UC Berkeley campus police, guns drawn, raided the Long Haul Infoshop Wednesday morning, seizing 13 computers and other gear, but the reason remains a mystery. 

The building, which houses a collection of individual organizations ranging from the Needle Exchange to the East Bay Prisoner Support, was targeted by a team of at least seven officers. 

According to the search warrant obtained by UC Berkeley Police Detective Bill Kasiske, officers believed the computers inside the officers at 3124 Shattuck Ave. contained evidence of felonies. 

The document did not describe the alleged crimes nor did it name any perpetrators, and no arrests were made at the time of the raid. 

In addition to computers and data storage media, the warrant targeted all written, typed or electronically stored documents containing information of people who used the computers inside the building. 

Pattie Wall, an attorney for the Homeless Action Center (HAC), was working in her office next door at 3126 Shattuck when police knocked at the door. “They asked me if I had a key, and I said no.” 

Wall told the officers to check with the landlord, the Northern California Land Trust, but the trust’s director wasn’t in, so the officers returned, telling Wall they didn’t need a key. 

After they asked if there was a rear entrance, the officers went down the center hallway at HAC, drawing their pistols as they neared the rear door, said Wall. 

Then the officers walked out the door and to the back door of Long Haul and made their entry. 

Meanwhile Wall called staff at the Long Haul, who rushed to scene, also bringing civil rights attorney James B. Chanin, who has an office in the block to the north. 

Chanin said he was surprised by the warrant, since it didn’t identify any specific organization. 

“I can’t imagine the judge knew that the building housed many different organizations,” he said. “It would shock me if the judge knew that.” 

Chanin said that a warrant that targeted a specific group wouldn’t allow police “to go into a building and take everybody’s stuff. But that’s what I believe happened, and that’s not right.” 

Ian Winters, executive director of the land trust and Long Haul’s landlord, said the raid was the first in his memory, “and we never had any problems even while Long Hail had the marijuana club here.” 

In addition to offering a home to individual groups, Long Haul board member Greg Horton said the building’s Internet room provided computers to give on-line access for those otherwise unable to afford it. 

By the time the raid was over, only monitors, keyboards and disconnected cables were left. 

Kathryn Miller, another board member, said the seizure would prevent publication of the next issue of the radical newspaper Slingshot, given that all the material for the edition was stored on the computers. 

The Slingshot is produced by one of four collectives that are listed on the Long Haul’s web page. The others are the Long Haul Infoshop, the bicycling advocacy group Cycles of Change and the Anarchist Study Group.  

The raid drew a small crowd, with many of the observers taking pictures of the officers through the building’s front windows and later as they carried out the computer hardware. 

Soul, a long-time broadcaster on Berkeley Liberation Radio, said the underground radio station had been impacted by the raid. “We had some of our stuff there,” she said. “They got our hard drive, and that really concerns us.” 

“This is really amazing,” she said. “During all the resistance to the Gulf War and other times they never raided the Long Haul. It’s the church we go to. It’s the heart of anarchy in Berkeley.” 

Soul said she believed the raid stemmed from the UC Berkeley campus police pressure on the treesit at the Memorial Stadium oak grove. “They know we’ve been associated with the treesitters.” 

She also pointed to a Feb. 17, 2004, City Council resolution urging federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to refrain from taking any action to interfere with Berkeley Liberation Radio. 

Chanin said he had contacted the National Lawyers Guild on behalf of the Long Haul tenants. 

“I’m a neighbor, so they came to me,” he said.  

The raiders were comparatively neat, taping severed locks and screws removed from lock hardware neatly on the walls next to the place where they’d been removed. 

Several items, including a petty cash envelope, had been left neatly arranged in a doorway, apparently after officers had photographed them. 

At the end of the raid, Detective Kasiske decline to say what police were seeking, and referred question to Assistant Chief Mitch Celaya, who had not returned calls by deadline time. 

Dan Mogulof, the university’s executive director of public affairs, said he was unaware of the raid. 

Zachary Running Wolf, the first of the treesitters at the Memorial Stadium Grove, was at the scene later in the morning, declaring that he believed he may have been a target. 

The building had once housed a medical marijuana clinic, but that facility had closed months earlier, leaving many at the scene to speculate that the raid may have stemmed from animal rights activism. 

The UC chancellors recently signed a joint letter deploring attacks on researchers who conduct animal experimentation in the wake of two Aug. 2 firebomb attacks aimed at UC Santa Cruz researchers. 

Berkeley researchers have also been targeted by protesters, including confrontations at their homes and vandalism. 

For more information on Long Haul see their web page.

DENVER—Many wondered, often aloud, how Clinton delegates would react Tuesday night on the floor of the Pepsi Center at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Would the Clintonistas call for a role call vote? Might they go a bit farther and get into an old-fashioned floor fight started by those seeking to throw the nomination into contention and controversy, and risk losing the November election? I spoke earlier in the day with several delegates and elected officials, who were wary, not panicked, but concerned about this scenario. 

Hillary Clinton put these rumors to rest from the moment her husband Bill Clinton entered the arena last night. Well before she took to the podium, 20,000 heads turned to get a glimpse of the former president as he entered a second deck box far from the podium. He was met with sporadic bursts of loud applause, whoops and hollers. Make no mistake, Bill Clinton still commands star power and he will be at the podium to great fanfare tonight from these party faithful. And pity the poor Montana governor, Brian Schweitzer, who was at the podium speaking when Bill arrived. When Hillary did take to the stage, she received a loud minute and a half ovation from the overflow crowd. In fact, this reporter witnessed an over the top, boisterous, pro-Clinton Pennsylvania governor, Ed Rendell, who seemed to still hold out hope for Clinton. Rendell alone gave Clinton seven or eight standing ovations, compared with the 4 or 5 the crowd participated in.  

But no matter what some of her delegates might have been thinking and saying before last night, Clinton was not going down any road that would put a Barack Obama nomination in limbo, or jeopardy. 

Clinton’s first words left little doubt where she was throwing her support, “I’m a proud Senator, a proud mother and a proud supporter of Barack Obama.” As the night wore on her words of support only grew deeper, not only for Obama, but also for his wife Michelle and for vice presidential candidate Joe Biden. Speaking to her delegates she was firm. “The time is now to unite as a single party. We are on the same team and we cannot afford to sit on the sidelines.” 

Clinton had only praise for the nominee and his spouse, “She (Michelle Obama) will be a great first lady for America." She said of Obama, "He is tough. He is pragmatic. He is wise.” She added, “They (Obama and Biden) will make a great team.” 

The unity placards quickly appeared all over the arena. ‘Obama,’ or ‘Hillary’ on one side and ‘unity’ on the other, with the former rivals’ names in equal numbers.  

“She hit a homerun, triple, double, single, and then went in to pitch and struck out the side,” glowed former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. “There’s not a Democrat in America who does not understand the importance of this election.” Congressmember Barbara Lee added, “She (Clinton) couldn’t have done it better.” Longtime California Democratic guru and campaign advisor Bob Mulholland was very clear about her performance, using another baseball analogy, “Oh, out of the park! She exceeded expectations and Barack Obama must be very pleased.” 

It was a night to bury the political hatchet. The overflowing crowd-the fire marshal is definitely not doing his job-left enthused, and had to be relieved that any potential controversy was extinguished. The path was now clear and the road paved for Biden and Obama coronation speeches on Thursday. Hillary Clinton did her job last night as a loyal Democrat. 

The first round of the legal battle over the Memorial Stadium ended late Tuesday, and lawyers for the losing side are preparing their appeal. 

Michael Lozeau, attorney for Panoramic Hill Association, said he was already working on the documents to file with the state Court of Appeal. 

The decision by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara J. Miller followed a brief hearing in her Hayward courtroom Monday morning. 

Lozeau and Stephan Volker, attorney for the California Oak Foundation, were opposed by Charles Olson, the San Francisco attorney who led the university’s defense in the lengthy and complex hearings in Miller’s Hayward courtroom. 

Also present was Harriet Steiner, the outside counsel hired by the City of Berkeley to represent the city’s interests in the case. The city council declined to vote to appeal Judge Miller’s first version of her ruling late last month. 

“Judge Miller gave us five minutes,” said Volker after Monday’s hearing. “We said that we wanted the university to confirm that if we filed an appeal in two days that they would maintain the status quo until the appellate court ruled on our writ of supersedeas.” 

Volker said the university gave its assurances, though the judge had declined to state whether she would enforce their promise with the power of the court. 

The writ the plaintiffs want would halt enforcement of Miller’s ruling while the appellate court was mulling the merits of their challenge to the lower court’s decision. 

They have until Thursday to file the appeal, and even then there is some question whether or not a 20-day ban on new construction activity—including tree-clearing—would be automatically granted, given that Miller’s ruling Tuesday dissolved her earlier injunction against new construction. 

During Monday’s hearing, the university agreed to a two-day delay to give the losing side time to appeal, and university spokesperson Dan Mogulof Tuesday confirmed the university’s intention to honor the delay.  

The lawsuit, filed in December 2006, challenged the regents’ approval of the Student Athlete High Performance Center, a four-level high tech gym and office complex planned immediately to the west of the landmark stadium. 

On a broader level, the plaintiffs challenged the environmental impact report for a group of projects the university has dubbed the Southeast Campus Integrated Projects. 

Plaintiffs, who also included a group of Berkeley residents, charged that the project violated the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the Alquist-Priolo Act, which governs building within 50 feet of active earthquake faults. 

Judge Miller found that some aspects of the university’s original plans violated the seismic law, but withdrew her objections after the university scuttled the parts of the plans she had cited. 

While she also upheld the city’s challenge, which had charged the university wrongly certified that it couldn’t detail the impacts of seven new annual events planned for the stadium, she allowed the project to move forward after the university removed the events from their plans. 

An earlier filing with the state Court of Appeal was rejected after judges there declared that Miller had issued her first ruling before she had finished with the case, making an appeal premature. Then the plaintiffs withdrew their motion for a new trial, clearing the way for Monday’s hearing. 

Miller promised at the end of that hearing to rule promptly on the case. 

The university’s plans for the gym require the leveling of most of the trees in the grove now located at the site—inspiring the ongoing tree-sit that has keep campus police busy at a time when crimes of violence at Cal have been soaring. 

While Miller’s decision would pave the way for construction of the gym, it raises serious questions about just how much work the university can do on the stadium itself. 

The judge sided with the plaintiffs on one of their key contentions, that the university could spend no more on the extensive renovations it plans than half of the stadium’s current market value. The university’s lawyers argued that replacement value should be used. 

The aging stadium sits directly over the Hayward Fault, which federal scientists say is the most likely site of the Bay Area’s next major earthquake. All sides agree the stadium is in poor shape and in need of a seismic retrofit if it is to become comparatively safe in a major temblor. 

The university’s planned renovations to the stadium include a complete interior retrofit, the addition of a new press box topped by luxury sky boxes for big ticket donors along the western wall, as well as a new bank of raised seating on the eastern side, as well as replacement of all the existing seating throughout the stadium. 

The university plans to overlap work on the western half of the stadium with construction of the gym complex.  

The long legal battle thwarted one of the university’s hopes, a landscape cleared of tree-sitters by the time of the first home game of the Cal Bears. 

With the protesters still aloft and little likelihood of their disappearance before the Bears tackle the Michigan State Spartans Saturday, Athletic Director Sandy Barbour, campus Police Chief Victoria Harrison and Vice Chancellor Nathan Brostrom have posted an open  

to attendees on the campus website.The letter promises that “we will have a robust police presence around the stadium to deter and to respond to any unlawful behavior.” 

Because of the elimination of access through the grove, the university has added eight new gates and 91 entry and exit points, with a concentration both above International House and at the north end of the stadium near Maxwell Family Field. 

Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m. 

At the tree-sit itself, the week has passed in relative calm, following in the wake of the university’s aggressive moves last Thursday. 

During the morning, contract arborists moved to isolate the protesters by slicing off all the lower branches of their last remaining stand in a redwood in the northern part of the grove. The crew, working for a Watsonville firm, also sliced off strategic branches from two nearby oaks, further isolating the treesitters. 

Later in the day the arborists were back, stripping away the weatherproof tarps used to shield the tree-sitters’ supplies and removing some of their belongs—a move university spokesperson said was aimed at making sure the protesters had no weapons. 

Next to the “Big Tent” housing bloggers and policy forums here in Denver is an unmarked suite where some of the nation’s leading environmental activists are at work. This is the office where Environmental America, Progressive Future, the Progressive Future Education Fund, Community Voters, and the Public Interest Network are plotting the biggest voter outreach and mobilization drive in environmental group history. 

While delegates, politicians and the press talked and partied, these dedicated environmentalists were contacting voters in eleven key states, in a scene reminiscent of a week before an election than a contest more than two months away. The combined effort of these groups will not only recruit tens of thousands of new volunteers, but they will engage in the type of intensive door-knocking and persuasion strategies that could swing key states to Obama and give Democrats a 60-vote, filibuster-proof Senate majority. Despite polls showing increased concern over global warming, environmental issues were barely mentioned in the presidential debates and have remained off the political radar screen for November. But a coalition of environmental groups is working to change this, and has embarked on an ambitious agenda to win a “working political majority” for environmental and other progressive issues. 

Environmentalists’ Multi-Pronged Strategy 

The above groups are implementing a multi-prong strategy that includes nonpartisan voter registration of African-Americans in ten states with high numbers of blacks, partisan voter registration, persuasion, and get out the vote efforts in eleven key states, the recruitment of tens of thousands of volunteers who themselves will recruit others, and likely Oregon and North Carolina. 

This is quite an ambitious agenda. One question I put to both Wendy Wendlandt, Political Director of the Public Interest Network, and Margie Alt, Executive Director of Environment America is whether the potential volunteer pool had already been claimed by the Obama campaign. After all, between the Obama fellows and the multiple offices in each state, one would think anyone looking for an entry point to volunteer would already have a place to go. 

But both emphasized that many people feel more comfortable working through an environmental group than through a political candidate’s campaign. And Environment America (EA) has a membership base that would more likely do their electoral work through their own organization. The conclusion: environmentalists, particularly those angered by the prospect of offshore drilling, are still looking for a place to make a difference, and could soon be joining EA’s electoral operation by the thousands. 

Taking on Offshore Drilling 

Both Alt and EA political director Ivan Frishberg see voter interest in environmental issues heightening despite their absence from the mainstream political debate. They saw the offshore drilling issues as galvanizing environmentally-oriented voters, some of whom may not be swayed to Obama on other issues. 

I asked Alt if there were not a risk that their efforts would simply duplicate the voter contacts made by the Obama campaign (not to mention potentially Move On and the Sierra Club). She said studies showed that some undecided voters need to be contacted seven to eleven times, and that the Obama campaign “could not be everywhere”—a conclusion that those unable to speak directly to voters despite repeated calls and door knocks can attest. 

Since EA’s focus will include infrequent voters regardless of their environmental concerns, having the group’s intense persuasion efforts occurring in eleven key states could prove pivotal. The group is likely to decide by the end of this week to expand their Senate focus to Oregon and North Carolina, races that decide whether Democrats obtain their 60-vote majority. 

Merkley Race Key 

No race appears more important for environmentalists than the Oregon Senate race between incumbent Republican Gordon Smith and Democrat Jeff Merkley. According to Jeremiah Baumann, Director of Environment Oregon, “Oregonians care more deeply about the environment than in prior elections, and Merkley is very strong on the environment.” 

Smith also has a strong environmental record---if one only looks at how he voted in 2008 as opposed to his pre-election year stands. This is a guy who won election vowing to oppose Alaska drilling and then voted in favor of it after taking office. 

Should Environment America decide to push Merkley, the increased resources could spell the difference in what is expected to be a very tight race. 

Colorado Up for Grabs 

Colorado is a major priority for the Public Interest Network and its environmentalist partners, and they hope to get Udall supporters into the Obama camp. Everyone I talked to was cautious about Obama’s prospects, in contrast to my own optimism that Latino votes would put him over the top. 

Colorado is such a priority that key national staffers like Wendlandt have relocated to Denver for the election. The state has not gone Democratic in a presidential election since 1992, and that was attributed to Ross Perot siphoning off Republican votes. 

If environmental groups can help bring Colorado into the Obama column, 2008 may be the last presidential primary season when green issues are kept out of sight. 

The police presence here in Denver is overwhelming. As the Democratic National Convention (DNC) is set to begin tonight, several thousand "alternative convention-goers" have already descended on the Mile High City, with issues as diverse as homelessness, abortion, universal healthcare, and stopping the war in Iraq.  

This alternative convention is dubbed, “The Festival of Democracy” by local organizers who are not always on the same page politically. It seems that the umbrella group, Recreate68, started to fractionalize as the convention date got closer. Some protesters prefer focusing on educating and engaging with the official delegates and the general public, while others call for direct action and outright disruption of DNC activities this week.  

Denver’s Cuernavaca Park is home base for some groups. The Alliance for Real Democracy is comprised of anti-war and pro-peace groups like Code Pink, Iraq War Veterans Against the War, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and United for Peace and Justice.  

The homegrown Recreate68 group is basing itself in front of the state capitol at Civic Center Park, and takes a more in-your-face confrontational approach. It includes groups such as Food Not Bombs and DNC Disruption’08. The website for dncdisruption08.org,says “Plan on maximizing the street party on Sunday, organizing creative disruptions of delegate activities on Monday and creating decentralized alternatives and actions against environmental destruction on Wednesday.”  

Former state senator and Chicago 8 defendant, Tom Hayden, speaking to a packed Central Presbyterian Church at the Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) forum, said that he had actually sat down with Denver’s Chief of Police before yesterday’s protests began. Hayden said the Department of Homeland Security gave the Denver Police Department “$50 million” for new equipment. “The police chief told me, ‘There’s 20 jurisdictions involved’ and therefore the streets were “not really controlled by anyone.” 

Hayden said he thought there were just too many police out in force and that “too much law and order is what causes disorder.” The Denver Post reported in Monday’s edition that only one arrest had taken place by 3 p.m. Sunday. 

These somewhat disparate protest groups have come together to publish a sophisticated schedule of activities fitting in an entire month of activist activities into only one week, culminating in the organization of bus rides for protesters who want to go on to Minneapolis for the start of the Republican National Convention. The RNC begins Sept. 1, Labor Day.  

Along with daily rallies and marches—with names like Funk the War, Reclaim the Streets Party, and End the Occupation—multiple musical groups are also scheduled, including: Public Enemy, Michelle Shocked, Jello Biafra, and Rage Against the Machine. A Critical Mass bike ride is set for Wednesday as well. 

As helicopters whizzed and whirred overhead, with police in riot gear standing at the ready, and at least two dozen mounted police patrolling the outskirts of the rally area, not one but two rallies were held on the steps of the Colorado state capitol building on Sunday. Separate protest groups organized each rally and march.  

Recreate68 has been organizing for more than a year and a half, according to one of its founders, Mark Cohen. Cohen was with former Black Panther and current law professor, Kathleen Cleaver on Monday morning, as they were leaving Civic Center Park on a “Prisoners Rights March” to the Federal Court House. Cohen reflected on Sunday’s day of protest and today’s march that was just beginning. “It’s been fantastic so far. We marched right up to the Pepsi Center and they said that was not going to be possible, but we marched.” Yesterday’s rally had as featured speakers, Cindy Sheehan, Vietnam vet Ron Kovic, Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney, and fired University of Colorado Ethnic Studies Professor Ward Churchill.  

"Why have so few people shown up to protest?" we asked. “We had about 1,000 at the rally and 2000 marched. There’s 30,000 cops, probably scared off a lot of people,” Cohen replied. And today? “It’s a little sparse, not as many as we would like.” After today’s march, Cohen said, Recreate68 would host a group of bands at the park from 3 p.m. until 10 p.m. 

Pictures 

At his annual back-to-school press briefing Monday, UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau said the university, in response to ongoing budget woes, would cut back on hiring new faculty and not replace retiring faculty, which would gradually increase the current 18:1 student-to-teacher ratio on campus. 

However, UC officials were quick to point out the university has not witnessed an increase in students requesting financial aid or students facing delays in receiving funds through federal loans. 

“One thing we need to protect here is education for students,” Birgeneau told reporters. “We need to ensure that we can maintain stability in our teaching programs ... We are less concerned about maintaining programs that are running now and more concerned about funding exciting new programs people come forward with.” 

Fall classes are scheduled to begin Wednesday for more than 35,000 students. New programs and services include a first-ever class for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, a linguistics course on Nzadi—a language spoken by fishermen along Congo’s Kasai River —and a new warning service created to provide emergency alerts and instructions to students through cell phone, test messages and e-mail. 

About 77 new students have enrolled in the Veterans in Higher Education undergraduate program, according to Ron Williams, the university’s coordinator of student reentry and veteran program and services. 

The passage of a new federal GI bill, which will cover full tuition and living expenses for veterans, is expected to draw more student veterans to colleges, Williams said. 

Undergraduate fees for California residents total $8,932 for two semesters, a 7.38 percent increase from last year.  

Non-resident tuition and fees—$29,535—is also up from last year. 

More than 9,000 new students, including 4,300 freshmen, 2,000 community college transfer students and 2,800 graduate students are expected to register for the new school year. 

About three-fourths of the incoming freshmen are graduates of the California public school system and 7.8 percent are from other countries.  

Birgeneau said that a couple of programs might have to wait a year or two before starting again and added that the university would increase efforts to ask alumni and friends to donate to the university. 

“Even if we are a public university we need the philanthropic support that private institutions get,” he said. 

Birgeneau stressed on campus safety—touching upon the stabbing of UC Berkeley nuclear engineering senior Chris Wootton in front of a campus sorority last spring and the recent string of robberies in the East Bay—and spoke about the new warning system. 

Called “WarnMe,” the service will provide immediate notification to students, faculty and staff about possible threats on campus when they sign up for it. Campus spokesperson Marie Felde said a total of 11,000 students had signed up for the service so far. 

“Part of my speech to students this year will emphasize their personal responsibility towards alcohol and drugs and ask them to be street smart,” he said. “Many students come from a rural area and often face challenges in a city.” 

He said that he was against a recent proposal to lower the legal drinking age from 21 to 18. 

“That will push it down to the high schools and that’s not good,” he said.  

In response to a reporter’s question about the ongoing UC Memorial Stadium court case—on which Judge Barbara Miller is expected to rule today—Birgeneau said the safety of the university’s student athletes came first. 

“The sooner we can get them to a safe athletic facility the better,” he said. “The legal issues have delayed that for one and a half years and the people responsible for that should be ashamed of themselves. We are extremely proud of our current and former student athletes, many of whom have made us proud in the Beijing Olympics.” 

Four takeover robberies in Oakland this weekend reflect a continuing crime trend in the East Bay. 

The Oakland crimes, which occurred at a nail salon in the 6600 block of Telegraph Avenue and Full Moon Seafod restaurant on MacArthur Boulevard on Sunday, and at Mama Rosa’s Pizza on High Street on Saturday and Shattuck Avenue’s Nomad Cafe on Friday, are the continuation of an eight-robbery string in July and August, including the robbery of Rockridge’s Pasta Pomodoro restaurant on Monday, Aug. 18. This weekend’s crimes bring the summer total of takeover robberies to 13. 

Of course, that number does not include the series of robberies which occurred across Oakland, Berkeley and Emeryville back in March, April and May, when Berkeley suffered from robberies by “the Lone Gunman.” 

“We have not experienced any takeover-style robberies that may be connected with this series or couple of series,” said BPD spokeswoman Sgt. Mary Kusmiss. “We are concerned about these incidents, in particular their proximity to our south border.” 

Although the current series of takeovers has yet to touch Berkeley, Nomad Cafe, located at 6500 Shattuck Ave., lies just south of the Berkeley border. 

On Friday, at 10:05 p.m., just after the cafe had closed, two masked men, one carrying a gun, forced the two employees and two customers into a back closet while the suspects took the money from the open safe.  

According to Justin Garland, general manager of the wireless Internet cafe, this is the first time in five years of operating that the restaurant has been robbed in this fashion, but the incident has not slowed business at all and Nomad employees have dealt “amazingly well” with the robbery, he said. 

“This weekend was one of the busiest I can remember,” Garland said. “It’s just been an outpouring of support from community members checking in on us. It certainly hasn’t scared anyone away.” 

At 1 p.m. on Monday, the cafe was nearly full of lunchtime customers. A reporter from Channel 2 News also appeared while Garland was speaking with The Planet. 

Garland said the Oakland police “were terrific,” arriving on the scene within four minutes of the phone call. The police dealt swiftly and efficiently with one incident in what is “obviously an epidemic,” Garland said. 

The string of Oakland crimes “makes me introspective about the bigger picture of what’s going on,” he said. “None of us here are taking it personally, even though it was an obvious invasion of our personal space and security. In a weird way, it makes us feel more connected to the other business in the community that have been robbed ... It doesn’t make me feel less safe or like this is a bad neighborhood.” 

Berkeley has seen sporadic takeover-style robberies this summer, and Sgt. Kusmiss said Berkeley police have been providing commercial districts with extra patrols to help prevent the recurrence of such crimes. In addition, she said that Berkeley robbery detectives regularly collaborate with Oakland police to discuss crime trends. 

Berkeley police warn businesses to be wary of suspicious cars or people lingering near their building and encourage businesses to report such activity to BPD. Because takeover robberies typically occur near the end of the day when cash registers are fullest, police also warn business to be particularly mindful from late-afternoon until closing time. 

Despite troubling economic news nationally, last week witnessed two major advances on the Berkeley labor front and a protest by city workers in a neighboring city: 

• Registered nurses approved a new contract with the city’s two Alta Bates Summit medical facilities [Alta Bates and Herrick Hospital] along with Oakland’s Summit Medical Center. 

• UC Berkeley postdoctoral students won state recognition of the United Auto Workers (UAW) as their bargaining unit. 

• Emeryville city employees held a protest outside city Hall Aug. 19, where they were joined by supporters from Berkeley and Oakland. Members of the Service Employees International Union have been working without a contract since last year. 

Meanwhile, journalists at Dean Singleton’s Bay Area News Group-EB continue their efforts to reach a contract with MediaNews Group, the newspaper colossus with more combined circulation in the Bay Area and Los Angeles Basin than the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times combined. 

Hospital pact  

Negotiators from Sutter Health’s Alta Bates Summit facilities met with their counterparts from the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA) with a federal mediator in charge of the session, leading to a settlement in the pre-dawn hours of Aug. 20. 

The new agreement, which runs through June 30, 2011, caps a 15-month dispute that has included three walkouts, the longest lasting 10 days.  

CNA representative and R.N. Liz Jacobs said the agreement will be sent to members for ratification in the next two or three weeks. The vote could be earlier if CNA were not conducting simultaneous negotiations with other hospitals owned by Sutter throughout Northern California. 

The accord gives union members a 22 percent pay increase through the course of the agreement, including a 5 percent hike already given in May. The agreement “gives us a salary range on a par with the top of the line Bay Area hospitals,” Jacobs said. 

The nurse activist said the main concern of members involved patient safety concerns, including staffing levels and adequate breaks and meal time. 

The Berkeley City Council—which includes Alta Bates R.N. Max Anderson—had supported the union.  

The same day the Berkeley settlement was reached, nurses at Marin General Hospital also reached an agreement with that Sutter-owned facility. 

Anderson said that as of Monday he hadn’t seen the proposed agreement, “but hopefully it’s better than their last ‘final offer,’” he said. “It’s been a long struggle and it took several short strikes to bring it this far.” 

The medical center is extremely pleased to have come to a tentative agreement on a contract that provides our valued nurses with exceptional wages and benefits,” said Carolyn Kemp, the Alta Bates Summit media relations officer.  

Campus union  

Spokesperson for the budding union of university researchers is Matthew O’Connor, a Berkeley post-doctoral student in bioengineering currently working on muscle stem cell research. 

The state Public Employee Relations Board has certified that a majority of the eligible 5,000 postdoctoral researchers statewide have signed union cards. 

The UC Berkeley campus is home to about 1,000 eligible postdocs out of a total of about 1,100, O’Connor said. 

The next step for the PRO/LAW (the PRO is for Postdoctoral Researchers Organize) will be setting up an organizing committee, including the election of officers. Then it’s on to negotiating with the university. 

“This is the first postdoc union in California, and only the second one in the country,” O’Connor said. 

The only possible hitch would be a legal challenge to the recognition, he said. 

The successful organizing effort marked the second time the UAW had tried for recognition at UC Berkeley. The first attempt, in 2006, collapsed amidst charges and countercharges by both sides after organizers said they had achieved the necessary number of signatures.  

Pressing issues  

Another major legal struggle that’s shaping up for the months ahead is the status of editorial employees who work for media mogul Dean Singleton’s MediaNews newspapers operating under the collective mantle of BANG-EB (for Bay Area News Group-East Bay). 

Despite the name, the group also includes the San Mateo Times. 

The union has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, and an investigation is underway, said Karl Fischer, who chairs the Media Guild’s bargaining unit. 

Meanwhile, Fischer and his team were scheduled to hold their first talks with company officials Wednesday to begin negotiating the first-ever contract that will include journalists from the Contra Costa Times. 

Covering newsrooms from Hayward to Vallejo, including the Oakland Tribune, BANG-EB was formed after Singleton added the Times and San Jose Mercury-News to his regional portfolio, buying them from the Sacramento-based McClatchy chain. 

Severing the San Jose paper from the new unit and adding the non-union Contra Costa Times a year ago gave Singleton a non-union majority editorial staff, allowing him to end Guild representation at the Tribune and other shops. 

The union responded with an organizing campaign backed by the national, winning the requisite majority by a 104-92 decision June 13. 

A month later, the group eliminated 29 positions of the bargaining group’s 230 jobs, including those of many union activists. One was reporter Sara Steffens, chair of the Guild’s bargaining unit. 

“We felt that some of those who were laid off were unfairly chosen because of their union activities,” Fischer said. 

In the weeks since the layoffs, union representatives have been meeting with staffs of the individual papers, seeking to work out local issues as well as to agree on bargaining points for contract talks, he said. 

The economic crisis that has hit newsrooms across the nation had led to a major decline in the number of working reporters at Bay Area papers. The San Jose Mercury-News has cut two of every three newsroom jobs in the last four years, and the San Francisco Chronicle has lost about half its newsroom since 2000. 

Between layoffs, buyouts and attrition, Fischer estimates that the Contra Costa Times has lost about 100 of its 360 journalists and newsroom managers. 

Marshall Anstandig, the in-house labor lawyer who represents MediaNews, said that because of the current volatility in the news business, “our expectation is for a contract that gives us the flexibility to move as things change. 

“While in the old days, five- six- and even ten-year agreements were common, nowadays it's hard to say we’ll even be in the same platform in six months,” he said, referring to the thus-far only partially successful transition from print to the Internet realm. 

The McClatchy chain recently announced a one-year, system-wide pay freeze for all employees, coming just a few weeks after 86 job cuts at the flagship Sacramento Bee. With a second round of layoffs in the works, the Bee sent all its staff a memo offering a voluntary separation package. 

The memo cited recent bankruptcies and closures of major advertisers, including Mervyn’s and Linens ‘N Things. 

Million-dollar condos? In Berkeley? Yes, says Don Peterson, president of SNK Development, the company now building the nine-story-plus Berkeley Arpeggio on Center Street.  

The costly condos will be on the ninth floor of the city’s newest high-rise, formerly known as the Seagate Building for its previous developer, which sold the site and development permits to the Phoenix-based firm three years ago.  

(Earlier this year, Seagate also unloaded its largest Berkeley property, the Wells-Fargo tower just to the east of the Arpeggio.)  

Peterson and Walter D. Armer, his vice president, met with a reporter recently atop the city parking structure to the west of the construction site, overlooking the deep hole where excavators were digging out the room to house the Arpeggio’s 160 parking spaces.  

“The three-level garage should be complete by the end of the year, and by January the work will be strictly vertical,” Peterson said.  

In addition to housing 143 condos—down from the originally planned 149—the Arpeggio will also contain what may the last new cultural density bonus space in the city.  

Builders had two ways of exceeding the height and mass limits otherwise imposed by city zoning codes: Provision of below-market-rate housing, the so-called “inclusionary bonus,” and the provision of space for cultural activities.  

The only other building to incorporate both bonuses was the Gaia Building, developed by Patrick Kennedy. A lengthy political battle over the long-vacant cultural space in that building—a fight that eventually ended up in court—spelled the end of the bonus.  

But Seagate was able to gain an increased size for what was later named the Arpeggio by offering both below-market-rate condos and by including two rehearsal theaters and other space for the Berkeley Repertory Theater, with the proviso that the space also be available for use by other community organizations. The theater space will be ready for use by the end of next year, with the condos ready for occupancy a few months later, Armer said.  

Seagate steered the project through the city’s Planning Commission—which must approve all condo projects—and the Zoning Adjustments Board, and the permits they won and then sold included the mandate to fulfill both the housing and cultural obligations.  

While SNK has reduced the overall number of condos, Peterson said the 23 inclusionary units included in the original figure will remain.  

SNK Realty Group partnered with Captec Financial Group, Inc., of Ann Arbor, Mich., to form SNK Captec Arpeggio, LLC, the entity which bought the Berkeley property. Project financing, completed late last year, comes in the form of a $65 million construction loan from Pacific National Bank of San Francisco, Peterson said.  

While the nine penthouse units will have two bedrooms and a loft level above, the condos on the floors below are all one- and two-story dwellings, as well as some “one-plus” units which include a secondary open space area which can be used for a bedroom, den or office, Armer said.  

Asked who might buy the units, Peterson said “We are looking at the university population and the Berkeley population,” with “empty-nesters” a target demographic as well as people who would like to live in the heart of the city’s theater district."  

The building is on the same block as downtown Berkeley's two theaters, the Berkeley Rep and the Aurora.  

“They are the buyers who would like to live in this type of building, a Class A high-rise, which can only be found currently in San Francisco,” said Armer.  

Because the units will be unique in the East Bay Peterson said sales prices will be near the top of the East Bay market for luxury condos, but at the low end of the market on the other side of the Bay Bridge.  

The Arpeggio is the company’s seventh Bay Area project, and Peterson said he is currently working on another development in San Bruno that totals 350 units, including apartments in one structure and condos in a second building.  

Peterson said the company was drawn to the Berkeley site because it offered a prime location for a top-flight urban infill project, with its location in “a very dynamic neighborhood” with the BART station less than a block away and the UC Berkeley campus within easy walking distance. Berkeley also offered a community which the company believed is relatively immune to macro-level economic disruptions, in comparison with many other California cities, he said. Armer said construction has gone smoothly, and the builders found less underground water on site than they had feared. A row of temporary wells has been lowering the water level and will continue under the garage, which is sealed off “like a bathtub.”  

The site will be a beehive of activity, with subcontractors from 40 different trades at work during the course of construction, Peterson said. First of many? While the Arpeggio includes an upper crust of million-dollar condos, Planning Commissioner Gene Poschman says we may be seeing plenty more if the city adopts height limits proposed for downtown Berkeley in a city-funded study done in connection with the new Downtown Area Plan now under review by the commission.  

That study was funded by the City Council after a commission majority voted to recommend it.  

According to what Poschman dubbed “the infeasibility study,” market conditions would allow for only construction of 16- or 17-story condo towers—not rental apartments—in addition to condo-containing hotels which could rise even higher.  

During the debate over the Arpeggio permit, city staff reported that the city’s current bonuses would have allowed the building to rise to 14 stories, well over the current downtown height limits—far more than the structure now rising or the Gaia Building, the only other cultural bonus recipient.  

Buildings—both apartments and condos—could still be financed at six floors or less. But the tall buildings, seen as a way to fufifll some of the regional housing-needs allocation imposed by regional government, could only be bankrolled as for-sale units, not rentals, the report said.  

“We’re talking about million-dollar condos,” Poschman told fellow commissioners. “Who’s going to live in them?”  

The feasibility study also said construction could be severely limited by the city mandate that requires developers to either sell some units for less than market rate or pay a substantial fee to finance city-backed subsidized housing elsewhere.  

The Arpeggio was given a city building permit under the existing law, so the building includes 23 units sold only to those who make 120 percent or less of the Oakland region’s median income.  

Even though the total number of condos dropped by six, the project will still include the original 11 inclusionary units and 12 density bonus units.  

Inclusionary units are mandated by a law requiring multi-family housing builders to set aside one in every five units for those earning—in the case of condos—no more than 120 percent of the area’s median income.  

Developers who pay the new city “in-lieu” fee can sell all their units at market rate if they pay the city a replacement fee for lost inclusionary units totaling 62.5 percent of the difference between the market-rate sales price and the reduced price mandated if the inclusionary units were sold as such.  

The dozen density bonus units—which helped the Arpeggio to reach its full height and to offer the million-dollar terrace views on the top floors—are typically affordable to lower median incomes, in the range of 50 to 80 percent.  

Unlike Poschman, who voted with the commission to support the current fee schedule, Planning Commission Chair James Samuels abstained, calling the amount too high and a deterrent to needed housing.

Until earlier this month, students at Martin Luther King Middle School in Berkeley could pretty much eat lunch anywhere they wanted. 

Most preferred the baseball field, the steps of the amphitheater, or, as a former King middle-schooler put it, “behind the trucks for maximum shade.” 

Berkeley Unified School District’s $8.7 million King Dining Commons project is all set to change that. 

Students will now have access to tables, chairs, plates and silverware and, most important, their very own cafeteria. Part of the $36 million King campus modernization and development plan, the dining commons will also serve as the district’s new central kitchen, preparing 3,000 hot lunches and 8,000 meals daily for hungry children at each of the city’s 16 public schools. 

The project, originally scheduled for completion last fall, ran into a few minor hiccups along the way but is finally up and running. 

Chef Ann Cooper, Berkeley Unified School District's director of nutrition services—who will be with the district through June—was busy supervising her team Friday as they prepared pizza crusts and marinara sauce from scratch in the state-of-the-art kitchen before the new school year starts Aug. 27. 

“I am very excited about the space,” Cooper said of the 14,000-square-foot building. “The scale of the place is just amazing. We also have new equipment. The equipment that we had at our old central kitchen at Jefferson [Elementary] was old and broken. It could not handle the quality and quantity of food that we were preparing. Moreover, there wasn’t any room for people to move around. All the aisles were crowded together and you couldn’t get anywhere without bumping into something.” 

Cooper currently supervises 55 employees from the district and 30 more from Network for a Healthy California. 

The new kitchen and cafeteria will serve 600 hot lunches to middle-schoolers at Washington every day and the rest will be packed and transported to the city’s 15 other public schools.  

“We want more kids eating our food,” Cooper said. “Breakfast is up, but we want parents to urge their children to eat lunch at school.” 

The 2008-09 school year will see Cooper serving 852,000 breakfasts compared with 58,000 in 2003-04, when she first took over the district’s nutrition services program. 

Cooper said the implementation of the Universal Breakfast program, which delivers free breakfast to all Berkeley Unified students in their classrooms, has played an important role in the increase. 

Lunch is only up 2 percent in the same time frame but has increased 18 percent since 2006-2007. That’s 416,000 lunches in the new school year compared with 351,000 in 2006-2007. 

Cooper has plans to start a campaign to promote school lunches and is working to make the menu more attractive to students by introducing more exotic entrees, such as Moroccan and tandoori chicken and locally grown brown rice. 

District Executive Chef Bonnie Christensen, who started out as a sous chef under Cooper two years ago, said she was already in love with the new dining commons. 

“Just look at this place,” said Christensen, who has worked at restaurants in San Francisco and Marin. “It’s breathtaking. You walk in here and realize that a lot of time and thought and craft went into it. You walk in to eat and you pause for a moment, and that matters. You can almost smell the wood.” 

Designed by Baker Vilar Architects, the new dining commons may be less kitchen than cathedral, with its high vaulted ceilings, tall glass windows, soft earth tones and old fashioned hardwood furniture. 

“You are not going to see these kind of facilities in too many public schools,” Christensen said. “We are the model to say to the rest of the country that this is the way it’s done.” 

Christensen said the King Dining Commons project started five years ago with a lot of input from local culinary icon Alice Waters. 

“She [worships] food, and that’s what we are trying to do here,” Christensen said. 

Waters’ Chez Panisse Foundation is also behind King’s Edible Schoolyard, which teaches students to grow and cook their own food. 

King’s main academic building housed a cafeteria which was closed down in the 1980s, district officials said, leaving students with no place to eat lunch and paving the way for a new dining commons. 

The district’s original plan, Christensen said, was to use the King Dining Commons to cook meals for the middle and high schools only. 

“We were going to remodel the old central kitchen at Jefferson Elementary but realized that we didn’t have the staff to run two kitchens right now,” she said. “So we decided to see how everything works out of here [King] and put plans for Jefferson on hold.” 

Christensen proudly showed off the sleek beverage station inside the cafeteria which will serve organic milk and water to students. 

“We are doing away with water bottles because we don’t want landfills,” she said. “Some schools even sell children water bottles. Everything is wrong with that scenario.” 

Other features in the $2.3 million equipment package include a blast chiller, a custom-made salad bar, an elaborate recycling station, steam jacket kettles for soups and sauces and walk-in freezers for dairy, meat and produce.  

“You probably won’t see a blast chiller in too many public schools,” Christensen said smiling. “It cools down the food pretty fast. It can cool down 60 pounds of rice in 20 minutes and 50 pounds of chicken in 15 minutes. When you are feeding thousands everyday, something like this comes in handy.” 

The garde manger—French for keeper of cold food—section helps to keep the bacteria at bay, Christensen said, by separating the meat preparation room from the vegetable sauces and salads. 

“The thing is, salmonella spores can float all around,” she said. “This isolates bacteria and prevents cross contamination. In a district kitchen that’s really important.” 

Today marks the start of BeyondChron,org's wall-to-wall convention coverage here in Denver. Having predicted in November 2006 that 2008 was Barack Obama’s time to win the presidency, and on Aug. 15 that Biden would be his running mate, I make my predictions for convention week on a roll.  

Already, the Democrats have made three good decisions. First, the party wisely delayed its convention until the end of August. This prevents the convention boost from being dissipated by a summer slumber, while Republicans would leave their convention ready to hit the ground running. Second, Denver was the perfect choice for the event. It highlights the party’s growing strength in the Mountain West, among Latinos, and among the creative class. Third, the Democrats made a brilliant move in allocating prime-time speeches. Michelle Obama is the perfect opening night speaker, and every demographic group has been assured a prominent speaking role. I predict that someone not named Obama will be the talk of the week, and that his or her speech will be primarily credited for the convention’s success. 

This is a critical week for the nation’s future. It will either end with the Democratic Party energized and emboldened to win a sweeping victory, or with Barack Obama still likely to win but having failed to dissolve the growing anxiety among his base. 

Having written in November 2006 that Obama should seek the presidency, I remained steadfast in my belief during the long primary season that he would win the nomination. I am just as confident that the former scenario will play out this week, though the process by which Obama will come out of Denver leading the most enthusiastic Democratic Party in decades will prove surprising.  

The Clinton Factor 

I have never been a fan of Bill or Hillary Clinton. I was not enthusiastic about Clinton during his 1992 campaign, and was not surprised when he spent much of his eight-year presidency undermining the progressive cause. 

I was glad to see Bill Clinton get his comeuppance during and after the South Carolina primary. Clinton administration policies did not entitle him to such strong support among African-Americans, and he finally alienated this key constituency when he used racially charged appeals in South Carolina to denigrate Barack Obama. 

Neither South Carolina Congressmen James Clyburn nor the media could impede Bill Clinton’s efforts to question the abilities of the then-Democratic frontrunner. Even in early August, Clinton gave a widely publicized interview in which he only reluctantly praised Obama, suggesting he was only minimally qualified to be president. 

But it now appears that the former president was using this interview to negotiate a last-ditch effort to save his legacy. And while this reeks of the selfishness for which Bill Clinton is reknown, it means that his public conversion to the Obama bandwagon next week will be viewed as particularly significant. 

Bill Clinton’s speech 

Bill Clinton’s Wednesday night speech will be the defining moment of the 2008 Democratic convention. 

It is the one speech that remains, at least in many minds, unpredictable. 

We know that Michelle Obama will give a touching and inspiring speech on Monday night. She will be widely touted for “humanizing” her husband and enhancing her own image. 

We know that Hillary Clinton will effusively praise Obama during her Tuesday night speech. She will say everything possible to get her backers to join the Obama express. 

We know that Barack Obama will give a great speech on Thursday. 

But what the 11 percent of Democrats who backed Hillary and tell pollsters they are still wary of Obama want to hear is verification from the Big Dog that Obama should be their guy. Hillary alone cannot provide this verification, because her backers see her pro-Obama statements as part of her playing “good cop, bad cop” with husband Bill. 

Bill Clinton has been in a nasty mood for months because he believed he had blown his place in history. His vaunted media skills failed him, and African-Americans, his most loyal constituency, had turned against him, with some even accusing him of racism. 

This is not how Bill Clinton wishes to be remembered. And on Wednesday night he has his last chance to restore his reputation 

Bill Clinton will give a speech so laudatory of Obama, and so revering of the power of a new generation of activists, that he leaves the Democratic Party jubilant over this powerful sense of unity. And while the strong endorsement by a former Democratic president of the party’s 2008 nominee should not be a major news story, Clinton’s speech will be treated as a dramatic and outcome-deciding boost for Barack Obama. 

Altering the media narrative 

Bill Clinton’s dramatic praise of Barack Obama and his signaling that the party’s leadership has shifted will prove the week’s defining moment because it utterly changes the media’s still dominant narrative. This narrative, which the New York Times highlighted as recently as last Friday, insists that regardless of what Hillary Clinton says or does, her support for Obama remains “tepid.” 

Hillary alone cannot change the media’s view that portions of the Clinton base remains estranged, and that the “white working class voter” who voted for her in the primaries will not support Obama. As long as Bill appears unhappy with Obama, the media will continue to write of a party divided and of the Clintons’ base unwilling to support the Democratic nominee. 

That’s why Bill Clinton’s speech will both restore his historic legacy and create a new media narrative about this campaign. And the Obama camp will be happy to give Clinton all of the credit for party unity, as they know that Barack Obama and his core constituencies are the ultimate beneficiaries. 

Some Obama backers will perceive the above scenario as Bill Clinton raining on Barack Obama’s parade. But the Democratic nominee needs Bill Clinton in his corner to achieve the “working political majority” that is key to moving the country forward in 2009. 

Randy Shaw is the editor of BeyondChron.org  

At a public meeting Wednesday the Berkeley Board of Education unanimously approved a schematic design for the $35 million South of Bancroft project, which would build about 55,000 square feet of new buildings and improve landscaping in the southern part of the Berkeley High School campus. 

The project proposes to tear down the high school's historic Old Gym and the warm water pool it contains, to make room for 15 new classrooms and a new gym. The new design is based on the 2005 South of Bancroft master plan, which was supposed to enhance physical education, build larger classrooms to replace the rooms lost after the demolition of the Old Gym and eliminate parking from the main campus among other things. 

Designed by Emeryville-based Baker Vilar Architects, the same firm that is designing the rehabilitation of the Bonar Street building at the district’s West Campus site, the project will unfold in three phases by 2013, starting with the construction of a new stadium and facilities building adjacent to the school’s current athletic field. 

Jose Vilar of Baker Vilar Architects told the board that one of the goals of the project was to build an athletic quad for physical education, basketball and pre- and post-game activities. 

The new stadium will have 2,200 bleacher seats which will allow Berkeley High to host championship tournaments, Vilar said. 

It will also have athletic team rooms and lockers, offices for the coach and the athletic director, a trainer’s room, storage, ticket booth, restrooms and a press box. 

The facilities building will house the campus trash and recycling, maintenance vehicles and a concessions area for the school’s athletic games.  

Phase 2 outlines the demolition of the Old Gym along Milvia Street and the demolition of the existing bleachers located west of the athletic fieldalong Martin Luther King Jr. Way. 

“The old bleachers are ugly and safe and don’t present a very good image of Berkeley High to the community,” Vilar said. 

New five-row 500-seat visitors’ bleachers will replace the old ones , with restrooms for students and the community on the north and south side. 

According to a report to the board from Berkeley Unified School District Director of Facilities Lew Jones, the new bleachers will create a more welcoming ambiance for the community along the western edge of the campus. 

He added that the current bleachers obstruct the view of the campus from MLK Jr. Way. They would be replaced by lower bleachers for a more “open look.” 

A few parents had insisted at an earlier community meeting that the bleachers be built at an adequate height to allow them to view the games properly. 

Jones said the community’s concerns would be taken into consideration. 

“We will be adding trees to the campus to reduce the ‘heat island effect,’ Vilar said. 

“We are mainly looking at using deciduous trees.” 

Phase 3 includes the construction of a two-story gymnasium which will have space for a large multi-purpose gymnasium, a soft gym and fitness center and a three-story academic building with 15 classrooms, restrooms and an area for faculty and staff. 

“The gym and the classroom building are two separate structures but will appear as a single building,” Vilar said. 

“The gym will be connected to the classroom building through a foyer and stairs.” 

Improvements will be made along Channing Way, including a new regulation size football field, an athletic quad, new gates and security fences and landscaping. 

“The three phases are a systematic method of fulfilling the primary goal of bringing the South of Bancroft [area] into conformance with the north end of the campus and to accommodate the school’s current space requirements,” Jones said. 

“We are proceeding with something that’s been around for a while. Having said that, I want to add we haven’t changed too much from the original plan. The project is going to be 650 square feet larger than what was originally planned because we have a greater number of locker rooms.” 

The project, Jones said, was slightly more than two percent over budget, but added that it was not a matter of concern for the district at this point.  

Construction of Phase 1 is scheduled to be done between April 2010 and June 2011. 

The demolition of the Old Gym is expected to take place between June 2011 and November 2011, followed by the construction of a new classroom building and gymnasium from January 2012 to August 2013.  

The district currently lacks the funds to build the new classroom building, Jones said. 

To view the South of Bancroft project visit: www.berkeley.net/uploads/school_board/2008fall/08-20-08_packet.pdf. 

The Democratic Party’s recently released platform draft, titled “Renewing America’s Promise,” is to be ratified at the party’s Denver convention next week. It appears at first to be a long speech filled with platitudes. It is in fact a document filled with policy responses intended for the widest swath of possible voters, and in some places it offers a rather bold and progressive agenda at that.  

This agenda includes the regular Democratic stuff: winding down the war in Iraq, protecting a woman’s right to choose, pursuing alternative energy, defeating Al Qaeda, and repealing the Bush tax cuts on those earning over $250,000. But, there are some surprising Democratic Party agenda items buried inside: the call for universal healthcare, contemplation of “a world without nuclear weapons,” breaking America’s addiction to foreign oil (but NOT to oil itself), calls for doubling automobile fuel efficiency standards (but with no time frame given), affordable childcare for “every American child,” paid college “if you commit your life to teaching,” asking for premiums collected by insurers to be primarily dedicated to care “not profits,” raising the minimum wage and indexing it to inflation, and even support for “the revitalization of American Indian languages” as well as advocacy that our children learn a foreign language. Whew! 

There are some surprising omissions though: nothing about net neutrality, about how the “American Dream” is defined, nothing about Obama’s promise not to not just amend but rewrite the North American Free Trade Agreement. And what exactly does “All Americans should have coverage they can afford” on page 6 really mean? 

“Renewing America’s Promise,” is a 56-page assortment of mini-speeches—some lines pulled right from Clinton and Obama speeches—on issues ranging from “affordable and quality” healthcare to supporting self-determination in Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and even, Washington, D.C.  

Arizona’s Governor, Janet Napolitano, Chair, herded enough Democratic cats to allow party regulars a couple of weeks to mull over this political laundry list before the convention’s start date of Aug. 24th. The entire document can be seen online. Some might call it a ‘docudrama,’ instead of a document, since the preamble section claims that:  

[The Democrats] “will provide immediate relief to working people who have lost their jobs, families who have lost their homes, and people who have lost their way.” (our italics.)  

A year ago the Democrat mantra might have been stop the war, universal healthcare now, fight global warming, and an emphasis on competence replacing “inept stewardship” on a whole range of governing issues.  

The current platform draft, with the exception of keeping the competence-will-replace-inept stewardship chant, is all about the economy: “Jumpstart the Economy and Provide Middle Class Americans Immediate Relief,” “Investing in American Competitiveness.” “Economic Stewardship” has supplanted environmental stewardship in order of importance to this year’s Democratic strategy. It is startling what a few issues like the mortgage crisis, higher gasoline prices, inflation and unemployment, have done to defang the anti-Iraq War movement, the clarion call for universal health coverage, and Al Gore’s efforts to move forward on tackling global warming.  

The platform that might have been would have looked more like a liberal social agenda, now it is geared more toward the Democratic Me—saving the jobs, housing, and gas tanks of Democratic voters of 2008.  

By early August, the economy had shed 463,000 jobs over seven straight months of job loss. Health, gas and food prices are rising dramatically. (p.3)  

So much for “the planet in peril.” The “defining moment” of this party platform draft is the economy, the economy, the economy. 

It might be perhaps even more startling to Bay Area Democrats that the words, environment, environmental, and environmentalist cannot be found anywhere in the platform’s table of contents. (“Climate Change” is found once.) In a word search of the 56 pages of Party boosterism, sermonizing and policy objectives, the words 'climate change' are, in fact, found 17 times and ‘environment(al)’ is found 13 times. And on page 42 we find out the US is not really facing a global warming or an environmental crisis, but a “national security crisis.”  

We understand that climate change is not just an economic issue or environmental concern–this is a national security crisis. (p.42)  

Furthermore, Berkeley Democrats may be chagrinned to see “Open, Accountable and Ethical Government,” “Reclaiming Our Constitution and Our Liberties” and “Voting Rights,” although discussed, relegated to the back end of the platform document draft. Also, the call for “Stronger Cyber Security” says nothing about the current free speech concern of ‘net neutrality.’  

What even seems more troubling is that a word search of the document looking for the word ‘computer’ yields zero references, while the term ‘security’ comes up 77 times in 56 pages. ‘End(ing) the war in Iraq’ has four references, ‘change’ is used 37 times, ‘affordable’ is found 28 times, ‘democracy’ is mentioned 25 times, ‘environment’ finds 12 references, ‘hope’ and ‘freedom’ each have 11 citations, ‘gas(oline)’ is used seven times, ‘compassion’ four times, ‘diversity’ and ‘abortion’ just twice each, while the terms ‘multicultural,’ ‘death penalty’ and ‘alternative energy’ cannot be found at all in the document. 

Perhaps it is the section, “Renewing the American Community,” that best sums up why it is another man from the state of Illinois has captured the conscience of this nation. After the deaths of 4,000-plus soldiers, having never been asked to commit to any personal sacrifice, only to trust in the current President and go out and shop more, Americans are yearning to do something more significant, something that reflects that they care and is collective and connects their individual lives to the larger national quilt. 

Here's how the platform expresses it: 

In local platform hearings around the country, people talked of the need for compassion, empathy, a commitment to our values and the importance of being united in order to take on the challenges and opportunities of the new century. They said that they valued Barack Obama’s message, that alongside Americans’ famous individualism, there's another ingredient in the American saga: a belief that we are connected to each other. We could all choose to focus on our own concerns and live our lives in a way that tries to keep our individual stories separate from the larger story of America. But that is not who we are. That is not our American story. If there's a child on the south side of Chicago who can't read, that matters to us, even if it's not our child. If there's a senior citizen in Elko, Nevada who has to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes our lives poorer, even if it's not our grandmother. Because our individual salvation depends on collective salvation. Because thinking only about yourself, fulfilling only your immediate wants and needs, betrays a poverty of ambition. Because it is only when we join together in something larger than ourselves that we can write the next great chapter in America's story. (p. 39) 

Chainsaws lopped off all lower branches of the last remaining bastion of the Memorial Stadium tree-sit Thursday as UC Berkeley prepared for their final moves against the protesters in the oak grove. 

Contract arborists, equipped with Plexiglass shields, worked from the platforms of two cherrypickers, whacking off the branches of the redwood and two nearby oaks.  

“The removal of these branches will make it very difficult for those who are illegally occupying university property to move back into the trees they had formerly occupied, and will help prevent new protesters from joining them,” Vice Chancellor Nathan Brostrom said in a prepared statement. 

By the time the chainsaws had stopped, the trunk of the redwood had been stripped of branches to a height of about 35 feet. 

Protesters have occupied perches in the grove since December 2006, hoping to block the demolition of the stand of oaks and other trees which the university intends to remove to make way for a four-level gym and office complex dubbed the Student Athlete High Performance Center. 

Foes of the project, including the City of Berkeley, the California Oak Foundation, the Panoramic Hill Association and a group of Berkeley citizens, lost the first round of their legal battle against the project. 

The university now wants Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara J. Miller to end her injunction against construction when she issues her final ruling, which could come as early as Monday. 

The university has agreed to withhold further action for two days after the ruling, to give the losing side time to file an appeal. 

Tempers grew heated outside the barricades campus police have erected along the eastern side of Piedmont Avenue, with protesters yelling at campus police. 

“Yo, Vickie! What the fuck are you doing?!” screamed Ayr, one of the most prominent of the supporters when he spotted campus police Chief Victoria Harrison. 

“You’re violating the court order,” yelled Zachary Running Wolf, the first of the tree-sitters and now an active member of the ground support team. 

But Dan Mogulof, the university’s executive director of public affairs, said the trimming was consistent with the judge’s order—which he said only barred construction activities and not measures designed to support public safety. 

Before they had finished, the arborists—who work for a Watsonville firm—had come within a few feet of one of the tree-sitters and had managed to seize some of their gear, which they sent plummeting to the ground. 

The Thursday morning action confines the tree-sitters to the upper reaches of the redwood and may limit their ability to move from tree to tree, making their capture easier if and when the university makes its final move and calls in the chainsaws to level most of the grove.

The results for California’s 2008 Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program show a higher percentage of students in the Berkeley Unified School District scored proficient or above in reading, writing and mathematics compared with the state results. 

In English Language Arts, 51.9 percent of the students in Berkeley Unified scored proficient or above, compared with 46 percent in California as a whole, and 46.9 percent students scored proficient or above in math compared with the state’s 43 percent. 

District Superintendent Bill Huyett and Berkeley Board of Education President John Selaw-sky could not be reached immediately for comment. 

Students taking the California Standardized tests don’t receive scores. 

Instead, their tests are grouped into categories such as advanced, proficient, basic, below basic, and far below basic. 

The Board of Education has established the proficient level as the desired achievement goal for all students, which is consistent with school-growth targets for state accountability and the federal No Child Left Behind requirements. 

The results—released by the state Department of Education Aug. 14—show that California public school students continue to make steady gains in English-language arts, math, science and social science. 

Since 2003, 532,494 more students in the state have become more proficient in English language arts and 415,129 more students have become proficient in math. 

“While we still have a lot of work to do to reach our goal of universal proficiency, this year’s gains are particularly encouraging considering they build upon five years of steady growth,” State Superintendent of Schools Jack O’Connell said. “The results also show significant increases in science and social science. California has some of the highest standards in the nation, and I am exceptionally proud of the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, and parents that led to this achievement.” 

In 2008, 46 percent of students in California scored proficient or advanced in English-language arts and 43 percent scored proficient or advanced in math. 

Five years ago the rates of proficient or advanced was 35 percent in English and 35 percent in math. 

However, overall proficiency rates for Latino and African American students were significantly lower than those of white or Asian students. 

“While we celebrate the progress made by all subgroups of students over the last five years, we cannot lose sight of the fact that more than half of our students, and too many students of color, are still not meeting our high standards,” O’Connell said. “It is good news that all students continue to improve. It is imperative that we help those students who have historically struggled the most to accelerate their learning so they may effectively and fully participate in school, the workforce, and in society.” 

African American and Latino students who are not economically disadvantaged continue to score lower in math than white students who are economically disadvantaged. 

“It is a moral and economic imperative that we close the achievement gap. California cannot afford to allow our Latino students and our African American students to continue to lag academically behind their peers,” O’Connell said. “While we must close the gap that exists between all subgroups, I am acutely concerned about our African American students. African American students as a whole scored in English-language arts just one point above Latino students, a subgroup that includes a significant number of English learners. This, coupled with an alarming dropout rate among African Americans, indicates a crisis in the education of black children.” 

O’Connell told reporters during a teleconference Thursday morning that state educators had made recommendations aimed at closing the achievement gap and improving services to African American students, including introducing rigorous curriculum and coursework and a greater access to technology.

There’s good news and bad news for Berkeley’s chaat lovers. 

Let’s start with the bad news: Vik’s Chaat Corner, where homesick Indian expatriates from all over the Bay Area and beyond line up to get their whiff of tamarind, rock salt and mint, and everyone else turns up—well—for the chaat, of course, is moving from its nondescript West Berkeley warehouse at 721 Allston Way. 

The good news is it’s moving two blocks south to Fourth Street. 

When Amod Chopra—a member of the family that owns Vik’s—put down an offer on a residential house in the Berkeley hills earlier this year it was not meant to be. 

“I was outbid,” said Chopra, pulling up one of the restaurant’s 142 basic-black metal chairs. “I took my wife on an African safari to cheer her up. When we got back, someone asked us if we wanted to buy a property on Fourth Street. We ended up buying it, but only because we got outbid on the other property. And that’s where [the business] will be moving in April.” 

It’s 11:30 on a Tuesday morning and there’s hardly any place inside Vik’s to balance your ginormous cholle bhatura. 

High-heeled American teenagers jostle for elbow room with a Punjabi family from Toronto—both hunched over their mango lassis and pav bhajis, bread served with steamed spicy vegetables blended together. 

A group of West Berkeley residents turn up for their afternoon sweet fix of barfi, rasmalai, rasgollas and hatsi halwa—the creamy, nutty and milky flavors dousing the fiery juices of the pani puri perfectly. 

Wendy Lucas of San Francisco picked up four large trays of tri-colored barfis and yellow pista rolls for her wedding. 

“I guess that’s enough for 120 people,” she said laughing. 

“We went to Fremont and a few other places in Berkeley, but Vik’s has the most vibrant colors and their sweets are the freshest.” 

By 1 p.m., the line snakes all the way to the adjacent parking lot and, at its peak, the crowd spills over into the grocery store next door, where Indians from as far away as Santa Clara hunt for bargains. 

First generation Indians shop for their Pond’s talcum powder and Pillsbury roti while the second and third generations stop by for Kingfisher beer or Thums Up, a cola drink manufactured in India by Coca Cola. 

The store attracts more than 200 people every day and the restaurant gets nearly 700 visitors on weekdays, Chopra’s mother Indira said.  

Kishore Kumar and R.D. Burman Hindi songs blare in the background, and steaming glasses of masala chai and plates of fresh-made chicken curry with rice, dal, chapati, raita, papaddums and pickles appear out of nowhere. 

You pause for a minute and wonder: Is this really happening in the middle of the warehouse district on Allston Way? 

“When my father first leased this space 22 years ago, people were afraid to make the trek two blocks from University Avenue because their car would get broken into,” Chopra said. 

“We took over the warehouse, cleaned it up and soon we brought life into this place. I still remember the $100 our landlords John Norheim and Don Yost paid my sister and me to sweep and mop the place. It was the hardest $100 I have ever earned in my life.” 

As teenagers, Chopra and his sister Shagun—both Berkeley High graduates—spent weekdays helping their father Vinod at the store. 

“I stood all day long and made chaat,” said Chopra smiling. 

What started out in 1989 as a 200-square-foot chaat station squeezed in between the cash register and the spice aisle quickly evolved into a popular Berkeley lunch spot serving piping-hot curries to people who kept coming back for more. 

A melee of sounds carried over to the tables from the kitchen, and Chopra explained it was his team at work. 

Amma—who is originally from Andhra Pradesh, India, and has been at Vik’s for 15 years—stood in a cramped corner next to the oven making coconut chutney and sambhar. 

“Now that we have our own building, I want to redesign the kitchen to give everyone more space,” Chopra said. 

“I need more people there to make the dosas and the baturas.” 

The batura—a large puffed puri served with cholle, onions and pickles—can sometimes turn out to be as big as a football. 

Chopra has big dreams for his new restaurant on Fourth and Channing Way, previously occupied by the children’s sportswear store Sweet Potatoes, but insists that its essence will remain the same. 

Although the building—which is part of the city’s “Berkeley Jet” architecture series because it once belonged to a boat propulsion company—spans 25,000 square feet, Chopra plans to use 6,000 square feet to build a 175-seat restaurant and lease out the rest. 

“It will still be the same high-quality food and the same prices but with faster service,” he said. 

“We will do our best to keep the warehouse look. It’s what makes Vik’s special. I did have a few options to move out of West Berkeley and follow the Indian crowd to Fremont, but every time I thought of it, I felt I would be taking the essence out of Vik’s.” 

It’s easy to spot why Chopra got involved with chaat—the seemingly frivolous street food served on banana leaves that is popular all over India. 

As a young boy in Patna, Bihar, he spent a good amount of time eating it. 

“I couldn’t forget the taste,” he said. 

“In India people eat chaat at any time of the day. On the way back from work, school, as a snack, in between meals and sometimes even for dinner.” 

Chaat, Chopra explained, means “to lick,” and “it’s only by licking your leaf clean of the rock salt, tamarind, mint and cilantro that you can unleash the zesty pungent flavor of this popular Indian snack.” 

At Vik’s, visitors can sample dahi batata puri, bhel puri and pani puri among other tongue-tickling delights, but Chopra singles out the papdi chaat as a proven crowd pleaser. 

Made with crisp flat papdi—bits of pappadum—spices, potatoes and garbanzo beans and topped with yogurt and tamarind chutney, a bite of Vik’s papdi chaat conjures up images of chaat carts along Mumbai’s busy Chowpatty Beach. 

“We have been serving Indian street food even before it was popular to serve Indian food,” Chopra said. 

“This is where we found success. After basking in the kind of warm welcome Berkeley gave us, we can never dream of moving anywhere else.”

Matthew Wilson, the missing Rice University student who was found by UC police on the UC Berkeley campus last week and charged with possession of stolen property, flew back home to Oklahoma Wednesday with his mother and two sisters after the Alameda County district attorney’s office dismissed all charges against him. 

Wilson, a computer science junior at Rice, caught the attention of national media and prompted several non-profit groups to search for him when he disappeared from his off-campus apartment building in Houston Dec. 14.  

Wilson’s 2004 silver Dodge Neon was found parked on the street in a West Berkeley neighborhood in June, and authorities did not rule out the possibility that Wilson, 21, might have left home on his own accord.  

His mother Cathy Wilson of Haworth, Oklahoma flew to the Bay Area recently to conduct a search for him in collaboration with Pleasanton-based Trinity Search and Recovery. 

Although sightings of Wilson were reported in People’s Park and a few other places in Berkeley, nothing concrete turned up. 

He was found by a UC police officer in a classroom in Dwinelle Hall on Aug. 13 and charged with possession of stolen property and burglary tools and with giving false information to an officer.  

UC police handed Wilson over to Berkeley police for an interview, after which he was transported to the John George Psychiatric Pavilion in San Leandro for a psychological assessment later that night. 

When he was released from the hospital Monday, UC police took him into custody and transported him to Santa Rita Jail. 

Sgt. Mary Kusmiss, spokesperson for the Berkeley Police Department, said the district attorney dismissed all charges against Wilson in the interest of justice when he appeared at the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in Oakland to be arraigned at 9 a.m. Tuesday. 

Officer Mitch Celaya, spokesperson for the UC Police Department, said university police Officer Sean Aranas was looking for a theft suspect when he came across Wilson a little before 7 p.m. in room 89 of Dwinelle Hall on campus. 

Wilson, who was dressed in a black T-shirt, black jeans and black athletic shoes and had shaved his beard and cut his hair, was all by himself in the room and had a computer with scraped off serial numbers hooked up to an overhead projector. 

“He was using the projector to see whatever was on his laptop,” Celaya said. 

“The officer was immediately suspicious and asked him whether he was a student. Wilson replied that he was.” 

Wilson was unable to produce a student ID when the officer asked for it, Celaya said, and later admitted he was not a student. 

Wilson then gave the officer a false name—“Colin Lynch”—and later provided him with his true identity after which the office ran an ID check and found the missing person report. 

The officer also found a backpack with what looked like burglary tools, Celaya said. 

Kusmiss said that Wilson had told the homicide detective during the two-hour interview at the Ron Tsukamoto Public Safety Building last week that he “wanted to come west and disappear,” and that he had been “living on the streets” in recent months.  

He spent quite a bit of time on the UC Berkeley campus, police said, and slept near some of the buildings. 

He told the detective that the UC student community had been a “good source of food” and that he did not make any social connections or friends while in Berkeley. 

“He was familiar with Berkeley because it was one of the universities he had applied to,” she said. 

“Our overall assessment was that he’s a young man facing challenges in his life and confusion and isolation. He wasn’t seeking out anyone for social networking.” 

Kusmiss did not release the nature of Wilson’s medical assessment, saying that it was protected by confidentiality. 

It took Wilson approximately a week to drive to Berkeley and he “lived in his car off and on until it was towed” by Berkeley police June 10, the police statement said. 

Kusmiss said items found in the car included a collection of anarchist essays called Days of War, Nights of Love, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, the Jan. 8 edition of the Contra Costa Times, clothes, rice and a can of beans. 

Published by anarchist collective Crimethinc, Days of War, Nights of Love advocates the fight for personal freedom and alternate lifestyles and in certain sections criticizes capitalism and mass-consumerism. 

Available at Moe’s books on Telegraph Avenue and The Longhaul on Shattuck Avenue, the book, according to an employee at Moe’s, is quite popular with the younger generation who are interested in that particular genre of literature. 

Kusmiss said that although several people suggested that “there may be deeper or darker energies” behind Wilson arriving in Berkeley, the Berkeley Police Department’s impression was that he was a young man who was facing personal challenges and did not want to be found. 

“We had heard rumors from Trinity Search and Recovery that he might have come to Berkeley to be part of a hacking group but we had no compulsion to explore it,” Kusmiss said. 

“There’s no nexus that we are aware of. Days of War Nights of Love could have answers for a lot of young people who don’t fit in. Anarchy has a lot of different definitions. When people hear anarchy they think it means fighting against the world but it can also mean not conforming to social norms.”

There’s going to be a party in the streets of Denver—an activist party, according to Recreate68 co-founders, Mark Cohen and Glenn Spagnuolo. The Planet spoke with both of them this week in separate telephone interviews.  

Cohen’s day job is as a writer and editor, but for the past year and a half his life has been taken over by this new endeavor, “ever since the DNC designated Denver as the site,” he said. Recreate68 has been working to make sure the Democrats know what the issues are and the group’s hope is that delegates themselves will actually take part in a host of activities now planned outside of Denver’s Pepsi Center, site of the 2008 Democratic National Convention (DNC). Cohen adds, “Many of the delegates are to the left of their party’s leadership and they [the delegates] are closer to the people who will be in the streets.” So the plan, according to Cohen, is for activists to make themselves known outside of the Pepsi Center, and “we are going to be trying to reach delegates at their hotels” as well. 

Recreate68’s website describes the group as follows; “The Recreate 68 Alliance is a group of local activists who will be acting as a clearing house in order to disseminate information for resistance so the power of the people can be expressed as loudly as possible!” 

It goes on to say that the group will act as an umbrella organization planning and providing support for demonstrations around the Democratic National Convention.” 

It might be difficult for activists and protesters to get very near the delegates since, according to Cohen, the Secret Service and Homeland Security are putting protesters “a ridiculous length away from the Pepsi Center—more than two football fields in length.” Cohen goes on to say they erected not one but two eight-foot fences “between demonstrators and convention-goers and there will be police patrolling between the two fences.”  

Denver Judge Marcia Krieger recently turned down Recreate68 and the ACLU request to move demonstrators closer to the Pepsi Center. “Once the Secret Service says ‘terrorism,’ the court lets them do whatever they want,” says Recreate68 co-founder, Spagnuolo. “But the delegates will have a hard time ignoring thousands of people.”  

How many people will come is anybody’s guess. Spagnuolo says he has heard multiple estimates of anywhere between 10,000 and 50,000. According to Spagnuolo, Recreate68 came together “in the spirit of change that was achieved in Prague, Paris and Mexico City [in 1968]. People were in the streets around the world,” and that is what they are looking to “recreate,” he says. In the past Spagnuolo has also said the group is made of progressive activists who have united around a common cause, namely in this case the DNC. 

Spagnuolo said that the main issues Recreate68 would like to see Democrats address are for “Barack Obama to bring the troops home now, an end to imperialism, and an end to human rights violations including Guantanamo and the USA Patriot Act.” Cohen added that he was also focusing on the first and fourth amendments. “ Since 9/11 it has become a crime to dissent and we’re fighting back,” he said. 

According to Recreate68’s website, “The only delegates that will truly represent the will of the people are the people themselves. The Republicans are organizing, the Democrats are organizing, it is time ‘We the People’ do the same.” One of the highlights of that organizing will be a rally this Sunday at the Colorado state capitol building, followed by a march to the Pepsi Center, “or as far as we can go,” according to Cohen. Featured speakers at the 9 a.m. rally will be Vietnam Veteran and author of Born on the Fourth of July, Ron Kovic, independent congressional candidate Cindy Sheehan, Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney and former Black Panther Party member Kathleen Cleaver.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Today the Berkeley Daily Planet launches a full week of online coverage of the Democratic Convention in Denver. It will include coverage by our regular Public Eye columnist, Democratic Party activist Bob Burnett; by special correspondent Chris Krohn, who previously covered the 2004 conventions for us; and by our BeyondChron colleagues Randy Shaw and Paul Hogarth; plus videos and photo essays. 

Ayelet Waldman is going to Denver! She is a Democratic Party delegate for Barack Obama, representing the East Bay’s 9th Congressional District. When she’s home, she’s a busy woman. She writes fiction and personal essays and lives in Berkeley’s Elmwood neighborhood with Michael Chabon, her writer husband, and their four kids. 

The Planet caught up with Waldman this week as she was vacationing on the East Coast and getting ready to leave for the Democratic Convention in Denver, which begins Monday. As she multi-tasked in her kitchen, stirring cake batter and then taste-testing it, adjusting the oven temperature, and listening to incoming calls on her phone answering machine, she spoke candidly and passionately about how she decided to run as an Obama delegate.  

Celebrity status aside, Ayelet Waldman is clearly someone who has paid some dues in Democratic Party politics. “I worked for Obama early on, mostly fundraising,” she begins the conversation, “and then I made my first trip out to Nevada.” She is pensive, the mixing bowl stirring stops for a moment as she recalls that time. “I know this sounds corny, but this gave me my Democratic Party inspiration.” 

The Nevada caucuses in January were the third primary this year. “The caucuses were what it used to be like—a town meeting. It gave me a patriotic feeling,” she says. She steps back, “You know, I went to Wesleyan and I am a bit cynical. Patriotism does not come naturally to me, but I was excited when I came back from Nevada.” The stirring begins again, “Oh s****!,” she exclaims, touching the hot oven door. She forgets for a moment about this interview, trying to get her cake finished in time for a later evening engagement.  

“Then I went to South Carolina to work in the Voter Protection boiler room,” she continues. “We were dealing with calls from all around the country.” The oven door slams again. “I worked in Voter Protection for Kerry,” she pauses, not sure whether to say more about that failed candidacy. She chooses instead to press on with her case for Obama.  

“But now I feel like I am putting my money where my mouth is. I had this epiphany while waiting for Barack to give his speech [in South Carolina]. I was standing next to some statue, you know, one of those really ‘southern’ statues, and here we were in this room, black and white, and up come Bill Clinton’s comments about Jesse Jackson on the big TV.” She is resolute, focused, sending chills down the listener’s spine as she continues. “I was standing with some students and they started chanting, ‘Race doesn’t matter! Race doesn’t matter!’ And here we were in the heart of Dixie chanting ‘Race doesn’t matter!’ She takes a breath, “And, of course, race matters. I just felt so excited with the possibility of electing a man [Obama] with such compassion and intellect.”  

The next place Waldman traveled to was Texas. “I met this woman who takes her kids to vote with her in every election, but this time she had decided to work the caucuses, and as we said our goodbyes, we said we’d see each other on the Mall on Inauguration Day. “I thought why wait, I can do more” to make an Obama Presidency happen.  

The answering machine is going off in the background, she stops speaking for a moment, it’s a call for her husband and she lets it go. “Then I came home and decided I would be a delegate. I decided to run.”  

What was it like on the day you met the voters who would be selecting delegates?  

“I was surprised I won. I wasn’t sure who would come. I ran on a slate with a friend, and we asked as many friends to come as possible; they would have to give up a beautiful Sunday. And when I arrived I saw this line, and I went up and down the line of people, campaigning.” 

What did you tell them? “What I had already done for Barack and what I plan on doing in Denver.”  

Like what? “At the time I thought there would be a floor fight at the convention [between Hillary Clinton and Obama], but now most of Hillary’s supporters are on board and will support Barack.” And in Denver, what will happen? “I think we will see party unity, we will rise to the occasion. I don’t think you will see any ‘NoBama’ signs. Look, the last eight years, no matter what your political persuasion, have been a disaster. Most thinking people understand that four more years of these policies will be a disaster.” 

Do you think you should be representing Berkeley? “I’m from Berkeley and I think I will pretty well represent them.”  

What are your three top issues, Berkeley issues? “The issues are the war in Iraq and by extension, and perhaps more importantly, ending torture and ending the suspension of habeas corpus. Back when we had the Magna Carta, we had a commitment to habeas corpus. If this country has stood for anything it’s stood for the constitution. The constitution is the very definition of grace. In the past eight years we have abandoned that.”  

The answering machine goes off again. Waldman pauses to listen. It is a friend—she strides through that conversation, ending it quickly: “I’m being interviewed on the other line.” She’s excited.  

On our line she does not miss a beat, “I am also very interested in the criminal justice system and ending the war on drugs.”  

And your third issue? “The Supreme Court. Everything comes to the Supreme Court and the next President might appoint three or four justices.” 

What will you actually do at the convention as a delegate? “I’m not exactly sure, I’ve never done this before. Maybe it will be a four-day bacchanal.” She laughs. “There are floor sessions every day from 4-9pm. I will be going to meetings and parties outside of those times. I just RSVP-ed for a session on African genocide … there will be others I assume. I will also do a blog for New York Magazine. Gail Collins has the political side and I am doing the delegate side.”  

Her cake is nearly done. She glides around the kitchen—there are sounds of opening drawers, wax paper being ripped. The phone rings one more time and she has to answer it.  

We spar for a moment as I probe for her possible disagreements with the Illinois Senator on the Telecom bill and the death penalty. She finally avers, “You know, I just want to say, I think one of the reasons he is such a successful candidate is that he has committed himself to working across political lines. I have always believed America gets the President it deserves. I know Barack will be one of the best Presidents ever. We will see if we deserve him. It’s our choice to prove whether this country deserves Barack Obama.” 

[Editing errors in the print version of this article have been corrected: the school Waldman attended,what she currently writes and her current employment.]

Three plaintiff groups who filed suit on Friday to try to stop the University of California, Berke-ley, from building a new sports training center next to its football stadium withdrew their bid to have a judge reverse her most recent ruling in the case. 

The city of Berkeley, the California Oak Foundation and the Panoramic Hill Association said they’re withdrawing their motion for a new trial or a reversal of Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara Miller’s July 22 ruling “in the interest of the court, the parties and judicial economy.” 

In a one-page filing, the plaintiffs said UC Berkeley officials have complied with state law in one aspect of the university’s proposed 158,000-square-foot project, which is projected to cost $140 million. 

However, Michael Lozeau, the attorney for the Panoramic Hill Association, which represents homeowners who live near Cal’s football stadium, said other important issues remain and Miller will have a show-cause hearing on Aug. 25 on whether she should enter an amended judgment in the case. 

“We are very pleased” that the plaintiffs withdrew their motion, UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said. 

A UC Board of Regents committee approved building the sports training center next to the university’s football stadium, which sits on the Hayward earthquake fault, on Dec. 5, 2006. 

Shortly afterward, a group of people began living in a grove of oak trees next to the stadium to protest the project because it calls for tearing down most of the trees. Several protesters remain at the site. 

In addition, the three plaintiff groups filed suit against the university in late December 2006. 

Miller issued a preliminary injunction on Jan. 29, 2007, which temporarily halted the project. 

But on July 22 she ruled that the university could begin work because it has modified the project to meet her concerns. 

However, Miller kept the injunction in place for another seven days to give the plaintiffs who sued the university time to file an appeal and seek a stay to stop the project during an appeal. 

The California Oak Foundation and the Panoramic Hill Association filed an appeal on July 25, which kept the injunction in place another 20 days. 

On Aug. 7, the state Court of Appeal sent the case back to Miller’s courtroom, saying that the injunction should remain in effect for at least two more weeks. 

The appellate court said “the preliminary injunction is not yet dissolved” because final judgment in the case never took effect. 

The court said the injunction “remains in place, subject to future modification by the trial court, as appropriate.” 

UC attorney Kelly Drumm said today that the parties in the case have until Tuesday to file legal briefs on the issue of whether Miller should enter an amended judgment. 

Drumm said that if Miller rules in favor of the university again, the plaintiffs will be given an additional seven days to file an appeal and seek a stay. 

Lozeau said the Panoramic Hill Association and the California Oak Foundation probably will re-file their appeal if Miller rules against them again. 

The Berkeley City Council met on July 24 to consider filing an appeal but couldn’t muster enough votes to authorize an appeal. 

UC Berkeley filed a request on Tuesday for a court ruling that could allow them to chop down the Memorial Stadium grove just two days after a superior court ruling becomes final. 

Stephan Volker, who is battling to save the trees as attorney for the California Oak Foundation, said papers the university filed with Alameda County Court Judge Barbara Miller ask her to deny a 20-day continuation of her injunction against axing the trees. 

The 20-day period is typically granted to allow the losing side in a court battle to file an appeal. 

“They are offering a two-day stay on their own, but that is not a judicial stay,” Volker said. 

But Dan Mogulof, the university’s spokesman on issues involving stadium-area construction plans, said the two-day period would give Volker and his fellow plaintiffs time to appeal. “They did it in less time than that the last time,” he said. 

Mogulof said the university wants Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara J. Miller to dissolve her injunction to ensure their ability to start construction promptly should the appellate court reject the appeal. 

If the injunction remains in place when the ruling becomes final, state law provides for an automatic 20-day extension that would continue even if the appeal is rejected. 

Last Friday the plaintiffs withdrew a motion to ask Miller to overturn her own decision and grant a new trial, with the issuance of her final decision the only action left in her court. 

The grove is the site on an ongoing tree-sit that began on Big Game Day 2006. Mogulof said the university has always had the right to remove the tree sitters thanks to a ruling later that month. 

The university hopes to remove most of the trees to make way for a four-level high-tech gym and office complex, the first of three planned phases of construction at the stadium. 

The east entrance and parking lot of Berkeley’s Ashby BART station will close for 18 months on Monday to make room for construction of the $45 million Ed Roberts campus. 

Described as one-stop shopping for disability services, education and research, the transit-oriented campus will be built on top of the parking lot on the east side of the BART station facing Adeline Street. It will include a dozen nonprofits, a child development center, a fitness center and a cafe complete with a spiral ramp up to the second floor, accessible meeting rooms and spacious elevators.  

Groundbreaking is set for Sept. 4 and the project, according to BART and the Ed Roberts management, will be completed by February 2010.  

Temporary fences, new BART signs—some stenciled on plywood—and construction equipment can already be spotted at the site, and the previously deserted east entrance now bears an even emptier look since pedestrians have started taking alternate routes to the station. 

Although planning for the project has been going on for the last 12 years, some BART commuters who stopped by at the makeshift BART information desk set up inside the turnstiles from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday said they were hearing about it for the first time.  

“I didn’t know anything about it,” said Sarah Cone, who takes BART from San Francisco to Berkeley every day. “But it’s not a big problem. I will just have to walk a little extra to get to my house. I guess.”  

Kevin Hagerty, manager of BART’s Customer Access Department, said BART agents have been placing flyers on cars parked at the station since the beginning of August.  

“Most people at the station are not surprised,” Hagerty said. “The project’s been in planning for 10 years. We are here today to answer questions and provide information.”  

Hagerty said that BART—which is funding the project along with the federal government, private foundations, the City of Berkeley and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission—was working closely with the project developer and city officials to minimize the disruption BART customers would face during construction.  

BART will be offering an attendant-assisted parking program in the Ashby station’s west parking lot—which is home to the flea market every weekend—on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.  

“After the self-park stalls are filled, we will give people the option to leave their vehicles with a professional parking operator who will park their vehicle in parking lot aisles or behind the self-parked spaces,” Hagerty said.  

“When they come back from work, they will give the attendants claim checks to get their cars back. Since there will be no attendant parking on weekdays and the flea market will continue to operate, there will be limited parking then.”  

“What about the shuttle buses?” asked a nurse who works at Alta Bates Summit  

and Medical Center, which offers shuttle  

services to its employees from Ashby BART.  

Hagerty said that all existing shuttle services, cabs and car-share services that currently stop at the east side would be relocated to the west side.  

“The whole east side of the parking lot is going to close,” he said, adding that the west entrance and parking lot would not be affected during construction.  

“People who live or work on that side will have to cross Adeline and come in through the other side,” he said  

A few cab drivers who said they currently park in the three city-allocated parking spots on the east side expressed concern about the relocation.  

“There will be three spots on the west side for three taxis but what about the other 10 or 15?” said M. Singh, who parks his cab on the east side. “It’s a very big problem for taxi drivers. I don’t know what to do. Earlier we could park on Woolsey, but the city stopped us from doing that two months ago.”  

Mandy Dhillon, another cab driver, said the City of Berkeley had started fining drivers if they parked their cabs on Woolsey.  

“It’s a big problem,” he said waiting for passengers outside the station. “You have a whole lot of cabs but only three can park at the station.”  

Some BART commuters said they were still confused with the new access plans.  

“We have got a game plan on how to accommodate access, but we will keep looking at the challenges and address them,” Hagerty said. “A few people are asking us to clarify the parking but most are curious about how the building is going to look. Since the west side is more congested, it will take a lot more time for people to adjust. We expect confusion on the first day. But we will have extra BART staff out here to make sure people understand the process.”  

Drivers will continue to pay the current $1 weekday rate for parking, and monthly reserved permit holders will keep parking in their existing designated spaces.  

The City of Berkeley will also allow extended-hour parking on the west side of Adeline Street between Ashby Avenue and Woolsey Street.  

“Right now it’s got a one-hour parking limit, but the city will be eliminating parking restrictions, except from 1 to 4 a.m., so that people will be able to park all day,” Hagerty said.  

Bike racks will be relocated from the east side of the station to the west side right next to existing bicycle parking.  

“We will allow people to use the curb area adjacent to the station entrance while actively dropping off and picking up other BART riders,” Hagerty said.  

Ed Roberts Campus Project Manager Caleb Dardick said BART patrons had reacted very positively to the news of the construction. 

“They were very supportive,” Dardick said. “Once construction is complete, they will be able to access the station through a new elevator and stairs. The building will be level with Adeline Street. We will basically be excavating the parking lot.”  

Barbara Richardson, who has been parking her car at the Ashby BART for the last two years, said she would start taking the bus when the lot closed down. 

“Right now I barely get a spot on the east side when I get here,” Richardson said. “There are far less spots on the west side. There’s no way I will find a place to park there.”  

For more information, see www. edrobertscampus.org

Alameda County Superior Court Judge Morris Jacobson denied bail on Monday to Berkeley City College student Andrew Hoeft-Edenfield, who has been charged with the stabbing death of UC Berkeley senior Chris Wootton. 

The judge turned down Hoeft-Edenfield’s request for bail, saying that the evidence presented in the case had not convinced him that Hoeft-Edenfield had acted in self-defense. 

Nuclear engineering student Wootton, 21, a Sigma Pi fraternity member, was stabbed once in his upper chest, between his ribs, in front of a group of students outside the Chi Omega sorority house on Piedmont Avenue on May 3. 

Hoeft-Edenfield, 20, was arrested later that day. 

Conflicting statements from witnesses present at the murder scene have not yet led to any definite conclusions as to what happened on the night of the fateful incident. 

Hoeft-Edenfield was represented by a private attorney—Yolanda Huang—who took over from Alameda County Deputy Public Defender Tony Cheng last week. 

Huang—an active presence at most of Hoeft-Edenfield’s earlier court proceedings—is a member of the city of Berkeley’s Parks and Recreation Commission and also volunteers at Willard Middle School in Berkeley. 

Hoeft-Edenfield’s mother Ellen—who was accompanied by a small group of people—declined to comment on the case outside a courtroom at the Rene C. Davidson courthouse in Oakland. 

Some of Wootton's friends from UC Berkeley and family members were also present at the hearing. 

Dressed in a yellow jail jumpsuit, Hoeft-Edenfield sat next to his attorney until the judge announced that he had finished reading Huang’s request for bail for Hoeft-Edenfield. 

The judge added that he had received 16 separate letters in support of the application for bail.  

He said that although Huang’s summary of the case was concise and persuasive, he would not be able to make a bail determination without consulting the police report. 

“If it was a self-defense case, then I am thinking why was he arrested?” the judge said. 

“The DA’s office charged him with murder and not self-defense.” 

While reading the police report, the judge asked a number of questions of Alameda County Deputy District Attorney Greg Dolge—who will be prosecuting Hoeft-Edenfield – including one about the make of the weapon used on Wootton. 

“Was it [the knife] spring-loaded or could the blade be unfolded?” the judge asked. 

Dolge replied, after consulting the police report, that the weapon was a three-inch pocket knife with a lockable blade. 

Huang emphasized that in one of the statements, a witness described in detail “that only after my [Huang’s] client was surrounded in a semi-circle by a larger group of people he pulled out a knife and my client was using the knife to get people to back off.” 

“I will cut to the chase here since it is a murder case,” Dolge said. 

He said that the incident started off with four guys who were later joined by more people. 

“At some point Hoeft-Edenfield brandished a knife,” he said. 

“Up to that point nobody was armed. Nobody threatened to get a weapon ... Hoeft-Edenfield was the only one with a weapon. [Wootton] calls 911 from his friend’s cell phone before he gets stabbed. He tells the police ‘there are two guys here and one of them has a knife.’ Shortly after that there is physical engagement. Next thing you know the victim has a two and a half inch wound, the knife goes right through the ribs and into the heart ... At the end of the fight there’s only one guy who is dead. Nobody else is hurt except Chris.” 

Dolge said that after the incident Hoeft-Edenfield separated himself from his friends and threw the knife away. 

“He gets a ride to a friend’s place, takes off his bloody clothes and washes,” he said. 

“Then the police take him into custody. Seems to me like a pretty clear-cut case of murder.” 

Hoeft-Edenfield started to say something after Dolge finished talking, but the judge cut him off by saying “it’s a bad time for you to talk.” 

Huang repeated that statements from some witnesses showed that Hoeft-Edenfield was surrounded by a number of people and that he was trying to get them to back off. 

“I don’t know exactly what happened at this point, as it is disputed,” she said. 

“What is not disputed is that a small number of people was surrounded by a large number of people ... It’s an issue of unreasonable force. It wasn’t premeditated. He [Hoeft-Edenfield] had a pocket knife used to open boxes. It was perfectly legal to use it for his job.” 

The judge replied that the primary consideration in the case was public safety. 

“I have to consider the seriousness of the charge,” he said. 

“There is no offense more serious than murder. The alleged injury is death. There is no injury greater than that. After a cursory reading of this case, it appears to me that a good number of people, either participants or witnesses, were involved.”  

The initial fight had started with five or six people, the judge said, and went on to read the names of six or seven witnesses who had described the defendant as “aggressive” and the person “who first introduced a weapon into the fight before a large group of people got involved” in their statements. 

“Then I reviewed a summary of the statement the defendant gave the police,” the judge said. 

“There are three different versions which are not consistent. The first was total denial ... The police overheard [Hoeft-Edenfield] on the cell phone denying any involvement. When the police presented him with evidence, the story changes and he said it was an accidental stabbing. The third version was self- defense. If I take the different versions, that by itself would support conviction for murder rather than self-defense. The fact that he separated himself from his associates, threw the knife away and washed the blood off, these are further things that would add to it. I am not convinced this is a self-defense case. There is substantial proof in the police report that this was a case of murder.” 

The date for Hoeft-Edenfield’s plea to be entered was set for Monday at 2 p.m.

A Contra Costa County judge dealt a blow to plans for a North Richmond casino Wednesday, saying she intends to strike down an agreement for the City of Richmond to provide police, fire and other services. 

Superior Court Judge Barbara Zuniga issued a tentative ruling declaring the Municipal Services Agreement (MSA) between the city and the Scotts Valley band of Pomos violated the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). 

In November 2006, the Richmond City Council voted to approve an agreement that promises the city $335 million over 20 years, primarily in return for providing police and fire services. 

One of the opponents was Councilmember and Mayor-Elect Gayle McLaughlin. 

Judge Zuniga said the city failed to follow CEQA provisions for determining the environmental consequences of their action. 

In addition to providing police and fire protections, the MSA also calls for several construction projects, including either a new or upgraded fire station as well as the creation of a new left-turn lane on Parr Boulevard and additional traffic lanes on that boulevard, an interchange at the intersection of Richmond Parkway and San Pablo Avenue and a new bike lane. 

“These activities have a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change to the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment,” said Zuniga in her two-page finding. 

She rejected the city’s contention that they had complied with CEQA by including a provision in the MSA calling for “future compliance with CEQA if required.” Because the MSA is a contract that obligates the city to undertake the agreed actions and doesn’t include a “no-option alternative required by CEQA,” the MSA violates the law. 

The action was brought by a coalition of plaintiffs that included the Parchester Village Neighborhood Council, Citizens for Eastshore Parks, the Sustainability, Parks, Recycling and Wildlife Defense Fund and Richmond environmental activist Whitney Dotson. 

Oakland attorney Stephan Volker represented the plaintiffs, while the city was represented by Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, a San Francisco firm. 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, which has three facilities in Berkeley and Oakland, has agreed to a new contract with its registered nurses, their union announced Wednesday. 

The 15-month labor dispute, which included two walkouts by members of the California Nurses Association, was ended early Wednesday morning during sessions with a federal mediator, said union spokesperson Liz Jacobs. 

The agreement, which runs through June 30, 2011, gives RNs a 22 percent pay increase, which includes a five percent boost already given in May. 

While state and county health officials said a chemically contaminated site in southeast Richmond poses no dangers to their current users, concerns remain about past users and those to come. 

They also acknowledge that their findings don’t include the possible interactions between the more than 100 toxic metals and chemicals found at the site. 

Ethel Dotson, who initiated the Community Advisory Group [CAG] now advising the state about cleanups at Campus Bay and UC Berkeley’s Richmond Field Station, died Nov. 1 in the firm conviction her cancer was caused by exposure during her childhood. 

Dotson and her brother Whitney, a current CAG member, spent their early years at Seaport Warhousing Apartments, a complex built to house a largely African American population of workers who came to the city to build the ships that carried troops to victory in the war. 

The apartments were adjacent to the massive chemical manufacturing complex that once stood on the Campus Bay site. 

“We do know from the historical record that a lot of stuff happened in the past that should not be allowed to happen again,” said Contra Costa County Pubic Health Director Wendel Brunner Thursday night. 

“But we cannot undo the past,“ he said, and many questions will remain unanswered. 

Brunner and Dr. Richard Kreutzer of the state Department of Health Services came to the CAG to present the draft Public Health Assessment evaluating the impact of exposures arising from the Campus Bay site, where plans for a 1440-unit condominium and apartment complex have been derailed by community activists. 

For the century between 1897 and 1997, the site housed a massive chemical manufacturing complex with factories that produced herbicides and pesticides, as well as fertilizers and other chemicals. 

It was Ethel Dotson who discovered that the facility had also been used for uranium-melting experiments, and CAG member Sherry Padgett and others have found that the site also processed another toxic metal, beryllium. 

Richmond activists, including the Dotsons, Sherry Padgett, Claudia Carr and Henry Clark were galvanized by the first round of cleanup at the site, which included the largely unsupervised demolition of the chemical plant. 

The initial cleanup, conducted under the aegis of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, produced large clouds of dust that settled on nearby business and left 350,000 cubic yards of contaminated earth buried on the site. 

The activists gained the support of Assemblymember Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley), joined by then-colleague Cindy Montanez, Brunner and other officials who pressured the state Environmental Protection Agency in November, 2004, into transferring partial oversight to the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC)—which unlike the water board, is staffed with scientists who specialize in poisonous chemicals. 

The state also gave DTSC oversight of the remainder of the cleanup at Campus Bay along with the adjacent Richmond Field Station (RFS)—over the university’s objections—in May, 2005. 

The health survey was launched a month before the handover and was conducted by the Environmental Health Investigations Branch of the state public health agency, represented Thursday night by Kreutzer. 

The report concludes that exposures to a wide range of hazardous compounds with possible effects ranging from cancer to impaired neurological development were probably “at unhealthy levels, especially for Seaport children.”  

CAG and community members had plenty of questions. 

One criticism that has surfaced repeatedly is the failure of the survey to tackle the possible interactive effects of the stew of compounds that spewed into the air and groundwater at the site. 

Dr. Michael Esposito, a retired UC Berkeley scientist who chairs the CAG’s toxics committee, cited the interactions “between certain pesticides and herbicides and Tagamet,” a prescription medication commonly prescribed for ulcers. Esposito said the interaction leads to a thousand-fold increased in the probability of strokes. 

With well over a hundred different metals, pesticides, herbicides, PCBs, volaatile organic compounds and solvents found on the site, Esposito said, “at some point common sense will tell you that their interactions are multiplicative.” 

The standards used by the survey don’t consider possible synergistic effects, and only add one set of individual risks to another when considering interactions. 

Padgett, who works in a building adjacent to the site and has been stricken with a variety of rare cancers and other ailments, said the report cover should “carry a big black box” noting that most of the studies cited only looked at individual chemical impacts.  

Several CAG and community members said that recent discoveries of the use of beryllium and the earlier reports that a fertilizer that often produces radioactive waste had been made at the site came from CAG members and not government officials. 

“This report was done with the information that was currently available to us from DTSC,” said Brunner.  

The county health official also said that the site isn’t presently suitable for housing, “but should be cleaned up to residential standards” if Cherokee-Simeon Venters, the partnership that owns Campus Bay, renews their original plans. 

The report is posted at HYPERLINK http://www.ehib.org/project.jsp?project_key=ZENE01.www.ehib.org/project.jsp?project_key=ZENE01. Documents on the Campus Bay cleanup are to be found at: www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/profile_report.asp?global_id=07280002, with CAG documents accessible by clicking on “COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.” RFS documents are here: www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/profile_report.asp?global_id=07730003  

The fog lifting in the morning reveals a beckoning canyon opening in the high hills behind UC Berkeley’s Memorial Stadium. A short walk from the center of the campus brings you to the mouth of the canyon. Probably no other place in the East Bay offers the same close-in accessibility to wildlands.  

Strawberry Canyon contains one of the region’s few year-round streams and is an important wildlife corridor directly linked to Tilden Regional Park and to San Francisco Bay by its stream and views. The rugged and varied topography of the canyon and its watershed has favored the establishment of a rich diversity of plant and animal life—100 species of birds alone—making it today one of the finest natural areas of comparable size in Bay Area. 

On the walk up along Centennial Drive, you’re confined to a narrow footpath between a low wall on the road and the chain-link fence surrounding the Haas recreational area. The first, less-than-pleasant, section ends at a small dirt parking lot on top of a dam where Strawberry Creek enters a culvert that carries it under the stadium. 

The path, now wider, takes you downhill where the sound of the stream replaces traffic noise. The path (usually referred to as the lower fire trail) skirts the UC Botanical Garden and then heads uphill through a fine forest of native live oaks, bay-laurels and planted conifers. For a good climb and the finest views, take the steep road uphill which connects to the upper fire trail where the road levels off for the three-mile, almost level, circumnavigation around the bowl-shaped watershed. 

And what a walk! Each bend in the road opens out to arresting views down the canyon, over the campus and the city to the bay. My favorite view is when the fog is pouring through the Golden Gate in a rich vaporous river with the languorous shape of Tamalpais reclining on the horizon. Most evenings the fog advances on the city below and begins flowing up the canyon to engulf the hills in its life-giving moisture. 

When you are weary of all this grandeur, there’s plenty to engage you close at hand. Layers of tilted sandstone (once upon a time this landscape was under a warm sea) provide niches for orange California poppies and red Indian paintbrush. Moist seeps from the springs which make up the headwaters of Strawberry Creek are shaded by bays and dense with ferns. The drier slopes support fragrant, gray California sage—a sprig of which always goes into my pocket for future reference. The commingled fragrances of bays and sages is a heady mix sure to refresh sensibilities dulled by urban life. 

While the south end of the fire road is an open landscape with a mix of mostly native plants, the north section of the road is shaded by planted eucalyptus. Though offering fewer open views, a eucalyptus forest provides its own olfactory pleasure. The north end brings you to Grizzly Peak Boulevard at a group of buildings. 

Along the fire trail, blue and white signs indicate that you are in the Ecological Study Area. About 350 acres of wildlands were set aside in 1968 by UC, in the spirit of preservation, as an area to be kept in the natural state for study and research. But over the years, interest in the area has waned and University expansion plans impinge on its boundaries 

If you’re not up to retracing your steps (which extends the walk to six miles), walk a block downhill to Lawrence Hall of Science where buses will deliver you back down the hill. 

The canyon is part of my family story, beginning with my grandfather, who built a house north of campus in 1902. When he walked the canyon, no stadium filled the canyon entrance. What he remembered was a broad meadow, live oaks of exceptional size, and a series of waterfalls where the stream crossed the Hayward Fault. The upper reaches of the canyon were grazing land and a dairy farm.  

The ridge tops had recently been planted with seedling eucalyptus. It would be another 25 years before the stadium was built at the mouth of the canyon and five years more until the UC Botanical Gardens would move up to its present site at the head of the canyon from its original location on the campus.  

By the time I came back to Berkeley in 1947, the Cyclotron had been built high on the north slope of the canyon. Over the years the “Rad Lab” morphed into Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, managed by the Department of Energy. Buildings spread over the hillside between the watersheds of the two branches of Strawberry Creek. The latest Long Range Development Plan calls for construction of close to a million square feet of new research facilities and is presently being challenged in court. 

Of immediate concern to those who care about Strawberry Canyon is the seven-story, 140,000-square-foot Helios Facility (with research funded by BP, formerly British Petroleum) which would be built in the canyon itself on a slope opposite the Botanical Garden with a second access road off narrow Centennial Drive.  

A group of community activists, incorporated as Save Strawberry Canyon, is committed to protecting the canyon from such inappropriate development. They hope to persuade the university to chose another site that would spare the canyon from irreparable damage to its inhabitants—including federally listed species like the Alameda Whipsnake—which depend on the canyon for their livelihood. Save Strawberry Canyon also supports providing safer and more attractive walking access to the canyon itself. 

But now, at the end of summer, the natural world of the canyon takes a deep, slow breath and waits for the renewal that comes with the first fall rains. The stream has slowed to a trickle and the native big-leafed maples are beginning to turn gold—a fine time to enjoy this still-wild place next door.  

The headline and information box for the Aug. 21 review of the Belasco Theatre Company’s The Wiz mistakenly referred to a rival production of the play. The Belasco produciton, directed by founder Edward Belasco and produced by Dr. Samuel Lewis, goes into its final performances 7:30 tonight and tomorrow night at the Malonga Casquelourd Arts Center (formerly Alice Arts), 1428 Alice St., downtown Oakland. (925) 980-0778. www.belasco.org. 

In the Aug. 14 story, “Berkeley Newspaper in Financial Straits,” Stephanie Ratcliff was quoted as saying that, in order to remain independent, the Jacket was not going to pursue funds from the Berkeley High School Development Group (BHSDG). However, as BHSDG is not affiliated with Berkeley High School or the Berkeley Unified School District, the Jacket has been in talks with them over possible funding.

“Why a mule?” my mother asked incredulously after I’d told her I was leasing one. 

So I told my mother the story I’d been telling everyone else late last year; that I’d started horseback riding lessons again after a long hiatus, at a large outdoor arena above Skyline Stables in Oakland. One day I’d asked my instructor, whose pretty Arabian she made available for English riding lessons, if she knew anyone who had a horse I could lease; I wanted to ride more often. She didn’t, not exactly, but she did know a woman named Michelle who was looking for someone to lease her beloved 4-year-old strawberry roan mule, named Pippi Longstockings. Pippi is boarded along with approximately 80 horses (she’s the only mule!) at the beautiful Anthony Chabot Equestrian Center on Skyline Boulevard, about five miles south of two smaller stables, Skyline and Piedmont. With its rolling hills, three barns, two large outdoor arenas, and an indoor one, Chabot’s beauty to me far surpasses that of the smaller stables. 

Chabot Equestrian Center is part of the East Bay Regional Parks District and is a public facility with access to more than 5,000 acres of park land, including gorgeous trails as well-suited for hiking, dog walking, or mountain biking, as they are for equestrian activities. 

As many people may know, the bond between equines and their humans can be intense and nurturing (albeit with a disproportionate number of women as the beneficiaries of this connection). After I made the decision to lease Pippi, I decided to educate myself about mules. From Wikipedia I learned that mules, a cross between a donkey and a horse, are smarter and live longer than horses. They trot and canter just like horses, though Pippi is unique. Since she’d been bred to do a fast smooth gait somewhere between a walk and trot, she’s a “Gaited Mule.” Mules’ notoriously stubborn reputation—which indeed Pippi does live up to—is more instinctive self-preservation than strong-willfulness. For the most part Pippi is a dream to ride, and in the three months I leased her, I felt my body growing stronger and my self-confidence increasing in myriad ways, not only as an improving rider. 

Despite my affection for Pippi, I soon felt an urge to ride horses as well. During the time I had leased her, I’d gotten to know the horses whose stalls adjoin hers. I remain eternally grateful to their owners, who are kind enough to let me ride them still. 

Even if you’re not a rider or a horse owner, or ever hope to become one, Anthony Chabot Equestrian Center, open to the public daily until 10 p.m., is a delightful place to visit. Pack a lunch or supper and sit at one of the picnic tables that overlook the oval upper arena. Watch experienced riders jumping their horses, young children taking lessons, or advanced-beginner riders like me trying not to fall off while trotting bareback! 

Find Pippi’s stall—she’s easy to spot with her long reddish ears and sweet face—and stroke her big head. Say “hey” to Bailey, one of the horses I ride, who has remarkable stamina for a 28-year-old (even if he rumbles and grumbles much like an old grandpa sometimes)! Ask someone to show you the Tennessee Walker with the amusing name of “Couch” because of his comfortable ride. Look for the only Friesian horse at the stable, Max, and marvel at his tail so long it nearly sweeps the ground. Or see if you can spot the biggest horse there, Eli, whose tall owner seems like his perfect match. 

Hike the trails, take in the sunset over the eucalyptus-dotted hills, or watch horses when they get “turned out” in the arenas to run and gallop freely, muscles rippling. It’s a sight that never fails to take my breath away. 

At this time there are no horses available to rent for trail rides at Chabot, but there are people who give lessons. Their numbers are posted on a dry erase board in the tack area of the uppermost barn.  

Also, on the first and third Sundays of every month between 1 and 3 p.m., Pippi’s owner, Michelle Burrill, leads free barn tours (no reservations required, just show up), in case you want to learn more about horses and, of course, mules.  

Freelance writer Annie Kassof lives in Berkeley.

I suck as a mother. OK, suck is a bit strong. But I have been known to nourish my son with frozen dinners and canned soup, watch QVC fashion shows while pretending to listen to him regale me with the wonders of vacuum cleaners, and raise my voice beyond the Super Nanny-approved Calm Authority Voice decibel level.  

At the same time, I play ukulele back-up to his guitar-banging lead while singing “There’s a Hole in the Bucket” until I’m blue in the face, I have happily sacrificed many of my most treasured possessions to the bite-scratch-smash ravages of toddlerhood, and I regularly eat figure-unfriendly zillion-calorie helpings of cream-spiked mac and cheese in vain attempts to lure my little string bean to do the same. Plus, I try to take him out and about in the world so that his little brain, heart, and sense of confidence may grow and flourish.  

It is on the latter subject that I address you now, my friends, my parenting co-conspirators, my partners in just doing the best we can. When you just cannot hear one more strain of “Ol’ Macdonald” or break up another territorial conflict between siblings and you have to get out of the house despite a sink full of dishes and no clean clothes, where can you go with the little monster—darling!—in tow? Lucky for you, the local possibilities are endless. Following are just a few highlights (locations, hours, and fees on their websites): check out the blogs at the end for even more destinations. 

For developing brainiacs 

• Lawrence Hall of Science (www.lhs. (www.lhs.berkeley.edu) for hands-on learning, special exhibits, and good old- fashioned stargazing through huge telescopes every clear first and third Saturday night. 

• Chabot Space and Science Center (www.chabotspace.org) for astronomy exhibits, a full-dome digital planetarium, and even programs to earn scout badges (if scouting is deemed politically acceptable in your household). 

• Oakland Zoo (www.oaklandzoo.org) for, well, animals, duh—but did you know you could have a birthday party or even a sleepover at the zoo? 

For budding artists and wild imaginations 

• Fairyland (www.fairyland.org) for cool (and, let’s admit it, a little spooky) 3-D representations of children’s book characters, plus live entertainment including honest-to-goodness puppet shows, and yes, you can do specially scheduled sleepovers here, too—dinner and breaky included. 

• MOCHA (www.mocha.org) for arts activities, education, camp, and the Little Studio—art studio space for toddlers (artist smock and artist ego optional). 

• Kids ’n’ Clay (www.kidsnclay.com) (minus the apostrophe) for ceramics, clay painting, hand and foot printing, and other kinds of art-making (even corporate team building—smooshing wet clay with your co-workers, what’s not to love?).  

For aspiring musicians 

• East Bay Music Together (www.eastbaymusictogether.com) to enjoy singing, dancing, banging triangles, and shaking maracas with your little one—kids, toddlers, and even crawling babies along with parents, grandparents, and caregivers of all persuasions. 

• East Bay Center for the Performing Arts (www.eastbaycenter.org) for multi-cultural music and dance classes, performances. 

• Grand Lake Farmer’s Market (www. splashpad.org/farmersmkt.html), a fav-orite of my son, for live musical performances with adjacent tables to sit and nosh plus a row of little water spouts for kids to splash around in when the weather’s nice. 

For little athletes and pure playtime 

• Gymboree for developmentally ap-propriate classes and free play on padded mats and climbable structures, plus the highly anticipated once-a-class appearance of a big doll mascot named Gymbo, and ooh, the bubbles! (www.gymboreeclasses. com).  

• Habitot (www.habitot.org), a mini-me theme park of hands-on activities and themed play rooms (located in the same building as my office, so I can vouch for the happy smiles of kids at play as they scamper down the hallway nearly knocking the caffeine infusion out of my hand each afternoon). 

• Regional parks a-plenty (www.eb parks.org) with hiking, swimming, biking, ball fields, boating, horseback riding, educational activities, music concerts, and festivals. Here you are simply not allowed to say, Mommy/Daddy/(Whoever), I’m Bored. 

For dining or just chilling out 

• Zocalo Coffee House in San Leandro (www.zocalo.com): caffeine, edibles, kids play area, and baby-changing station in the restroom. 

• Tumble & Tea in Oakland (www.tumbleandtea.com): kid-friendly menu, cozy tables and couches on one side, huge play area on the other side. 

• Kensington Circus in Kensington (524-8814): pub grub, kids play area, and loads of fellow family patrons.  

• Cerrito Theater (www.cerritospeakeasy.com): Taking over from the Parkway in Oakland, which is abandoning its Monday night Baby Brigade, parents with babes in arms are welcome at the Cerrito for baby-friendly movies and food in a comfy living room setting. 

And much more... 

• Best of the Bay Area: www.bestofbayarea.com/kidfun.html. 

• Berkeley Parents Network: http://parents.berkeley.edu. 

• The Poop, a San Francisco Chronicle baby blog: www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/ parenting/index?blogid=29. 

And when all of the above fails (or you’re out of cash, since much of the above is not free), there’s always the library, your local park, or (don’t scoff) the mall—lovely, air-conditioned coolness when it’s hot outside, warm and dry when it’s raining, and no one can tell the squalling of your little angel from the din of all the others. 

Sonja Fitz is the happy, sticky, hoarse, perennially sleep-deprived mother of a 2-year, 7-month -old son and life-long East Bay native who never moved to Portland like her school friends since she still discovers fun new things to do here on a daily basis. 

History is getting better and better in Berkeley. I don’t mean the daily accumulation of new history—current events—but the preservation and education of the public about local history. 

It may be that today there are more people, organizations, and programs working to preserve and promote Berkeley history than at any point in the community’s past. 

Here’s a summary of some of the groups and people who are busy—mostly as volunteers—seeing that Berkeley’s past will still be around when the future arrives. I’m not attempting a comprehensive list, but it’s a start if you want to put Berkeley’s historical activities in context. 

Let’s begin with two community groups with especially deep roots in the presentation of Berkeley history. 

The Berkeley Historical Society, founded in 1978, the year of Berkeley’s Centennial, operates the Berkeley History Center downtown in the landmark Veterans Memorial Building. Three afternoons a week visitors can visit a reference library, archives, and changing exhibits in a spacious room overlooking Civic Center Park.  

The organization also stages two or three popular walking tour series each year, and special events including oral history presentations and lectures. BHS has published a number of books, including Exactly Opposite the Golden Gate, a collection of historical essays about Berkeley, and co-published Picturing Berkeley: A Postcard History. 

The Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association, founded in 1974, has a mission both educational and activist. With a membership of well over 1,000, BAHA has been a civic force for decades, not only conducting research and education, but engaging in advocacy to save important endangered buildings. 

BAHA grew out of successful struggles in the 1970s to save from demolition buildings like the current Julia Morgan Theatre on College Avenue, and Senior Hall and the Naval Architecture Building on the UC Berkeley campus. 

BAHA’s signature event is the annual House Tour, which focuses on a differentneighborhood each spring. There are also periodic lectures, and walking tours. BAHA has published several books and monographs, and the office is open for research most Thursday afternoons. 

A robust BAHA website, built up in recent years, carries numerous essays and photographs about Berkeley buildings and history, most written by researcher Daniella Thompson. BAHA also has, like BHS, an extensive research archive. One strength is the Donogh collection, with photographs of thousands of Berkeley houses taken by local realtors in the 1930s. There are also “block files” for neighborhoods throughout the city. 

Each BAHA house tour is accompanied by a well-researched booklet describing not only the featured houses, but also neighborhood history. Both BAHA and BHS sell books, postcards, and other historical materials at their offices. 

Before discussing other organizations, let’s address two misconceptions about these two groups. The first is that BAHA is interested only in buildings, and the Historical Society is interested only in people and events. Not so.  

The collections and interests of the two organizations are quite diverse. The only surviving photo of a building may well be at the BHS collection. An unpublished oral history of a leading community figure may be at BAHA. Both groups care about, and study, people, events, AND buildings. 

The second myth is that BAHA designates local buildings as landmarks. Not the case. Landmarking is a municipal government function, undertaken by the appointed Landmarks Preservation Commission, and appealable to the elected City Council.  

Local preservationists and organizations can and do advocate for the creation or protection of official landmarks, but their local designation and regulation is one-hundred percent a function of Berkeley’s elected government. 

A third foundation stone of Berkeley’s historical repositories is the Berkeley History Room at the Central Library. Since the library was renovated and expanded several years ago the History Room, with its own distinctive quarters, has been especially busy augmenting its collections. 

They include the Berkeley Daily Gazette newspaper on microfilm, from 1894 to 1983, and clipping files with information organized under about 1,500 subject headings. The History Room also has Berkeley History Online, an excellent Internet-based resource of photographs going back to the 1870s, which is part of the Online Archive of California.  

Another welcome development of the past decade or so is the emergence of new volunteer groups filling niches in local history. The Berkeley Path Wanderers is a great example. It’s an enthusiastic group of community volunteers interested in preserving, improving, and enjoying Berkeley’s network of public paths, stairs, and walkways.  

Regular walks and talks are organized by the Wanderers, and the group also has a good website and publishes a detailed map of Berkeley. 

Much less prominent, but equally important to the dissemination of history on the streets, is the Berkeley Historical Plaque Project, initiated 10 years ago by Robert Kehlmann, a former Chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.  

You may have noticed the oval, green, enameled plaques on buildings and sites—mostly city landmarks—all over town; they now number nearly 100. Each plaque has a paragraph or two of carefully researched and written context and background. 

Throughout Berkeley there are also localized history efforts like the McGee Spaulding Hardy Historic Interest Group, a volunteer neighborhood research committee documenting its district west of Downtown, and Save Berkeley Iceland, an organization working to purchase and reopen the historic skating facility in South Berkeley. 

The increase in organizations has also been paralleled by a recent rise in the number of books and other publications about Berkeley. Those interested in Berkeley history can rapidly stock their bookshelves with well-written volumes that not only bring local history up to date, but delve into specialized niches of local lore. 

Just a few examples. Chuck Wollenberg, the dean of Berkeley historians, teaches at Berkeley Community College (where you can take his excellent classes on Berkeley and California history) and, earlier this year, published Berkeley: A City in History, a solid, up-to-date, and much-needed survey history of the community. 

Another active local writer is Dave Weinstein, known for his extensive work on lesser-known architects of the Bay Area, including several from Berkeley. His forthcoming book is It Came from Berkeley: How Berkeley Changed the World. 

Weinstein also worked with Jonathan Chester on Berkeley Rocks, a good example of a book that thoroughly explores a single fascinating aspect of Berkeley character and life. Ed Herny, Shelley Rideout, and Katie Wadell have recently published another such book, Berkeley Bohemia: Artists and Visionaries of the Early 20th Century. Individual websites with local history elements are also appearing. 

On the UC campus, the Chronicle of the University of California, a journal of institutional history founded 10 years ago by an all-volunteer group of alumni, staff, faculty, and students, is now working on its tenth print issue, packed full of essays, research papers, photographs, and stories about the University, primarily—but not exclusively—the Berkeley campus. 

Berkeley history is also often UC history, and vice versa. For example, many notable professors and administrators at UC have also been Berkeley residents, actively involved in community life. Sometimes, though, those working on “academic” history overlook the community connection while community historians make only passing mention of campus involvement. 

The formal repository of university history is the University Archives, in the Bancroft Library on campus. A few years ago an extensive online UC history database was also created, the UC History Digital Archives. 

There’s also an embryonic effort underway to create a history museum for the Berkeley campus. At present, exhibits about UC history can be periodically seen in the Brown Gallery (inside the main, north, entrance to Doe Library) that currently features an exhibit on student attire and fashions over the past century. 

And when the Bancroft Library reopens late this year in its refurbished campus building, it will have a separate gallery for exhibits from its collections and the Archives.  

Individual campus departments have also been assembling their own materials. For example, archivist Bill Benemann has put together an impressive history collection for the Law School. The Environmental Design Archives in Wurster Hall has a magnificent array of research material focusing on Bay Area architecture, with many overlaps to Berkeley history. The Regional Oral History Office has produced hundreds of detailed interviews, many of them with Berkeley figures. 

So how can you connect to all of this? Take a walk, attend a talk, visit a website. Become a member. It’s inexpensive and simple to join groups like BAHA, the Berkeley Historical Society, and the Path Wanderers, and you’ll assure yourself of their newsletters, e-mail announcements, and special member discounts. 

Donate your Berkeley history materials. Berkeley Historical Society, BAHA, and the Berkeley History Room all actively collect local history items that can range from family photographs to restaurant menus to protest flyers. Remember that something that’s commonplace today may well be rare tomorrow, and future historians will thank you for having saved it for a public collection. 

Share history. Helping someone else find the key information or idea to complete a good historical project can be a great personal pleasure. 

Finally, support local history groups with your money and time. Buy their publications, make a contribution, volunteer. Most of the programs and groups described in this article are non-profit, run almost entirely by volunteers, and welcome additional help.  

Steven Finacom is active in several of the organizations discussed in this article and writes a weekly newspaper column on Berkeley events 75 years ago.

By Adam Broner 

Special to the Planet 

Newcomers to Berkeley often find the Tool Lending Library an unlikely institution, but its regulars browse its bins with nonchalance. “Hey, all your shovels are rounded. How am I gonna dig with this thing? You got any more hoes?” 

“Try a pick or digging bar,” I offer. 

He presents his library card and reads off the four-digit number carved into the handles of a well-worn shovel and hoe, spurning heavier tools. “See you in a week,” I say, handing him his card and the computer receipt. 

Angel is helping the next patron, who trades his card for a right-angle drill and a long self-feeding ship auger bit. The line continues into the afternoon, tools streaming in and out of the over-packed addition to the South Branch of the Berkeley Public Library. 

For over 28 years the residents of Berkeley have been able to borrow construction and gardening tools through Berkeley’s library system. Pete McElligott began this project with federal CDBG funds, and the collection has gradually come to overflow its original portable building. It now fills the nooks and crannies of its present building and shed with wheelbarrows, demohammers, pipe stands, power snakes, pole saws, pruners, and lots of garden tools. 

Drills, rotohammers, sawzalls and skilsaws are on shelves next to the counter where they are easy to reach. Last month the Tool Library loaned out more than 4,000 tools and signed up more than 100 new patrons. Four part-time employees keep it open Tuesdays through Saturdays. 

Today is a typical Tuesday, busy with returns from the weekend. Lisa returns a reciprocating saw and minigrinder and tells me to check out her wheels. In our small and busy lot stands a diesel BMW that she has converted to run on vegetable oil. “Look who’s driving,” she says. There is a sun visor covering the windshield depicting Elvis at the wheel with his hound beside him. “The King is in the house.” She has been using our tools for home projects, and is now branching out to alternative fuels. 

Elvis, a lover of deep-fry, is the perfect mascot. We laugh. “Elvis is in the house,” she proclaims to a line of patient patrons. A new patron smiles uncertainly, as if to say, “For this I need a library card?” 

David, a long-time patron and law enforcement instructor, borrows a wheelbarrow and cement mixer. Robert and Jason show him how to tilt it up on to its stand, then take it down and help load it in his station wagon. Today he will pour his first concrete steps. 

Ed returns a weedeater and shares his latest conspiracy theory. 

Robin, spattered with joint compound, is just back from a five-day chocolate convention in Belgium. “I’ll keep doing drywall until I get my own pastry shop,” he says. 

Austin tries to teach Jason an Irish accent. 

And Meghan walks in with a vase of trumpetvine, sets it on the counter, smiles, and walks back out without a word. 

A normal day at the Tool Library. 

Adam Broner has worked for the Tool Lending Library for the last 16 years. Prior to that he was a construction foreman. 

TOOL LENDING LIBRARY 

1901 Russell St. (at Martin Luther King, Jr. Way). 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays; noon-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 1-5:30 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturdays. 981-6101. New patrons need ID and a recent bill as proof of address in Berkeley. 

The Bay Area is known to be home to esoteric scientific research, but we also have an institution which is accessible to all kinds of people, young and old and all levels of sophistication, offering an abundance of science experiences one can’t help but get excited about. At Chabot Space and Science Center a visitor can look through professional telescopes, sit in a space capsule, experience weightlessness, see spectacular shows and lots more. 

The center is on Skyline Boulevard, an easy drive (or somewhat challenging bike ride) from Joaquin Miller Road. It is situated in a beautiful setting overlooking the bay. There are two large buildings connected by a skybridge housing a variety of interactive exhibits, workshops, laboratories and meeting rooms. The MegaDome Theater shows breathtaking nature films and the planetarium boasts one of the most advanced star-projection systems on the planet. There is a Discovery Lab for 4- to 7-year-olds and a Teacher Resource Center. In the Challenger Learning Center a group of people can participate in a simulated space mission—it provides an interesting experience in working together to accomplish a complex project. Meeting rooms are available for classes and special events. 

On top of it all is a rooftop plaza—1,543 feet above sea level—offering a spectacular view of the Bay Area. On the deck are three domes each housing a large telescope. The telescopes are used by professionals for research but on Friday and Saturday nights they are open and free to the public (weather permitting). On those nights each telescope is focused on something interesting—it might be the ringed planet Saturn up close or some far off galaxy—and visitors can climb up the ladder to look through the eyepiece and gaze in awe into the heavens. During the day volunteers often set up solar telescopes which have special filters for viewing the sun. 

Leah, the smallest of the telescopes (all three scopes have names and there’s a story to go with them), is an eight-inch refractor that was constructed in 1883. It was donated by Anthony Chabot, who funded an observatory in downtown Oakland to house it (it was dark in those days!). The observatory also had a meridian transit telescope which was used to keep accurate time. A condition of Chabot’s gift was that access to the telescope would always be free to the public.  

In 1914 a new observatory was built up on Mountain Boulevard and Leah was moved there. At the same time, Rachel, a 20-inch refracting telescope, was built and installed there. Rachel has long been the largest refracting telescope in the western United States that is regularly open to the public. The Mountain Boulevard site also had a planetarium, labs, classrooms and exhibits for children as well as adults. Ultimately, it was found not to be earthquake-safe and another move was needed. In 2000 the present facility, now named Chabot Space and Science Center, was opened on Skyline Boulevard. Leah and Rachel were moved up and in 2003 Nellie was built. It is a 36-inch, totally modern reflecting telescope, fully computer-controlled with a digital camera that can display images on Chabot’s website, chabotspace.org. It can “see” further—that it, is collects about three times as much light—than Rachel.  

Inside the buildings are packed with dozens of interactive exhibits and three large theme rooms to entice and educate visitors of all ages.  

The “Solar-Go-Round” room displays our solar system, showing the relative sizes and composition of the sun and the planets and has a series of small displays and kiosks illustrating how gravity acts, how weather is formed on the different planets, and all sorts of other phenomena. The “Destination Universe” room takes the visitor from our sun out into the vast reaches of the universe, explaining how stars are born and die, how nebulae are formed, what galaxies are like, and what happens when two galaxies collide. There is even a black hole to crawl into—but this one allows you to come out the other side. A traveling exhibit room is currently showing “Beyond Blastoff: Surviving in Space.” There is, among other things, a Russian Mir Space Station toilet and an actual Soyuz re-entry module. In this exhibit a visitor can experience what it feels like to perform certain tasks in zero gravity—and even have their picture taken in a condition of (simulated) weightlessness. 

Another section of the building focuses on the moon, detailing the Russian and American moon explorations. There is a Mercury capsule that a visitor can sit in—it’s a great photo-op for kids. A model shows what causes the appearance of phases of the moon and another explains why one side of the moon is always away from us. There are moon rocks and meteors galore, and lots more.

Looking for a great late-summer outing? Try La Loma Park, nestled in the Berkeley Hills on the northside of UC Berkeley.  

The land which is now La Loma Park was originally owned by Captain Richard Parks Thomas, a Berkeley businessman and Civil War veteran. Thomas was the owner of the Standard Soap Company in West Berkeley, president of the California National Bank of San Francisco, and owner of the Berkeley Ferryboat Line. According to an old map of the area, Thomas ran an illegal still on the property. He also came up with the idea of an aerial tramway starting from the Berkeley flatlands to the hills. And each Fourth of July, the eccentric Thomas would fire a civil war cannon from a spot he built above his home. 

A stone quarry was built at the mouth of Codornices Creek in the 19th century. In 1962 the site was filled in and leveled and two additional properties were purchased from private owners in 1966 and 1967. The baseball field was added in 1967, and the upper terraces were developed in 1969-1970. On Nov. 1, 1969, Glendale-La Loma Park was dedicated in a public ceremony. 

Besides the baseball diamond, La Loma Park also features a multi-purpose turf, a half-court basketball court, a tot play area featuring swings, slide, train and hillside climber, school-age play area featuring climber with slide, swings and sand. The park also features an overlook with breathtaking views of Berkeley and the surrounding areas, a rock outcrop and a picnic area with a barbeque and fireplace. 

In the 1970s, I participated in Continental League Baseball at La Loma/Glendale Park as an all-star second baseman for Harbert Brothers, named after the sporting goods store once located in downtown Berkeley. The Continental Baseball League boasted such legendary Berkeley athletes as Jeff Ransom, also of Harbert Bros, James Ferguson of Police Reserve, Pancho Russ and Ted Bell of Royce Motors as well as David and Michael Wilder of the Black Aces. Other teams in the league were Thousand Oaks, the Berkeley Jaycees and Dynamo. After each Saturday game it was not unusual to enjoy a large barbecue at La Loma for the teams and their families.  

In 1974, the park was awarded the National Merit Award by the professional Awards Program of the American Society of Landscape Architects. 

La Loma Park is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. unless otherwise posted.

Students streaming toward campus on Telegraph Avenue pass one of the most remarkable artists in Berkeley, quietly selling prints near the corner of Haste Street.  

Doug Minker is a soft-spoken man with the most powerful politics in town.  

It’s hard to converse with him on the street without being interrupted dozens of times by people who call out hello and exchange pleasantries with an artist who, print by print, has painstakingly documented every political battle that matters for decades.  

The prints are unmistakably Minkler; arresting colors, brazen compositions, elemental images which go straight to the heart of the nearest controversy.  

Minkler’s website gives detailed instructions on the best way to download his images for free, hoping they will be used by activists, educators, and visionaries who share his conviction that an international, rather than a national perspective, will change a politically fractured world.  

If you’re local, you’re in luck. Minkler is delighted to have you check out his work whether you’re buying or not. Look for him on Telegraph on Saturdays near the southwest corner of Haste and Telegraph.  

Original, affordable art is rarely so accessible. And if you’re ready to have your mind opened a little wider, ask him a question or two. 

“Corporations want artists to glorify their wars, their products and their philosophies,” says Minkler. “I make posters for my own preservation, that is, planetary preservation.” 

Minkler’s prints are described on his website as inspired “not by rugged individualism, but by the collective humor, defiance, and lust for life exhibited by those on the margins.”  

Generosity is the obvious way to describe this give-it-away philosophy, which takes little individual credit, and which has made an already financially challenging course in life even more precarious. But Minkler’s art’s real core is a passion for change so intense that one of his images coupled with its customary potent phrase or pun will stay with an observer for a long time.  

Some images are disturbing. One poster poses the question, “Got Milked?” over a sad dairy cow bristling with antibiotics needles in her hide, a background which notes deforestation, growth hormones, water shortages, and other ills associated with the dairy industry, and has the legend, “Milk has something for everybody – high blood cholesterol and increased risk of heart disease and stroke.” 

Other images are inspiring, romantic images of a dream world so free they evoke the charm and joy of early impressionists discovering a new world. One print entitled “Get A Life Get A Bike 2” has a winged couple embracing on bicycles sailing high across the sky, surrounded by what at first look like birds and flowers, but what are in fact birds and tiny bicycles. Beneath the loving embrace of the bicyclers is a sea of “inCARcerated” (sic) people stuck in a polluting sea of traffic. 

A gallery of his work is a scrapbook of national and local political issues illustrated in detail over decades, including collaborations with ILWU, Rain Forest Action Network, SF Mime Troupe, ACLU, The Lawyers Guild, CISPES, United Auto Workers, Africa Information Network, Ecumenical Peace Union, ADAPT, Cop Watch, Street Sheet, the People’s Park Defense Union, and Veterans for Peace. 

No description can do the elemental power of these colorful print works justice, but fortunately Minkler has local shows, as well as the website. 

DOUG MINKLER 

www.dminkler.com 

Remembering the Struggle/Recordando La Lucha  

(Watsonville Cannery Strike 1985-1987)  

7-9 p.m. Public Opening Celebration  

Celebración de Inaugaración  

Pajaro Valley Gallery | Galería de Valle del Pájaro  

37 Sudden St. Watsonville.(831)722-3062. 

Art of Democracy: War and Empire. Meridian Gallery Sept.4 –Nov. 4. 535 Powell St. San Francisco. (415) 398-7229. 

Banned and Recovered  

Artist Respond to Censorship  

African American Museum and Library at Oakland  

Sept. 5-Dec. 31. Public reception Fri., Sept. 5, 6:30-9 p.m.  

Gallery hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 12-5:30 p.m. 

659 14th St., Oakland. 637-0200. 

ArtAuction08, a live and silent auction to benefit the work of the Coalition on Homelessness, Thursday, Sept. 11 at 

SomArts Gallery 934 Brannan Street San Francisco 

(415) 346-3740. 

The 12th Annual Art for AIDS will be held Friday, Oct. 3, at Herbst International Exhibition Hall (HIEH) in the Presidio. Silent auction viewing and bidding from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. (415) 502-7276. Live auction starts promptly at 6:45 p.m.  

Admission: $75 (includes food and beverages) 

www.artforaids.org/home.php?currPage=0&currID=home 

[An error in the print version of this article has been corrected: Minkler exhibits on Telegraph on Saturdays, not Sundays.

In 1901, the South Branch of the Berkeley Public Library opened for business in a store front on the 3200 block of Adeline Street. The South Berkeley district was then known as Lorin. 

The present South Branch is located in a mid-20th-century building on the corner of Russell Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way, sharing the corner building with the Tool Lending Library.  

Jeri Ewart, who has been the branch manager for almost 10 years, describes the branch patrons as part of a diverse community. “We provide materials to the multi-ethnic, multi-cultural residents of South Berkeley, including children, seniors, college-aged students, working folks, the unemployed, and all our neighbors, including the Thai monks next door,” she says. 

The South Branch is distinctive in many ways. “We have a large collection of Chinese literature and DVDs, and we subscribe to two Chinese newspapers and several Chinese language magazines,” Jeri says. “Patrons come from as far away as Pittsburg, Pleasanton, and San Francisco to utilize our Chinese Collection,” she adds. 

In 2002 the branches were given $5,000 to develop their own unique video and DVD collections. “In addition to the Hollywood-type films, I wanted to emphasize BBC and PBS series. I knew I was taking something of a risk, but they have proved to be extremely popular throughout the system,” Jeri says. 

As the South Branch manager, Jeri also supervises the enormously active Tool Lending Library. Working with the staff, she selects the books and DVDs that support the TLL’s home repair and home gardening resources. 

Jeri Ewart grew up in Harlem, New York, around the corner from the historic Schomberg Library. “It was both a library and a museum,” she recalls. “It contained Arturo Schomberg’s collection of African and ‘Negro’ books and artifacts which, upon his death, he donated to the Harlem Branch of the New York Public Library. This historic library had a great impact on my life and perhaps, without realizing it at the time, planted the idea of my future career,” she adds.  

After earning a degree in English literature at the City College of New York, Jeri was recruited by the Columbia University School of Library Science. “They were interested in increasing their minority enrollment and I became one of the 16 students offered a full scholarship.” says Jeri. “It was the greatest experience of my life,” she recalls. 

Later on a trip to California, Jeri fell in love with the Bay Area and decided to make the move, living first in San Francisco and then in Berkeley. “I had plenty of work as an on-call librarian including working with Diane Davenport in the reference department of the ‘old’ Central Library,” she says. 

But when she had the chance to fill in at the South Branch as branch manager she discovered that she liked it. “I love the intimacy, the chance to get to know individual patrons, families, and members of the community in a more personal way,” Jeri says. 

In addition to Jeri, there are two other full-time employees. Uma Paul is the supervising library assistant responsible for the five part-time aides and assistants. Josh Lachman is the popular children’s librarian. 

Josh visits schools, introduces children to the library resources and suggests library-oriented class projects when they visit the branch with their teachers. In the summer, he is also busy with the summer reading program. Every Tuesday morning he conducts the “baby bounce” and toddler programs. 

Recently, a parent of one of the young children who loves listening to Josh read books—including one about a street sweeper—told him about a recent visit to Rome. They were standing in front of that glorious antiquity, the Coliseum, hoping to impress their child when spotting a city employee, he shouted “Look, ‘The Mighty Street Sweeper!”’  

When the “new” South Branch designed by the Berkeley architect John Hans Ostwald was built in 1961, it won two national awards for design. But over the years the library has become crowded and the cinderblock, cement floor design has proved inflexible. There is barely room for seven public computers and there are only 18 seats for readers.  

The challenge for the future may be how to preserve certain aspects of the much-admired mid-century building while providing adequate space and facilities for a vibrant branch library. 

The Little Church on the Corner 

The 1920s were the heyday for library construction in Berkeley, thanks to the special library building tax which was passed in 1921. The old Central Library building was replaced and three of the four branches were provided with new buildings. 

South Branch was relocated in 1927 to a new building designed by James W. Plachek at 1839 Woolsey Street on the corner of Grove (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way). The small stucco building has tile roof trim, helix columns at the entrance, and decorative leaded-glass windows in the front that an elderly patron remembers as a reading alcove. At the opposite end of the room was a fireplace—a common feature especially in the branch libraries which enhanced the welcoming quality. 

When the library was no longer big enough, attempts were made to move it up the street to a larger lot on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Russell Street. But the little building objected to being dislodged and was in danger of falling apart, so a new modern structure was built on the new lot. 

The little building remains on its corner to this day, occupied and well-maintained by the Ebenezer Baptist Church.

“Let it be, let it be.” Those familiar words echo the sentiments of the scores of people who frequent the Albany landfill—artists, bird watchers, naturalists, people who like to let their dogs run free, to have parties or to sit quietly and enjoy the fine view of the bay. And there are the people who call it home. Some of them actually lived there in camps they built for themselves when they were homeless, and though they are now housed or camping somewhere else they often come back, drawn by the special magic of the place.  

Most people know the history of the landfill—it’s been in the news on and off for the last 10 years. North of the racetrack at the western end of Buchanan Street, it grew up out of the bay over years of dumping construction debris, garbage and landscaping materials. Beyond the parking lot formed a narrow strip of land ending in a big, wild park called The Bulb. Plants grew between the chunks of concrete, bricks, metal and rebar. And homeless people settled in, using dumped materials to make shelters. People who weren’t homeless but like the scene came too, and planted flowers and created art from the junk.  

In 1999 the City of Albany officially declared it to be a park and proceeded to remove the people camped there. They sent in police to harass the squatters, and bulldozers to flatten any structures and belongings they had left behind. Homeless advocates came to the defense of the squatters, and lawyers pointed out that the city could not legally displace homeless people unless they could provide shelters for them. Albany did not have shelters then, and still has none. Most of the Bay Area newspapers covered the story for a while, then lost interest.  

But the park was not abandoned. Indeed, it’s flourishing. More people are coming from all walks of life and of all ages. In spite of park rules, off-leash dogs cavort, junk is formed into massive art pieces, all sorts of structures are built, and a few homeless people sometimes camp there.  

At the Bulb one day we met Andy and Jimbow. Andy is young and idealistic, believes in working together and giving back to the community. Jimbow is an oldtimer on the landfill, calls himself an O.G. (Old Guy?). He’s had some hard times and dreads another cold winter outdoors.  

Together they created The Library. They started two years ago, building it out of pieces of wood from sunken boats. They called it the Hobo Boat Shack and dedicated it to “all the homeless people who have passed on.” Andy says, “When we built it we always said it would be for everybody, for the world. ... We built it for Jimbo to live in (but) from the beginning I always had books in this corner, I always knew I wanted to build a library in addition to building Jimbo’s house.” People have donated hundreds of books to the library. Anyone is free to borrow books. There are no fines for books returned late or not returned at all. More books are being donated all the time. There is a guest log which more than 300 visitors have signed—even a police officer out there presumably to issue a citation for an illegal building.  

In spite of the friendly relations among all the park users, the city carries on a continuous campaign to harass the poor for whom the park is home. Andy reports that the police “are patrolling, checking on people, asking questions ... really snooping, asking people to snitch on each other.” They’ve given tickets to people for “occupying an illegal structure” and for “hanging things from trees.” “What it has done is thrown people living out there into a kind of turmoil, a state of constant anxiety,” noted attorney, writer and artist Osha Neumann, “because you never know when the police are going to come dropping into your campsite.” 

City crews periodically come through with bulldozers, clearing wide swaths of land without regard to the ecological damage they are causing. Invasive fennel is growing where once bloomed flowers and beautiful acacia trees. Jimbow mourns the uprooting of the coyote bushes that attracted monarch butterflies. Besides people’s campsites, other structures that people made have also been destroyed. Andy tells of a beautiful bridge they built over a gully making it safer to get across. He was touched by an older woman who thanked them for the bridge “which gave her a new place to explore,” she said. The bulldozers knocked it down. And there was the amazing skateboard ramp, constructed almost entirely out of broken concrete and junk found on the site. Only a few bags of cement were brought from outside to put a smooth surface on it. Kids were coming out from town to skateboard, and one day there was even a crew filming a movie on the scene. It too, was destroyed. The mother of a teenager commented that the city officials “seem to think that kids are better off sitting at home playing video games.”  

With all that, the “family” of people for whom the Albany Landfill is home will continue to care for the place, to pick up the trash, to build and create art from the junk that they find there, to plant trees and carry in water to sustain them. People from town will continue to come out to run their dogs, to walk or meditate or party. Visitors will come and tell their friends. “Albany should be proud, there’s nothing like it on the planet,” Andy declares.  

It’s a wonderful place to spend a day, or an evening, or even longer. 

Parks are probably not among the first things that spring to mind when you think of Richmond, but the city just north of Berkeley is filled with them, including a 32-mile shoreline with sweeping views of San Francisco and San Pablo bays, an island that provides nesting habitat for the Caspian tern, and a national historic park that commemorates Richmond’s industrial and ship-building past. Linking many of these sites is the San Francisco Bay Trail, a network that will grow to 500 miles of trail around the Bay Area. 

This summer and fall, the East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRPD), Trails for Richmond Action Committee (TRAC), Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historic Park, and others have organized bird walks, hikes, and tours to get you out and into Richmond’s many parks.  

Various dates in August: 

All Hands on Deck: Building the Ships that Kept Democracy Afloat. At Richmond’s historic shipyard No. 3, meet the park ranger for a one-hour tour of one of hundreds of Victory ships built during World War II. Call 232-5050 for dates and times. Directions are at http://www.ssredoakvictory.com/index.htm; program info is at http://rosietheriveter.org/pdfs/08JulRosieCal.pdf. 

Various dates in August: 

Walk the Line and Connect to the Home Front at Rosie the Riveter Memorial, Marina Bay Park: A park ranger leads you on a tour that lets you walk a timeline along the keel of a Victory ship. Meet at the steel memorial by the main parking lot for this 45-minute program followed by an optional 45-minute Bay Trail stroll. Call 232-5050 for dates and times. Learn more about the area at http://rcvb-ca.com/marinabay.htm; program info is at http://rosietheriveter.org/pdfs/08JulRosieCal.pdf. 

Sunday, Aug. 30, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: 

Brooks Island Adventure. This trip is a short paddle in stable double kayaks across sheltered bay water with spectacular views of San Francisco. Paddle along Brooks Island’s preserved shoreline, then come ashore to enjoy a guided, 2-mile hike around the island. Participants must be 14 years or older and must register through EBRPD: 1 (888) EBPARKS; $85 fee for residents; $95 for non-residents.  

Learn more about the park at www.ebparks.org/parks/brooks_island. 

Saturday, Sept. 20, morning: Annual Statewide Coastal Cleanup Day. Watch the TRAC website (www.pointrichmond.com/baytrail/calendar.htm) for details on shoreline cleanups to at Marina Bay, Point Pinole, and Point Isabel Regional Shorelines. 

Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4-5: Home Front Festival by the Bay: The second annual festival will include many events along the Bay Trail, including Tour de Home Front bike rides. Sign up for the YMCA’s 10K and 5K Fun Run/Walk at 9 a.m. on Sunday at www.onyourmarkevents.com/YMCAInfo.htm; see more about the festival at www.homefrontfestival.com. 

Just as the islands of Japan float like jewels in the Pacific, the two sister stores of the Tokyo Fish Market are little gems perched in the middle of northwest Berkeley. 

I discovered the Tokyo Fish Market last year after returning from my first trip to Japan. When I saw the rows of glistening fish that looked like they had just leapt out of a wave and landed behind the counter, I wished I had come sooner. Customers like Ray Johnston of Berkeley, who worked in Japan for 30 years, come “for the good selection of fish” and for “foods that are made in Japan because they taste better.”  

Although consumers routinely rave about the freshness of the fish, their fierce loyalty is fed by the family-like feeling between staff and patrons. Tokyo Fish Market was established in 1963 by Isamu and Tazuye Fujita and is now run by their son Larry and co-owner Lee Nakamura.  

Nakamura told me, “We don’t sell fish in pre-wrapped tray packs even though it would be quicker and more convenient … I want to encourage dialogue between the customers and the staff behind the counter.”  

Once you pick out some gleaming halibut, tuna, or snapper, you may look around and feel as if you are in a foreign country with a shelf of mysterious sauces, a wall of ramen, somen, udon and soba noodles, and an ocean of seaweed. The real adventure of shopping at the Tokyo Fish Market is venturing into uncharted territory and sampling unfamiliar ingredients. 

What’s a good first step? Try a bento box, a portable lunch that contains small portions of traditional foods. If you taste something you like you can always come back for more. The fish bento I picked was divided into compartments that held a piece of grilled swordfish and two mini shrimp tempura, with bite-sized servings of green beans in sesame sauce, creamy potato salad, lotus root, burdock root, carrot and yam cake and rice sprinkled with sesame seeds.  

At Japanese restaurants, one of my favorite dishes is tsukemono, or the pickled vegetables that accompany many meals. I thought it would be simple to bring some home. When I found the tsukemono section, however, I faced more than two-dozen different types of yellow daikon radish. With only a minimal list of ingredients in English, I just picked a package holding what looked most familiar: tiny half circular slices that came in a bag of liquid. When I got them home, I was disappointed that they didn’t deliver the crunchy, zingy experience I was seeking. On my next visit, I asked advice from Roger, the grocery manager, who described the different variations, pointed out how the drawings of shiso leaves or ume plum on the package indicated the flavorings within and suggested that I buy a whole radish (over a foot long) and cut off the slices myself.  

Another strategy might be to try a new flavor of an old friend, such as melon or litchi soda, red bean or black sesame ice cream. Or just go straight for the candy. Japanese sweets seem to come in especially cute miniature shapes, koala and panda bears, chocolate mushrooms and tiny pink tipped chocolate strawberries. 

Not only is the staff at Tokyo Fish Market uniformly helpful, so are some of the loyal customers. Miya Kitahara of Berkeley, 25, started coming to the Tokyo Fish Market when she was eight years old, had just moved to California from Japan and missed her favorite candy. She shows me the taffy-like, fruit flavored cubes called Hi-chews that come in a rainbow of flavors. Nowadays, she admits to buying mixes like Mabu Tofu (sort of like a Japanese Hamburger Helper), bento boxes of prepared foods and other quick meals. “But,” she says, “When I have the time, I do make the natto, with raw egg and green onions on rice.” 

Natto may be the most infamous member of the family of traditional Japanese foods. These soybeans are fermented with a specific strain of bacteria and sold frozen in single-serving sealed plastic cups. Once you peel back the lid, their pungent aroma is released, an odor akin to ancient cheese with a hint of ammonia. An excellent source of protein, natto sports claims of additional health benefits, but may take some getting used to.  

Noriko Taniguchi, owner of Norikonoko Restaurant on Telegraph Avenue has been shopping at the Tokyo Fish Market for almost thirty years. She feels comfortable coming here and knows the staff well, “They are like family … I like to tease them.” Larry, the produce manager, will order special things just for her, such as the top quality spinach she uses in her restaurant or a certain type of yam noodles. She holds up the package of thick, opaque noodles flecked with specks of seaweed and explains, “This food is very traditional and good for you, it cleanses out your internal organs. You need to eat it every once in a while.” 

After stocking up on newly discovered delicacies, stop at the gift store that shares the petite parking lot and features items to compliment the food, such as dainty dishes, ingenious cooking gadgets, tea pots, sake sets and cookbooks. Other gift items include a large selection of tabi (divided) socks, lucky cats, daruma dolls (for fulfilling wishes) and the furoshiki (traditional cloths) to wrap up them all up as presents.

On weekends, Lake Chabot’s picnic sites are full and the park completely crowded with families having parties or reunions; it’s impossible to run or ride 20 feet without calling out to slower recreants.  

But early in the morning or on weekdays, the park, located 30 minutes southeast of Berkeley, just outside Castro Valley, becomes a quiet and scenic escape, perfect for avoiding the rush of traffic or the press of deadlines. 

Lake Chabot was constructed in 1875 as a primary reservoir for the East Bay. In the 1960s, the park opened for recreation and currently serves as an emergency water supply only. Because of this, swimming is not permitted in the lake, but it is stocked for fishing. Boats, canoes and kayaks are available to rent by the hour or for the day. 

A hiker’s heaven, the park offers 20 miles of trails around the lake, which connect to the 70 miles of hiking trails in Anthony Chabot Regional Park. There is also a 12-14 mile bike loop, partly paved, that circles the lake, as well as eight or nine miles of scenic trails that follow the lake. 

Dressed in running clothes and armed only with my GPS wristwatch and cell phone, I chose to follow the bike path to the Honker Bay Trail and then the Columbine Trail, an isolated, twisting, up-and-down trail on the east side of the lake. 

The Columbine Trail alone makes the trip to Lake Chabot worthwhile. For nearly two miles, my only company included little lizards, ducks and deer; I saw only three other hikers on the whole eastern shore of the lake. The trail’s not easy; I huffed and puffed up the steep climbs and picked my way precariously down the rocky slopes. 

But the sights were well worth the effort. I ran through a pungently sweet eucalyptus grove, alongside steep ravines lined with rocks and moss-covered trees. For a former Midwesterner, the quiet east side of the park with its sunny hillsides and dark jungle valleys is a fairyland on the outskirts of the city, an outdoor girl’s dream come true. 

At the top of the trail, nearly the highest peak in the park, a bench overlooks the whole of the East Bay shore, San Francisco Bay, and the San Francisco skyline far in the distance.  

I collapsed on that bench to catch my breath in sheer delight, gazing out over the Bay. I took that moment to check my electronics: no cell phone reception and the trees were blocking my satellite access. I had managed to outrun not only the traffic, but also my own digital connections to the rest of the world. I sat there in silence, looking down on the busy city, quiet itself in the distance. 

Mr. Peterson, who lives on Dwight Way, has been offered $15,000 for his patent appliance for a lawn mover. The invention consists of a pan which is attached to the lawn-mower so as not to leave any grass on the lawn after it has been cut. Mr. Peterson perfected his invention and obtained a patent on it some two or three years ago. He has disposed of a two-thirds interest in the invention. 

The legacy of African-American inventor Henry Peterson has largely been lost save for this brief 1889 article from the Berkeley Advocate, the records of the United States Patent Office, and his obituary in the Berkeley Daily Gazette. But one might imagine the magnitude of his invention: The $15,000 he was offered for the final one-third interest in his lawn mower tray could have purchased five nice houses in those days. But even before they had access to such money, Henry S. and Caroline Peterson had already made a lasting contribution to the city of Berkeley. 

Henry S. Peterson and his wife Caroline arrived in Berkeley by 1872, in time to actually witness the laying of the cornerstone of the first building of the University of California, which was errected that year. 

Four years before Berkeley was incorporated, Henry Peterson and two others founded the First Congregational Church, according to the Berkeley Daily Gazette. The most well-known of the three founders was Dr. Samuel Willey, also a founder of UC Berkeley. On June 24, 1874, a Congregational church service was conducted by Reverend E. S. Lacy in a room at the Berkeley Hotel at the corner of Choate Street (now Telegraph Avenue) and Bancroft Way. Henry and Caroline Peterson were undoubtedly in attendance.  

On March 22, 1875, Reverend Edward B. Payne held the first service in the Congregational Chapel at Dwight Way and Choate Avenue in the first church building in Berkeley. Later, the congregation constructed a new building at Dana and Durant streets. 

Peterson is first listed in the Berkeley directories as early as 1876, two years before Berkeley incorporated as a city, and is listed continuously until 1899. According to the city directories, he worked variously as a gardener, laborer, and dairyman, all very typical trades in early Berkeley. His residence is listed on Dwight Way between Fulton and Ellsworth Streets from 1887 to 1890. Previously, he lived in the same neighborhood on Channing Way near Bowditch for at least five years. The area was composed of small farms and ranches, and was near Berkeley’s first commercial center at Shattuck Avenue and Dwight Way.  

Henry Peterson was born in New York in 1841. The 1880 Census indicated that 39-year-old Henry lived with his 42-year-old wife, Caroline, and his sister, E. E. Phelps, a 44-year-old widow.  

When Peterson applied for his patent on Oct. 18, 1888, his invention was a secret. Two Oakland investors, J. R. Wilson and W. F. Delainey, saw the potential of Henry’s grass catcher and offered him the aforementioned huge sum for a two-thirds interest in the invention. These two men maintained a close relationship with the inventor and acted as witnesses on the patent application. Henry S. Peterson was issued patent number 402,189 from the United States Patent Office on Feb. 30, 1889. According to the patent, Wilson and Delainey held a two-thirds interest, and one can assume it was in exchange for a previous payment to Henry Peterson. Just what Henry and Caroline did with their well-earned financial reward is unknown, save for the fact that they moved to a house at 2222 Dwight Way, appraised at three times the value of their previous home. But as Berkeley directories show, they lived for many more years in the comforts of the same east Berkeley neighborhood where they had lived for decades prior to Henry’s fame and success.  

In 1896, the Berkeley Advocate published a piece recalling all of the pioneers of the town who voted in the election of May of 1878 to form the city of Berkeley. They checked the Great Register to see how many of those famous voters were still residents who would still be registered to vote almost 20 years later. Stalwart Henry Peterson was among those 105 names. The article provides proof that Henry Peterson, by his voting, was a founding father of the city of Berkeley. 

The aging Henry and Caroline Peterson survived the April 18, 1906, earthquake. They witnessed the flood of refugees into the town. It could not have been easy for them as Caroline had been an invalid for some time. On Sept. 22, 1906, 63-year-old Henry Peterson died suddenly of heart failure while coming in the rear door of his home. He had been in declining health for a number of years, but his death was totally unexpected, and his wife was devastated by it. The couple had been Berkeley residents for more than thirty-three years. Henry’s obituary in the Berkeley Daily Gazette called him “one of the best known and pioneer residents of Berkeley.”  

Caroline Peterson lived only a few months longer than her husband. On Jan. 22, 1907, four months after Henry’s passing, the following appeared in the Berkeley Daily Gazette:  

Mrs. Caroline Peterson, a resident of Berkeley for thirty years, died Sunday at her home, 2322 Dwight Way, after a prolonged illness. Mrs. Peterson was widely known throughout her home town, and enjoyed the respect and good will of a host of friends.  

She was a charter member of the First Congregational Church of Berkeley. The funeral was held at 1:30 this afternoon from the Peterson home.

In addition to offering some of California’s finest wines, the Napa Valley also places host to some exquisite scenery, art and architecture. 

All four await the fortunate visitor who chances on Clos Pegase, a unique winery that is at once an architectural attraction and an art museum set in one of the valley’s most scenic locations. 

There are no signs to lead you there, and since it’s located midway between the valley’s two main north/south thoroughfares you’re unlikely to discover it unless you’re on a random tour of the valley and you’ve already heard about it. 

Located on Dunnaweal Lane between Highway 29 and the Silverado trail in the valley’s northern end, the winery reposes like an ancient Minoan palace at the foot of the small stone hill that houses in its depths the winery’s cellars and at its summit the home of vintners Jan and Mitsuko Shrem. 

Designed by the sometimes controversial Michael Graves in a San Francisco Museum of Modern Art competition, the winery is something of a work of art in itself. 

Surrounding the museum, a sculpture garden populated with both representational and abstract creations covers ranges over the centuries, including a strikingly exuberant Jean Dubuffet creation that greets arriving visitors. 

Dubbed “The Extravagant,” the colorful, 13-foot-tall embodies all the drama of its name. 

And Dubuffet, a former wine merchant himself, triggered still further sturm under drang for Shrem with the vintner decided to adorn the label of one of his distinctive reds with one of the artist’s painting. 

Bedecked Nude, a 1943 creation, had to first clear the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF), which passes on everything that goes on wine labels. 

The striking work was to adorn a 1988 Cabernet sauvignon, one of the hearty red varietals for which the winery is known. 

But BATF insisted Shrem truncate the label so that shoppers in liquor stores wouldn’t be confronted with the abstract image of male plumbing. “They castrated him,” quips the vintner in his regular talks on wine in art that he gives in the rock-hewn aging caves. 

While the shortened image made the label, Shem fought for a decade to win a reversal, becoming something of a First Amendment hero in the process, before the “full Monty” version finally adorned the 1998 edition in his Hommage series, so-named because each carries a work from his extensive collection. 

Another haunting work on display is “Mother Earth,” a seven-foot bronze by Henry Moore in the entryway to the main building, though children inevitably flock to the equally tall bronze “Thumb” by Cesar, an Italian-born French sculptor. 

Other offerings include ancient Roman glassware and a superb collection of pictures, including Shrem’s favorite and the inspiration for the winery’s name, a painting of Pegasus, winged horse of ancient Greek myth, by the French Symbolist Odilon Redon. 

During a barrel tasting event earlier this month where guests could taste wines straight from the oak, Shrem explained how to make a small fortune in the wine business: “Start with a large one.” 

Of Lebanese extraction, Shrem discovered his love of wines in Japan, where he had met and married the love of his live, Mitsuko, who also introduced him to the intoxicating power of the grape. 

He made his large fortune in publishing, then headed to franceFrance, where he studied oenology—the science of wine—at the University of Bordeaux before heading to Napa, where he refined his skills under the tutelage of the Valley’s legendary wine-maker, Andre Tchelistcheff, whose other students included Louis Martini and Robert Mondavi. 

All Clos Pegase wines are produced on the Shrem’s Shrems' own Napa Valley land, and he told visitors earlier this month that the current drought is destined to produce a small crop but an extraordinary vintage. 

While wine-tasting used to be a freebie, that era is long past, with Clos Pegase, like most other upper tier vintners, now charging to sip their varietals, though membership in the Pegase Circle wine club can quaff for free. 

A fan of the reds will find an interesting collection, including a claret favored by some reporters. Cabernets, both sauvignon and franc, are mainstays, along with merlot, pinot noir, zinfandel and chardonnay. 

Directions 

The trip is about 62 miles from Berkeley. 

Take I-80 to Vallejo, then take the Napa turnoff and follow the signs to state Highway 29 towards Calistoga. 

Stay on 29 through Napa, Yountville and Saint Helena. When you pass Boothe State Park on your left, you’ll see a white hilltop winery (Sterling) on your right, which means the turnoff to Dunaweal Lane is near. 

After a right onto Dunaweal, go seven-tenths of a mile. Clos Pegase will be on the left. 

The winery is open daily 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with tours at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.  

While Clos Pegase doesn’t serve food, there are many restaurants covering a range of prices throughout the Valley—or try a takeout picnic from the Oakville Grocery Co, which is located on 29 between Yountville and Saint Helena. 

And for shoppers in search of outlet stores, there’s a mall at the First Street exit in Napa. For those in search of haute couture, there are the high end shops of Saint Helena.  

And for cyclists, the Napa Valley is becoming a destinaiton destination of choice for two-wheelers. Just remember that natives tend to speed along some of the back-country roads. 

For more information on Clos Pegase, see the winery’s website at www.clospegase.com  

Somewhere during the Nixon years, a friend of a friend of a friend from San Diego showed up in the Bay Area to explore his musical options, mainly by hanging out in North Beach. We took him to the Freight & Salvage Coffee House on an open-mic night, but for some reason he didn’t manage to sign up. We all stuck around, though; the Freight sold beer in those days, and the acts were relatively painless. Then, when the place had emptied out and the bar was shutting down, our guest, Tom Waits, took over the house piano and picked out “Closing Time.” I would like to be able to report that he also played “The Piano Has Been Drinking,” but I don’t think he did. 

The Freight had only been around for a few years by then, having been launched in 1968 in the space formerly occupied by a used-furniture store. But it was already an institution. It was part of a thriving San Pablo Avenue music scene—anyone remember the Longbranch? the West Dakota? the Blind Lemon?—and it has outlasted all its contemporaries. In the process, it has become far more than just a folk club. 

I’ve caught a lot of shows at the Freight. Some of the performers are no longer with us: Dave Van Ronk, Utah Phillips, Raymond Kane (a benign Buddha-like figure, the first slack key guitar player I ever heard, and one of the best). It remains the place to go for Celtic music (the incomparable Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill among many others), Hawai’ian, African, Cajun, bluegrass, the eclectic and unclassifiable.  

One night, some years back, a young kora virtuoso from Mali named Toumani Diabate mesmerized the audience with the intricacies of his music. Another time, Henry Kaiser filled the stage with strings, including mother-and-daughter Vietnamese danh tranh players. I’ve heard Ralph Stanley’s transfixing version of “Oh Death” more than once there. The Freight is not a dance venue as such, but I’ve been there often enough when groups like Tarika from Madagascar and the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band evoked spontaneous dancing anyway. 

For serious dancers, there’s Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center. The Savoy-Doucet group has been known to play sitdown gigs at the Freight followed by dance concerts at Ashkenaz. That venue came along a little later than the Freight, in 1973, founded by the prickly but big-hearted activist David Nadel primarily for fellow folk dancers and built to resemble an Eastern European synagogue. With a bar. 

Ashkenaz became the place to go for zydeco (Clifton Chenier played there), reggae, Afrobeat, western swing, and other danceable musical styles. But in 1996, when Nadel was shot dead by a drunk he had ejected, it looked as if the show was over for good. Miraculously, a nonprofit group of friends of Ashkenaz was able to acquire the place and keep the music going. 

It’s still going strong in the club’s 35th year. The Balkan and Middle Eastern folk dance tradition continues. This is probably the only place in the Bay Area that features Berber music on a regular basis, or where you’re likely to catch a singer from the Comoro Islands. There’s also a steady stream of local talent. Ashkenaz serves wine, beer, and vegetarian food, and boasts three wood-paneled gender-neutral restrooms. 

The Freight, which celebrated its 40th anniversary this June, will be moving from its present Addison Street location into new downtown digs soon. It’s now run by the nonprofit Berkeley Society for the Preservation of Traditional Music. True to its roots, it still offers coffee; currently, no alcohol is available. 

The saga of Cody’s Books finally ended this year when its Fourth Street store (last survivor of a series of venues that started north of the UC Campus 50 years ago, moved to Telegraph for several decades and was briefly in San Francisco’s Union Square) moved to a smaller space on Shattuck Avenue, then closed for good. It’s ironic that this followed the closure of Barnes & Noble’s Shattuck outlet by less than a year. Clearly, both the independents and chains are hurting. But the East Bay still has much to offer those of us who prefer to buy from brick-and-mortar retailers: a whole constellation of bookstores, generalist and specialist, used and new, with something for just about everyone. 

Mrs. Dalloway’s (2904 College Ave.) has strong gardening, poetry, and natural history sections, a choice selection of general titles, and frequent author events; speakers have included Michael Pollan and California poet laureate Kay Ryan. University Press Books (2430 Bancroft Way) is just what it says it is, with a few titles from non-academic presses. It might be just the place to find that specialized tome on Byzantine hermeneutics. Builder’s Booksource (1817 Fourth St.) specializes in architecture and design, with an impressive gardening section. Analog Books (1816 Euclid Ave.) continues the Northside bookselling tradition that began with Cody’s. The UC bookstore, downstairs in the student union building on Bancroft, is also worth a visit even if you’re not a student. 

You can buy legal advice in handy book form at the Nolo Press store (950 Parker St., for now). For jazz aficionados, The Basement @ JazzSchool (2087 Addison St.) purveys books and records. Down Home Music (10341 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito) has an extensive book section. Mr. Mopps toystore (1405 Martin Luther King Jr. Way) has books for children. And don’t forget genre fiction: for science fiction, fantasy, horror, and mystery, as well as plush Cthulhus and Monty Python action figures, there’s Dark Carnival (3086 Claremont Ave.) and The Other Change of Hobbit (2020 Shattuck Ave.). 

In Oakland’s Rockridge district, Diesel (5433 College Ave.) features new titles and author events. Also for new books, try the Book Tree and the oddly named A Great Good Place for Books in Montclair (both on LaSalle Avenue) and Laurel Bookstore in, where else, the Laurel District (4100 MacArthur Blvd.). Alameda has a branch of Books Inc (1344 Park St.). 

Other Berkeley and Oakland stores reflect the East Bay’s cultural diversity: Rebecca’s Books at 3268 Adeline for African-American books, especially poetry; Marcus Books (3900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way) for African-American history, culture, and literature; Eastwind (2066 University Ave.) for Asian and Asian-American subjects; Afikomen (3042 Claremont Ave.) for Jewish-interest books. Although not a bookstore per se, the Spanish Table (1814 San Pablo Ave.) sells cookbooks and other works on Iberian and Latin American culture. 

For both new and used books, Moe’s Books (2476 Telegraph Ave.) alone justifies a visit to the block where Cody’s used to be. This Berkeley institution, the creation of the late Moe Moskowitz whose cigar-chomping likeness is prominently displayed, remains the used-book Mecca. Moe’s prices are reasonable, and the stock is always changing (they often buy personal libraries, and reviewers’ copies of new hardbacks show up regularly). There are new titles downstairs, rarities and collectables on the fourth floor, and remainders throughout. 

Black Oak (1491 Shattuck Ave.), which recently changed hands, still offers both new and used books, although it looks as if the current owners plan to deemphasize the used side. The place looks much the same as it did before except for the absence of the front-door turnstile, some realigned tables and vacant shelves, and the exile of the poetry section to the back room. 

Among other used-book outlets, Half Price Books (2036 Shattuck Ave.), part of an Austin-based chain, is a crapshoot, but I’ve found some real bargains there. Pegasus (1855 Solano Ave.), Pegasus Downtown (2349 Shattuck Ave.), and Pendragon (5560 College Ave., in Oakland’s Rockridge District) make up a local mini-chain; mostly used, with a good stock of remainders and notable first-of-the-year calendar sales. Near Moe’s, there’s Shakespeare & Co. (2499 Telegraph Ave.) and Cartesian (2445 Dwight Way). The Friends of the Berkeley Public Library store (one location in the main library at 2090 Kittredge St; another at 2433 Channing Way, hidden in the ground floor of a parking garage off Telegraph) is another place where almost anything may turn up, and astonishingly cheap. 

Oakland used-book sources include Walden Pond (3316 Grand Ave.), which bills itself as “a Berkeley bookstore in Oakland” and has an interesting selection of political titles. The Book Zoo (6395 Telegraph Ave.), formerly in Berkeley and now just across the border in Oakland, has an eclectic stock and eccentric hours (4-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, earlier on weekends). There’s also Spectator (4163 Piedmont Ave.), Black Swan (4236 Piedmont Ave.), and Bibliomania (1816 Telegraph Ave.). The Friends of the Oakland Public Library run their own store, the Bookmark (721 Washington St.).  

The temptation to buy books online can be hard to resist. But for some of us, those transactions will never replace the thrill of the book hunt: the experience of browsing the physical shelves full of physical books and discovering something we hadn’t known we needed.

Naan ’N’ Curry 

This is a very tasty, inexpensive Indian joint with nice décor. Regulars enjoy a vegetarian or non-vegetarian curry with choice of na’an (regular, garlic, whole wheat). This place also offers free hot chai tea. Come with a bunch of friends and hang out for hours while enjoying exquisite, authentic Indian cooking. 

2366 Telegraph Ave. 841-6226. www. naanncurry.com. 

La Burrita 

Winner of the Daily Californian’s Best of Berkeley Best Mexican food for the past eight years or so, La Burrita is quick and cheap. Seasoned Cal students know that when they want a large burrito at 11 or 12 at night, La Burrita will satisfy their needs. La Burrita offers an assortment of burritos, with any type of filling or tortilla imaginable, in addition to wonderful quesidillas and enchiladas. All entrees come with house-made chips and a variety of salsas to choose from. You definitely get your money’s worth here. (The shop has another location on Euclid Avenue north of campus.) 

2530 Durant Ave. 845-4859. 

Smart Alec’s 

A classic Berkeley tradition, Smart Alec’s has been offering low-cost healthy fast-food alternatives for many years. They have vegan burgers, chicken burgers, beef burgers, a variety of great salads, some of the best soups you could imagine, and of course, smoothies that are better than Jamba Juice. This place makes your food faster than “fast food” and is always consistent. Make sure to try the cornbread or chocolate bread for a special treat. 

2355 Telegraph Ave. 704-4000. 

Café Intermezzo 

What can I say about this place? It has the biggest salads you have ever seen or will ever see. The “Chef’s Delight” is a favorite with choice of meat, lettuce, hard-boiled egg, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, avocado, carrots, and croutons. Expect long lines at meal times, especially lunch, since this is a favorite for students, because of its cheap prices. If your not in the mood for a salad, they have pretty good sandwiches and soups.  

2442 Telegraph Ave. 849-4592. 

Crepes A-Go-Go 

A favorite of Cal students and Berkeley High students alike, Crepes A-Go-Go brings the French tradition of crepes to Berkeley. With two locations (the other on University Avenue), Crepes-A-Go-Go delivers up a wide variety of selections like crepes with nutella, various fruit spreads, and savory crepes as well. A must—go if you want something not only filling and hearty but delicious as well. Good prices and not usually too crowded. 

2334 Telegraph Ave. 486-2310. 

Smokehouse 

This burger joint is a longtime Berkeley classic. They serve up a variety of burgers (veggie, beef, turkey, chicken) and have excellent french fries. There is plenty of outdoor seating and service can vary. If you are looking for a quality burger and don’t feel like going to a fast-food joint, Smokehouse is a good choice for you. Their food is pretty consistent and doesn’t change. In addition, they stay open past 2 a.m. Just make sure to bring cash, since that is all they take. 

3115 Telegraph Ave. 845-3640.

The price of gasoline makes the Planet’s annual “Discovering the East Bay” issue even more relevant than it has been in previous years. Just about this time every summer a whole lot of new people come to Berkeley, most of them drawn by the University of California, either as students or as employees. All of them need places to live. After that, they need to buy things to set up housekeeping, and when that job’s done, they’re ready for a little pleasure. That’s where the Planet comes in.  

The goal of this paper in the last five or six years has been to inform and amuse, both at the same time. We have kept our regular readers up to date on governmental activities that affect their lives, and have provided a broad platform on which they could publish their reactions to what’s happened.  

We’ve also tried to direct readers to local businesses and entertainment venues, in the belief that “Shop Local” is a good goal, both on behalf of Planet Earth and for the Berkeley Daily Planet. Besides the local tips, this issue includes just one excursion (to the Napa Valley) that will require using a car. There’s no important principle that can’t be illustrated by an occasional exception. 

Some newcomers may wonder about the name of the paper. When the present owners bought the remains of the original Berkeley Daily Planet almost six years ago in a going-out-of business sale, it was just a few pages long, but printed six days a week. We haven’t been any more successful than the previous owners in attracting advertising support from the local merchants, so now there’s just one printed issue each week, with the “daily” reporting now on the Web.  

We’ve managed, against these odds, to keep on putting out a pretty good little publication. We’ve broken some important stories, and won some prizes. This year, for example, our editorial pages have won either first or second prize in our class in the California Newspaper Publishers Association contest—we won’t know which until the awards ceremony next month. Two of our reporters also got awards for their stories this year. 

In today’s paper you’ll find a lot of tips on things to do and places to go. Unlike some other publications, we’ve never coordinated our writers’ recommendations with our advertising. But all the same, it wouldn’t hurt, when you patronize some of the opportunities laid out here for your pleasure, if you suggest to the proprietors that advertising might be a good way to help local newspapers stay alive in a hostile business climate. Tell them that “Shop Local” should apply to advertising buys as well as to groceries. 

In case you haven’t noticed, printed newspapers—not just this one—have come on hard times lately. Advertisers are confronted with a plethora—in the correct sense of “too many”—of choices about where to spend their money, yet at the same time their profits are at risk in the general business slump. And newspapers are suffering as a result.  

Take theaters, for one example. They depend on reviews to let potential patrons know what’s going on. Fewer newspapers, fewer reviews, and, inevitably and eventually, smaller audiences. You’d really think they could figure that out for themselves, but a word to the wise wouldn’t hurt.  

The days of free papers supported only by advertisers might just be coming to an end. It’s been at least two generations since reader subscription revenue contributed substantially to the cost of publishing newspapers, even big metropolitan dailies.  

Now we’re looking once again to our readers to help pay the bills. 

If you like what you read today, there’s another way you can support the paper besides encouraging advertisers. We’re now offering “freewill subscriptions” for Planet fans.  

The basic rate is $10 a month, payable by check or credit card and soon, PayPal. And guess what? No home delivery, you still just take your “free” paper out of the boxes like anyone else. Not much of a deal, true, but it makes you feel good. 

The second level is neighborhood delivery. If you can sign up four or more subcribers in your neighborhood at the $10/month rate, we’ll deliver the papers to a conveniently located home for easy pickup by neighbors.  

And the deluxe way to get your paper is by U.S. mail. If you pay the postage in addition to the $10/month, we’ll put each weekly issue in the mail for next day delivery. Such a deal! 

And finally, we’ll always accept contributions in larger amounts from our really faithful readers. This publication is a very expensive proposition—advertising has never paid more than half of what it costs to publish, and even that percentage is shrinking in this bad economy. You can help. 

Here’s the spot where we should have a drum roll, followed by a long commercial touting the importance of a free press to a free society, but perhaps we can skip that part. Most of our readers, thank goodness, are the kind of people who understand that concept already.  

For a sample of our newest innovation in our quest to bring you the key information you need, watch www.berkeleydailyplanet.com in the next two weeks for on-site coverage of the Democratic and Republican conventions, complete with videos. 

But also take a little time to relax and enjoy Discovering the East Bay. On a planet that’s full of angst, the East Bay is a great place to hang your hat. 

OTHER BLACK SPOTS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Imagine a loud two-ton cigarette going 50 miles per hour, then parking to leave an oil pool near the curb for animals to drink from after an acid rain. This doesn't require much imagination. 

Let he who casts the first stone do his tossing in a secluded glass house. 

Ove Ofteness 

• 

BRT—FACTS WILL REPLACE FEARS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

It's understandable that Russ Tilleman (Aug. 21) has concerns about AC Transit's Bus Rapid Transit project for Telegraph Avenue and downtown. We are, even after seven years of planning, still only halfway through the environmental review process, so it's still not possible to know exactly what the final project would be if approved and built. Only after the City Council chooses among several project alternatives will AC Transit be able to complete its final environmental impact report —and only then will we be able to study both potential impacts and their potential mitigations. In 2009 facts will replace fears, and we can then have a more informed conversation. 

That said, it is possible even now to look at Mr. Tilleman's BRT concerns with a dispassionate eye.  

Start with the issue of traffic in the neighborhoods. It's true that some drivers have been "cutting through" the neighborhoods south of campus from the major streets—for many years. That's why neighbors advocated for traffic controls such as diverters, designed not to "force traffic onto the major streets" but to keep cut-through traffic out of the neighborhood streets. That benefit does come at some cost—diverters do "complicate driving around the neighborhoods"—but most residents continue to favor that tradeoff. Some neighborhoods, however, made a different choice: the Willard neighborhood voted down the installation of diverters, and many residents there complain to this day about ever-increasing cut-through traffic on Hillegass and other streets.  

The BRT project actually gives us a chance to make neighborhood traffic better. AC Transit has committed to mitigating any potential increase in neighborhood traffic that would result from its project—and effective mitigations, which the city can't afford on its own, have the potential to decrease cut-through traffic below even today's levels. Neighbors should be deeply involved in ensuring that any future tradeoffs required are optimal ones.  

We can also address Mr. Tillman’s other concern: that BRT will "complicate navigating" by cars on Telegraph because of changes to signals and left-turn lanes. Right now there's no way to evaluate that, since Berkeley has not selected the actual routes that need to be designed for effective traffic management. The subject will receive detailed evaluation in the Final EIR, but until then it's simply not fair to assume the worst. Traffic engineers know how to optimize flow in transit corridors; we should give AC Transit's staff the chance to propose actual final plans before condemning the entire project. 

Mr. Tilleman asks, "Is there anything we will be able to do to limit [BRT's] impact on traffic?" The answer is certainly yes—work with the city and AC Transit to require vigorous and effective mitigations of potential traffic impacts as part of the BRT implementation. In the end, an ounce of mitigation will prove much more helpful than a pound of ungrounded fears. 

Alan Tobey 

Co-chairman, Coalition for Effective Government 

(A campaign committee working for a no vote on anti-BRT Measure KK) 

• 

OF COPS AND KPFA 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Once again Berkeley cops have demonstrated how out of control they are. On Wednesday, Aug. 20, someone in KPFA management (name to be revealed when KPFA finalizes its spin) called the cops to report a "trespass" by a KPFA volunteer, a pregnant single mom, who just happens to be African American. He called them because she wouldn't get off the phone when he so ordered. She was finalizing a ride home and told him so. 

The cops hog-tied her and broke her arm. Yes, it is happening here. Shame on them, KPFA, and on all Berkeleyans for putting up with this behavior for so long. 

To Berkeley cops: It is possible to have law enforcement without brutality. 

Since there have been so many cop over-reactions recently, one must conclude that population control by any means necessary, and especially minority population control, is a priority for our city government. 

As for KPFA, the first statement from Interim Program Manager Sasha Liley was that she had nothing to do with it, i.e. abdication of responsibility, instant state of denial, and no sense of outrage. 

There is this phenomenon among many so called progressives: they talk the talk and have the oh so correct analysis but in their daily lives, they share the same bullying mind set as Bush and Co. with one exception: they're Green. 

Who's gonna write "What's the Matter with Berkeley"? 

Maris Arnold 

• 

IRRESPONSIBLE BIKE RIDERS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I am fed up with bicyclists who act as if traffic laws don’t apply to them and ride as if they’re only ones who have the right to be on the road. 

There have been countless times when I have nearly been hit by bike riders while walking across the street in a crosswalk. Around 7 yesterday evening, for example, I was crossing Telegraph at Oregon. All four lanes of car traffic came to a gentle stop, respecting the crosswalk. However, as usual, a bike rider refused to slow or even alter their path and came within a few inches of hitting me.  

I had always thought that being environmentally responsible was about looking out for the greater good. Apparently these riders are so wrapped up in their own egos and arrogance that they forget traffic rules also apply to them; especially the laws protecting pedestrians from harm. I have to say, there’s something perverse about pedestrians feeling safer around cars than bicycles.  

Steve Berley 

Oakland 

• 

McCAIN IS OUT OF TOUCH 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

John McCain is out of touch in understanding the economic realities of ordinary Americans, like myself. Imagine not being able to answer when asked, "How many houses do you have?" His economic situation is in stark contrast to the millions facing foreclosure, who can no longer answer "one." He doesn't have to worry about the bank foreclosing even one of his eight houses. 

In another interview, McCain gaffed when asked "What is rich?" "About $5 million," he managed to stumble upon. By his standards, he and Cindy are well above being rich, they are "super rich." 

Mr. McCain accuses Mr. Obama of raising taxes. But Obama does not plan to raise the taxes of those middle-class families with incomes below $150,000. In fact, he will cut their taxes by $1,000, and will offer students who perform community service a $4,000 tax break to pay for college tuition. John McCain's tax plan does nothing for middle-class families. Barack will also set minimum wage to rise with inflation. McCain has voted against minimum 19 times. 

Now, I ask you, who is more in touch with the average American? Barack Obama. 

Mertis Shekeloff 

• 

ADVISORIES FOR ALL STUDENTS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

While I agree with Ms. Leyva-Cutler that Berkeley residents must "join together in a comprehensive approach" to solve the dismal academic performance of Berkeley High students, her faith in advisories is puzzling. Advisories will reduce academic instructional minutes when students, particularly in small schools, need all the academic instructional minutes they can absorb. Advisories do not qualify as instructional minutes. The thought of reducing English and math instructional time and replacing it with advisories is simply ridiculous. 

Advisories were voted down a few months ago by our school board. I find it remarkable that the BHS principal applied for a grant to implement advisories when the school board said no. Further, advisories will require many more classrooms than are available at the currently space-crunched high school. And I can't imagine how they can possibly provide what they claim to offer, which is an adult who can look out for students' interests, when teacher loads will increase on average from 150 students to 170. 

Advisories are part of the small school orthodoxy, none of which has proved successful. Take a look at the test scores in the small schools compared to the rest of Berkeley High. They are significantly lower, with a downward trend since small school inception. Why the blind faith in small schools when they have as few as 4 percent of their students achieving proficiency or above in math and students from the main body of the school achieve over 35 percent proficiency or above in math? Across the board, small school students score much lower in both English and math than students in the main body of Berkeley High, and it's getting worse every year. 

Let's join together in a comprehensive approach to ensure our students acquire the basic literacy and numeracy skills they'll need for any path they choose to take. Advisories are the Emperor's New Clothes of education trends. 

Peter Kuhn 

• 

ADVISORIES 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Thanks are due to Beatriz Leyva-Cutler for clearly explaining why the BUSD needs to implement an academic advisory program for all students at Berkeley High (Commentary, Aug. 21). Here's a small example of how easily a student could be knocked off course for graduation.  

Yesterday my daughter picked up her class schedule for her senior year at Berkeley High. At first glance, the schedule looked more than fine—she had been assigned to all the exciting electives that she had requested. Later, however, she took a second look and realized that there was a serious error: She was not registered for one of the few courses that she absolutely needed to graduate and maintain UC/CSU eligibility, namely American government and economics. Since my daughter understands how to navigate the system, I'm sure she will manage to get her schedule fixed expeditiously, but if she were less informed, the error could have been utterly disastrous. A comprehensive advisory system would ensure that all students were informed and on track for graduation. 

Carol S. Lashof 

• 

AN AD FOR THE DEMOCRATS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Further to Bob Burnett's “Framing the Election” (Aug 21), here is a simple ad that might save the Dems, if they had the courage to blanket the country with it: 

“John McCain says he wants diplomacy not war. But McCain’s idea of diplomacy is exactly like Bush’s—bullying other nations into doing what he tells them. It’s a recipe for more conflict, more blood, and either higher taxes or national bankruptcy.” 

Fred Matthews 

Oakland 

• 

FRENCH HOTEL ANTENNAS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Nightmare is back on the north side. Verizon plans to put 10-12 cell-phone antennas on the French Hotel at 1540 Shattuck. Verizon's application to get a use permit is moving forward. It will be up for consideration at the Zoning Adjustments Board Sept. 11. Before the ZAB meeting, Verizon is organizing a meeting with the neighbors of the French Hotel to let them know of their plan. The meeting is on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center at 1901 Hearst Ave. 

There are already many antennas in this area. Three at 1600 Shattuck, four more at 2095 Rose. If there more antennas get installed in this area, the level of radiation will exceed what is set by the FCC, 

Neighbors of the French Hotel are encouraged to come to the Verizon meeting. But, please do not go inside the room where Verizon has its display. Instead stage a protest outside this room. Wireless providers count how many people attend such meetings and make a report to the Planning Department that the meeting was a success and was attended by so many people. 

Perhaps this time, people will be able to stop the Verizon Corporation. 

Mina Davenport 

• 

THE CLINTONS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

It is so absurd and so offensive to the decency of all Americans—and especially Barack Obama—that there continues to be cynical commentary about the need for Hillary Clinton to be on his presidential ticket in order for him to prevail this November. The Clintons wrapped up their tenure in presidential politics as a national disgrace: he the philandering pervert and she the pragmatic first lady who sacrificed her self-respect and integrity among women by staying with her disgraced and deceitful yet politically popular husband so she could win a senate seat in New York. 

Bill Clinton was a devil to the Democratic Party. He abdicated much of the platform in order to win the White House and gave away the economic well-being of the middle class to big business. Bill Clinton achieved NAFTA. He will be remembered for that effort in the same vein that Howard Jarvis will forever own the consequences of California's Proposition 13. 

Above and beyond the damage and scandal, President Clinton exhibited the epitome of hubris by allowing himself to be glorified as the "first black president." How foolish, and how embarrassing. The Clintons both have made great efforts to capitalize on that, as if blacks weren't qualified to produce the first black president and the job needed to go to a white person. Proof of that is the furious response President Clinton had to the results of the North Carolina primaries, as if to say that Carolinians had no business voting for a black candidate when they already had the wife of the “first black president” on the ticket. That sort of mentality is the remnant of growing up in Arkansas during the heyday of the Klan, and the Clintons aren't as far removed from such stuff as they'd wish, or like us to believe. 

We will all be better off without another Clinton in the Executive Branch—or for that matter, slumming around Washington in dark sunglasses while blowing a saxophone and bragging about his exploits as a black president. 

Michael Minasian 

THANKS FROM DONA’S FAMILY 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

We would like to thank all of the friends of Dona Spring who attended her memorial service Aug. 10 at the Civic Center Plaza and the celebration of her life at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Thank you all who helped setting up and cleaning up, with bringing chairs, to those who participated in and organized the speaking, showed the DVDs of Dona’s life, brought food, flowers, and cards, wrote their names in Dona’s memorial books, and those who gave the heartwarming tributes, both written and spoken. We especially thank the City of Berkeley for letting us use the Civic Center Plaza and the North Berkeley Senior Center for the event. We also thank all those who called and sent cards of condolence and those who wrote so many nice things about Dona in the local papers, especially in the Berkeley Daily Planet. We completely understand why Berkeley was Dona’s favorite place on earth, and Berkeley residents were her dearest and best friends. 

Dona Spring’s family:  

Paula, Chris, Robert and Dennis 

• 

EXPRESSION OF FAITH 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I love that Alan Tobey’s defense of density infill as being no threat to vegetables is in the paper in conjunction with John English’s parsing of the Planning Commission’s wholesale destruction of years of citizen planning. It is such a touching expression of faith. 

Carol Denney 

• 

MS. MISTRY 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I was a student of Ms. Mistry’s. She was the only teacher from whom I actually learned something and didn’t forget it two days later. She was so nice and cared for all her students. She was not only a teacher, she was a friend. I sometimes would come after school with my friends just to chill in her room. She was a great person.  

Gabe Rios 

• 

WE CAN’T DRILL  

OUR WAY OUT 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Big Oil, their cronies in Congress, and the Bush administration are exploiting the pain we are feeling at the pump by touting drilling as a solution, even though they know drilling will not lower prices at the pump. 

Big Oil wants you to believe that drilling is a quick fix, when the reality is that Bush’s own Energy Department has said that any new drilling will have no effect on gas prices now, and an “insignificant” effect on gas prices 15-20 years from now. 

The U.S. uses 25 percent of the world’s oil supply, but holds only 2.6 percent of the world’s oil reserves. No matter how much we drill, we could never provide consumers with real relief. 

Big Oil holds leases on almost 70 million acres of land that they are not drilling on. This latest move is just a greedy land grab before their friends in the Bush administration leave office. And, since oil companies are not drilling on the land they have access to now, there is no guarantee that they will drill on newly acquired leases. 

Rather than being feed the false claim that drilling will lower gas prices, Americans need real choices, like cars with better fuel efficiency, tax incentives for riding mass transit and telecommuting, and consumer rebates funded by repealing billions in tax breaks for Big Oil. 

Oklahoma oil man T. Boone Pickens even said “I’ve been an oil man all my life, but this is one emergency we can’t drill our way out of.” 

Jennifer Wilde 

Alameda 

• 

BLACK SPOTS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

JC Pence in his/her letter of Aug 14-20 complains about the downtown sidewalks that have numerous black spots on them. He/she holds the local business owners responsible for scrubbing the sidewalks and uses some choice words in demanding this. 

What JC Pence must not know is that this condition is a seasonal one caused by little sap-sucking bugs (aphids or whiteflies) in the street trees. They suck sap from the tree leaves and excrete a sticky solution that falls to the ground. Dirt sticks to the sticky spots and make the black marks that are so unsightly. People that walk through this will soon discover that the soles of their shoes have become sticky and prone to pick up more dirt, leaves, bits of paper, etc. Cars left parked downtown soon acquire a fine coating of little sticky spots that must be washed off with soap and water. 

The trees that Berkeley planted downtown seem to be especially prone to this seasonal problem. The business owners have no control over the situation and should not be required to scrub the sidewalks on top of the sweeping most of them already do. The city scrubs the sidewalks occasionally, though not often enough. 

Several solutions to this problem come to mind. We could cut the trees down. We could strip the trees of their leaves to make them less attractive to the bugs. We could spray chemicals on the trees to kill the bugs. We could forbid people to use the sidewalks or to park downtown until the seasonal problem passes on its own. Or we could do what we are doing now, which is to live with it for the short period of time the bugs are active and ask the city to scrub the sidewalks in the areas where the problem is most visible. 

How about it. Does anyone out there have a better solution to offer?  

Janet Winter 

Oakland 

• 

BERKELEY TREES 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I strongly agree with Janet Winter, though I’m less certain than she is that the trees downtown are more susceptible than average. 

I’ll also point out that this year appears to be worse than most for aphids and such in Berkeley street trees. I’ve noticed those telltale black sticky swaths under trees on streets that usually don’t have such a visible marking of Bugs at Work. It’s always nasty on west University Avenue, but the tulip trees on Addison near Andronico’s, for example, and the ash trees on Sacramento north of Dwight and even under Chinese elms in a few places are so liberally frosted with, as it’s called, honeydew that I’m surprised we haven’t had reports of pedestrians stuck to the street as to flypaper and getting run over. 

It would be civilized of the city to steam-clean or at least run the sidewalk Zamboni over the downtown sidewalks more often in response to this year’s bug boom. 

Ron Sullivan 

• 

BERKELEY HOUSING  

AUTHORITY—SECTION 8 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Myself and others started SAVE Berkeley Housing Authority (SAVE BHA), after the BHA failed to make a passing score for a number of years in it’s reviews of the SEMAP reports sent to HUD on an annual basis. 

The annual SEMAP reporting system determines whether or not a housing authority is operating it’s Section 8 and public housing programs properly. 

SAVE BHA placed pressure on Berkeley’s Mayor and City Council to keep the BHA under local control, and the city chipped in around a million dollars to cover some HUD funding shortfalls that threatened the programs. 

The BHA was reorganized, and we managed to keep it from going into receivership. 

Things got real dicey after I discovered a report detailing how the BHA was making rental payments to apartments where the tenants were deceased.  

The members of SAVE BHA, are still around and trying to keep an eye on the BHA, in case it gets itself into trouble again. 

Lynda Carson 

• 

THE BERKELEY JACKET 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

If the Berkeley High student newspaper is having financial woes, and if their major expenses are printing and postage, they should consider going online only. They could still sell ads—in fact, they might be able to sell more (using Google’s ad service). And because so many kids and parents are online these days, it could potentially reach more readers. Most importantly, because the future of journalism is online, it would be better training for the student journalists. 

Dan Miller 

• 

POLITICS OF DECEPTION 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

GOP politics of deception trumps honesty once again as Republicans pick offshore drilling as their wedge issue for the 2008 presidential election. If you fall for this high gas price—offshore drilling scam—you deserve another four years with a Republican in the White House. 

Fifty-one percent of Americans believe that removing restrictions on offshore drilling would reduce gas prices within a year. No less an authority than oil magnet T. Boone Pickens says that offshore drilling will have no appreciable affect on the oil crisis at hand. This is a Republican ploy to confuse voters. And have you noticed how John McCain’s campaign has become a mirror of the two prior Bush campaigns; down and dirty. 

The GOP offshore drilling campaign is about subtle lies and distortion of truth. Will the American electorate be bamboozled by the masters of deceit again? 

Ron Lowe 

Nevada City 

• 

CARPOOLING 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Candidate X has done a good job in setting forth an energy policy, both short- and long-term. But one policy/strategy is lacking that can impact our energy use both short- and long-term. Reducing the number of cars being driven will do more to save on energy use than all other alternatives and this can best be accomplished, immediately, by getting more of us to car pool. Car pooling can best be arranged within neighborhoods. Holding neighborhood block parties, exchanging driving schedules with our neighbors is the way to go, especially since most of us seem to be less than amiable to driving with strangers. Car pooling should be encouraged by our elected officials and by transportation authorities limiting highway/bridge access to automobiles carrying three or more persons.  

Irving Gershenberg 

• 

CLASSROOMS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Marie Bowman wrote in her recent commentary “What the District Doesn’t Want You to Know About Berkeley High’s Master Plan,” that there is a false/manufactured need for more classrooms. Perhaps Ms. Bowman is not aware of the fact that BHS students are hiking to Washington Elementary School to attend classes in portables. Maybe she hasn’t heard that students are attending classes in the foyer of the Community Theater and in mold-encrusted rooms in the old gym. It’s possible she hasn’t seen teachers move from classroom to classroom every 50 minutes because there aren’t enough classrooms for every teacher to have a base of operations. Berkeley High lost 26 classrooms when the B Building burned down eight years ago. Those classrooms have not been replaced. Ms. Bowman does not mention this critical fact in her commentary. 

Maureen Burke 

• 

CLONING JEFFREY DAHMER 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

The very idea that it’s necessary to discuss torture is horrifying. Another aspect that’s been haunting me is blowback. There were rumors that the Nazis, at least some of them, enjoyed observing torture—that it was a sexual turn-on. The current interrogators are young, separated from their normal lovers, and likely to get the rush that any extreme activity provides. Is it difficult to think that some few of them will imprint the experience as erotic and try to reproduce it when they return home? 

Unintended consequences happen. 

Ruth Bird 

• 

BICYCLE BOULEVARDS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

For the first time in years, the City of Berkeley is re-paving some streets. Too bad they’re not the ones that really need it. Bike safety has been a key part of the script for every Berkeley politician since the Free Speech Movement. The problem is that no one seems willing to hold our mayor, council and public works staff accountable when they crow about it, but do nothing.  

If Berkeley politicians were serious about bike safety, they would pave the so-called “Bicycle Boulevards” that are full of ruts, holes, divots, grooves, gravel and pock-marks. They would get rid of the asphalt moguls that decorate intersections around University and Shattuck avenues, and the other side streets that intersect University, such as Berkeley Way and Hearst. If they were REALLY serious, they would act on prior suggestions to place signage in parallel parking areas reminding drivers not to open the door on a cyclist. Instead, they responded by not responding on this one. 

The following streets are favored by bikers to avoid heavy traffic, and are in abominable condition. They flatten tires, bend rims, cause falls, and back injuries from sudden jarring into potholes: 

• Addison, between Oxford and MLK. 

• Milvia Street from MLK to Dwight Way. 

• Virginia Street, from San Pablo to Shattuck. 

• The shoulder of Delaware Street between San Pablo and Sacramento—the car thoroughfare is in good shape, but the “bike lane” is full of big, embedded gravel, ruts, grooves and pock marks. Last time they paved Delaware Street, they left the bike lane untreated; yet they call this a bike-friendly town. 

• Stadium Rim Road, leading to Centennial Drive (steep hill, many pot holes, big curve; God help us!). 

• Bonita Street—the entire street. 

• Ada Street—all of it. 

• Most of the north/south side streets bordered by San Pablo and Sacramento and between University and Marin Street, including Curtis, Belvedere, Kains, Cornell, etc. 

• Most north/south streets south of Dwight Way and north of Ashby Avenue. Oh yeah, the east/west streets in that area are just as bad. 

• Centennial Drive between the Lawrence Hall of Science and Strawberry Canyon has a huge oil slick on a steep curve that has taken down at least one friend of mine. This has been reported multiple times to the city and UC but no action has been taken. 

It’s fine for politicians to crow about bicycle safety. Now we need to challenge the mayor, City Council and Transportation Department to remove hazards and make good on all their “image advertising.” 

A casual inquiry has revealed that street paving in Berkeley is determined by a software program that minimizes human input. Experience makes me skeptical of any traffic management or street improvement plan that relies solely on wonk-formulas and wonk-manuals, while ignoring human input. So, if bikers want to have smoother rides on the so-called “Bicycle Boulevards,” we will have to make more noise than the tree-sitters supporters do at council meetings. That is, after all, the determining dynamic of Berkeley politics—whoever packs the council chambers and makes the most noise wins. 

H. Scott Prosterman 

• 

OPENING CEREMONY 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Stunning, mind-bending, spectacular, terrific, multiple wows!  

Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee ought to consider adding gold, silver and bronze non-competitive awards for elevated levels of achievement attained in the opening ceremony. 

In my opinion the gold award should go to the 2,008 drummers who executed a stunning countdown to 8/8/08 at 8:08 Beijing time. 

Give the silver award to the displays centered on a mammoth scroll depicting highlights of high culture and science spanning several dynasties—Tang, Sung, Ming, Yuan.  

And the bronze must go to the complex and inventive figure-making executed by thousands in a variety of colorful costumes with split-second precision uniting the scenes separated by commercials during two hours, primetime, on NBC.  

Marvin Chachere 

San Pablo 

As an opponent of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), I sincerely hope the initiative measure requiring voter approval for BRT will pass in the November election. This is the chance we have to stop BRT before construction begins. But if BRT does get built, what will the ramifications be? I feel it is better to consider these ramifications now, while we can still stop BRT, rather than waiting until it is too late. 

If BRT is built, we will all have to live with it, quite possibly for the rest of our lives. One of the biggest effects will clearly be the redirection of Telegraph Avenue car and truck traffic onto other streets. As much as we might hope for it, these cars and trucks will not magically disappear. They will be driving around on our streets every day. College Avenue is predicted to receive an additional 160 vehicles per hour, which is obviously not realistic due to the current levels of congestion there. So where will these cars and trucks go, and is there anything we will be able to do to limit the impact on traffic? 

Many cars and trucks are currently diverted onto College, Telegraph, and Shattuck by the numerous traffic barriers that close off streets in Berkeley. There does not appear to be any way to add additional traffic lanes to the existing streets in Berkeley, so removing some or all of these traffic barriers might be the only way to handle the displaced cars and trucks. 

By the time I moved to Berkeley in the 1970s, many traffic barriers were already in place, so I am not familiar with the decision making process that resulted in their construction. However, at the time these decisions were made, Telegraph Avenue had the current number of traffic lanes. Putting up these barriers may have made sense when College, Telegraph, and Shattuck had the capacity to accept the cars pushed onto those streets by the barriers, but if BRT is built, they might not make sense anymore. In addition to forcing vehicles onto the major streets, these barriers complicate driving around the neighborhoods. BRT will further complicate navigating, by preventing left turns and cross traffic at most of the intersections along Telegraph. Removing the traffic barriers would also help reduce this effect, by allowing cars and trucks to more easily traverse the neighborhoods. 

In June of 2007, I submitted a comment to the BRT draft environmental impact report suggesting that a trial closure be carried out for the proposed bus lanes on Telegraph, to see where the displaced cars and trucks will really go. In the 13 months since then, I have not received any response, nor have I heard of any plan to close down those lanes to see what will really happen. My suspicion is that AC Transit and the City of Berkeley do not want to have a trial closure because it will cause major traffic disruptions, just like BRT. The last thing BRT proponents want is a large traffic jam that alerts everyone to the problems BRT will produce. Certainly a trial closure would not be very expensive, all that would be required would be traffic cones and temporary “No Left Turn” signs. And they wouldn't be needed for very long. Even two or three months of lane closures would give us a good idea of what will happen if BRT is built. If AC Transit and the City of Berkeley are legitimately trying to do the right thing for the citizens of Berkeley, they should close off the Telegraph lanes until the November election, so we can see what will happen. If the traffic is bad enough, they might even want to temporarily remove the neighborhood traffic barriers to see if it solves the problems. This is the only way I can see of fully understanding what we’ll be getting ourselves into if we allow BRT to move forward. 

Russ Tilleman is a Berkeley resident.

The Woman Suffrage Amendment provided American women with full voting rights in 1920. An amendment is defined as “a change for the better; improvement. A correction. A revision or change.” In the United States, Aug. 26 is designated as Women’s Equality Day to commemorate passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. 

The first Congress met under the newly ratified Constitution in 1788. One hundred and thirty-two years passed until the 19th Amendment to it was finally ratified. Women and men signed the Declaration of Sentiments, insisting that women “have immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of the United States.” Fifty years after all men were enabled to vote, American women finally got a piece of the action. There had been 72 years of delay after woman suffrage was proposed at the First Women’s Rights Convention in 1848. 

Girls and women who step out of the role society assigns them can expect to become engulfed in the delay, divide, discredit syndrome. Suffragists’ courageous struggle was followed by the first of the three Ds that continue to impinge on women’s lives —delay. 

If a woman is emotionally and financially able to respond to inequity based on her sex/gender, whether in academe, government, the public sector or home, she must survive while the defendant’s firm of attorneys delays the investigation and trial. The defendant is often able to divide other victims and potential members of the class. Females too often allow themselves to be divided by prioritizing adversities (who has it worse). Sisterhood could be powerful. Occasionally selecting a few “outstanding” local women is busy-work (delay) as well as divisive. To paraphrase Martin Luther King, Jr., what happens to one woman happens to all. 

If a plaintiff is able to get into court, she and any witnesses are subject to discredit. Myths and assumptions surround these heroes for the rest of their lives. Motivations of infatuation, lesbianism, menopause, mental health, monetary gain, vengeance and more may be endlessly attributed. Potential employers are especially wary of workers who are plaintiffs in class action suits. In the past, such individuals were derided as “militant suffragettes”; today, “the feminists” is both a negative signal and weapon. 

A Dick VanDyke Show episode featured two gents cogitating on qualifications of a candidate to run for city Council: “pleasant personality, good family man, knows how to handle himself in front of people will make a darn fine candidate for city councilman.” Women are more likely to vote than men in most states. In states where they are not, they also rank at the bottom for women’s representation in elected office. North Dakota, for example, and several top states for women’s voter registration have either automatic or same-day registration.  

Helen Rippier Wheeler is a Berkeley resident.

Having been present during the BUSD school board process and vote on Monday, Aug. 10, I witnessed what a challenge it is for a community to grasp that disparities in achievement cannot be remedied solely within the school district itself, but rather will require a city-wide approach.  

The discussion focused on the merits of whether the board should approve a $1 million federal grant to Berkeley High School to explore and implement a new small school and something I am particularly supportive of—advisories.  

The BHS Advisory Program Proposal “…ensures that each student has an adult advocate in the school overseeing their academic progress and helping them create a plan for success.” A recommendation for advisories is included in the WASC Plan for Berkeley High School. WASC (Western Association of Schools and College) accreditation certifies to other educational institutions and to the general public that an institution (Berkeley High School) meets or exceeds established standards and is achieving its own stated objectives. 

The advisories discussion, resulting in the vote and approval at Monday’s meeting, reflected the fear of change which always involves a certain amount of risk. We essentially have three very important reasons to support advisories for all Berkeley High School students.  

1. Students have failed, been failed and continue to fail as a result of ineffective and unsuccessful programs/initiatives that are designed to assist students in having personalized academic guidance in our schools, but miss the mark. 

2. Students do not have sufficient time to meet with a teacher or a counselor to learn how to navigate academic and personal needs. Currently, 10 academic advisors carry a load of 320 students, two college counselors can provide a junior and senior student with only 40 minutes for college advising.  

3. Most, if not all students, would welcome an adult in school that can provide academic and/or technical counseling to deal with today’s challenges and mapping their plans through and beyond high school.  

Far too many students are disconnected from their parents, school and/or a positive social life—and are essentially never ready and open to learn because of these challenges. Our school board member Karen Hemphill noted that 70 percent of African American, 60 percent of Latino, and 20 percent of white students are scoring at basic or below basic on state exams. This is not acceptable and should not be accepted by our community. 

It is very important that the school board support and ensure that all stakeholders create and monitor advisories to be what they are meant to be—an opportunity for students to connect with trained adults/teachers that know how to promote what all youth need—someone to hear them and guide them respectfully, to decisions about college, academics, social relationships, navigating systems, promoting leadership, developing communication skills, creating a community of learners, and providing the real-time tools to be independent, successful, confident and responsible life long learners.  

Advisories cannot be effective on their own as they are just one component of a much larger vision. They are also linked to the implementation of the 2020 Vision for Berkeley’s Children and Youth—a resolution jointly passed by both the district and the city in cooperation with a coalition of community groups (United In Action). (See “Peeling the Academic Achievement Onion,” Daily Planet, July 3.)  

The work of the resolution will unfold in an All-City Equity Taskforce that will address eight strategies for moving forward: 1) Plan for Educational Success for All; 2) Plan for Healthy Child Development for All; 3) Address Barriers to Learning; 4) Professional Development and Human Resources; 5) Parent/ Guardian and Youth Engagement; 6) Community Engagement; 7) Leverage local, state and national public and private resources; and 8) Shared Accountability and Measurable Outcomes. 

The solution to the achievement/ opportunity gap requires that we step out of our separate silos and interests, and join together in a comprehensive approach. Advisories are part of that approach and are linked to several of the 8 strategies.  

I look forward to working with the Equity Taskforce, and thank Principal Jim Slemp and the very credible Bay Area Coalition for Equitable Schools (BAYCES) for securing this much needed grant. Their job is formidable and we need to support them to the fullest.  

The new small school and advisories will be positive steps toward attaining the world-class high schools Berkeley deserves. 

Beatriz Leyva-Cutler is executive director of BAHIA, Inc. a pre-school and afterschool program for children ages 2-10, and a candidate for the Berkeley School Board. 

Tuesday - As she took center stage at the Denver Democratic convention, there was a huge amount of pressure on Hillary Clinton. She followed not only the keynote address of former Virginia Governor Mark Warner, but also the unexpectedly dynamic oration of Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer. And many Dems felt Senator Clinton's presentation would determine whether or not Democrats united behind presidential nominee Barack Obama. Clinton proved equal to the task, responding with the best speech of her career. 

Of the several objectives of the convention, none was more important than Democratic Party unity. There's been a growing concern - nurtured by the mainstream media - that many Hillary supporters would vote for John McCain. Recent polls have provided strikingly different assessments of what Clinton advocates intend to do. On the one hand, Delegates seem to have made up their minds. A recent New York Times poll indicated that more than 90 percent Of Hillary delegates plan to support Barack Obama - only 5 percent said they wouldn't. On the other hand, a recent USA Today poll indicated that 30 percent of Clinton supporters will either vote for McCain or no one at all. The most recent Pew Research Poll had a comparable finding: 18 percent of Hillary voters indicated they would support McCain and 10 percent said they either wouldn't vote or hadn't decided. (Yet, despite this alarming trend, the most recent Emily's List poll gave Obama a 51 to 39 percent lead over McCain, which would indicate that the Illinois Senator is running stronger among women than any Democratic Presidential candidate since Bill Clinton.) 

Judging from conversations with Hillary supporters, they don't believe the Obama campaign has treated her with respect. Some, like Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, feel the mainstream media and Obama people were sexist. Others - mostly older women - feel the male Democratic leadership was biased towards Obama; the primary process was "unfair." And many Hillary voters were miffed that Senator Obama didn't choose her as his vice-presidential running mate. 

To stem the defection ofdisgruntled Dems, Hillary Clinton's speech had to accomplish two things: She had to endorse Obama in unequivocal terms and point out all the reasons why McCain would be a terrible decision. Senator Clinton accomplished both objectives, giving a rousing speech, which had many Democrats wondering why she hadn't been able to show the same energy during her campaign. 

From the opening, the New York Senator strongly endorsed Obama. She began with the declaration "I am honored to be... a proud supporter of Barack Obama." And implored the delegates: "Whether you voted for me, or voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose. We are on the same team, and none of us can sit on the sidelines." "Barack Obama is my candidate." 

But a ringing endorsement alone wouldn't have been sufficient. Hillary Clinton had to mention John McCain and provide reasons why Hillary voters should chose Obama over McCain. Senator Clinton began this aspect of her address with an admonition: "No way. No how. No McCain." She continuously linked McCain and George Bush and argued that a McCain presidency would mean another four years of Bush policies. "With an [ineffective] agenda like that, it makes sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together next week in the Twin Cities. Because these days they're awfully hard to tell apart." 

Despite these strong sentiments, Democratic partisans wanted more from the New York Senator; they wanted a personal statement to her supporters saying "I want you to support Barack Obama."This entreaty came halfway through the speech when Hillary remembered some of the disadvantaged Americans she'd met along the campaign trail, such as a single mom with no health care. Senator Clinton addressed her partisans: "I want you to ask yourselves: Were you in this campaign just for me? Or... were you in it for that mom struggling with cancer while raising her kids?" She argued that Obama will help that single mom, because he believes in the same causes that she does and, therefore, "[real progress] will be impossible if we don't fight to put a Democrat in the White House." 

Hillary Clinton concluded with Harriet Tubman's advice about handling adversity: "Don't ever stop. Keep going." The New York Senator admonished her supporters, "remember, before we can keep going, we have to get going by electing Barack Obama president." Hillary warned, "Nothing less than the fate of our nation and the future of our children hang in the balance." 

Judging from the response of convention attendees, Hillary Clinton accomplished her objectives. She gave the rousing speech required to unite Democrats. 

Monday: Much of the opening night of the Denver Democratic convention was devoted to a reintroduction of Barack Obama. If you’re a loyal Dem or one of the millions who’ve read his autobiography, Dreams From My Father, you probably don’t need to be told who he is and what he stands for. But there are still a substantial number of Americans who don’t know the Illinois Senator; who are worried about him because they’ve heard he’s a Muslim or wonder what they have in common with a brown-skinned intellectual from Hawaii. This night was for them. 

For whatever reason, the Obama campaign hasn’t taken advantage of his Horatio-Alger story: raised by a single mom and his grandparents; working his way through college and law school; cutting his teeth as a community organizer and civil rights attorney; and making his mark as a successful writer. It’s a story that all Americans should be proud of. And can identify with. 

On the other hand, while most Americans know that John McCain was shot down over Vietnam and held as a prisoner of war for five and a half years, few are aware of the privileged circumstances of his life. The Arizona senator is the son and grandson of admirals. John secured a legacy appointment to Annapolis, married into a wealthy Arizona family, and leveraged their connections to become a four-term senator—part of the Washington establishment. 

Barack Obama had none of these advantages. He came from a blue-collar background and pulled himself up by the bootstraps. The purpose of the Monday night presentation was to point this out and say to America: Barack is someone you can feel comfortable with. A guy who shares your values. 

The reintroduction had four components. Barack’s half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, described their family life and spoke glowingly of their mother’s emphasis on education and self-discipline. She insisted that Barack got his empathy and commitment to public service from their mom, Ann Dunham. 

In 1985, Jerry Kellman, a Chicago community organizer, hired Obama for his Developing Communities Project, which focused on blighted neighborhoods in Chicago’s south side area. Kellman noted Obama’s tenacity, his ability to listen and adapt, and his commitment to the ideal of “the beloved community.” 

The first convention evening concluded with a short film about Michelle Obama and then a 20-minute talk by his wife of 16 years. The film was intended to convince viewers that Mrs. Obama’s life had not been all that different from many of theirs: her blue-collar father worked long hours to provide for his family, her mother stayed home and took care of Michelle and her brother Craig Robinson. The Robinson children were taught the virtues of hard work and quality education. Michelle went to Princeton and Harvard Law School. Like her husband she eschewed a lucrative law career for one of community service. 

For those in the television audience who had never seen Mrs. Obama in person, tonight was informative on several levels. She gave a flawless performance. So good that Democratic partisans struggled to remember a candidate’s wife’s speech that compared in delivery and lucidity. If Barack becomes president, Michelle Obama promises to be an advocate in the tradition of Eleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton. 

Mrs. Obama graciously acknowledged Senator Clinton, “who put those 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling, so that our daughters—and sons—can dream a little bigger and aim a little higher.” 

In February, Michelle Obama said, “For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback.” Her awkward comment was picked up by the conservative smear machine and used to portray her as un-American. In her remarks to the convention, Mrs. Obama noted, “[Americans are] driven by a simple belief that the world as it is just won’t do—that we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be. That is the thread that connects our hearts... That is why I love this country.” 

She describe growing up in Chicago, lauded her parents, and observed, “I know firsthand from their lives—and mine—that the American Dream endures.” 

Mrs. Obama’s strongest words were reserved for her husband. She emphasized that she and Barack were raised to believe in fundamental American values: “that you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you’re going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them, and even if you don’t agree with them.” 

As strong as Michelle Obama’s speech was, Monday’s highlight was a surprise appearance by ailing Senator Ted Kennedy. The last surviving Kennedy brother linked Barack Obama to President John Kennedy and concluded: “This November the torch will be passed again to a new generation of Americans, so with Barack Obama and for you and for me, our country will be committed to his cause. The work begins anew. The hope rises again. And the dream lives on.” 

Bob Burnett is a Berkeley writer. He can be reached at bobburnett@comcast.net

As Democrats trooped into Denver, they breathed a collective sigh of relief. After a roller-coaster week, the collective wisdom was that Barack Obama's campaign had gotten back on track. And that the selection of Delaware Senator Joe Biden had greatly strengthened the ticket. 

"We're about to blow it again." Early in the week Dems were in a state of panic, following Obama's tepid performance in the "faith forum" and polls showing the Presidential race as a dead heat. Watching the McCain campaign resuscitate itself, Democrats feared another loss in the style of 2000 and 2004, where the Republicans used slime and fear to cow the electorate. 

After Barack Obama's triumphant Berlin speech, his campaign experienced three bad weeks. First, John McCain successfully demeaned Obama by suggesting he was a celebrity rather than a leader. Then, McCain took control of the energy issue, forcing Obama and the Democratic Party to backtrack on offshore drilling. While Obama was on vacation in Hawaii, Russia invaded Georgia, providing McCain an opportunity to wear his "commander-in-chief" costume and bluster, "We're all Georgians." Finally, the two senators participated in a 'faith forum" at Rick Warren's church: while Obama's performance was desultory, McCain's pandered effectively to Christian conservatives. 

Fortunately, Obama rebounded. As he toured North Carolina and Virginia, the Illinois Senator focused on the economy and attacked John McCain's meager proposals: more tax cuts! Then Obama caught a break when McCain was unable to remember how many houses he has: is it 7,8, or 11?Democrats effectively labeled the Arizona Senator as "out of touch." 

"Joementum." As impetus shifted in Obama's direction, the mainstream media focused on his vice-presidential selection. The Obama campaign milked this effectively and the Saturday announcement was a major event. 

Most Democrats feel Joe Biden is a strong choice for the vice-presidential slot. He brings 35 years of Senate experience and chairs the Foreign Relations committee. Nonetheless, because of his unique family situation - he was widowed at the beginning of his first term and began a daily commute to his home in Delaware so he could care for his sons - he doesn't have the feel of a Washington insider. And like Obama, Biden has blue-collar roots. 

During his acceptance speech Biden slid easily into the attack dog role that Dems have been looking for. Whether by design or because of his temperament Obama hasn't been comfortable pummeling John McCain. But Joe obviously is. Describing the Arizona Senator as his long-time friend, Biden hurled a series of sharp criticisms at McCain: effectively tying him to President Bush and portraying him as both out-of-touch and having abandoned his principles by supporting "swift boat" tactics. 

One of the common criticisms of the Obama campaign is that it hasn't taken advantage of his Horatio-Alger story: raised by a single mom and his grandparents; working his way through college and law school; cutting his teeth as a community organizer and civil-rights attorney; and making his mark as a successful writer. Biden's own Horatio-Alger story prepares him to tell Obama's. 

"What about Hillary?" For the two weeks prior to the Dems VP announcement, political pundits focused primarily on the four leading candidates for the vice-presidential slot: Biden, Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius. Nonetheless, the pre-convention buzz was all about Hillary Clinton: why wasn't she selected and was she treated with the proper respect? 

An objective comparison of Biden and Clinton indicates the Delaware Senator has more to offer the Obama campaign. Biden has strong foreign-policy credentials whereas Clinton doesn't. Both could serve as the Democratic attack dog, but Biden will more effective because he's known McCain longer - he can make the argument that the McCain he used to call his friend has gone over to the dark side. Because he was born in Scranton and has maintained strong ties to Pennsylvania, Biden can help win a swing-state. And finally, Biden enhances Obama's blue-collar creds, whereas Clinton doesn't. 

Unfortunately, picking Biden won't help Obama win over die-hard Hillary supporters - an uncomfortable number of whom say they plan to vote for McCain. The pre-convention activities began with Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell blasting the media for its "sexist" coverage of Clinton's campaign, implying that she was cheated out of a victory that was rightfully hers. One of the big stories of the Democratic convention will be the success of efforts made to woo Clinton partisans: will Obama win them over or will they leave Denver determined to either sit out the election or cast their ballot for Darth Vader? 

In the meantime, most Dems are pleased with Obama's selection of Biden and see it as an indication that momentum is swinging back to their side.

Over the last six weeks, John McCain's campaign has gotten its act together. The latest Pew Research Poll indicates the 2008 presidential contest has tightened and Barack Obama's lead is now within the statistical margin of error. 

On July 2nd, Steve Schmidt—trained by Karl Rove—took control of the McCain organization. Since then, the Arizona senator's campaign has been relatively free of mistakes and has displayed more message discipline. Schmidt initiated three successful campaign thrusts: negative ads demeaning Obama, coupled with positive ads about energy and McCain's supposed leadership skills. As a result, the Arizona senator has solidified his conservative base, increased his majority among white men, and improved his image as a leader. 

Since June, John McCain has strengthened his support among Republicans from 82 to 87 percent—only 7 percent of Republicans now say they'll vote for Obama. McCain has held his base: 88 percent of Republicans who supported a candidate other than McCain in the primaries now plan to support the Arizona Senator. Many of his attack ads appeal to conservative sentiments by accusing Obama of being a "tax and spend" liberal who's unprepared for the presidency. 

During the same two-month period, Obama's support has stayed relatively flat in his base, increased from 82 to 83 percent—10 percent of registered Democrats now say they will vote for McCain. While McCain has won the votes of Republican who supported Giuliani, Huckabee, or Romney in the primaries, Obama has a problem with Hillary Clinton supporters; only 72 percent plan to support his candidacy and 18 percent say they will vote for McCain. 

Of the three issues 2008 voters care about the most—the economy, gasoline prices, and the war in Iraq—McCain has captured energy. He promises quick relief in the form of a gasoline-tax rebate and new petroleum exploration. Obama's stance has been more nuanced: he's promoted a $1,000 rebate to be paid for by a windfall-profits tax on oil companies. Initially the Illinois senator opposed offshore drilling, but now says he would consider limited drilling if it was part of a comprehensive energy plan. 

McCain's aggressive stance on energy, coupled with his attacks on Obama, explains his newfound strength among male voters. In the past two months, the Arizona senator has opened an eight-point lead among men—49 to 41 percent. Most of this is attributable to traditional GOP constituencies; McCain has a 20-point lead among white men, and runs particularly strong with working-class whites, Christian evangelicals, and southerners. McCain appears to be holding the constituency that elected Bush to two terms. 

McCain's negative ads have had a two-fold impact on poll numbers: they've portrayed Obama as an empty suit—a celebrity, long on style and short on substance—and, at the same time, played up McCain's image as "commander-in-chief." Over the past two months, the Arizona senator has enhanced his image as a leader willing to "get things done" and done a good job portraying Obama as "Dr. No." Because of the energy issue, McCain now leads the Illinois senator by 11 percentage points in voters' perception of the candidates' willingness to "take a stand." In the eyes of many voters, McCain seems experienced and straightforward; by comparison, Obama seems unseasoned and vague. Americans understand McCain's energy proposals, while they don't see what Obama offers as a rejoinder 

Less than eighty days before the 2008 presidential election, it's clear that John McCain's campaign has new energy. How should Barack Obama respond? 

First of all, the Illinois senator needs to lock up his Democratic base. He has to take the steps necessary to win over Hillary Clinton supporters who currently are either indifferent or antagonistic to his campaign. By giving the Clintons a major role in the Democratic convention Obama has taken steps to accomplish this, but his campaign still needs to point out the key differences between McCain and Obama on issues that matter to women, such as reproductive rights, where John McCain is not only pro-life but decidedly anti-woman. 

Second, Obama needs to shift the focus of the presidential contest from energy to the economy, the highest priority issue among likely voters. The Illinois senator needs to make this his signature issueand highlight his differences from McCain, who doesn't really have a plan for the economy, other than more tax cuts. Obama must tie McCain to George W. Bush, point out they have identical conservative positions. Finally, Obama's ads should note that McCain is a multi-millionaire who doesn't understand the problems of middle-class Americans. 

While John McCain has pulled into a virtual tie with Barack Obama, the Illinois senator can still win in November. But he has to pay attention to the lessons learned from the unsuccessful Democratic campaigns in 2000 and 2004, winnable contests scuttled by hubris. So far, Obama has run a very smart campaign and made few mistakes. Now he has to turn up the heat, take the fight to McCain and take full advantage of his weaknesses.

One of the major causes of the recent war in Georgia has nothing to do with the historic tensions that make the Caucasus such a flashpoint between east and west. Certainly the long-standing ethnic enmity between Ossetians and Georgians played a role, as did the almost visceral dislike between Moscow and Tbilisi. But the origins of the short, brutal war go back six years to a June afternoon at West Point.  

Speaking to the cadets at the military academy, President George W. Bush laid out a blueprint for U.S foreign policy, a strategy lifted from a neocon think tank, the Project for a New American Century. In essence, the West Point Doctrine made it clear that Washington would not permit the development of a “peer competitor,” and that, if necessary, the United States would use military force to ensure that it maintained the monopoly on world power it had inherited after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The 21st Century was to be an American century. 

Some of the building blocks of this strategy were already in place before the president’s address. Rather than dismantling the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) following the disintegration of the East bloc’s Warsaw Pact in 1991, the alliance was expanded to include former Pact members Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Bulgaria followed in 2004. On the eve of the latest Caucasus war, Washington was lobbying hard to recruit Georgia and Ukraine. 

It is important to keep in mind the deep paranoia—a state of mind well founded in historical experience—that the Russians have overstepped their borders. Those borders have been violated by Napoleon, and by Germany in both World War I and World War II. In the latter conflict, the Russians lost 27 million people.  

Besides expanding NATO from a regional military pact to a worldwide alliance—the organization is deeply engaged in Afghanistan and is currently moving into the Pacific Basin—the Bush administration began dismantling East-West agreements, including the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM). The demise of the treaty allowed the United States to deploy an ABM and to recruit nations to sign up for the system, including Japan, India and Australia. Lastly, NATO has just agreed to build an ABM system in Eastern Europe.  

In spite of the way it is portrayed, an ABM is not a defensive system and is certainly not aimed at “rogue states,” since none of them has missiles that can threaten the U.S. or Europe. An ABM is designed to absorb a retaliatory attack following a first strike. U.S. nuclear doctrine is based on this first strike, or “counterforce,” strategy. 

Russia and China—currently the only two nations that can seriously challenge the idea of an American century—find themselves surrounded by U.S. bases from northern Europe, through the Middle East and Central Asia, to the north Pacific. At least in theory, the U.S. ABM system pretty much cancels out China’s modest nuclear capability, and, fully deployed, a European system could neutralize much of Russia’s.  

The Bush administration says that its ABM system is not large enough to stop Russia’s thousands of nuclear warheads, but it fails to mention that a first strike would destroy all but about five percent of those weapons. All an ABM would have to do is handle the handful of warheads that survived a counterforce strike.  

The Russians and the Chinese have made it quite clear that they consider the ABM system a threat to their nuclear deterrence ability. 

The Russians are also deeply angry over the European Union and NATO’s support for dismembering Yugoslavia and the forcible removal of the province of Kosovo from Serbia 

“I think we have underestimated the anger in Moscow over the increasing NATO involvement in Russia’s backyard,” says Christopher Langton of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.  

This is the context in which the recent fighting took place. While the western media has largely portrayed the war as the mighty Russian bear beating up on tiny Georgia, Moscow sees Tbilisi’s attack on South Ossetia as yet another move aimed at surrounding it with hostile powers. 

U.S. non-governmental organizations, some, like the National Endowment for Democracy, close to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, played a key role in helping to bring Georgia’s current president Mikhail Saakashvilli to power. For all the Bush Administration touts him as a “democrat,” the Georgian president has exiled his political enemies, closed down opposition newspapers, and turned his police on peaceful demonstrators. 

Following his election, the United States and Israel poured military aid and trainers into Georgia. Some 800 U.S. and 1,000 Israeli trainers are currently working with the Georgian military. 

While the United States claims that it strongly advised the Georgians not to use force in Ossetia and Abkhaza, just a few weeks before the attack Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Tbilisi and made it clear that the Bush Administration fully supported Georgia’s claim to the two provinces.  

The U.S. pledge was made despite the fact that Saakashvili broke a 2005 agreement not to use force in the two provinces. In 2006, the Georgian president sent troops into Abkhaza to occupy the Kodori Valley. Did it occur to the United States that backing Saakashvili’s adventurism in Abkhaza might encourage him to consider a similar move in South Ossetia? 

Besides the trainers, 1,000 U.S. troops recently carried out joint exercises with the Georgian military. How would Americans feel about Russians troops training in Mexico, particularly if the latter government was demanding back the lands seized by the United States in the Mexican-American War? And what were those troops training for? An invasion of South Ossetia? Defense against a Russian counterattack?  

U.S. trainers say they had no inkling that the Georgians were going to attack Ossetia, a denial that is hard to swallow given the buildup of ammunition, armored vehicles, and supplies that the Georgians must have made in preparation for the invasion. It strains credibility to think that U.S. advisors did not know what was up, but if they did not, it bespeaks a sobering level of incompetence on the American military side. 

The Israelis are not so coy. 

According to the DEBKA File, a publication close to the Israeli military and intelligence agencies, Israeli advisors “were undoubtedly deeply involved in the Georgian army’s preparations to conquer the South Ossetian capital.”  

The Israeli interest in Georgia is over the two oil and gas pipelines that transit the country, bypassing Russian pipelines to the north. Israel takes on oil at the Turkish port of Ceyhan and ships it to a refinery at Ashkelon.  

So who knew what, and when did they know it? This is not an abstract exercise. Had Georgia been admitted to NATO, the war would have triggered Article 5 requiring alliance members to use “collective force” against Russia. Such a scenario could well have led to a worldwide thermonuclear war.  

Did the Georgians think they could attack Ossetia, kill civilians and Russian peacekeepers, and get away with it? Unless President Saakashvili and the people around him are snorting something that turns reality upside down, they must have known that Georgia’s army was no match for Russia’s. 

Could the Georgians have been working under the illusion they had the full backing of the United States? What Rice told Saakashvili during her July 10 trip becomes critical. Did she really tell the Georgians in private not to attack as she claims? Or did Tbilisi take Rice’s public rhetoric supporting Georgia’s claim of sovereignty at face value?  

Shortly before Georgia attacked, the Russians tried to get a resolution through the UN Security Council calling on Ossetia and Georgia to renounce the use of force. The United States, Britain, and Saakashvili torpedoed it. Why? 

Might the U.S. have snookered the Georgians into making an attack Washington knew would end in disaster? Political commentator Robert Scheer suggests the war was a neocon election ploy aimed at getting John McCain elected president. On one level the charge seems far-fetched, but as Scheer points out, the McCain campaign is filled with neocons and Georgia boosters, and some of McCain’s recent statements seem as if they were lifted from the depths of the Cold War. 

Is the Georgia War the “October surprise” for the fall elections as Scheer suggests? The Republicans need a crisis so they can argue that only McCain has the experience to handle it. The Iran bugaboo is wearing thin, and the polls show overwhelming opposition to a war with Teheran. China is playing nice, and, in any case, it is not a good idea to pick a fight with someone who can call in its loans and bankrupt you. 

But there is always the big, bad Russian bear.  

This is an inordinately dangerous situation. The Bush administration has sent U.S. troops into Georgia, and it is not inconceivable that Russians and Americans might end up shooting at one another. Wars have a tendency to get out of hand, which is one reason why it is good to avoid them.  

But avoiding war means avoiding the kind of policies that make war a possibility. If you have a strategy that says you have the right to determine what happens in the world, and then go about surrounding your potential competitors with military bases and destabilizing weapons systems, sooner or later someone is going to push back. A hundred years ago that would lead to tragedy. In today’s nuclear-armed world, it is an existential issue. 

In the short run the solution is a ceasefire, withdrawal of troops, and a pledge not to use force in the future. 

But the problem that brought about the recent war is the result of policies that the United States and its allies have followed since the end of the Cold War. A real solution would be: 

• Dissolve NATO. 

• Revive the ABM Treaty. 

• Enforce the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, which means dismantling the world’s supply of nuclear weapons and embarking on a course of general disarmament. 

To do less would be to hold the world hostage to the actions of a few who might at any moment hurl us all into a war that none would survive.

If the administration of Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums feels that its public safety accomplishments are not being fully appreciated by the public, or that it is being drawn into a silly, meaningless, back-and-forth media dialogue over crime and violence that does nothing to either calm the public’s concerns about the issue or advance the public understanding or lead us to a solution, the Dellums administration has only itself to blame. This is a self-inflicted wound. 

In recent days, Mr. Dellums has begun to sound decidedly defensive on the city’s pressing crime problems. Responding to the recent rash of street shootings and restaurant takeover robberies, the mayor told reporters on Aug. 8 that “Oakland does not stand out here in a vacuum. Oakland is not an isolated island. And the fact that we keep talking about Oakland as if it’s some kind of crime capital of America, that is hogwash.” And again on Aug. 13, at the city-sponsored “Silence the Violence” event at the Oakland Coliseum, almost plaintively: “I wish there was a silver bullet. I’d pull it out and say this is it, and in the next second we’re going to end [violence in the city]. But we know that’s not the real world.” Three days later, the Oakland Tribune announced that the mayor was inviting the vigilante group Guardian Angels to help patrol the Grand Avenue/Lakeshore Avenue area, quoting Mr. Dellums as saying that “bringing in the Guardian Angels is part of the city’s comprehensive plan to provide additional security for Oakland’s business corridors.” 

What comprehensive plan? 

Under the “Policy and Initiatives” section of the mayor’s website, we can find only a five-page Public Safety Summary of the mayor’s crime and violence platform and plans. It mentions nothing about calling in outside groups to patrol city streets. Nor can I remember, before this point, the mayor mentioning such a possibility as part of his public safety plans. 

Couple that with the mayor’s earlier sponsorship of the police increase parcel tax initiative, and the impression one gets is of an administration without a plan at all, flailing about and reacting to events and public pressures as they come, rather than taking a long-term look at Oakland’s problems, mapping out and articulating a strategy, and then sticking to a course. 

The odd thing is, the Dellums administration seemed to have such a long-range strategy which appears to be on track and working, at least in part, but the administration seems to have suddenly lost confidence in itself and its plans. 

What is the Dellums plan and platform, and where did the Dellums administration get off course? 

The mayor’s strategy is outlined, very succinctly, in the online public safety summary, reading: “Mayor Dellums’ vision to bring peace to Oakland begins by looking at the issue holistically. Mayor Dellums recognizes that the public safety problems facing Oakland did not erupt overnight. There is no quick fix to the decades of neglect that has evolved into the community conditions we face today. We must address the economic disparity and community instability facing so many residents. We’ve got to solve the root causes of crime and violence. The mayor has outlined a four-part strategy to improve public safety: Prevention, Intervention, Enforcement, and Sustainability, called PIES. The PIES approach recognizes the need for immediate action and also the need to invest in effective programs that keep people out of the cycle of violence long term.” 

The key phrase to keep in mind as we go forward with this discussion is “there is no quick fix.” 

Despite the fact that he is a Marine Corps veteran—or, possibly, in part because he is a Marine Corps veteran—Mr. Dellums has never been an advocate of the police-military model of problem-solving. Instead, he has spent a political lifetime trying to solve social and economic problems by getting to the root core of those problems and dealing with the source. 

Even as the chair of the House Armed Services Committee while in Congress, Mr. Dellums could concentrate his legislative efforts in that direction, so that he is best known for his support for social and civil rights causes, opposition to the war in Vietnam, and crafting the American legislative program of trade embargoes and other economic and diplomatic pressures that eventually helped bring down the apartheid regime in South Africa. 

In coming back to Oakland, Mr. Dellums clearly wanted to apply the social-economic solutions strategies to his native city, particularly to the city’s enormous and nagging problems of crime and violence. 

But meanwhile, citizens were getting robbed and assaulted and murdered on Oakland’s streets in numbers far too large to be ignored or considered acceptable, gang activity was growing, and drug trafficking was flourishing. When Mr. Dellums took office in January of 2007, the Oakland Police Department was functioning, but its command structure was in a shambles (in particular, the issue of who was actually in charge, the chief or the police union), its numbers were inadequate and its deployment poorly organized, and OPD’s daily strategies and response to Oakland’s crime problems were not nearly adequate or up to the task. 

And so, while he was beginning to put some of his long-term social solutions in place, Mr. Dellums spent the last year reforming and reorganizing the police department. 

We have reported on that reorganization several times in the past. We tick them off again, merely as a reminder: dividing OPD’s command and deployment structure into three geographical divisions to facilitate a closer police understanding and reaction to particular community problems, winning the right in arbitration to civilianize many police positions so that more uniformed officers can be freed to get out on patrol, bringing the uniformed patrol up to full staff. The final goal has been so successful that rather than reaching 803 patrol officers by the end of the year—an ambitious Dellums promise that many, including myself, thought impossible to fulfill—the Oakland Tribune recently reported city estimates that the department will reach 832 officers by November. 

By any measure, these are enormous accomplishments, and the Dellums administration should be basking in a wave of popularity and glowing press reports. 

But that hasn’t happened. Part of it is the fault of the public, which is looking unrealistically for a quick end to long-term problems. Part of it is the fault of the local media, which has often taken more delight in criticizing the Dellums administration than in actually analyzing what is really going on. But a good portion of the problem lies with the Dellums administration itself. 

After he committed his administration to reach the full 803 police staffing by the end of the year—something which neither the Oakland City Council nor former Mayor Jerry Brown had been able to accomplish following the passage of the anti-violence Measure Y in 2004—Mr. Dellums also promised that when that goal was reached, he would convene a “community dialogue” in which we discussed how many police we needed in the future, and how they would be funded. That was, in part, a response to the Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Act folks, who were circulating petitions for a November ballot measure calling for increasing police staffing to 1075. At the January State of the City speech in January in which the 803 pledge was made, the mayor promised to convene a public safety summit to discuss further crime and violence responses. 

Those were the proper responses, and the Dellums administration should have stuck to them. 

Through the spring and the summer, Mr. Dellums and anyone who speaks for his administration should have been saying, over and over, “We understand your concerns about crime and violence in Oakland. The situation is unacceptable, and we share your concerns. As an immediate response to the situation, we have instituted major reforms in the Oakland Police Department, including ensuring that there are more officers on the streets to respond to your calls, ensuring that those responses are quicker, and ensuring that police investigations are done smarter and more comprehensive. This is a major overhaul of the police department, and any major overhaul is going to take time. We know that the public’s patience in such matters is not unlimited, but we ask for your patience as we put more police on the streets.” 

Meanwhile, the administration should have kept the communications channels open to make sure that the police reforms were having their desired effect. 

Mr. Dellums began that process in the spring, promising to go around to the city’s various Neighborhood Crime Prevention Councils to hear feedback from community public safety activists. In this regard, the mayor spoke to the Maxwell Park NCPC and then to the Chinatown NCPC and then—unaccountably—abruptly stopped those appearances. That was a mistake, and the mayor should start back his NCPC tour immediately. And that should be just the start. 

The mayor also got off track by sponsoring the police parcel tax initiative, which proposes to add 150 police to the department’s staff over a three-year period. The parcel tax initiative served the mayor’s purpose by knocking the Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Act off the ballot, which was a deeply flawed and juvenile initiative that would have asked for more police but left it up to “somebody else” to figure out how to pay for them. But the mayor now seems to be using the police parcel tax initiative as a substitute for its promised substantive dialogue on police staffing or the larger summits and public discussion on public safety issues. If that is true, that would be an enormous mistake. 

Most of Oakland agrees with Mr. Dellums’ balanced approach of increased police protection and advanced social and economic solutions to address the problems of crime and violence in the city. The sometimes-agonized debates over former Mayor Brown’s 2002 police tax measures, Nancy Nadel’s spring 2004 Measure R violence prevention measure, and Measure Y in fall 2004 showed how seriously residents take the subject, and how we want to get the balance right. We want more police, and more effective police. But we don’t want a police state or an out-of-control department where officers attack citizens rather than attacking the problem. And we believe violence prevention measures—including increased social programs and economic development that brings jobs to city residents and benefits to depressed neighborhoods—are the ultimate solution. 

What is needed is for the mayor to get back to his original plan on public safety, including actually developing and releasing a comprehensive plan, and carving out time for community dialogue. It was a good plan, a responsible plan. And because the mayor’s administration got a little off track does not mean it ought to now be abandoned. We had the fly-by-night, politics-of-the-day stuff with Jerry Brown. In 2006, Oakland voted for better. 

Three months before the 2008 presidential election, we know the parameters of the contest. McCain’s fear campaign will be relentlessly negative. Both sides will spend obscene amounts of money. Roughly half the states will be in play. And, the frames will be simple: age, continuity and scope of vision. 

In political speak, “framing” means “constructing a schema of interpretation.” So, for example, we know that at 72 John McCain is old compared to Barack Obama. Old age can either be interpreted as a liability—decrepit, inflexible, out of touch—or an asset—mature, experienced, ready to lead. Similarly, when compared to McCain, 47-year-old Barack Obama is young, which can either be a liability— immature, inexperienced, wet behind the ears—or an asset—not part of the Washington establishment, energetic, thinks outside the box. 

McCain’s strategy is to make the election hinge upon age and claim Obama is not ready to become president. Rather than tout his own bona fides, McCain chose to go negative. He contends the Illinois senator is immature because he’s a flip-flopper, lacks substance, and is a manufactured celebrity—like Paris Hilton. The Arizona senator’s ads describe him as experienced, resolute, a known commodity, while Obama is portrayed as inexperienced, erratic, and unknown. At its starkest, the comparison is between McCain pictured as a strong, solid man and Obama depicted as a weak, inconsistent boy—a tactic that subliminally plays to racism. 

McCain’s negative ads have reduced Obama’s lead and made the race perilously close in swing states. Nonetheless, the Illinois senator’s relatively young age can be framed as a positive, serving as a stark contrast to “politics as usual” and a symbol that he represents all Americans, not just the rich and powerful. Obama should continue to tie McCain to George Bush and the Washington establishment, thereby arguing that McCain has the wrong kind of experience and has consistently shown bad judgment. However, Obama has to be careful not to personally criticize McCain, as this would reduce Obama’s appeal as a different sort of politician, and it would feed racism with images of a young black man berating an older white. Rather than age, Obama must emphasize character. 

Someone close to Obama, preferably his choice for vice president, needs to go after McCain’s character and depict his age as a liability. These attacks should point out the obvious: McCain deserves the label flip-flopper far more than Obama, as the Arizona senator has changed his position many more times. McCain should be called on both his distortions of Obama’s positions (“whoppers”) and his vapid positions on major issues (“deceptions”). Thematically, these charges can tie to a simple frame: McCain represents the old politics. 

Republicans will continue to circulate false charges against Obama, such as his being a Muslim. Democrats need to counter with their own attack ads: McCain is unstable, he has a terrible temper and he is an untreated victim of post-traumatic-stress-disorder. McCain, who married into millions, can be depicted as elite and out of touch. He doesn’t understand that regulating tire pressure improves fuel efficiency because he is always transported in limousines. Finally, McCain’s bona fides as a Christian can be questioned. He’s an unstable deceiver. 

Although the main 2008 frame will be age, two others will be used: continuity and scope. At a subliminal level, McCain is running with the Bush ideology. While the bulk of his advertisements have been negative, the few positive ads have emphasized neo-conservative themes: stronger military, weaker government, lower taxes and reduced entitlements. McCain’s position on Iraq, and on foreign policy in general, is to let the military decide what’s best. His answer to the budget deficit is to cut governmental services, under the pretense of reducing waste. His response to rising gasoline prices is to eliminate the gas tax and his response to the recession is to reduce corporate taxes. 

The Obama campaign can use McCain’s meager policy offerings as evidence that he represents failed Bush policies and that he’s tired: a 72-year-old geezer, lacking the energy to respond creatively to America’s challenges. 

The final political frame is scope: short-term focus versus long-term vision. Like that of most conservatives, McCain’s perspective is inherently tactical. His position on Iraq is governed solely by security gains attributable to the surge; he shows no consciousness of the continuing political morass. In contrast, Obama looks at the total picture and asks what is in America’s overall security interests. Looking at rising gasoline prices, McCain sees only the near term—drill everywhere and suspend the gasoline tax. Obama thinks strategically—we have to reduce our oil dependency and this can help alleviate our financial woes, reduce global warming, and improve America’s competitiveness. 

The fact that John McCain has decided to run a negative fear campaign doesn’t mean that Barack Obama has to stoop to the same level. But it does suggest the Illinois senator has to recognize the frames McCain is using and bend them to his own purposes. Over and over Obama has to state the obvious: McCain represents the old failed politics of George Bush, while Obama stands for meaningful change—he’s not a good old boy. 

Bob Burnett is a Berkeley writer. He can be reached at bobburnett@comcast.net.

When I graduated from Cal in 1981, I was summarily struck jobless by the haughty world of architecture and forced to seek refuge among the squalid functionaries of the city who toil by day repairing toilets and caulking leaky siding. These weary souls took me in as one of their own and showed me their simple ways. I learned how to reuse a paper face mask, how to stuff fix-all into the holes left by old deadbolts and the lost art of screw extraction. Fingers smeared with paint and grime, these ascetics showed me the arcane ways of the handyman, still mysterious to all but the indoctrinated. Some are now gone, like the lurid and brilliant Martin Metal and others remain who shall, for reasons of liability, remain shielded by circumspection. 

Part of this dark gnosis was the orally related teaching of hardware—where to obtain and whom to query. This latter point may seen irrelevant, but far from it. A good hardware clerk can do much to advance your cause and a bad one (or an EVIL one) can cause you to scream and writhe in pain as you watch the plumbing continue to drip following your fourth attempt. The right part and the correct procedure spell the difference between sanity…or the abyss—as those who have traversed those winding streets can attest. 

Here I will share with you a small review, if you will, of my favorite hardware haunts. Many will be left out and, for this, I apologize in advance. Some are lost in memory and then there are those who should not be mentioned. I cannot tell you which. 

Hardware stores 

These are places to get screws, nails, light bulbs, tools and minimal supplies for plumbing, electrical wiring and heating systems. Do not expect much in these latter categories. A bit of chain or shelving brackets is what you should expect. And glue—lots and lots of glue. 

Numero Uno: Pastime Hardware, El Cerrito. Pastime is very much in the mold of the ancient hardware store with about 12 million little drawers and bins containing most of what humanity has thus far produced. That toy you lost as a small child? It’s there. 

Special Award: Eastern Supply, on Shattuck near the Berkeley Bowl. By some freakish violation of the laws of physics, Tat and Godfrey manage to get nearly all of the world of plumbing and electrical wiring into this small store. Do not ask how this is done. They are also extremely cool, so you should go there. 

Best Attitude: Ellis Hardware, Oakland on Martin Luther King Jr. Way near Children’s Hospital. Paul and company make you feel less stupid than you actually are as you acquire those simple items that will enable you to sand a board or fix a faucet. It’s another well-stocked little gem. Kensington Hardware has similar physics but is less ebullient. Laurel in Oakland is similar and has good candy. 

Old Faithful: Berkeley Ace is pretty damn good and still features many nifty household items that are hard to find. These include picnic tablecloth by the yard and great Christmas lights. Go get lost in here for an hour or two. Train and hobby nuts already know about this place. 

When you’re in Oakland’s Chinatown: American Emperor. They will yell at you on the phone for no apparent reason. Very, very cheap electrical and plumbing supplies. I do not know how they get them so cheap—better not to ask. They also manage to get a huge amount of stuff into a fairly small store but, in their case, it is less mysterious as you climb over piping a foot thick to get to the galvanized fittings. 

Builder’s supply 

Truitt and White, in Very West Berkeley. The secret order of TW cannot be spoken of or related. They divine your true need and redirect you to what you should actually be buying. These are not simple Jedi mind-tricks. The best of everything at fair prices and about 15 of the best people you will every meet. Everything to build a house. The Home Depot wishes it were TW but this will never be. 

The Lumber Baron. Only redwood but in every imaginable dimension. The best deal on redwood. All my decks and fences came out of this place. 

Plumbing 

Moran Supply, 40th Street in Oakland near Telegraph. This is the real deal. Experienced plumbers shop here. Ron Kyle is the person I ask for advice but that’s just me. I rarely buy plumbing stuff at hardware stores. I go to Moran and get the right part. They let regular people in, too. Rubenstein’s is also pretty good. 

Electrical 

Laner Electric, Richmond, one exit past Costco. For anything more than a little wire, I head out to Laner. There is virtually nothing that they do not have. This makes life much less painful than attempting this at Home Depot. Orchard’s isn’t too bad on plumbing and electrical (and they actually put things away in the right bins unlike the dreaded HD) but for sheer thoroughness, Laner can’t be touched. They also know a LOT about what they’re selling (like Moran). Metro Lighting on San Pablo in Berkeley is my first choice for lighting. Gorgeous craftsman-nouveau lamps made right here in our fair city. 

Locks, keys and forced entry 

Rex Key, on University Avenue is nearly 100 years old and has the largest collection of key blanks west of the Mississippi. They can repair mortise locks (those Victorian door locks) and cut skeleton keys for same. There is no lock they cannot repair. I would not leave them alone in a room with a safe. Lots of field techs, but for the best deal, take the lock to the store. They’ll re-key, duplicate or whatever you need. 

Tools 

There are many places to buy tools including the hardware stores listed above. I buy power tools at TW. For hand tools that may cause you to weep, take a stroll to Hida Tool. Located across from R.E.I. on San Pablo near Gilman, they feature the finest, mostly Japanese made, hand tools. Anyone considering a minimal intervention into the world of carpentry should buy one Ryoba (pull saw) from Hida. Works better than a common handsaw the very first time. If you garden, you will want to buy every pruning or sawing tool they possess. 

Salvaged parts 

Like many towns over a hundred years old, Berkeley has a nice supply of organs donated from the deceased including bricks, tubs, lamps and too many odd wondrous artifacts to detail. Urban Ore is still my favorite. Berkeley Architectural Salvage sadly passed with Alan Goodman a few years past, but let us not linger on sadness and loss. Ohmega Salvage is rarely cheap but has some tasty treats worth the bucks. Ragnar at Berkeley’s Sink Factory also has fanciful and odd fixtures to peruse. More salvage places can be found at the links on Ohmega’s website. 

Though I have probably dished sufficiently on the dreaded HD, I will say a few things about them. They have a lot of my money and it’s only fair to say that they set a very poor example for our children. They are messy and don’t put their things away. Everything is all mixed up and I get so OCD that I find myself reorganizing all the ABS fittings. This takes far too much time so I stay out of that isle now. 

They do not play with others. In fact, when I look for them, I cannot find them at all, any less play with them. When I do find them, they usually lie to me, telling me that such and such is over yon and despite myself, I am fooled again and again. If there is a Death Star on our home-world, it is this place and despite the teachings of my masters, I cannot resist their powerful gravitational and economic forces. If you see me there, please smack me to release me from their powers. 

Now you are one of us. Please use the secret knowledge wisely and, above all, only for good. May the force be with you. 

Between Center Street and University Avenue, Shattuck Avenue forks into two branches, enclosing an island intersected by Addison Street. The rectangular northern portion of this island is called Shattuck Square; the wedge-shaped southern portion is known as Berkeley Square. 

The entire island served as the Berkeley terminus of the Southern Pacific railroad since 1878. It was Francis Kittredge Shattuck and his neighbor James Loring Barker who provided SP a free right-of-way through their lands along Shattuck Avenue, donating 20 acres for a station and rail yard and topping it off with a $20,000 subsidy in order to induce the railroad to build a branch line from Oakland to central Berkeley. 

For the first 30 years, the train depot at the southern tip of the island was a very minimal affair. But as the university campus began acquiring a dignified appearance under the leadership of John Galen Howard, Berkeley’s civic leaders wanted the train station to follow suit, and they seized the opportunity to lobby SP’s president, Edward H. Harriman. In 1899, Harriman had financed and accompanied a scientific expedition to catalog the flora and fauna of the Alaska coastline. Among the participants in that expedition was Berkeley naturalist and poet Charles A. Keeler. When Keeler and UC president Benjamin Ide Wheeler found themselves at a dinner attended by the railroad tycoon, they convinced him that Berkeley deserved a better train station. 

The 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire and the attendant burgeoning of East Bay population served as a powerful incentive to expedite the project, and on May 29, the San Francisco Call announced: “The railroad company has the plans for a $50,000 depot in Berkeley in abeyance, but gives hope to Berkeley folk by saying that when the press of emergency measures has passed, construction work on the new depot will certainly be begun.” 

A week later, surveyors began work on the site. By mid July, workers were laying out a line of three large grass plots for a park that would stretch from University Ave. to the site of the new depot. In September, SP management sent a letter to the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce, announcing its intention to convert its suburban trains from steam power to electricity, which would make the SP service “ ‘equal if not superior’ to any other in this section.” The unnamed “other” was Borax Smith’s Key Route, whose Oakland-San Francisco ferry service, inaugurated in October 1903, connected to downtown Berkeley via electric trains. 

The proposed station design made its press debut on Sept. 25, 1906, when the San Francisco Call announced: “The Southern Pacific is about to begin the construction of a new passenger depot at Berkeley. When completed it will be one of the most beautiful railroad stations in America, its artistic lines conforming with the general trend of the architecture of the magnificent buildings designed by M. Bénard of Paris for the Greater University of California. It will combine with comfort and usefulness a beauty of design and a richness of finish. The plans are the creation of the engineering department of the Southern Pacific under the direction of J.H. Wallace, assistant chief engineer, and D.J. Patterson, architect.” 

When opened on April 9, 1908, the station was widely considered to be the most elegant depot in the state. Consisting of twin wings clad in dark red brick with light buff terra-cotta trim, the 158-foot-long station was crowned by a red tile roof with copper cresting and cornice. A colonnade ran along its north, west, and south sides. The 23-foot-high waiting room featured a mosaic tile floor, white enameled wainscoting, massive ceiling beams of weathered oak, and a large open fireplace. 

So beautiful was the station that some architectural historians suspect it was the work of John Galen Howard. This belief may have some basis in fact, since blueprints of the station were found among Howard’s office papers. 

The park behind the station lasted less than 20 years. The city was far more interested in revenue-generating buildings than in a public park at its core. In 1926, three elegant commercial buildings--all designed by the San Francisco architectural firm of James R. Miller and Timothy L. Pflueger--were erected on Shattuck Square. The middle building still bears the name of Roos Bros., the clothing store that had been a fixture on Shattuck Ave. since 1912. 

The station itself was destined to be replaced by another apparel store a decade later. 

Beginning in 1923 and for over five decades thereafter, Call Me Joe was one of Berkeley’s best-known men’s and boys’ clothing stores. Founded by transplanted Brooklynite Joseph William Harris (1897–1978), the original store was a 10-by-14-foot leased space at 2000 Shattuck Avenues. A born entrepreneur and a tireless promoter, Harris made his business flourish from the get-go, and several expansions followed in quick succession. 

In 1938, after changing transportation patterns left the SP depot idle, L.C. Hall of Mason-McDuffie’s leasing department proposed demolishing the station and using the land for business sites. Harris was the first tenant on Berkeley Square. His new Call Me Joe was a one-story, Streamline Moderne “daylight” store, topped by an enormous neon sign. Midway up the building, a flat-roofed, sheltering overhang resembled the brim of a straw hat, while glass-block corners and clerestory windows provided daylight illumination from above. Continuous expanses of glass display windows wrapped around the store. The architect was John B. Anthony, who two years earlier had designed the Harris residence, now Berkeley’s best-known Streamline Moderne building, at 2300 Le Conte Ave. 

Adjoining Call Me Joe to the north was a store building incorporating the new SP ticket office. According to the Architect & Engineer of California, this building was designed by San Francisco architects Hertzka and Knowles, although no evidence has been found to indicate that their plans were utilized. This building, clad in brick and yellow tiles, was completed in 1939 and still stands, although altered. Adjacent to the north, a small reinforced-concrete store building, erected somewhat later, features an interesting WPA Moderne fluted façade. 

The final two buildings to go up on Berkeley Square were completed in 1941 and retain to this day their angular Moderne appearance and original details, complete with finely fluted stucco walls, upswept entrance marquee, horizontal rows of windows, and glossy black tile trim. The northernmost building, two-stories tall, originally housed the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce on the second floor and the Berkeley Travel Service on the ground floor. For many years, a large vertical Greyhound sign adorned the façade. Next door is a lower store building that originally served as the home of the elegant boutique Mademoiselle and is now a dental clinic. 

The new Call Me Joe store was so successful that a year after its opening it was necessary to add a second floor. The remodeled store opened on Dec. 9, 1939 under the name House of Harris. On the eve of the reopening, the Berkeley Daily Gazette carried a special 8-page section devoted exclusively to the store. According to the Gazette, “The upper floor is the most daylight store of men’s clothing in the country. It is almost entirely surrounded with windows.” The store’s 20,000 square feet of floor space displayed a $100,000 stock of clothing purchased especially for the Christmas season and “offering a metropolitan city store variety of everything from shoes to hats pertaining to men’s dress.” 

The active Joe Harris found time for serving as director of the Chamber of Commerce, the Berkeley Downtown Association, and the Berkeley Traffic Safety Commission, besides his ongoing involvement with various clubs and the Boy Scouts (House of Harris included a Boy Scout post). 

For several years, the old “Call Me Joe” neon sign was kept below the new “House of Harris” sign on the façade, but after Harris sold the store in the 1940s, “Call Me Joe” was retired. The store continued to do well. In 1958, requiring more space, it moved to a larger building on the site of the old Fischel Block at northwest corner of University and Shattuck, where it continued in business until 1976. The Berkeley Square store was to be remodeled for the Berkeley Savings and Loan Association, but the cost of converting the structure to conform with the building code proved prohibitive. Only 18 years old, the distinctive Streamline Moderne ship-like store was razed and replaced with an attractive ’50s glass-curtain building, whose second floor was clad by precast concrete decorative sunscreen panels. Above the flat roof, a gigantic neon sign advertised the interest rate paid by the S&L. 

This building, too, was destined not to survive. In 1965, the institution’s name was changed to American Savings. A 1970 alteration removed the perforated concrete panels and added an ugly overhanging marquee, which required special variance from the city council, since the zoning law prescribed a horizontal distance of not less than two feet between a marquee and a curb line. For thirty long years, the American Savings building was a blight in the heart of downtown Berkeley. In 1999, the site was acquired by the Kaplan test-prep organization. The Kaplan building, renovated by Kava Massih Architects, helped restore a measure of attractiveness to Berkeley’s core. 

Daniella Thompson publishes berkeleyheritage.com for the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA). 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21 

FILM 

The Dark Cinema of David Goodis “The Professional Man x Two” at 6:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

CineMingle “Sidewalk” by Israeli filmmaker Duki Dror at 7:30 p.m. at JCC of the East Bay, 1414 Walnut St. Cost is $5-$8. 848-0237. 

“The Petrified Forest” A fundraiser for Masquers Playhouse at 9:15 p.m. at El Cerrito Speakeasy Theater, 10070 San Pablo Ave. at Central, El Cerrito. Tickets are $9. www.cerrito 

speakeasy.com 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“Introduction to Fire in California” with author David Carle, part of a summer series of natural history literary events at 5:30 p.m. University Press Books, 2430 Bancroft Way. 548-0585. www.universitypressbooks.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Downtown Berkeley MusicFest feturing jazz, blues, folk r&b at various locations through Sun. www.downtownberkeleymusic.org 

Amendola vs Blades, groove jazz, at noon at the downtown Berkeley BART station, Shattuck at Center St. 

Cataracts, hip-hop, rock, pop, at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $10. 525-5054.  

Alasdair Fraser’s Fiddle Summit with Natalie Haas, Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill and Bruse Molsky at 8 p.m. at the Roda Theater. Cost is $22.50-$23.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Mal Sharpe’s Big Money in Jazz at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Monte Montgomery, acoustic guitar, at 9 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $10. 841-2082 www.starryploughpub.com 

Speak the Music at 8 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $8. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Courtney Niole Trio at 10 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790.  

Habib Koite & Bamada at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $24. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

Divasonic with Diet Snakes at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22 

THEATER 

Belasco Theatre Company “The Wiz” Thurs. at 7:30 p.m., Fri. at 8 p.m. at Malonga Arts Center, 1428 Alice St., Oakland. Tickets are $15-$20. 925-284-9544. www.belasco.org 

Central Works “Midsummer/4” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 5 p.m. at Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave., through Aug. 24. Tickets are $20. 558-1381. www.centralworks.org 

Crowded Fire Theater Company “The Listener” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 5 p.m. at Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., through Aug. 31. Tickets are $15-$25. 415-433-1235. crowdedfire.org 

“Prisons” by Shanique Scott. Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m. at La Peña. Cost is $15-$18. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Stage Door Conservatory Teens on Stage “The Wiz” Fri.-Sat. at 7:30 p.m., Sun. at 5 p.m. at Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2460 College Ave. Tickets are $10-$20 at the door. 521-6250. 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Alison Wilson-Fried reads from her novel “Outside Child” at 7 p.m. at Rebecca’s Books, 3268 Adeline St. 852-4768. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Carmen Milagro, Latin pop, at 5 p.m. outdoors at Broadway at Water St., Jack London Square, Oakland.  

Joe Warner Trio at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $10. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

Dee Spencer’s “Jook Joint Jazz” at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $14. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Macka B, reggae at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $12-$15. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Barbwyre, Amerifolkana, at 8 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Steve Forbert at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $19.50-$20.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Brendan Getzell, Kristin Lagasse at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

The California Honeydrops, The Lloyd Family Players at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $10. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Devastator, Virulent Death, Laceration at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

The Mundaze at 10 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Amar Khalil, R&B, at 9 p.m. at Maxwell’s, 341 13th St., Oakland. Cost is $10. 839-6169. 

Steven Emerson Band at 8 p.m. Beep Trio at 5 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

Martin Luther at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $14-$20. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23 

CHILDREN  

Puppet Show “The Adventures of Peer Gynt” Sat. and Sun. at 11 a.m., 2 and 4 p.m. and “Aesop’s Fables” at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. at Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. Cost is $6. 452-2259. www.fairyland.org 

THEATER 

San Francisco Mime Troupe “Red State” at 2 p.m. at Live Oak Park. Free, donations accepted. 415-285-1717. www.sfmt.org 

Shotgun Players “Ubu for President” An adaptation of the plays of Alfred Jarry, Sat. and Sun. at 4 p.m. at John Hinkel Park, Southampton Ave., off the Arlington, through Sept. 14. Free, donations accepted. 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org 

Prism Stage “The W. Kamu Bell Curve” Sat. and Sun. at 8 p.m. at JCC of the East Bay, 1414 Walnut St., through Aug.24. Tickets are $15-$20. 848-0237. 

EXHIBITIONS 

“WhatYouSee Galore” featuring Bay Area artists, fashion designers, and musicians, at 7 p.m. at Autobody Fine Art Gallery, 1517 Park St., Alameda. www.myspace.com/1517artprojects 

FILM 

The Dark Cinema of David Goodis “Moon in the Gutter” at 6:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. 642-0808.  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Junius Courtney Big Band at 8 p.m. at Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge at Shattuck, the 2nd floor Reading Room. 981-6241.  

Lady Bianca Blues at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $14. 841-JAZZ.  

Baba Ken & The Afro-Groove Connexion at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $12-$15. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com  

Mike Glendinning, Will Derryberry at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

Great Night of Soul Poetry at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $20.50-$21.50. 548-1761.  

Malachi Whitson Trio at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $10. 845-5373.  

Beep with Michael Coleman at 9:30 p.m. at Albatross, 1822 San Pablo Ave. Cost is $3. 843-2473. www.albatrosspub.com 

The Porchsteps, Evil Diane, Xenia Rudycka at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $9. 841-2082.  

Curtis Bumpy at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

Toys That Kill, Off with Their Heads, Nothington at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $7. 525-9926. 

Maria Muldaur & The Free Radicals with Holly Near and Linda Tillery at 8 and 10 p.m., Sun. at 2 and 7 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $18-$22. 238-9200.  

SUNDAY, AUGUST 24 

THEATER 

San Francisco Mime Troupe “Red State” at 2 p.m. at Live Oak Park. Free, donations accepted. 415-285-1717. www.sfmt.org 

EXHIBITIONS 

Berkeley Art Center Annual National Juried Exhibition Opening reception at 2 p.m. at 1275 Walnut St. in Live Oak Park. Exhibition runs through Oct. 12. 644-6893. www.berkeleysrtcenter.org 

“Communication Gap” Works by Angie Brown, Crystal Morey, Jake Gabel, Nancy Bach, Patrick Renner and Amanda Jayne Kennedy. Opening reception from noon to 5 p.m. at The Compound Gallery, 6604 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. 655-9019. www.thecompoundgallery.com 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Egyptology Lecture “Excavations at the Amenhotep III Mortuary Temple at Thebes” with Dr. Hourig Sourouzian, German Archaeological Institute, and Dr. Rainer Stadelmann, Director Emeritus, German Institute of Archaeology, Cairo, at 1:30 p.m., Barrows Hall, Room 20, Barrow Lane at Bancroft Way, UC Campus. 415-664-4767. 

Mama Coatl and Phava Kujchagulia read at 3:30 p.m. at Rebecca’s Books, 3268 Adeline St. 852-4768. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

West Coast Songwriter’s Playoff Finals at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Alex Pfeifer-Rosenblum at 8 p.m. at La Peña. Cost is $10-$12. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Pete Yellin Quartet at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Tom Huber and Misisipi Mike at 11 a.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

Americana Unplugged: Pete Madsen at 5 p.m. and Chad Manning and Friends at 6 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

Royal Society Jazz Orchestra at 5 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $20. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Karl Tingwald Quintet at 4:30 p.m., Natalie Cressman at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $10. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

MONDAY, AUGUST 25 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Poetry Express theme night on “the funniest sex you’ve ever had” at 7 p.m. at Priya Restaurant, 2072 San Pablo Ave. 644-3977. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Musica ha Disconnesso, piano and mandolin, at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Downtown Jam Session with Glen Pearson at 7 p.m. at Ed Kelly Hall, Oakland Public Conservatory of Music, 1616 Franklin St., Oakland. Cost is $5. www.opcmucsic.org 

Ed Reed at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $10-$14. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 26 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Andrew Carriere & The Zydeco/Cajun Allstars at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cajun dance lesson at 8 p.m. Cost is $9. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Singers’ Open Mic with Kelly Park at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $5. 841-JAZZ. 

Livingston Taylor at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $22.50-$23.50. 548-1761.  

Randy Craig Trio at 7:30 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

The LeBoeuf Bros. Quintet at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $10-$15. 845-5373.  

John Santos Sextet and friends at 8 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $16. 238-9200.  

Jazzschool Tuesdays at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Open Mic for Jewish Writers with Naomi Rose at 7:30 p.m. at JCC East Bay, 1414 Walnut St. 528-6725. 

Berkeley Poetry Slam with host Charles Ellik and Three Blind Mice, at 8:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $7. 841-2082 .www.starryploughpub.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Jack Gates Quintet at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Orquestra America at 9:30 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low, 2284 Shattuck Ave. Salsa dance lessons at 8:30 p.m. Cost is $5-$10. 548-1159.  

Groove.org at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

Le Vent du Nord at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Maraca at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $24. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 28 

EXHIBITIONS 

Pro Arts New Visions 2008 Group show opens at Pro Arts Gallery, 550 Second St., Oakland, and runs through Oct. 24. www.proartsgallery.org 

FILM 

International Latino Film Society “Tres/Three” and “Lorca; así que pasen cien años” at 7 p.m. at La Peña. Cost is $5-$6. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Artists’ Talk: Ellen Lake & Takehito Etani at 7p.m. in the Kala Gallery, 1060 Heinz Ave. 

Peter Orner discusses the plight of undocumented workers in the United States as part of the Literature and Conversation series at 7:30 p.m. at JCC of the East Bay, 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Ditty Bops at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $20.50-$21.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Babshad Quartet at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Jean-Paul Buongiorno at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Geva Alon, Krystle Warren, Steven Taylor-Ramirez at 9 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $7. 841-2082 www.starryploughpub.com 

The Creations at 10 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Maraca at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $24. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29 

THEATER 

“A Noir Musical” and “Staged Reading” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun at 2 p.m., at Live Oak Theater, 1301 Shattuck Ave. Tickets are $16. 800-838-3006. 

Aurora Theatre “The Best Man” Wed.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 and 7 p.m. at 2081 Addison St. through Sept. 28. Tickets are $40-$42. 843-4822. www.auroratheatre.org 

Berkeley Rep “Yellowjackets” by Itamar Moses, a Berkeley resident, set at Berkeley High School, Tues.-Sun. at the Thrust Stage, 2025 Addison St., through Oct. 12. Tickets are $27-$71. 647-2949. berkeleyrep.org 

Crowded Fire Theater Company “The Listener” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 5 p.m. at Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., through Aug. 31. Tickets are $15-$25. 415-433-1235. crowdedfire.org 

Rough and Tumble “Candide” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun at 7 p.m. at Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave. through Sept. 21. Tickets are $16-$22. 499-0356. www.randt.org 

EXHIBITIONS 

“AeroSoul” Works by the TCB Crew, celebrating the significance of spray can art. Opening reception at 6 p.m. at Joyce Gordon Gallery, 406 14th St. Oakland. www.joycegordongallery.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Robert Bowman performs Mozart, Prokofiev, Gottschalk, Scarlatti, and Brahms at 8 p.m. at The Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St. Tickets are $10-$15. 845-1350. www.hillsideclub.org  

GTS Band, old school 60s, 70s, 80s, at 5 p.m. outdoors at Broadway at Water St., Jack London Square, Oakland.  

Ill Ones, hip-hop, at 9:30 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $7-$8. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Darryl Rowe & His Quartet at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $14. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Caribbean Allstars at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $10-$13. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Amy Meyers & Jennifer Corday at 8 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Wilson Wong, Nomad at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

Mushroom, The Moore Brothers, Matt Baldwin at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $7. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Sahn Maru, Appalachian Terror Unit, Wartorn at 7:30 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $6. 525-9926. 

Mary Redent at 10 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Rocker T, More Love Band, reggae, at 9 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low, 2284 Shattuck Ave. Cost is $10. 548-1159.  

Greg Scott, R&B, at 9 p.m. at Maxwell’s, 341 13th St., Oakland. Cost is $10. 839-6169. 

Bobi Cespedes with Marco Diaz, Saul Sierra, Jose Roberto Hernandez, Sandy Peres and Julio Perez at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, through Sun. Cost is $18-$24. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 30 

CHILDREN  

Puppet Show “The Adventures of Peer Gynt” Sat. and Sun. at 11 a.m., 2 and 4 p.m. and “Perez & Mondinga Mexican Fiesta” at noon at Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. Cost is $6. 452-2259. www.fairyland.org 

THEATER 

Shotgun Players “Ubu for President” An adaptation of the plays of Alfred Jarry, Sat. and Sun., and Mon. Sept. 1, at 4 p.m. at John Hinkel Park, Southampton Ave., off the Arlington, through Sept. 14. Free, donations accepted. 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Art & Soul in downtown Oakland with over 60 bands on six stages, participatory art projects, artisans and community group, Sat.-Mon. noon to 6 p.m. at Frank Ogawa Plaza. COst is $5-$10. 238-7402. art&soul@oaklandnet.com 

Violin Variations Themes and variations for solo violin at 8 p.m. at Giorgi Gallery, 2911 Claremont Ave. Cost is $10-$15. 524-5203. 

Fuga, Tocayo at 9 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $7. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Quejerema! at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $15. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Nice Guy Trio, Jessica and Ramon at 8 p.m. at the JCC of the East Bay, 1414 Walnut St. Tickets are $10-$15. 848-0237. 

Zydeco Flames at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cajun/Zydeco dance lesson at 8 p.m. Cost is $15. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com  

Moment’s Notice Improvised dance, music and theater at 8 p.m. at Western Sky Studio, 2525 8th St. Tickets are $8-$15 at the door. 692-6295. 

Brindl, Will Edwards at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

Suzanna Smith at 10 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Pebble Theory, Silver Griffin, Hey Young Believer at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $8. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

The Force, Static Thought, Das Kapital at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $7. 525-9926. 

SUNDAY, AUGUST 31 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Kit Parra Latin Jazz Ensemble at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Paul H. Taylor and the Montara Mountain Boys at 11 a.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

Americana Unplugged: Redwing Bluegrass Band at 5 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

The Strange Boys, Crystal Antlers at 5 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $5. 525-9926.

The end of summer ushers in the busiest theater season after Labor Day—and this year, summer was unusually busy, so the first fall openings will overlap with the last performances of the summer season. 

Berkeley Rep holds the palm for the fall opening with the highest local profile—if a word like “profile” is in order—with Berkeley High alumnus Itamar Moses’ Yellowjackets, set at the school and based on events there in the ’90s, about race, privilege and the news. Directed by Rep artistic director Tony Taccone, Yellowjackets plays Aug. 29-Oct. 12 on the Thrust Stage (see separate story on its making). From Oct. 31-Dec. 14, The Rep stages August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone in association with San Francisco’s Lorraine Hansberry Theatre at the Roda, directed by noted actor (Master Harold & the Boys on Broadway, Malcolm X in film) Delroy Lindo, back after his success with Blue Door last year. 

The Aurora gets a leg up on the election with Gore Vidal’s The Best Man, directed by artistic director Tom Ross, Aug. 22-Sept. 28. Aurora founder Barbara Oliver will helm Shaw’s The Devil’s Disciple, from his Three Plays for Puritans, running from Halloween to Pearl Harbor Day (Oct. 31-Dec. 7), an oblique look at an original, if apocryphal American hero and nay-sayer. 

CalShakes continues its run of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya, directed by San Jose Rep artistic director Timothy Near, in the Bruns Amphitheatre in Orinda through Aug. 31. From Sept. 10-Oct. 5, CalShakes will stage what many consider The Bard’s finest comedy, Twelfth Night, directed by Mark Rucker. 

Shotgun Players carry on with their outdoor Ubu for President, cut by Josh Costello (who founded Impact) from the cloth of Alfred Jarry’s Ubu Roi (though it plays more like a sketch comedy Duck Soup), directed by Shotgun founder Patrick Dooley through Sept. 14 in John Hinkel Park. Vanguard director (and founder of Temescal Labs, nee Ten Red Hen) Maya Gurantz will direct Chris Jeffries’ play, Vera Wilde, based around Oscar Wilde’s first theater piece about Vera Zasulich, “Mother of Terrorism,” from Sept. 17-Oct. 19. 

Central Works, in the Berkeley City Club, will finish its run of Gary Graves’ updated take on Shakespeare, Midsummer/4, directed by Jan Zvaifler, this weekend (Aug. 24), and from Oct. 25-Nov. 23 perform Graves’ adaptation of Paul Hawkens’ book on the environmental movement, Blessed Unrest. 

Impact Theater, which is announcing its Bar Mitzvah season for its 13th year, coming off a spirited ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore, will play Lauren Yee’s Ching Chong Chinaman, Sept. 5-Oct. 11, and from Nov. 14-Dec. 20, the Bay Area debut of an emerging playwright with Melanie Marnich’s transposition of Middleton’s The Changeling to the Great Plains, Tallgrass Gothic. 

Ragged Wing Ensemble, Berkeley’s movement theater troupe, will perform Clive Barker’s The History of the Devil, Oct. 5-Nov. 8, at Central Stage, Richmond near El Cerrito. 

Rough and Tumble, a Berkeley troupe of 14 years’ vintage, will present Len Jenkin’s adaptation of Candide at the Berkeley City Club, Aug. 29-Sept. 21, directed by founder Cliff Mayotte. 

Black Repertory Theater, over a half century old, on Adeline, continues their monthly Apollo BRG Style cash competition for both amateurs and pros, as well as Night Owl Comedy with host Miracle Malone, both on the third Sat. of every month. 

Woman’s Will, Oakland’s all-female Shakespeare Co., will be staging founder Erin Merritt’s adaptation of Macbeth, to bring the Weird Sisters to the fore, Oct. 16-26, across from Yoshi’s in Jack London Square. 

TheatreFIRST, until a year ago Oakland’s only resident theater company, will hold a playreading Oct. 18 for their 15th anniversary, as well as introduce their new leadership, with cofounder Clive Chafer stepping down as artistic director. The troupe continues to negotiate for a new home near the Psaramount Theatre. 

A new performing arts venue that’s presenting shows while their complex is being finished in West Oakland, is the Noodle Factory Theater, managed by Maya Gurantz and Norman Gee, which will open with Gee’s direction of his Oakland Public Theater production, Before the Dream: The Mysterious Death & Life of Richard Wright, by Richard Talavera, previews to commence on the great black author’s centennial, Sept. 4, through the 21st, when it moves to San Francisco. Also at the Noodle Factory, the Milk Bar’s international film festival (Sept. 11-14) with site-specific and interactive performances, and later in the Fall, Colored Ink (Oakland’s hip-hop theaer), San Francisco Recovery Theater and jazz artist-storyteller Cooper Moore. 

The community theaters of the East Bay all have distinct personalities. Berkeley’s own, half-century old Actors Ensemble will produce Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus this fall at the Live Oak Theater. Masquers Playhouse in Pt. Richmond, also “50ish,” is set this weekend to open Robert Sherwood’s The Petrified Forest, Aug. 22-Sept. 27 (with a special showing of the film of the play that made Humphrey Bogart’s career at the Speakeasy Theater on Central in El Cerrito tonight only, $9). Altarena Playhouse in Alameda (an oldtimer at 70) will play Bat Boy, The Musical, in time for Hallowe’en, Sept. 26-Nov. 1. And Contra Costa Community Theatre (CCCT, founded in 1960, the youngster of the group), will feature Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution and Greater Tuna this fall and for the holidays. 

Woodminster stages musicals outdoors in Joaquin Miller Park every summer, ending this year with Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, Sept. 5-14. 

UC’s Department of Theater, Dance and Performance Studies opens Oct. 10-19 with Measure for Measure (Peter Glazer directing) and continuing with Caryl Churchill’s Top Girls, Nov. 14-23 (directed by Christine Nicholson). There are also workshop productions, like Gunter Grass’ The Plebians Rehearse the Uprising (concerning Bertolt Brecht and the 1953 East Berlin workers uprising, Oct. 23-25). CalPerformances will present Dublin’s Druid Theatre Co. in Playboy of the Western Word at the Roda Theatre, Oct. 8-12. 

Not to forget those companies that produce a show or two a year, like Subterranean Shakespeare at the Berkeley Art Center in Live Oak Park, George Charbak’s TheatreInSearch (whose Gilgamesh last year at Ashby Stage was unique), Darvag (producing for over 20 years, in both Farsi and English), or those based in the East Bay who play mostly in San Francisco: The Eastenders (opening Frozen at the Eureka next week), Golden Thread (plays about the Middle East and their annual Re:Orient fest), Liebe Wetzel and her Lunatique Fantastique puppets ... 

Other companies bring shows regularly to the East Bay, like San Francisco’s Crowded Fire (performing Liz Duffy Adams’ The Listener at Ashby Stage through Aug. 31), The SF Mime Troupe, playing their election year spoof Red State for free at 1:30 this weekend in Live Oak Park, before taking it to Denver); and Traveling Jewish Theatre, to name a few. 

The Bay Area has more classical musicians and venues than a glam rock singer has sequins. And the East Bay’s musical glitterati have always displayed an interest in more than Mozart and Beethoven, as some of the nation’s best musicians compose, improvise and flash their considerable talents into the dark and cozy audience of tradition. You can find everything here from the most radical to the most sedate, but what’s best of all is the combination that breeds the original and the spellbinding.  

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra 

Variety and imagination have garnered numerous ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music for this orchestra. Although this year marks the end of his directorship, Kent Nagano opens his 30th anniversary season with the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra on Sept. 18. The search for a new maestro began last year with three young directors conducting the symphony in programs of their own choosing. That search continues this fall with three more potential Berkeley Symphony Orchestra conductors at the podium: William Eddins, musical director of Canada’s Edmonton Symphony Orchestra; Paul Haas, artistic director of New York’s cutting-edge Sympho concerts; and Joana Carneiro, currently assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Phil. All three conductors will lead performances of Berkeley Symphony’s “Under Construction” series, the revelatory program that introduces new works by emerging composers-in-residence. Maestro Nagano closes the season with two concerts in May. For tickets and information, call 841-2800 or visit www.berkeleysymphony.org. Single tickets, $40, $60; students, $20; “Under Construction” concerts, $10 and $20. 

Berkeley Opera 

Speaking of original, the Berkeley Opera strives to present “opera as lively, compelling musical theater.” And lively it is—no matter what they take on and how they take it on, the Berkeley Opera is always interesting. Berkeley born and educated Artistic/Music Director Jonathan Khuner has staged some wonderful contemporary operas. Last year’s double bill of Bartok’s Bluebeard’s Castle and Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortileges, libretto by Colette, turned its lights on the wildly dark nooks and crannies of love: both operas perfect for the intimate format that is integral to the company’s ambitions and realized in productions that were both haunting and charming. In the past, Berkeley Opera, to its credit, has commissioned lively adaptations and engaging new operas. Productions are in English or with English supertitles. The 2009 season will be announced in September. For information and tickets, call (925) 798-1300 or visit www. berkeleyopera.org. Tickets are $40, $16 on the sides, $20/10, seniors, student rush. 

Oakland East Bay Symphony 

The Oakland East Bay Symphony, directed by Maestro Michael Morgan and housed in the gold encrusted Paramount Theater, presents six diverse programs of music during the season. OEBS continues its sixth season of Magnum Opus, one of the largest commissioning projects of new symphonic works in the United States. Sponsored by Kathryn Gould through Meet the Composer, Inc., the grants commission, premiere and perform nine new works in the Bay Area by American composers. For tickets and information, call 444-0801 or visit www.oebs. org. Subscription series available. Single tickets, $70-$25. 

When not adorning the Paramount with their sparkling musicianship, Morgan and members of his orchestra perform in other capacities—supporting Ron Guidi’s newly reorganized Oakland Ballet Company in their holiday Nutcracker event and fall and spring programs. Live music adds luster to this dance company’s admirable performances, and Morgan’s conducting is thoughtful and appropriate. During the summer, Morgan is also music director for the Festival Opera at Walnut Creek’s Dean Lesher Center. The opera company only performs two works during the summer, but they are exceptional. 

Cal Performances 

As far as multiplicity of interest, Cal Performances has more programs than contemporary classical has time changes. With a miscellany of performance that spans the spectrum from bel canto to soul to world music, the Zellerbach Hall-based organizations programming is simply the richest and most electrifying to be found in the Bay Area. This year’s programming includes pianists Murray Perahia and the absolutely thrilling young Piotr Anderszewski; soprano Angela Gheorghiu, who will also be starring in SF Opera’s La Boheme; György Kurtág’s Kafka Fragments based on excerpts from Franz Kafka’s diaries and letters, directed by Peter Sellars and performed by soprano Dawn Upshaw and violinist Geoff Nuttall; and Jake Heggie’s new chamber opera Three Decembers ffeaturing Federika Von Stade. Laurie Anderson will perform her newest work, Homeland. That’s just for starters. For information and tickets, call 642-9988 or visit www.calperfs.berkeley. edu. 

UC Music Department 

With three series that provide a range of classical music from western European to Asian to ethnic music, the university music department’s Noon Concerts are hard to beat in the category of compelling and free. In September alone, the concert series includes Beethoven, Morton Feldman and Alban Berg, art songs by Chausson, Debussy, Richard Strauss and American composers William Grant Still, Margaret Bonds and Kirke Mechem; and Shoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht; as well as a conference on African and Afro-Caribbean performance. Regular performances of the University Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Milnes, are scheduled at Hertz Hall ($12, $8, $4). For information and tickets, call 642-4864 or go to music.berkeley.edu/ noon.html. Free or close to it. 

Other musical series 

For early music buffs, the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra is dedicated to historically informed performances of Baroque, Classical and early-Romantic music played on original instruments. Regularly heard on tour in the United States and internationally, the San Francisco-based PBO performs in Berkeley several times during the season. For information, call (415) 252-1288 or visit www.philharmonia.org. $30-$72. Berkeley Chamber Performances presents a variety of outstanding local—and some farther afield—chamber groups such as the Maybeck Trio, Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, Empyrean Ensemble and the Debussy Trio at the Julia Morgan-designed Berkeley City Club. Concerts are followed by a reception. Preconcert meals are also available. For information and tickets, call 525-5211 or visit www.berkeleychamberperform.org. $10-$20. Children through high school, free. Trinity Chapel at 2320 Dana St. has its own music series with a way-far-afield line-up of both traditional and off-the-map concerts—the Sept. 6 concert features violin and harpsichord duets and, on Sept. 20, Grosse Abfahrt performs, specializing in large ensemble improvisation using a dazzling mix of electronica, acoustica, and trombone! For information call 549-3864 or visit www.trinitychamberconcerts.com. $12, $8 seniors, disabled, student. No one turned away for lack of funds. 

Other opera 

Goat Hall Productions is a cabaret-theater community of musicians and artists presenting original work written by Bay Area composers, who probably put the finishing touches on their notes at the final dress rehearsal. Energetic, provocative and originally based in San Francisco, they’re moving to Berkeley this year to present musical theater and opera in English. For tickets and information, call (415) 289-6877 or visit www.goathall.org. Cabaret table: $25 per seat; single tickets, $20. Oakland Opera Theater specializes in 20th- and 21st-century operas. Last year they relocated to a larger more acoustically vibrant space located a few blocks from Jack London Square. More experimental in outlook and edgier in taste, Director Tom Dean often re-configures an earlier opera to fit today’s heartbeat. Frequently he commissions new work. For information and tickets, go to www.oaklandopera.org or call 763-1146. Tickets are $25 in advance, $32 at the door. 

One more note . . . 

Not interested in performance but need those class music vibes? South campus has two excellent classical stores. Located on Bancroft across from Zellerbach Auditorium and behind the café of the same name is The Musical Offering. For the genteel and the well-heeled, the store offers a wide selection of classical cds, many displayed with helpful comments by the staff. The upstairs classical music section at Amoeba Music, on Telegraph Ave. at the corner of Haste Street, is simply the rock star of classical cds and vinyl—with prices and a new and used selection that leaves everyone, including the internet, painting its nails in the dressing room. Check it out.

“Our ‘Under Construction’ new music series is really about composer development more than music development,” says James Kleinmann, Berkeley Symphony’s executive director. “We’ve spent over 15 years developing an orchestra that’s very proficient at taking on challenging work with short preparation. We give the composers’ works ‘cold readings,’ with the pieces extensively marked up before a, say, 25-minute performance. We give it our darnedest, with the audience hearing the pieces played and corrected, and, in spite of any trepidations, even a ‘gnarly’ score, something beautiful and unique to the composers’ voice and style comes through. And over time, the composers can get a sense of how a real orchestra works, and push through the boundaries, let their personalities shine through; test out, develop their craft—and hopefully fall in love with creating symphonic work.” 

“It’s like open mic night...with full orchestra!” So the symphony’s website announces the informal concerts, when the Emerging Composers in Residence with the symphony “hear their work come to life for the very first time.” The three events that will feature music by the 2008-9 composers in residence, with guest conductors (visiting as candidates in the search for a successor to Musical Director Kent Nagano), will be on Sundays at 7 p. m.: Oct. 26 (William Eddins conducting), Nov. 16 (Paul Haas) and Dec. 14 (Joana Carneiro), all at St. John’s Presbyterian Church on College Avenue. The resident composers also provide feedback for the evaluation of the visiting conductors as candidates.  

Themes are: Democracy in America (for the pre-election concert, Oct. 26), Harvest Fest (Nov. 16) and The Longest Night (Dec. 16, before the solistice). Recorded clips will be on the Symphony website next year. 

This year there are four Emerging Composers in Residence, one more than last year (and Kleinmann says future years could see even more): Jean Ahn, David Graves (who was one of last year’s class of three in residence), Patricio da Silva and Clark Suprynowicz. All are Bay Area residents; none has had a symphonic work performed by a local professional orchestra. 

Jean Ahn, an Orinda resident, received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Seoul National University in South Korea, and is a Ph. D. candidate at UC Berkeley. Her interest is in combining instruments and elements from traditional Asian music with electronics. Her entry for residency is entitled Salt for Orchestra. 

David Graves, who lives in San Francisco, composes in various genres, including jazz, rock and ambient music. A large-scale ambient piece, tree/sigh, was installed in a redwood canyon, and a multimedia work was part of Surround>Sound in San Francisco, 2006. His work has been performed by the San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra, with which he is affiliated. His pieces Insecurity (and Other Agencies of Government), The Spectator and Deep Green Dreams were performed by the symphony during his residency last year.  

Patricio da Silva, a Danville resident, studied piano and composition in his native Portugal, completing his MFA at CalArts and his Ph. D. at UC Santa Barbara and UC Santa Cruz. His work has been performed internationally at festivals. Da Silva’s entry is entitled The Fact of the Matter as a Matter of Fact.  

Berkeley resident Clark Suprynowicz studied bass with Dave Holland and has worked with leading jazz artists. He’s composed theme and incidental music for National Public Radio. Berkeley Opera staged his Chrysalis (with John O’Keefe’s libretto) in 2006 and San Francisco Shakespeare Festival commissioned Caliban Dreams (with Amanda Moody). A cofounder of the New Music Theatre Project at San Francisco’s Z Space, Suprynowicz teaches at Berkeley’s Crowden School and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and has written songs and chamber music. 

Kleinmann, Suprynowicz and Graves engaged in a far-ranging discussion of “Under Construction” recently, commenting on its uniqueness in the musical world as a development program, enabling composers to work directly with an orchestra, albeit on short deadlines (draft scores due about eight weeks before performance, only a matter of weeks after the theme has been announced) with no rehearsals, in an ongoing program not geared to the performance of one commissioned work from a composer. “There’s nothing else like this,” Graves said, “just contests, or the schools where composers get their Master’s.” 

Graves and Suprynowicz flatly stated that getting any style of composition performed is becoming more difficult. “It’s all getting harder—whether opera, symphonic work—all the time,” Suprynowicz said. “Sometimes somebody gets a break. Composers often have to work out unusual deals to get professional musicians to play and record their pieces. I know one composer who writes soundtracks for video games who farms out an extra hour when they’re recorded to get his own music played and recorded for his own benefit.” 

Graves, as returning composer, said to Suprynowicz that the musicians “will recognize your style by the third concert”—and commented that in recent years “the public has become willing to listen to performances without full orchestra,” which he and Suprynowicz discussed. “It’s great to write for, and to actually hear your music with, a full string section,” Suprynowicz remarked, saying that he’s previously written for groups of up to 20 pieces. (Graves remarked that most compositions are for up to eight or 10 pieces; compositions for larger groups have much less likelyhood of getting played.) Suprynowicz said that many performances of bigger works use “essentially string quartets augmented with brass or electronics.” Graves added, “Composers have a limited time to compose; they compose what’ll be played ... There isn’t another resource with 30 strings that would run through this for you.” 

Kleinmann, who is also founder of the play development organization Playground, “a parallel development in theater,” added that “Under Construction,” initiated in 2003, with its first class of resident composers last year, “needs to stick five or 10 years to have it work correctly. It’s ultimately about long-term relationships with local composers, not somebody we fly in for the concert, but hopefully originating a new body of work over time. Composers—and playwrights—are originating artists, but the attention is on the superstars, the conductors and musicians ... As David said, nobody builds a career through one piece at a time. But once someone’s crawled over the transom, creating that initial relationship, something’s begun. But if the tendency is to commission one work at a time, what’s that for a community? We hope ultimately to create a small community of composers. It’s not about any one composer producing great work after great work ... but a different type of recognition. If you succeed more than you fail—that’s a career.”

The Zolas, Dan and Dale, present another “variety show” of spoken word with music, singing and performace, “The Great Night of Soul Poetry,” running a gamut of poets from Hafiz to Neruda, Roethke to Ferlinghetti, performed by a dozen or more presenters, singers, dancers/body musicians (Keith Terry) and players (Sheldon Brown, Gary Haggerty, Arshad Sayeed and Claude Palmer on instruments from East and West). 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23 at Freight and Salvage. $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org.

Belasco Theatre Company’s The Wiz, with many of the cast members from the 2000 production, directed by founder Edward Belasco (coming out of retirement) and produced by Dr. Samuel Lewis, goes into its final performances 7:30 tonight and tomorrow night at the Malonga Casquelourd Arts Center (formerly Alice Arts), 1428 Alice St., downtown Oakland. Tickets: (925) 980-0778. www.belasco.org (Last week’s review of this exemplary community theater show for families confused it in headline and contact info with a shorter-run Berkeley production—ah, late summer staff vacations!)  

When I graduated from Cal in 1981, I was summarily struck jobless by the haughty world of architecture and forced to seek refuge among the squalid functionaries of the city who toil by day repairing toilets and caulking leaky siding. These weary souls took me in as one of their own and showed me their simple ways. I learned how to reuse a paper face mask, how to stuff fix-all into the holes left by old deadbolts and the lost art of screw extraction. Fingers smeared with paint and grime, these ascetics showed me the arcane ways of the handyman, still mysterious to all but the indoctrinated. Some are now gone, like the lurid and brilliant Martin Metal and others remain who shall, for reasons of liability, remain shielded by circumspection. 

Part of this dark gnosis was the orally related teaching of hardware—where to obtain and whom to query. This latter point may seen irrelevant, but far from it. A good hardware clerk can do much to advance your cause and a bad one (or an EVIL one) can cause you to scream and writhe in pain as you watch the plumbing continue to drip following your fourth attempt. The right part and the correct procedure spell the difference between sanity…or the abyss—as those who have traversed those winding streets can attest. 

Here I will share with you a small review, if you will, of my favorite hardware haunts. Many will be left out and, for this, I apologize in advance. Some are lost in memory and then there are those who should not be mentioned. I cannot tell you which. 

Hardware stores 

These are places to get screws, nails, light bulbs, tools and minimal supplies for plumbing, electrical wiring and heating systems. Do not expect much in these latter categories. A bit of chain or shelving brackets is what you should expect. And glue—lots and lots of glue. 

Numero Uno: Pastime Hardware, El Cerrito. Pastime is very much in the mold of the ancient hardware store with about 12 million little drawers and bins containing most of what humanity has thus far produced. That toy you lost as a small child? It’s there. 

Special Award: Eastern Supply, on Shattuck near the Berkeley Bowl. By some freakish violation of the laws of physics, Tat and Godfrey manage to get nearly all of the world of plumbing and electrical wiring into this small store. Do not ask how this is done. They are also extremely cool, so you should go there. 

Best Attitude: Ellis Hardware, Oakland on Martin Luther King Jr. Way near Children’s Hospital. Paul and company make you feel less stupid than you actually are as you acquire those simple items that will enable you to sand a board or fix a faucet. It’s another well-stocked little gem. Kensington Hardware has similar physics but is less ebullient. Laurel in Oakland is similar and has good candy. 

Old Faithful: Berkeley Ace is pretty damn good and still features many nifty household items that are hard to find. These include picnic tablecloth by the yard and great Christmas lights. Go get lost in here for an hour or two. Train and hobby nuts already know about this place. 

When you’re in Oakland’s Chinatown: American Emperor. They will yell at you on the phone for no apparent reason. Very, very cheap electrical and plumbing supplies. I do not know how they get them so cheap—better not to ask. They also manage to get a huge amount of stuff into a fairly small store but, in their case, it is less mysterious as you climb over piping a foot thick to get to the galvanized fittings. 

Builder’s supply 

Truitt and White, in Very West Berkeley. The secret order of TW cannot be spoken of or related. They divine your true need and redirect you to what you should actually be buying. These are not simple Jedi mind-tricks. The best of everything at fair prices and about 15 of the best people you will every meet. Everything to build a house. The Home Depot wishes it were TW but this will never be. 

The Lumber Baron. Only redwood but in every imaginable dimension. The best deal on redwood. All my decks and fences came out of this place. 

Plumbing 

Moran Supply, 40th Street in Oakland near Telegraph. This is the real deal. Experienced plumbers shop here. Ron Kyle is the person I ask for advice but that’s just me. I rarely buy plumbing stuff at hardware stores. I go to Moran and get the right part. They let regular people in, too. Rubenstein’s is also pretty good. 

Electrical 

Laner Electric, Richmond, one exit past Costco. For anything more than a little wire, I head out to Laner. There is virtually nothing that they do not have. This makes life much less painful than attempting this at Home Depot. Orchard’s isn’t too bad on plumbing and electrical (and they actually put things away in the right bins unlike the dreaded HD) but for sheer thoroughness, Laner can’t be touched. They also know a LOT about what they’re selling (like Moran). Metro Lighting on San Pablo in Berkeley is my first choice for lighting. Gorgeous craftsman-nouveau lamps made right here in our fair city. 

Locks, keys and forced entry 

Rex Key, on University Avenue is nearly 100 years old and has the largest collection of key blanks west of the Mississippi. They can repair mortise locks (those Victorian door locks) and cut skeleton keys for same. There is no lock they cannot repair. I would not leave them alone in a room with a safe. Lots of field techs, but for the best deal, take the lock to the store. They’ll re-key, duplicate or whatever you need. 

Tools 

There are many places to buy tools including the hardware stores listed above. I buy power tools at TW. For hand tools that may cause you to weep, take a stroll to Hida Tool. Located across from R.E.I. on San Pablo near Gilman, they feature the finest, mostly Japanese made, hand tools. Anyone considering a minimal intervention into the world of carpentry should buy one Ryoba (pull saw) from Hida. Works better than a common handsaw the very first time. If you garden, you will want to buy every pruning or sawing tool they possess. 

Salvaged parts 

Like many towns over a hundred years old, Berkeley has a nice supply of organs donated from the deceased including bricks, tubs, lamps and too many odd wondrous artifacts to detail. Urban Ore is still my favorite. Berkeley Architectural Salvage sadly passed with Alan Goodman a few years past, but let us not linger on sadness and loss. Ohmega Salvage is rarely cheap but has some tasty treats worth the bucks. Ragnar at Berkeley’s Sink Factory also has fanciful and odd fixtures to peruse. More salvage places can be found at the links on Ohmega’s website. 

Though I have probably dished sufficiently on the dreaded HD, I will say a few things about them. They have a lot of my money and it’s only fair to say that they set a very poor example for our children. They are messy and don’t put their things away. Everything is all mixed up and I get so OCD that I find myself reorganizing all the ABS fittings. This takes far too much time so I stay out of that isle now. 

They do not play with others. In fact, when I look for them, I cannot find them at all, any less play with them. When I do find them, they usually lie to me, telling me that such and such is over yon and despite myself, I am fooled again and again. If there is a Death Star on our home-world, it is this place and despite the teachings of my masters, I cannot resist their powerful gravitational and economic forces. If you see me there, please smack me to release me from their powers. 

Now you are one of us. Please use the secret knowledge wisely and, above all, only for good. May the force be with you. 

Between Center Street and University Avenue, Shattuck Avenue forks into two branches, enclosing an island intersected by Addison Street. The rectangular northern portion of this island is called Shattuck Square; the wedge-shaped southern portion is known as Berkeley Square. 

The entire island served as the Berkeley terminus of the Southern Pacific railroad since 1878. It was Francis Kittredge Shattuck and his neighbor James Loring Barker who provided SP a free right-of-way through their lands along Shattuck Avenue, donating 20 acres for a station and rail yard and topping it off with a $20,000 subsidy in order to induce the railroad to build a branch line from Oakland to central Berkeley. 

For the first 30 years, the train depot at the southern tip of the island was a very minimal affair. But as the university campus began acquiring a dignified appearance under the leadership of John Galen Howard, Berkeley’s civic leaders wanted the train station to follow suit, and they seized the opportunity to lobby SP’s president, Edward H. Harriman. In 1899, Harriman had financed and accompanied a scientific expedition to catalog the flora and fauna of the Alaska coastline. Among the participants in that expedition was Berkeley naturalist and poet Charles A. Keeler. When Keeler and UC president Benjamin Ide Wheeler found themselves at a dinner attended by the railroad tycoon, they convinced him that Berkeley deserved a better train station. 

The 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire and the attendant burgeoning of East Bay population served as a powerful incentive to expedite the project, and on May 29, the San Francisco Call announced: “The railroad company has the plans for a $50,000 depot in Berkeley in abeyance, but gives hope to Berkeley folk by saying that when the press of emergency measures has passed, construction work on the new depot will certainly be begun.” 

A week later, surveyors began work on the site. By mid July, workers were laying out a line of three large grass plots for a park that would stretch from University Ave. to the site of the new depot. In September, SP management sent a letter to the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce, announcing its intention to convert its suburban trains from steam power to electricity, which would make the SP service “ ‘equal if not superior’ to any other in this section.” The unnamed “other” was Borax Smith’s Key Route, whose Oakland-San Francisco ferry service, inaugurated in October 1903, connected to downtown Berkeley via electric trains. 

The proposed station design made its press debut on Sept. 25, 1906, when the San Francisco Call announced: “The Southern Pacific is about to begin the construction of a new passenger depot at Berkeley. When completed it will be one of the most beautiful railroad stations in America, its artistic lines conforming with the general trend of the architecture of the magnificent buildings designed by M. Bénard of Paris for the Greater University of California. It will combine with comfort and usefulness a beauty of design and a richness of finish. The plans are the creation of the engineering department of the Southern Pacific under the direction of J.H. Wallace, assistant chief engineer, and D.J. Patterson, architect.” 

When opened on April 9, 1908, the station was widely considered to be the most elegant depot in the state. Consisting of twin wings clad in dark red brick with light buff terra-cotta trim, the 158-foot-long station was crowned by a red tile roof with copper cresting and cornice. A colonnade ran along its north, west, and south sides. The 23-foot-high waiting room featured a mosaic tile floor, white enameled wainscoting, massive ceiling beams of weathered oak, and a large open fireplace. 

So beautiful was the station that some architectural historians suspect it was the work of John Galen Howard. This belief may have some basis in fact, since blueprints of the station were found among Howard’s office papers. 

The park behind the station lasted less than 20 years. The city was far more interested in revenue-generating buildings than in a public park at its core. In 1926, three elegant commercial buildings--all designed by the San Francisco architectural firm of James R. Miller and Timothy L. Pflueger--were erected on Shattuck Square. The middle building still bears the name of Roos Bros., the clothing store that had been a fixture on Shattuck Ave. since 1912. 

The station itself was destined to be replaced by another apparel store a decade later. 

Beginning in 1923 and for over five decades thereafter, Call Me Joe was one of Berkeley’s best-known men’s and boys’ clothing stores. Founded by transplanted Brooklynite Joseph William Harris (1897–1978), the original store was a 10-by-14-foot leased space at 2000 Shattuck Avenues. A born entrepreneur and a tireless promoter, Harris made his business flourish from the get-go, and several expansions followed in quick succession. 

In 1938, after changing transportation patterns left the SP depot idle, L.C. Hall of Mason-McDuffie’s leasing department proposed demolishing the station and using the land for business sites. Harris was the first tenant on Berkeley Square. His new Call Me Joe was a one-story, Streamline Moderne “daylight” store, topped by an enormous neon sign. Midway up the building, a flat-roofed, sheltering overhang resembled the brim of a straw hat, while glass-block corners and clerestory windows provided daylight illumination from above. Continuous expanses of glass display windows wrapped around the store. The architect was John B. Anthony, who two years earlier had designed the Harris residence, now Berkeley’s best-known Streamline Moderne building, at 2300 Le Conte Ave. 

Adjoining Call Me Joe to the north was a store building incorporating the new SP ticket office. According to the Architect & Engineer of California, this building was designed by San Francisco architects Hertzka and Knowles, although no evidence has been found to indicate that their plans were utilized. This building, clad in brick and yellow tiles, was completed in 1939 and still stands, although altered. Adjacent to the north, a small reinforced-concrete store building, erected somewhat later, features an interesting WPA Moderne fluted façade. 

The final two buildings to go up on Berkeley Square were completed in 1941 and retain to this day their angular Moderne appearance and original details, complete with finely fluted stucco walls, upswept entrance marquee, horizontal rows of windows, and glossy black tile trim. The northernmost building, two-stories tall, originally housed the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce on the second floor and the Berkeley Travel Service on the ground floor. For many years, a large vertical Greyhound sign adorned the façade. Next door is a lower store building that originally served as the home of the elegant boutique Mademoiselle and is now a dental clinic. 

The new Call Me Joe store was so successful that a year after its opening it was necessary to add a second floor. The remodeled store opened on Dec. 9, 1939 under the name House of Harris. On the eve of the reopening, the Berkeley Daily Gazette carried a special 8-page section devoted exclusively to the store. According to the Gazette, “The upper floor is the most daylight store of men’s clothing in the country. It is almost entirely surrounded with windows.” The store’s 20,000 square feet of floor space displayed a $100,000 stock of clothing purchased especially for the Christmas season and “offering a metropolitan city store variety of everything from shoes to hats pertaining to men’s dress.” 

The active Joe Harris found time for serving as director of the Chamber of Commerce, the Berkeley Downtown Association, and the Berkeley Traffic Safety Commission, besides his ongoing involvement with various clubs and the Boy Scouts (House of Harris included a Boy Scout post). 

For several years, the old “Call Me Joe” neon sign was kept below the new “House of Harris” sign on the façade, but after Harris sold the store in the 1940s, “Call Me Joe” was retired. The store continued to do well. In 1958, requiring more space, it moved to a larger building on the site of the old Fischel Block at northwest corner of University and Shattuck, where it continued in business until 1976. The Berkeley Square store was to be remodeled for the Berkeley Savings and Loan Association, but the cost of converting the structure to conform with the building code proved prohibitive. Only 18 years old, the distinctive Streamline Moderne ship-like store was razed and replaced with an attractive ’50s glass-curtain building, whose second floor was clad by precast concrete decorative sunscreen panels. Above the flat roof, a gigantic neon sign advertised the interest rate paid by the S&L. 

This building, too, was destined not to survive. In 1965, the institution’s name was changed to American Savings. A 1970 alteration removed the perforated concrete panels and added an ugly overhanging marquee, which required special variance from the city council, since the zoning law prescribed a horizontal distance of not less than two feet between a marquee and a curb line. For thirty long years, the American Savings building was a blight in the heart of downtown Berkeley. In 1999, the site was acquired by the Kaplan test-prep organization. The Kaplan building, renovated by Kava Massih Architects, helped restore a measure of attractiveness to Berkeley’s core. 

Daniella Thompson publishes berkeleyheritage.com for the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA). 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21 

Michael Krasney on “Election Year Insights” at the League of Women Voters Luncheon at 11:15 a.m. at Hs Lorships Restaurant, Berkeley Marina. Cost is $75. 843-8824. 

ACCI Seconds Sale Thurs.-Sat. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sun. noon to 5 p.m. at 1652 Shattuck Ave. 843-2527. www.accigallery.com 

Art Workshop for ages 5 and up at 3 p.m. at Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave., Kensington. 524-3043.  

Discussion on the New Constitution of the RCP, USA at 6:30 p.m. at Revolution Books, 2425 Channing Way. 848-1196. www.revolutionbooks.org 

Three Beats for Nothing South Mostly ancient part music for fun and practice meets every Thurs. at 10 a.m. at the South Berkeley Senior Center, Ellis at Ashby. 655-8863. asiecker@sbcglobal 

“Kneipp Wellness Program for Elders” at 5:30 p.m. at AgeSong at Lakeside Park, 486 Perkins St., Oakland. RSVP to 444-4684. 

“Away With All Gods” Discussion group meets to discuss Part 4 of the book by Bob Avakian at 7 p.m. at Revolution Books, 2425 Channing Way. 848-1196. 

Fitness Class for 55+ at 9:15 a.m. at Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237. 

Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters at 6:45 p.m. at Spud’s Pizza, 3290 Adeline at Alcatraz. namaste@avatar.freetoasthost. 

info 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22 

Berkeley High School, Class of 1968 40th Reunion at 6 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Hotel, Emeryville, dinner-dance on the 23rd, and picnic in Roberts Park, Oakland on Sun. Cost for the weekend is $90. For information call 867-1389. 

Hurrican Katrina Fundraiser with authors who contributed to “Words Upon The Waters: A Poetic Response by SF Bay Area Artists in Support of Hurricane Katrina Survivors” at 7 p.m. at Rebecca’s Books, 3268 Adeline St. Donation $5. 852-4768. 

Introduction to Pilates at 10:30 a.m. at Elephant Pharm, 1607 Shattuck Ave. 549-9200. 

Summer Outdoor Movie Series “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” at 8:30 p.m. at Charles Chocolates, 6529 Hollis St, Emeryville. Free. Bring a chair or blanket. 652-4412, ext. 311. 

Berkeley Women in Black weekly vigil from noon to 1 p.m. at Bancroft and Telegraph. Our focus is human rights in Palestine. 548-6310. 

Drop-In Acupuncture Clinic from 3 to 6 p.m. at Long Haul Info Shop, 3124 Shattuck Ave. Cost is $15-$30. 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23 

Bike Against the Odds Fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Fund from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lakeside Park, Lake Merritt, Oakland. Registration is $50-$75. 866-760-8223. www.breastcancerfund.org/bao 

Help Restore Cerrito Creek Help Friends of Five Creeks volunteers spread seed and control erosion on Cerrito Creek at the foot of Albany Hill. Meet at 10 a.m. Creekside Park, south end of Santa Clara Ave., El Cerrito. All ages welcome; snacks, tools, and gloves provided. 848-9358. www.fivecreeks.org 

Michael Parenti on “Capitalism’s Apocalypse: Why the Plutocrats Cannot Save Anyone, Not Even Themselves” at 4 p.m. at NoneSuch Space, 2865 Broadway, at 29th St., 2nd flr., Oakland. Donation $10. 625-1600. www.paragon-media.org/nonesuchspace 

Nature’s Pharmacy: Medicine Making Workshop Learn how to make a variety of botanical medicines using native California plants, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Regional Parks Botanic Garden Visitor Center, Tilden Park. Cost is $30-$35, with optional $5 materials fee. Bring lunch. To register call 841-8732. www.nativeplants.org 

Raptors from the Ridges Join a strenuous 8-mile hike in search of birds of prey, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Crockett Hills Regional Park. Bring sunscreen, water and a lunch. Call for meeting place. 525-2233. 

Philbrick Boatworks A tour of a business unchanged since 1946, one of the last of the twenty wooden boatbuilders in the Oakland Estuary, sponsored by Oakland Heritage Alliance. Tours at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Meet 603 Embarcadero, at Clinton Basin. Cost is $10-$15. 763-9218. www.oaklandheritage.org 

Got a problem in the garden? Want expert advice on watering, plant selection, lawn care, or pest management? Visit the master gardener booth from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Berkeley Farmers’ Market, Center Street between ML King and Milvia. 639-1275. 

Walk the Line & Connect to the Home Front Walk the line of history and the keel of a victory ship, and learn about the men and women who contributed to victory on the home front during World War II, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by optional 45 min. Bay Trail stroll. Meet park ranger at memorial by main parking lot at Rosie the Riveter Memorial, Marina Bay Park, Melville and Regatta, Richmond. 232-5050. www.nps.gov/rori/ 

All Hands on Deck: Building the Ships that Kept Democracy Afloat Learn about the 747 ships built at the Kaiser shipyards and the people that built them, from 2 to 3 p.m. at Historic Shipyard No. 3, 1337 Canal Blvd., Berth 6A, Richmond. Park outside SS Red Oak Victory gate. 232-5050. Directions to shipyard 237-2933. www.ssredoakvictory.com/contact.htm 

“Japanese Only/No Foreigners Allowed” A lecture by Debito Arudo on the Otaru Onsen lawsuit over Japanese xenophobia at 4 p.m. at University Village Community Center Gym, 1123 Jackson St., Albany. Suggested donation $7. 

Jewish Literature and Discussion Series meets to discuss “The Little Disturbances of Man” by Grace Paley at 2 p.m. at the Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave. 524-3043. 

”Celebration of Praise” Praise dance by Changing Lives Ministry, at 6 p.m. at First Christian Church, 111 Fairmont Ave. Oakland. Cost is $10-$20. 669-1893.  

Free Garden Tours at Regional Parks Botanic Garden Sat. and Sun. at 2 pm. Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Tilden Park. Call to confirm. 841-8732. www.nativeplants.org 

Around the World Tour of Plants at 1:30 p.m., Thurs., Sat. and Sun. at UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive. 643-2755. http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu 

The Berkeley Lawn Bowling Club provides free instruction every Wed. and Sat. at 10:30 a.m. at 2270 Acton St. 841-2174.  

Oakland Artisans Marketplace Sat. from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sun. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Jack London Square. 238-4948. 

Car Wash Benefit for Options Recovery Services of Berkeley, held every Sat. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lutheran Church, 1744 University Ave. 666-9552. 

SUNDAY, AUGUST 24 

Flutter by Butterflies Learn about butterfly life cycles, and the plants that attract them, from 10 a.m. to noon at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

Sprouts Gardening Project Spend the afternoon in the Kids’ Garden doing chores, singing songs, and learining about what it takes to make plants grow, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

Tiles and Terra Cotta in Uptown Oakland A tour of twenty buildings with facades clad in architectural ceramics, all built between 1914 and 1931, sponsored by Oakland Heritage Alliance. Meet at 10 a.m. at southeast corner of 17th and Webster, at the Howden Bldg. Cost is $10-$15. 763-9218. www.oaklandheritage.org 

Live Broadcast of the Democratic National Convention at 7 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donation $5. www.Humanist Hall.org 

Social Action Forum with Dr. Stephen Zunes on his work on the Western Sahara at 10 a.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Rd., Kensigton. 525-0302, ext. 306. 

Yoga and Meditation at 9:15 a.m. at Elephant Pharm, 1607 Shattuck Ave. 549-9200. 

Free Garden Tours at Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park Sat. and Sun. at 2 p.m. Call to confirm. 841-8732. www.nativeplants.org 

Lake Merritt Neighbors Organized for Peace Peace walk around the lake every Sun. Meet at 3 p.m. at the colonnade at the NE end of the lake. 763-8712. lmno4p.org 

Berkeley Chess Club meets every Sun. at 7 p.m. at the Hillside School, 1581 Le Roy Ave. 843-0150. 

Tibetan Buddhism with Jared Baird on “A New Way of Learning” at 6 p.m. at the Tibetan Nyingma Institute, 1815 Highland Pl. 809-1000. www.nyingmainstitute.com 

Sew Your Own Open Studio Come learn to use our industrial and domestic machines, or work on your own projects, from 4 to 8 p.m. at 84 Bolivar Dr., Aquatic Park. Also on Fri. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $5 per hour. 644-2577. www.watersideworkshops.org 

MONDAY, AUGUST 25 

Berkeley Path Wanderers Sunset Walk exploring Berkeley Rock Parks with David Weinstein. Meet at 6 p.m. at Great Stoneface Park, Thousand Oaks at Yosemite. 528-3246. www.berkeleypaths.org 

Kensington Library Book Club meets to discuss “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy at 7 p.m. at 61 Arlington Ave., Kensington. 524-3043. 

World Affairs/Politics Discussion Group, for people 60 years and over, meets at 9:45 a.m. at Albany Senior Center, 846 Masonic Ave, Albany. Cost is $3.  

Berkeley CopWatch organizational meeting at 8 p.m. at 2022 Blake St. Join us to work on current issues around police misconduct. Volunteers needed. For information call 548-0425. 

Dragonboating Year round classes at the Berkeley Marina, Dock M. Meets Mon, Wed., Thurs. at 6 p.m. Sat. at 10:30 a.m. For details see www.dragonmax.org 

Free Boatbuilding Classes for Youth Mon.-Wed. from 3 to 7 p.m. at Berkeley Boathouse, 84 Bolivar Dr., Aquatic Park. Classes cover woodworking, boatbuilding, and boat repair. 644-2577. www.watersideworkshops.org 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 26 

Little Farm Open House from 10 a.m. to noon to meet the animals and participate in crafts and other educational activities at the Tilden Little FArm, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

Grant Writing Workshop for Non-Profits from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge St. Sponsored by the Foundation Center. To register call 981-6148. 

ECDC Candidates Forum for Kensington Police and Community Services Board and El Cerrito City Council candidates at 7:30 p.m. at El Cerrito United Methodist Church, 6830 Stockton St., near Richmond Ave. Sponsored by the El Cerrito Democratic Club. 375-5647. 

Solo Sierrans Walk at Lake Chabot Reservoir Meet at 4 p.m. at the boathouse for an hour walk, followed by optional dinner. 351-6247. 

Young People’s Symphony Orchestra Auditions by appointment from 4 to 9 p.m. at Crowden Music Center. 849-9776. www.ypsomusic.net 

Rafting the Great Bend of the Yangtze River at 7 p.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 527-4140. 

“Holding Ground: The Rebirth of Dudley Street” Documentary screening followed by discussion with the filmmakers, Mark Lipman and Leah Mahan at 7:30 p.m. at NoneSuch Space, 2865 Broadway,at 29th St., 2nd flr., Oakland. Dontation $5-$10. 625-1600. www.paragon-media.org/nonesuchspace/ 

Python Ron & Prize Party for ages 3 and up at 6:30 p.m. at Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave., Kensington. 524-3043. 

“Away With All Gods” Discussion group meets to discuss the book by Bob Avakian at 7 p.m. at Revolution Books, 2425 Channing Way. 848-1196. 

Tuesday Tilden Walkers Join a few slowpoke seniors at 9:30 a.m. in the parking lot near the Little Farm for an hour or two walk. 215-7672, 524-9992. 

Street Level Cycles Community Bike Program Come use our tools as well as receive help with performing repairs free of charge. Youth classes available. Tues., Thurs., and Sat. from 2 to 6 p.m. at at 84 Bolivar Dr., Aquatic Park. 644-2577. www.watersideworkshops.org 

End the Occupation Vigil every Tues. at noon at Oakland Federal Bldg., 1301 Clay St. www.epicalc.org 

Fresh Produce Stand at San Pablo Park from 3 to 6 p.m. in the Frances Albrier Community Center. Sponsored by the Ecology Center’s Farm Fresh Choice. 848-1704.  

Berkeley Camera Club meets at 7:30 p.m., at the Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda. Share your digital images, slides and prints and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 548-3991.  

St. John’s Prime Timers meets at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. We offer ongoing classes in exercise and creative arts, and always welcome new members over 50. 845-6830. 

Yarn Wranglers Come knit and crochet at 6:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344.  

Sing-A-Long Group from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Albany Senior Center, 846 Masonic Ave., Albany. 524-9122. 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27 

Birding with the Golden Gate Audubon Society at Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park. Meet at 9:30 a.m. at the large spherical cage near the Nature Center at Perkins and Bellevue. 834-1066, 528-2093. 

Albany Chamber of Commerce Mixer at 5:30 p.m. at Fit-Lite by 24 Hour Fitness, 1775 Solano Ave. Includes a demonstration of training routine. Cost is $3-$5. RSVP to 525-1771. www.albanychamber.org 

Spanish Conversation Classes Wed. and Thurs. at 9:30 a.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst St. 981-5190. 

Walk Berkeley for Seniors meets every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Sea Breeze Market, just west of the I-80 overpass. Everyone is welcome, wear comfortable shoes and a warm hat. 548-9840. 

Theraputic Recreation at the Berkeley Warm Pool, Wed. at 3:30 p.m. and Sat. at 10 a.m. at the Berkeley Warm Pool, 2245 Milvia St. Cost is $4-$5. Bring a towel. 632-9369. 

Berkeley Peace Walk and Vigil at the Berkeley BART Station, corner of Shattuck and Center. Sing for Peace at 6:30 p.m. followed by Peace Walk at 7 p.m. www. 

geocities.com/vigil4peace/vigil 

Teen Chess Club from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the North Branch Library, 1170 The Alameda at Hopkins. 981-6133. 

Morning Meditation Every Mon., Wed., and Fri. at 7:45 a.m. at Rudramandir, 830 Bancroft Way at 6th. 486-8700. 

Berkeley CopWatch Drop-in office hours from 6 to 8 p.m. at 2022 Blake St. 548-0425. 

Stitch ‘n Bitch at 6:30 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

THURSDAY, AUGUST 28 

Nomination of Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention will be shown at 7 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Sponsored by the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club. www.Humanist Hall.org 

Young People’s Symphony Orchestra Auditions by appointment from 4 to 9 p.m. at Crowden Music Center. 849-9776. www.ypsomusic.net 

Toastmasters Berkeley Communicators meets at 7:30 a.m. at Au Coquelet, 2000 University Ave. Rob.Flammia@gmail.com 

Three Beats for Nothing South Mostly ancient part music for fun and practice meets every Thurs. at 10 a.m. at the South Berkeley Senior Center, Ellis at Ashby. 655-8863. asiecker@sbcglobal 

Fitness Class for 55+ at 9:15 a.m. at Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237. 

World of Plants Tours Thurs., Sat. and Sun. at 1:30 p.m. at the UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive. Cost is $5. 643-2755. http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29 

Introduction to Pilates at 10:30 a.m. at Elephant Pharm, 1607 Shattuck Ave. 549-9200. 

Berkeley Women in Black weekly vigil from noon to 1 p.m. at Bancroft and Telegraph. Our focus is human rights in Palestine. 548-6310. 

Three Beats for Nothing Mostly ancient part music for fun and practice meets every Fri. at 10 a.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center, Hearst at MLK. 655-8863. asiecker@sbcglobal 

Drop-In Acupuncture Clinic from 3 to 6 p.m. at Long Haul Info Shop, 3124 Shattuck Ave. Cost is $15-$30. 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 30 

Family Birdwalk Learn birding basics on a walk around the Nature Area seeking our feathered friends in a variety of habitats, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

Wildcat Peak Hike Join a 3-mile loop, from 2 to 4 p.m. to learn about the flora and fauna of the East Bay Hills. Bring water, a snack and a poem or story to share at the peak. Call for meeting place. 525-2233. 

Got a problem in the garden? Want expert advice on watering, plant selection, lawn care, or pest management? Visit the master gardener booth from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Berkeley Farmers’ Market, Center Street between ML King and Milvia. 639-1275. 

Walk the Line & Connect to the Home Front Walk the line of history and the keel of a victory ship, and learn about the men and women who contributed to victory on the home front during World War II, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by optional 45 min. Bay Trail stroll. Meet park ranger at memorial by main parking lot at Rosie the Riveter Memorial, Marina Bay Park, Melville and Regatta, Richmond. 232-5050. www.nps.gov/rori/ 

All Hands on Deck: Building the Ships that Kept Democracy Afloat Learn about the 747 ships built at the Kaiser shipyards and the people that built them, from 2 to 3 p.m. at Historic Shipyard No. 3, 1337 Canal Blvd., Berth 6A, Richmond. Park outside SS Red Oak Victory gate. 232-5050. Directions to shipyard 237-2933. www.ssredoakvictory.com/contact.htm 

Free Garden Tours at Regional Parks Botanic Garden Sat. and Sun. at 2 pm. Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Tilden Park. Call to confirm. 841-8732. www.nativeplants.org 

The Berkeley Lawn Bowling Club provides free instruction every Wed. and Sat. at 10:30 a.m. at 2270 Acton St. 841-2174.  

Oakland Artisans Marketplace Sat. from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sun. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Jack London Square. 238-4948. 

Car Wash Benefit for Options Recovery Services of Berkeley, held every Sat. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lutheran Church, 1744 University Ave. 666-9552. 

SUNDAY, AUGUST 31 

Family Fun on the Farm Day Meet the animals, explore the gardens, and enjoy crafts, music games, and home-made ice cream, from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at Tilden Little Farm, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

Solo Sierrans Hike in Tilden Park Meet at 5 p.m. at Lone Oak parking lot for an hour and a half hike through the cool woods. Optional dinner on Solano Ave. 234-8949. 

Leopard Shark Feeding Frenzy Feed our resident leopard shark and learn more about them and our other aquatic inhabitants at 2 p.m. at the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center, 4901 Breakwater Ave., Hayward. 670-7270.  

Social Action Forum with Gary Bogue, co-founder of the Lindsay Wildlife Museum on animal farming at 10 a.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Rd., Kensington. 525-0302, ext. 306. 

Yoga and Meditation at 9:15 a.m. at Elephant Pharm, 1607 Shattuck Ave. 549-9200. 

Free Garden Tours at Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park Sat. and Sun. at 2 p.m. Call to confirm. 841-8732. www.nativeplants.org 

Lake Merritt Neighbors Organized for Peace Peace walk around the lake every Sun. Meet at 3 p.m. at the colonnade at the NE end of the lake. 763-8712. lmno4p.org 

Berkeley Chess Club meets every Sun. at 7 p.m. at the Hillside School, 1581 Le Roy Ave. 843-0150. 

Tibetan Buddhism with Sylvia Gretchen on “Courage, Fear, and the Spiritual Path” at 6 p.m. at the Tibetan Nyingma Institute, 1815 Highland Pl. 809-1000. www.nyingmainstitute.com 

Sew Your Own Open Studio Come learn to use our industrial and domestic machines, or work on your own projects, from 4 to 8 p.m. at 84 Bolivar Dr., Aquatic Park. Also on Fri. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $5 per hour. 644-2577. www.watersideworkshops.org 

ONGOING 

School Backpack Collection Drive Drop off new or gently used backpacks at Spenger’s, 1919 Fourth St.,during August, for a $10 dining certificate. Backpacks will be distributed by the Berkeley Boosters/Police Activities League. 845-7771. 

CITY MEETINGS 

Design Review Committee meets Thurs., Aug. 21, at 7:30 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7415. 

Fair Campaign Practices Commission meets Thurs., Aug. 21, at 7:30 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-6950.