Local News and Opinion from The Berkeley Daily Planet

News Updates

Death of UC Berkeley Student from Fall Likely Accidential, Police Say

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Tuesday May 20, 2008

Autopsy results from the Alameda County Coroner’s Office show that UC Berkeley anthropology student Alan Kaname Hamai, who fell from the third story roof of his apartment building a day after he graduated, died as a result of unforced trauma from a fall, authorities said today (Tuesday.) -more-

Suit Challenging LBNL Plans Gets Day in Court Tomorrow

By Richard Brenneman

Tuesday May 20, 2008

Foes of building plans included in Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) get their day in court Wednesday. -more-

Commission Holds Special Meeting on Downtown Plan

By Richard Brenneman

Monday May 19, 2008

Planning commissioners take up two parts of the new plan for downtown Berkeley Wednesday night, including proposed city staff changes for both the historic preservation and economic development chapters. -more-

Fleeing Motorcyclist Hits AC Transit Bus, Bicyclist in Berkeley

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Monday May 19, 2008

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is investigating a hit and run incident in which a motorcyclist collided with an AC Transit Bus and a woman bicyclist on Ashby Avenue Sunday night. -more-

UC Berkeley Graduate Found Dead in Front of Apartment Complex

By Bay City News

Sunday May 18, 2008

A 22-year-old man was found dead on a city sidewalk Saturday, one day after graduating from the University of California at Berkeley, a Berkeley police lieutenant confirmed today. -more-

Reader Report: Demonstrators At U.C. Graduation Call Yoo War Criminal

By Henry Norr

Sunday May 18, 2008

Mary Ervin of Oakland, one of those who demonstrated against John Yoo at U.C. graduation ceremonies, carried a cardboard replica of an M-16 rifle.

If Professor John Yoo, the Boalt Hall community, and UC Berkeley administration didn't know it before, they surely do after today's graduation ceremonies: there's a large and growing movement demanding that Yoo be held accountable for providing pseudo-legal rationalizations for the Bush administration's torture policy. -more-

Flash: B-Tech Senior was Shooter, Says Principal

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Friday May 16, 2008

The 17-year-old student from Berkeley Technology Academy (B-Tech) who was shot Thursday a few blocks from school underwent surgery and his injuries appear to be non life-threatening, authorities said Friday. -more-

Freeman Arraigned on Murder Charges in Durant Avenue Murder, Tensions Spill Over into Court

By Bay City News

Friday May 16, 2008

Tensions were high as Nathaniel Freeman was arraigned on murder charges today (Friday) for the shooting death of Oakland Parks and Recreation employee Maceo Smith one block south of the University of California, Berkeley campus Tuesday afternoon. -more-

Berkeley Families Celebrate Court Decision on Same-Sex Marriage

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Friday May 16, 2008

As news of the California Supreme Court’s 4-3 decision affirming same-sex marriage broke Thursday, gay and lesbian couples in Berkeley declared victory. -more-

Barbara Lee Asks USDA to Oppose LBAM Spray

By Judith Scherr

Friday May 16, 2008

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Berkeley-Oakland, has added her voice to those calling for a halt to plans to spray for the Light Brown Apple Moth [LBAM] until health and environmental studies are done. -more-

Council Considers Ballot Measures; Public to Speak On Fee Increases

By Judith Scherr

Friday May 16, 2008

The City Council will consider on Tuesday which tax measures to place before voters on the November ballot. -more-

B-Tech Student Shot in Berkeley

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 15, 2008

A Berkeley Technology Academy (B-Tech) student was shot near Martin Luther King Jr. and Dwight Way around 3 p.m. today (Thursday), according to authorities. -more-

Update: Suspect Arrested in Durant Avenue Killing

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 15, 2008

Berkeley police arrested 19-year-old Berkeley resident Nathaniel Curtis Freeman Wednesday afternoon and charged him with the murder of Maceo Anthony Smith, who was shot to death on Durant Avenue Tuesday. -more-

Vandalism Hits Oakland City Council Race, Tempers Flare

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday May 15, 2008

In a campaign that has grown increasingly heated as it moves towards the June 3 election day showdown, vandals struck at the Fruitvale-area campaign headquarters of 5th District Council candidate Mario Juarez last Friday night, smashing windows and window doors and causing an estimated $15,000 in damage. -more-

News

Berkeley Man Killed in Durant Avenue Shooting

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 15, 2008

Police are searching for a suspect connected with the murder of Maceo Smith, 33, found shot to death in broad daylight at the Douglas Parking Lot at 2542 Durant Ave. Tuesday, a block from UC Berkeley. -more-

Bates Privatizes State of the City Address

By Judith Scherr

Thursday May 15, 2008

Breaking with tradition, Mayor Tom Bates made his “state-of-the-city” address Tuesday night, not at a public gathering in City Council Chambers, but at a semi-private event held in a privately owned West Berkeley auditorium. -more-

City Council to UC Regents: Proposed Labs Endanger Wildlife, Humans

By Judith Scherr

Thursday May 15, 2008

More than two dozen people spoke to the City Council with one voice at a special meeting Monday night: placing two buildings proposed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the environmentally sensitive, landslide, wildfire and earthquake-prone area of Strawberry and Blackberry canyons is the wrong thing to do, they said. -more-

Neighbors Fear College Avenue Safeway Expansion Plans

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 15, 2008

Walk into La Farine on Oakland’s bustling College Avenue for coffee and croissants and it’s easy to spot several pamphlets floating around on a big round table—the only one in the store—drawing attention to the proposed expansion at Safeway, across the street from the petite French bakery. -more-

S. Berkeley Crime Meeting Reflects Neighborhood Concerns

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday May 15, 2008

The safest place to be in Berkeley on Wednesday night last week was likely the community center at San Pablo Park. -more-

Even with Salaries, City Budget Looks Balanced—For Now

By Judith Scherr

Thursday May 15, 2008

Props. 98 and 99 Battle over Eminent Domain

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Thursday May 15, 2008

EBMUD Declares Water Shortage

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 15, 2008

Court Date Set for UC Murder Case

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 15, 2008

U-Haul Takes City to Court Again Over San Pablo Site

By Judith Scherr

Thursday May 15, 2008

Suspects Arrested In Bank Robbery

By Bay City News

Thursday May 15, 2008

News Briefs

By Judith Scherr

Thursday May 15, 2008

Airsoft Gun from BHS Robbery Found in Old Gym

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 15, 2008

Man Threatens Students With Knife

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 15, 2008

Architect Chosen For Iceland Project

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Thursday May 15, 2008

Berkeley, Richmond Council Target Lab Projects

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday May 15, 2008

UC Captures $20 Million Stem Cell Grant

By Richard Brenneman

Thursday May 15, 2008

Riya Bhattacharjee

Rita McIntyre (left), mother of Maceo Smith, talks to a police detective right after her son was shot to death near the Douglas Parking Lot in broad daylight Tuesday.

Editorials

Editorial: The Art and Science of Living Well

By Becky O'Malley

Thursday May 15, 2008

When you get to be a certain age, news of death comes all too often. It’s been only a week or so since we mused on the loss of a couple of good friends in this space, and now another good man is gone. Readers, especially younger readers, might be getting tired of all this talk of death. -more-

The Editor's Back Fence

By Becky O'Malley

Tuesday May 20, 2008

Every week a new experiment...this week, we're trying out a Web-only column of short items. People send us things that are not serious enough or big enough or current enough for a full-fledged news story or a full-dress editorial essay, but are too good to pass up. And increasingly they send us links to good stuff in other Internet locations which Planet readers would like to see. -more-