A homemade bottle bomb found in Berkeley's Tilden Regional Park late Friday morning was determined to be safe, police said today. -more-

What follows is an account of what I saw and experienced last night, and an account from my friend who experienced police brutality and arrest at the demonstration and afterwards. She was not released until late this morning. -more-

OAKLAND (BCN)— Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums said today that he's "incredibly, extraordinarily, unwaveringly proud" of the way city residents responded to the involuntary manslaughter conviction for former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle for the death of Oscar Grant III. -more-

  OAKLAND (BCN)--    A total of 78 people were arrested Thursday night in downtown Oakland during protests that followed the announcement of the verdict in the Johannes Mehserle trial, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office said today.  

As the Oakland community begins to understand the meaning of Johannes Mehserle’s involuntary manslaughter verdict, the streets exploded angrily last night. -more-

OAKLAND (BCN)-- Relative calm has returned to the streets of downtown Oakland this morning as most protesters unhappy with the verdict in the Johannes Mehserle trial have abandoned the area and police and business owners continue to assess the damage inflicted by rioters Thursday night. -more-

Police have arrested about 50 people in Oakland and expect to double that number by the end of the night as officers respond to protests following the Johannes Mehserle verdict, police Chief Anthony Batts said. -more-

Police have issued an unlawful assembly order and made several arrests in downtown Oakland as responses to the Johannes Mehserle verdict have begun to turn violent, police Chief Anthony Batts said. -more-

Regardless of the outcome of the criminal trial, BART has always taken responsibility as a civil matter for the terrible tragedy that occurred on the platform of the Fruitvale BART Station on the morning of January 1, 2009. -more-

Protests in downtown Oakland sparked by the verdict in the Johannes Mehserle trial appear to be taking a violent turn. -more-

The U.S. Department of Justice will conduct an independent review of the Johannes Mehserle case in order to determine whether or not the shooting merits federal prosecution, according the department. -more-

Several groups are gathering in downtown Oakland this evening in the wake of the involuntary manslaughter conviction of former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle. -more-

District Attorney Nancy E. O'Malley announces that the Los Angeles jury in the case of People v. Johannes Mehserle returned a guilty verdict of involuntary manslaughter against the defendant. The jury also found true the allegation that the defendant used a gun and rejected the defense that the defendant believed he was using his taser. The verdict reflects that the killing was unlawful and done with criminal negligence and recklessness. -more-

The San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild (NLGSF) condemns the involuntary manslaughter verdict in the criminal case against former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle. The trial judge, Robert Perry, acted inappropriately by allowing irrelevant information about the victim, Oscar Grant, before the jury. -more-

A Los Angeles jury has convicted former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle of involuntary manslaughter. -more-

Jurors in the trial of former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle have reached a verdict. -more-

BART officials are asking passengers -- especially those riding near the downtown San Francisco and downtown Oakland stations -- to be patient with service because the trains are very full as a result of the Mehserle verdict. -more-

Berkeley police spokesperson Sgt. Mary Kusmiss today confirmed anecdotal reports to the Planet that a woman was found dead in the Berkeley YMCA on June 30. Based on their preliminary investigation, police believe that she hid in the building until it closed and then committed suicide by hanging herself in a first floor restroom. The Alameda County coroner has identified the dead woman as Amy Gitelman, 47, and has notified next of kin. -more-

The shooting of Oscar Grant at the Fruitvale BART station was a devastating event for one young man, his friends and family and his whole community. A jury is currently deliberating on the fate of his accused shooter Johannes Mehserle, and a verdict is expected in the very near future. We would like to invite you to a community rally to promote healing and support Oscar Grant’s family, friends and community. The event is to be held in front of City Hall on the day of the verdict. -more-

The trial of Johannes Mehserle, the cop who killed Oscar Grant, has reawakened a rebellious campaign against police brutality in Oakland, California. Oscar Grant, of course, was the unarmed young father who was pulled off a BART car for allegedly fighting early in the morning of January 1, 2009. After being detained by police, along with a group of his friends, he was shot in the back by Mehserle while lying on his belly on the BART platform. All this, of course, in front of a train full of witnesses, many of whom recorded the killing on cameras and cell phones. Although there is no doubt in the minds of many community members who have seen those videos as to what happened on that BART platform, the jury at Mehserle’s trial in Los Angeles may see something differently. -more-

Starting today, Berkeley residents and building owners can apply online for cash rebates through the Money for Energy Efficiency (ME2) Program. ME2 is a federally funded program that provides rebates, incentives and direct installation of energy upgrades such as attic, wall and floor insulation and draft and duct sealing for Berkeley homes and businesses. The program covers Berkeley residential units at all income levels as well as commercial, industrial, and multifamily buildings. -more-

A 23-year-old woman was robbed at knifepoint on the University of California at Berkeley campus this weekend, according to police. -more-

A 21-year-old man died after suffering a head injury near the University of California at Berkeley campus on Friday morning, but how he suffered that injury is still not clear, a police captain said today. -more-

The University of California Police Department has announced that it is seeking the public’s assistance for information about the suspicious death of a young man who was found unconscious in the south campus area early Friday morning. -more-

A popular video rental store in Berkeley is asking for donations from community members and movie lovers as it fights to stay in business after its parent company filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. -more-

Jury deliberations in the murder trial of former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle were suspended today because one of the jurors is sick. -more-

A cigarette apparently sparked an early morning fire that caused about $700,000 in damage at a home in Berkeley, an assistant fire chief said. -more-

A tent city has sprouted up for the second time in as many months on the median of a Berkeley street in protest of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed budget cuts to in-home support services, an organizer said today. -more-

I came home last night for another brief R&R before returning to ArnieVille in an hour or so...What a difference hot water & shampoo make! -more-

AC Transit's board of directors has imposed a new contract on the bus agency's 1,600 union employees after talks on a new contract stalled. -more-

Rebecca's Books, the homey little community-oriented poetry bookshop at 3268 Adeline, is featuring a storewide sale over the next few weeks in July, anticipating its closing, said founder Mary Ann Braithwaite. -more-

Most Americans are not quite sure what to make of the sprawling right-wing Tea Party, which gradually emerged in 2009 and became a household name after it held nationwide Tea Party rallies on April 15th 2010, to protest paying taxes. Throwing tea overboard, as you may remember, is an important symbolic image of the colonial anger at Britain’s policy of “taxation without representation.” -more-

As of June 2009, there were an estimated 4.3 billion cell phone (mobile phones) users worldwide.In the United States, it is estimated that more than fifty percent of children own their own personal cell phones.A growing body of scientific evidence shows that there are significant health hazards to their use, including brain tumors; damage to DNA, an undisputed cause of cancer; blood-brain barriers (BBB) leakage (BBB protects the brain from many molecules that are toxic to the brain; and male fertility damage by cell phone use because men, especially teenagers, put their cell phones in their pockets when not in use, causing a deleterious effect on sperm count and sperm motility. -more-

Ithaca, NY—As oil washes ashore along the Gulf Coast, theCornell Lab of Ornithology is asking birders to keep an eye on nesting birds—not just near water, but hundreds of miles inland. -more-

Barry Elbasani, an architect whose master plans and buildings were frameworks for revitalizing downtowns throughout the country, died on Tuesday, June 29, 2010, at his home in Berkeley, California. He was 69. -more-

Prosecutor David Stein and defense attorney Michael Rains completed their closing arguments today in the trial of former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle on a murder charge for the fatal shooting of unarmed passenger Oscar Grant III. -more-

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The unsung heroes and heroines at Bay City News did themselves proud in Oakland last night, producing a steady stream of accurate on-the-spot reports which appeared online in, at least, the Berkeley Daily Planet, the SF Appeal, the Bay Citizen, and on the website of more than one TV station. The Planet was also fortunate to get a couple of excellent submissions “over the transom” from an Oakland resident we hadn’t known previously. -more-

Last week’s Berkeley city council meeting was yet another Cassandra Moment for me. You remember Cassandra, don’t you?She was the gal in ancient Greek mythology who was stuck with the role of always predicting the worst and having no one believe her until it was too late.

As a social class, pretty much everyone likely to be reading this shared a Cassandra Moment after we marched in the millions to say that we thought invading Iraq was a really bad idea. Turns out we were right, but a lot of good it did us, and the big cheeses who thought it was going to work aren’t nearly as embarrassed as they should be.

At the Berkeley level, we Cassandras don’t get no respect either.A few of us consistently doubt the rosy predictions of the Candides (“this is the best of all possible worlds’) who manage to get elected to office around here, and to mix in another metaphor, we are widely considered to be Chicken Littles (shouting “the sky is falling!” when it’s not).

Yes, I am talking about the profoundly depressing discussion of the late unlamented Downtown Area Plan which was featured at last week’s city council meeting. -more-

Here’s a golden opportunity: a local blogger has scored a one-on-one with Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates, and he’s asking readers what questions he should ask. It’s your big chance to be part of the inner circle. And feel free to copy your questions to opinion@berkeleydailyplanet.com to make sure they get heard. -more-

Tearing Down Libraries is Waste, Not Green; Bates and Council Thumb Their Noses at the Public; Anger Management; Fire Wall?; Intimidation; Guns; Palin’s Opinion; Afghanistan — the U.S. between a rock and a hard place -more-

There’s a key Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday July 14^th to decide the future of protected industrial spaces and the location and definitions of research and development. The Planning Commission is set to have their last discussion (before a final Commission Public Hearing in September) on opening up now-protected industrial space, on Wednesday, July 14th, 7pm, at the North Berkeley Senior Center - MLK at Hearst • As at the May 19th meeting, the Commission will likely take a "sense" vote on the issue.* -more-

Berkeley's City Council is scheduled to vote tonight, July 6, 2010, on a second, and presumably final, passage of legislation that would exempt the Berkeley Public Library (BPL) from having to obtain zoning Variances for any future renovations to, or demolitions with replacement of, existing buildings, including the downtown Central library.

Arthur C. Clarke and director Peter Hyams proved less than prophetic in the movie 2010: The Year We Make Contact, but they gave the audiences of 1984 what they wanted to hear. Cosmonaut David Bowman (Keir Dullea) — who in the movie 2001 disappeared into a mysterious black monolith orbiting Jupiter — reappears as a literally starry-eyed apparition on his widow’s TV set between commercials. He tells her that “something wonderful” is about to happen. It does hours later when exponentially proliferating monoliths send Jupiter critical, igniting a second sun in the solar system. Forewarned by Bowman’s specter, Russian and U.S. cosmonauts hightail it out of the Jovian neighborhood on the cusp of a blast of hot plasma. The two nations at home narrowly avert their own thermonuclear Armageddon. In the closing scene, cosmonaut Heywood Floyd (Roy Schneider) rejoins his wife and son for a happy reunion on the beach under double suns. -more-

When UC Berkeley planned the “On the Same Page” project to request first year students provide DNA for analysis and subsequent discussion it is doubtful anyone anticipated the vigor of public reaction. One concern cited was is the accuracy of the genetic testing kits and that the testing technology under scrutiny of the FDA. -more-

The failure of Measure C last month brought an end to the warm pool at Berkeley High School, and the closing of Willard Pool. The measure was popular, but not popular enough to gain the 2/3 majority mandated by Proposition 13 for local bond issues. -more-

Response to “The railroading of Michael Vick and the machine gunning of Deondre Brunston", by Jean Damu: -more-

On May 13, 2010 my only child, Andrew Hoeft-Edenfield, was found guilty of 2 nd degree murder for the tragic death of a UC student in a trial that shattered my belief in the fairness of our court system. To begin with, the DA put me on her witness list, which kept me out of the courtroom, but then she never called me. This manipulation barred me from attending my own son’s trial. -more-

            How does international political deception and distraction work? Take the matter of Iranian nuclear development as a tool for the Israelis to direct attention away from their barbarism in the Palestinian territories. -more-

Crazy talk about the Middle East seems to be escalating, backed up by some pretty ominous military deployments. First, the department of scary statements: -more-

A couple of days ago, I got word of the passing of another local celebrity. Although never the shot-blocker that Manute Bol was, she had her own dedicated following. She was a beaver, the matriarch of the Alhambra Creek clan in downtown Martinez. -more-

Today’s items: South West Berkeley celebrates the 4th; why might rational people riot over the BART shooting verdict?;Berkeley-based law firm wins ADA victory for blind computer users. -more-

Nationwide, 59%-75% of long-term caregivers are women. With an estimated 3.4 million caregivers, California leads. There appear to be at least 2 caregiver species: one is paid and comes via a third party, usually a government or for-profit agency. The other is often a woman family member. A potential problem associated with freelance or independent care-giving is the likelihood of no employer-provided benefits. -more-

Greetings from Indiana, where in some towns you can pick up a pretty nice house for $30,000- not because there have been lots of foreclosures, but because that’s how much they go for. -more-

COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER -more-

CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD -more-

924 GILMAN ST. -- All ages welcome. -more-

BOOKS INC., BERKELEY -more-

CONTEMPORARY JEWISH MUSEUM The museum, formerly known as the Jewish Museum San Francisco, has a new addition designed by Daniel Libeskind and is dedicated to exploring the richness and diversity of Jewish thought and culture. -more-

ASHBY STAGE -more-

ACTORS THEATRE OF SAN FRANCISCO -more-

"BAY AREA HEART GALLERY," -- Exhibit consists of photographs of children, youth and families, accompanied by their compelling stories. The joint exhibit opens in the Alameda County Administration Building, 1221 Oak Street, Oakland and at the Eden Area Multi-Service Center, 24100 Amador Way, Hayward. -more-

CARMEN FLORES RECREATION CENTER -more-

When you have people come to visit, not taking them to Beach Blanket Babylon is like not taking them to Chinatown or Ocean Beach. And about once a decade or so, you should just go and enjoy. -more-

Emphasizing the connections between Berkeley and Mendocino, Susan Waterfall and Allan Pollack, co-founders of the 24 year old Mendocino Music Festival, performed an unusual, rich concert as a free preview of Waterfall's narrated multimedia program, July 15 at the Festival, Hallelujah, America!, a celebration of how American music became American, to a packed, attentive audience in the members lounge at the Berkeley City Club last Tuesday. -more-

Greetings from Indiana, where in some towns you can pick up a pretty nice house for $30,000- not because there have been lots of foreclosures, but because that’s how much they go for. -more-

ALAMEDA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS -more-

"TARGET ARTS AND WONDER FREE FAMILY EVENT," -- July 16 through July 18. The de Young Museum, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, The Museum of the African Diaspora, Zeum and Yerba Beuena Gardens Festival take turns opening their doors to the public for free with free art making activities. See website for more information. -more-

AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND LIBRARY AT OAKLAND The Oakland Public Library's museum is designed to discover, preserve, interpret and share the cultural and historical experiences of African Americans in California and the West. In addition, a three-panel mural is on permanent display. -more-

ALAMEDA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS -more-

ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM Ardenwood farm is a working farm that dates back to the time of the Patterson Ranch, a 19th-century estate with a mansion and Victorian Gardens. Today, the farm still practices farming techniques from the 1870s. Unless otherwise noted, programs are free with regular admission. -more-

ASHKENAZ -more-

ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM Ardenwood farm is a working farm that dates back to the time of the Patterson Ranch, a 19th-century estate with a mansion and Victorian Gardens. Today, the farm still practices farming techniques from the 1870s. Unless otherwise noted, programs are free with regular admission. -more-