News Updates

Flash: 12:45 p.m.: Wheeler Hall Occupation Continues

By Riya Bhattacharjee and Raymond Barglow
Friday November 20, 2009
Protesters displayed a banner and addressed the crowed from a Wheeler Hall window Friday morning.
Rain did not deter thousands of UC Berkeley students this afternoon as they surrounded the campus’ Wheeler Hall in support of protesters who have occupied the building since this morning as a demonstration against the University of California’s 32 percent tuition fee hike. -more-

Flash: UC Students Take Over Wheeler Hall

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday November 20, 2009
Despite the rain, students surrounded Wheeler Hall Friday in support of protesters who occupied the building.
Reports are coming in that UC Berkeley students have taken over Wheeler Hall on campus to protest the 32 percent fee increase approved by the UC Regents at UCLA Thursday. -more-

UC Regents Approve 32 Percent Fee Hike Amid Angry Protests

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday November 19, 2009
Students dumped trash in front of California Hall Thursday to protest University of California leadership.
The UC Regents approved a fee hike at a meeting on the UCLA campus today (Thursday, Nov. 19) to address a $1.2 billion deficit next year, amid angry protests throughout the 10-campus University of California system. -more-

Mehserle Case to Be Moved to Los Angeles County

Bay City News
Thursday November 19, 2009
An Alameda County Superior Court judge ruled this afternoon that the case of former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle will be moved to Los Angeles County. -more-

BART Board Votes Against Awarding Contract to Nedir Bay

Bay City News
Thursday November 19, 2009
The BART board of directors voted today not to give any part of a $2 million lighting improvement project for two stations to a longtime associate of the troubled Your Black Muslim Bakery in Oakland. -more-


News

UC Students, Workers Launch 3-Day Strike

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday November 19, 2009
It was anything but business as usual at UC Berkeley Wednesday as students, faculty members and workers embarked on a three-day strike to protest budget cuts, furloughs and fee hikes. -more-

UC’s California News Services Aims to Fill D.C. Journalism Void

Thursday November 19, 2009
The business of journalism is dying. But the need for journalists is not. -more-

Oakland Man Charged with Aquatic Park Murders

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday November 19, 2009
Body of Child Found in Bay Believed to Be -more-

Council Votes to Support Berkeley Ferry Project

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday November 19, 2009
Is Berkeley ready for a ferry? The Berkeley City Council seems to think so. -more-

Berkeley Balloon Ban?

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday November 19, 2009
Balloon artist Don Daniels, of Paper Plus on San Pablo Avenue, posts a sign on the store window: "Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon ... except the City of Berkeley."
Just as the hullabaloo over Balloon Boy seems to be finally cooling off, Berkeley is getting ready to make some noise about balloons. -more-

Obata Studio Landmarking Revisited

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday November 19, 2009
Japanese artist Chiura Obata’s landmarked Mission Revival–style studio was back before the Berkeley Landmarks Preservation Commission Nov. 5, after a remand from the City Council asked the commission to carefully consider singling out the building’s courtyards for preservation as historic features. -more-

Bear’s Lair Food Court Vendors Strike to Protest Rent Increases

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday November 19, 2009

UC Abandons Ito’s Downtown Museum Design

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday November 19, 2009

Elementary Students Get H1N1 Vaccine, Other Schools Must Wait

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday November 19, 2009

Piedmont Resident to Become Ambassador to Australia

By Megan Murphy, California News Service
Thursday November 19, 2009

Remembering Andrea Lewis

By Max Pringle, New America Media
Thursday November 19, 2009

Correction

Thursday November 19, 2009

Protesters rallied on campus and marched throughout downtown Berkeley Wednesday to voice their dissatisfaction with the University of California’s budget priorities.
Riya Bhattacharjee
Protesters rallied on campus and marched throughout downtown Berkeley Wednesday to voice their dissatisfaction with the University of California’s budget priorities.

Editorials

What Shall We Tell the Children?

By Becky O'Malley
Thursday November 19, 2009
The most famous words spoken about the Great Depression, by Franklin Roosevelt in his first inaugural address, were these: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” They have become a mantra invoked in many situations where there’s a lot more than fear to fear, where real dangers are confronting people who must nonetheless act unafraid. -more-

Reader Commentaries

Letters to the Editor

Thursday November 19, 2009

Blue Dog Democrats and Health Care Reform

By Ralph E. Stone
Thursday November 19, 2009

Smart Balloon Practices Are Better Than Bans

By Dan Flynn 
Thursday November 19, 2009

Bus Rapid Transit: Feel-Good Environmentalism?

By Matt Kondolf
Thursday November 19, 2009

Continuing Problems with Design of New Animal Shelter

By Jill Posener
Thursday November 19, 2009

Controversy at the Bear’s Lair Food Court

By Nad Permaul
Thursday November 19, 2009

New Police Chief’s Stance on Marijuana

By Maris Arnold
Thursday November 19, 2009

Turning to the White House for Help With a Berkeley Permit Problem

By Hoda A. Cox 
Thursday November 19, 2009

Politics and Theatre: A Too Comfortable Controversy

By Marc Sapir
Thursday November 19, 2009

Homecare Services in Today’s Life

By Nicholas Feldman
Thursday November 19, 2009

Columnists

Undercurrents: Don’t Sell When You’re Desperate for Cash

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Thursday November 19, 2009

The Public Eye: Get Tough, Obama

By Bob Burnett
Thursday November 19, 2009

Hooded orioles may nest in the United States, then raise a second brood in Mexico.

Wild Neighbors: Second Chances in Sinaloa

By Joe Eaton
Thursday November 19, 2009

Arts & Entertainment

Arts Calendar

Thursday November 19, 2009

Watkins’ ‘Dark River’ at Oakland Opera

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Thursday November 19, 2009

Harry Clewans' <i>Octopus</i>.

Admirable Woodcuts on Display at Kala Institute

By Peter Selz, Special to the Planet
Thursday November 19, 2009

‘Jesters and Gestures’: PFA Presents Performed Yiddish Culture

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Thursday November 19, 2009

Dr. Abdulaziz Sachedina Lectures on Islam and Human Rights

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Thursday November 19, 2009

Author Discusses Book on Assassination of Fred Hampton

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Thursday November 19, 2009

'The Walworth Farce' — Druid Ireland at Zellerbach

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Thursday November 19, 2009

In the Theaters

Thursday November 19, 2009

Events Calendar

Community Calendar

Thursday November 19, 2009