Candidates Debate Center’s Future: By MATTHEW ARTZ
For three straight weeks in June a group of mental health patients pleaded with the City Council to save the beleaguered center where they spend their days. -more-
For three straight weeks in June a group of mental health patients pleaded with the City Council to save the beleaguered center where they spend their days. -more-
One of the most closely-contested local election races next month is expected to be in the Berkeley Unified School District, where three challengers are opposing incumbent board members Joaquín Rivera and John Selawsky. -more-
Berkeley residents who don’t want to wait for a flu shot will have to leave city limits to find an available vaccine. -more-
The City Council voted Tuesday to shrink the size of new buildings along University Avenue, ending an eight-year fight for clearer zoning guidelines on the city’s major east-west traffic corridor. -more-
Berkeley Planning Commissioners got their first look Wednesday at new state legislation that increases density bonuses on affordable units in apartment and condominium projects from 20 to 35 percent starting Jan. 1. -more-
University of California service workers from all nine campuses plan to converge at UC Berkeley today (Friday) to protest stalled union contract negotiations with the university. -more-
A page 10 article in the Oct. 12 issue mistakenly reported where Neal Blumenfeld earned his M.D. It was from UCSF, not San Francisco State. -more-
Colombia makes few headlines in the United States these days. But Washington’s involvement in the Western Hemisphere’s longest, bloodiest war is rapidly escalating, as the world’s attention is elsewhere. The latest signal of increased U.S. embroilment comes just as a vocal civil movement is emerging in Colombia to demand an end to the war. -more-
A veteran candidate for city council made a rookie mistake last month that has been brought to the attention of the city’s election monitors. -more-
Editor’s Note: A portion of this article ran in the Oct. 8 issue. It is rerun here in its entirety: -more-
Last week, U.S. representatives parted company with Canada and Mexico and announced plans to allow continued use of the pesticide lindane that persists in air and water and has been found at high levels in the Arctic. -more-
24. To Release Political Prisoners; To Stop Capital Punishment -more-
It was Albert Einstein who advanced the thought that all comparisons—among other things—are meaningless unless taken in context. Standing on the earth, you look up at the moon across a vast tract of space. Standing on the moon, you look up at the earth, along that same vast tract. Which one is up, which one is down...earth or moon? Depends on your point of view. -more-
When you take the time to interview Republican voters, as I did over the past two weeks, you quickly come to the realization that there is more than an ideological divide between the two parties; there are two wildly divergent views of reality. -more-
It is obviously long past time to think constructively about what the City should be doing to restore creeks and remove crumbling culverts. But it is obviously wrong to stampede into quick changes to the 15 year old creek ordinance under the cover of the most important national election in our lifetimes. -more-
In my years as Berkeley’s City Manager, it was my job to carefully manage the City’s budget. I am proud that our city was able to continue in its history of innovation and excellent service while maintaining a sterling bond rating on Wall Street. -more-
Editors, Daily Planet: -more-
On Nov. 2nd, Californians will have an opportunity to dramatically change the communities in which they live, for better or for worse, by casting a vote on Prop 63. Voting No on Prop 63 will increase the likelihood that some of the most vulnerable and troubled members of our communities continue to flounder in local jails, overcrowded shelters, and in doorways and on park benches, while much of the resources and wealth in our communities remain in the hands of the privileged few. Voting Yes on 63, on the other hand, will help ensure that those who have plenty reach out to those in the greatest need, so that they might be able to access the support and resources they need to get back on their feet. To be specific, Prop 63, also known as the Mental Health Initiative, will guarantee that care is available to the hundreds of thousands of people in California who are disabled by mental illness by initiating a 1 percent tax increase on incomes over $1 million (the first million dollars is not subject to the increase), thereby addressing the problem of economic inequality in our communities while lending a helping hand to those whose most basic needs have been severely neglected by our federal and state governments during the past several decades. -more-
Measure H on this November’s ballot provides for publicly funded elections for mayor and other city offices. Everyone seems to favor it in principle, but opponents say that they fear it is just too expensive in these days of fiscal stringency. -more-
John Gordon is downtown Berkeley’s biggest booster. -more-
“I would’ve thought a pack of British boys would’ve put on a better show than this—you are all British boys, aren’t you?” -more-
ReOrient, in its sixth year of “exploring Middle Eastern culture and identity as represented throughout the globe,” is a festival of short plays staged by Golden Thread Productions that’s opening this weekend at the Ashby Stage after a run at SF’s Noh Space. -more-
It’s amazing what you can talk yourself into doing based on an email. It was as if MoveOn knew just what sort of a Springsteen fanatic they were dealing with. A concert benefiting America Coming Together (ACT), a 527 that sends volunteers to swing states to get out the vote? Sure! (Well, they had me from “MoveOn members get first crack at Springsteen tickets.”) -more-
In politically disturbed times such as ours, museums can provide welcome distraction. Berkeley Art Museum is located on Bancroft Way across the street from the university campus, a short walk from the city center, making it easy for town as well as gown to refresh themselves therein. -more-
The email this week brought a letter from a 17-year-old young man in Alabama listing all the reasons he’s supporting Kerry, and unselfconsciously confessing that he sent the letter via a form on the Kerry website. We’ve gotten a bunch of these letters lately, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Zack Exley, formerly a strategist with MoveOn.org, is now the Kerry campaign's director of online communications and organizing, and he’s clearly transferred what he learned in the slick MoveOn operation to his new job. As a result, Kerry supporters seem to be easily able to write, at one fell swoop, to hundreds of media outlets around the country to support their man. Some letters, like the one from our Alabama correspondent, are personal and heartfelt, while others have more of a canned flavor. In the interest of saving our printed pages for controversial local issues that don’t get aired anywhere else, we’ve relegated most of these letters to the web version of the paper, but that doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate them. Any undecided Planet readers (there must be a few of you out there) should check the website for some excellent arguments. We haven’t gotten many for Bush, though. -more-
Editorial: Checking the Facts and Figures: BECKY O'MALLEY 10-15-2004
Sending a Message to Officialdom:By BECKY O'MALLEY 10-12-2004
Candidates Debate Center’s Future: By MATTHEW ARTZ By MATTHEW ARTZ 10-15-2004
Incumbents Face Stiff Challenge In School Board Race: By J. DOUGLAS ALLAN-TAYLOR J. DOUGLAS ALLAN-TAYLOR 10-15-2004
Looking For a Flu Shot This Season? Get Out of Town:By MATTHEW ARTZ MATTHEW ARTZ 10-15-2004
Council Seeks to Tame Growth on University Ave.: By MATTHEW ARTZ MATTHEW ARTZ 10-15-2004
Planners Look at Density Bonus, Landmarks Law :By RICHARD BRENNEMAN RICHARD BRENNEMAN 10-15-2004
UC Workers Plan Protest Over Expired Contracts: By JAKOB SCHILLER JAKOB SCHILLER 10-15-2004
Police Blotter: By RICHARD BRENNEMAN By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 10-15-2004
CORRECTIONS 10-15-2004
Under the Radar: U.S. to Double Troops In Colombia: By BILL WEINBERG Pacific News Service By BILL WEINBERG Pacific News Service 10-15-2004
Smith Charged With Election Law Violation: By MATTHEW ARTZ By MATTHEW ARTZ 10-15-2004
In Maze of Voting Districts Polling Stations Can Vanish: By MATTHEW ARTZ By MATTHEW ARTZ 10-15-2004
U.S Blocks Phase Out of Lindane in North America 10-15-2004
The Duty to Fund the General Welfare: By Ann Fagan Ginger By Ann Fagan Ginger 10-15-2004
Applying Theory of Relativity to Oakland’s Murder Rate: J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR 10-15-2004
Letters to the Editor 10-15-2004
Reality Gap Separates Republicans From Democrats: By BOB BURNETT By BOB BURNETT 10-15-2004
Berkeley Lags in Creek Plans: By EVA BANSNER By EVA BANSNER 10-15-2004
Manager Supports New Berkeley Taxes: By WELDON RUCKER By WELDON RUCKER 10-15-2004
Measure CC Taxes Urbanites, Gives Suburbs Free Ride 10-15-2004
Mentally Ill Need 33: By MICHAEL MARCHANT By MICHAEL MARCHANT 10-15-2004
Taxpayers Should Fund Campaigns: By JOHN DENVIR By JOHN DENVIR 10-15-2004
Realtor Gordon Predicts Bright Future for Downtown: By RICHARD BRENNEMAN By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 10-15-2004
Woman’s Will Brings Lord of the Flies to 8th St.: By KEN BULLOCK Special to the Planet By KEN BULLOCK Special to the Planet 10-15-2004
ReOrient’s Short Plays Explore Middle East: By KEN BULLOCK Special to the Planet By KEN BULLOCK Special to the Planet 10-15-2004
Rockin’ In the Free World With Springsteen: By NANCY GRIMLEY CARLETON Special to the Planet By NANCY GRIMLEY CARLETON Special to the Planet 10-15-2004
Calendar: Berkeley This Week 10-15-2004
Arts Calendar 10-15-2004
Finding an Oasis at the Berkeley Art Museum: By BEA TAMWORTH Special to the Planet 10-15-2004
FSM Meets Again at Sproul: By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 10-12-2004
University Ave. Plan Tops Council Agenda:By MATTHEW ARTZ 10-12-2004
Measure I Serves Many Agendas: By MATTHEW ARTZ 10-12-2004
Nabolom Bakery Gets Support to Survive Through ‘05:By JAKOB SCHILLER 10-12-2004
BUSD Wins Food Award For Improving Child Health: By J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR 10-12-2004
Firefighter Union Finally Agrees to Talks With City: By MATTHEW ARTZ 10-12-2004
A Guide to East Bay Counties’ Ballot Measures:By J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR 10-12-2004
Letters to the Editor 10-12-2004
Election Letters to the Editor 10-12-2004
District 3 City Council Candidate Statements, Max Anderson 10-12-2004
District 3 City Council Candidate Statements, Laura Menard 10-12-2004
The New Trickle Down Economics: By TOM BATES COMMENTARY 10-12-2004
Measure B Provides Much Needed School Funding: By SHIRLEY ISSEL COMMENTARY 10-12-2004
Does the Berkeley Public Library Deserve Another Tax Increase? Probably Not: By DEAN METZGER and DAVID WILSON COMMENTARY 10-12-2004
Psychiatrist’s Encounter With FSM Shaped Life: By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 10-12-2004
Wide Array of Voices at Video and Film Festival: By BRIAN KLUEPFEL Special to the Planet 10-12-2004
The Right to Protect Workers and Unions: By ANN FAGAN GINGER CHALLENGING RIGHTS VIOLATIONS 10-12-2004
Going to Jersey Without an Alligator: By SUSAN PARKER 10-12-2004
Arts Calendar 10-12-2004
Olive Trees, From Ancient Athens to Berkeley: By RON SULLIVAN Special to the Planet 10-12-2004
Berkeley This Week 10-12-2004