeley-San Francisco-Daly City commute, raising concern among riders and public transit advocates. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
City Council voted Tuesday to keep West Campus Pool open this winter and to investigate ways to keep Willard Pool open as well. -more-
SACRAMENTO — Nearly all the blackouts that swept California during the state’s 2000-2001 energy crisis could have been avoided, according to a report released Tuesday by state power regulators. -more-
SACRAMENTO — Using the label invisible man, the leading candidates for lieutenant governor accused each other Tuesday of piling up lousy participation records in their current jobs. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao reneged on a year-old pledge to help 200 garment workers collect more than $1 million in unpaid wages, the factory employees charged Tuesday. -more-
LONG BEACH— Trustees of the nation’s largest public university tentatively approved a tough new smoking policy Tuesday for the university’s 23 campuses that includes the authority to cite violators. -more-
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK — It is stone masonry in the sky, and the role model here is the Greek builder Archimedes, who said, “Give me a place to stand, and I will move the earth.” -more-
WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is seriously considering lowering the nationwide terror alert back to code yellow because of disruptions in the al-Qaida terrorist network, including the arrest of a suspected Sept. 11 plotter, government officials said Monday. -more-
OAKLAND – Firefighters remained at the scene of a four-alarm fire Friday that tore through roughly 10 acres of brush in the Oakland Hills Thursday evening, a spokeswoman for the Oakland Fire Department said. -more-
TEL AVIV, Israel — A Palestinian blew himself up on a crowded bus Thursday in downtown Tel Aviv, killing at least five other people and wounding 49, the second suicide bombing in two days. In response, Israeli tanks charged into Yasser Arafat’s West Bank headquarters. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Berkeley’s Chez Panisse, Washington, D.C.’s Citronelle, New York’s Babbo and Whole Foods Market were among 200 restaurants, grocers and seafood distributors that pledged Wednesday not to buy, serve or sell fish created by biotechnology. -more-
