Phase Two of the construction project for the new playground at Aquatic Park gets under way Wednesday morning, and organizers are reissuing their call for volunteers. -more-
Berkeley High track and field coach Darrell Hampton received some criticism for his “big meet” strategy in 2000 – taking it easy in league meets to conserve and strategize for the more prestigious weekend invitationals. -more-
Repairs to the warm pool, purchase of a portable firefighting system, upgrades to the branch libraries, beautification of the University Avenue median, improving parks maintenance and lighting the streets – all could be placed before Berkeley citizens in November. -more-
After wrapping up the North Coast Section team titles at last weekend’s Bay Shore meet, the ultra-deep St. Mary’s boys and girls track teams already knew they had quantity entering this past weekend’s NCS Meet of Champions. And after winning seven events en route to qualifying 13 athletes for CIFs at Edwards Track Stadium on Saturday, it’s safe to say the Panthers also have plenty of quality. -more-
Five police officers will receive letters of commendation from the Berkeley Police Department for their rescue effort in last week’s house fire on Josephine Street. -more-
More than 2 million people are helping researchers at UC Berkeley in their search for intelligent signals from space. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – A funnyhouse at a carnival contains distorted mirrors where the viewer’s reflection is bent in unexpected and eerie ways. -more-
Housing shortages and the creation of a “virtual Berkeley” were two of the issues raised in a meeting Friday of East Bay business and civic leaders. -more-
Gimme an ‘F!’ -more-
Last week I heard about a unique opportunity to help create an amazing addition to Berkeley’s landscape. In Aquatic Park volunteers are building a 17,000 square foot wooden playground structure that is bound to become an instant hit with both the younger set and their parents. -more-
The preliminary day of North Coast Section Meet of Champions competition is intended to act as a sort of centrifuge. With so many competitors in so many heats, the hectic pace at the section finals can leave less serious athletes spinning – but the best will always rise to the top. -more-
They’re the Davids fighting for a voice in the Goliath world of mass corporate communications. -more-
An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 hit the Bay Area at 8 a.m. Thursday, as the Hayward Fault gave way north of San Leandro and the area suffered one of its largest disasters in decades. -more-
In a May 16 Perspective, Robert Cabrera of the Berkeley Property Owners Association (BPOA) wrote that vacancy-decontrolled rents in Berkeley are some $100 higher than they would otherwise bee. He sympathized with the plight of “the poor, the elderly and students for whom $100 is a significant portion of their income,” and cited anecdotal evidence that some tenants may be “hoarding” apartments to avoid forfeiting rent control. -more-
Over a period of several years, four acquaintances – two male and two female – become involved in a round robin of sexual and romantic relationships, and learn to communicate about sex, in Patrick Marber’s 1998 London Critics’ Circle award-winning Best Play “Closer,” which opened in a strong production Wednesday at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. -more-
Having been snubbed by the North Coast Section for a playoff spot, the senior-filled Berkeley High boys volleyball team’s 2000 season is already a distant memory for players and coaches still involved in postseason play. -more-
The Berkeley Federation of Teachers and the Berkeley Unified School District reached a tentative contract agreement early Thursday morning, but the details of the deal won’t be released until early next week. -more-
Brilliant white egrets pose motionless along the lagoon’s edge, peering intently into the waters. Shoreline reeds yield to grassy upland meadows. Nestled amidst the high, leafy branches, magnificent wooden towers have suddenly arisen. -more-
Construction of a regulation-size baseball field at the East Campus site is looking more and more like a dead deal. -more-
In the article “BFT, BUSD closer to deal” (Daily Planet, May 18), your editor reported: “Wednesday night, no one showed up to speak up about the contract issue ...” It’s true, no one spoke about a contract, but I certainly did speak about the ISSUE. -more-
Older, disabled and long-term tenants may get a tool to help prevent property owners from moving into their units. -more-
A caller to the Daily Planet on Thursday said she had just sighted the man and his two pit bulls responsible for attacking Oakland resident Jamonie Robinson earlier this month. -more-
City officials who want to alleviate parking shortages in downtown Berkeley are examining several strategies, including computer-assisted parking. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – A hypothetical 1962 television series about a nun who rides a motorcycle and brings “cheer to the less fortunate” is the basis of F. Allen Sawyer’s new comedy “Whatever Happened to Sister George?” which opened Saturday at Theater Rhinoceros in San Francisco. -more-
With both local high school track teams, Berkeley High and St. Mary’s, ranking among the state’s best, it’s entirely appropriate that this year’s North Coast Section Meet of Champions will be held a javelin-throw away from both campuses – at Cal’s newly renovated Edwards Track Stadium. -more-
After a year of commission discussions and staff research, Berkeley has taken a step toward adopting the highest “living wage” standard in the country. -more-
The Judah L. Magnes Museum, located at 2911 Russell St., recently acquired a significant collection of original Spanish Inquisition documents. -more-
The Berkeley High School Athletic Department is sponsoring the first-ever Berkeley High School Golf Tournament on June 12 at the Tilden Park Golf Course. Check-in time is 11:30 a.m., with the shotgun start at 1 p.m. -more-
Negotiators from the Berkeley Federation of Teachers and the Berkeley Unified School District worked another marathon day Wednesday, but a contract agreement had yet to be announced as of midnight. -more-
The Lutheran Brotherhood Foundation recently awarded $10,000 to New Ethiopian Ministry in Berkeley. The funds are part of a Church Extension grant of $558,800 given to the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) to serve Lutheran congregations. The grant will be used to provide resources for special evangelism programs and to develop mission congregations. -more-
The “microdollar” was the currency of choice Tuesday morning at the City of Franklin Microsociety Magnet School, where students held their first-ever Market Day. -more-
University of California police used a non-traditional method to identify people who threw rocks and bottles at them after the big game at Stanford last November. They posted photos of the suspects on the department’s web site. -more-
An orientation for Berkeley Alternative High School programs will be held tonight at the school’s multipurpose room, located at 2701 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, at the corner of Derby Street. -more-
An early morning fire gutted a house Tuesday in the 1600 block of Josephine Street, injuring two children, two women, two police officers and two firefighters. All were treated for smoke inhalation. -more-
The situation was less than ideal for the St. Mary’s High baseball team going into Tuesday’s first-round North Coast Section playoff game. Seeded No. 8, the Panthers were paired with none other than Alameda-Contra Costa Athletic League champion Encinal – a team that had already defeated the Panthers in two previous meetings, including one just days earlier in the ACCAL tournament. -more-
The 170-foot antenna tower that sprung up last month beside the new Public Safety Building has been a communications disaster between its McKinley Avenue-Addison Street neighbors and city staff. -more-
Two weeks after the Cal men’s basketball program decided to issue walk-on forward Ryan Forehan-Kelly a scholarship, the women’s squad rewarded one of its own, granting sophomore guard Janet Franey a full scholarship for the 2000-2001 season on Tuesday. -more-
A hot dog stand on Milvia Street between Addison and Center streets was robbed Monday afternoon by a man who threatened its longtime owner. -more-
Three veteran members of the Berkeley Police Department, who collectively have worked for the department for nearly 100 years, are retiring from the force. -more-
The members of an ad hoc budget advisory committee believe the Berkeley Unified School District should establish a standing group to provide community input on financial issues facing the district. -more-
Chancellor Robert M. Berdahl announced two appointments Tuesday to senior leadership positions at UC Berkeley. -more-
A man walking on Sixth Street near Cedar Street at 4:20 a.m. Monday was accosted and robbed by a man on a bike whose name, the victim says, is Leo. -more-
Stage Door Conservatory, a musical theater day camp with three unique programs for kids and teens, will run June 19-August 11 at the Epworth United Methodist Church. -more-
