The Milo Foundation returned to the Zoning Adjustments Board on Thursday with a set of proposed use permit conditions for approval which included: a maximum number of four dogs overnight, no boarding or kennel use and changes in its driveway usage. -more-

A steady stream of latte drinkers and Internet users moved in and out of the Royal Ground Café on Shattuck Avenue and Channing Way last week, creating a backdrop hum for a lunch-hour interview with Raudel Wilson, the District 4 City Council candidate, challenging 14-year incumbent Councilmember Dona Spring. -more-

With incumbent Councilmember Dona Spring raising $13,000 and challenger Raudel Wilson raising just under $12,000 as of Sept. 30, the District 4 candidates have more modest and more equal campaign war chests than candidates in the Districts 7 and 8 races, where funds raised by challenger George Beier mount to $44,000 and funds raised by Councilmember George Wozniak are at $34,000. Their challengers Kriss Worthington and Jason Overman, according to the Oct. 5 reporting, raised about $19,00 and $14,000 respectively. -more-

State officials have ordered UC Regents and two chemical manufacturing multinationals to clean up toxic wastes at UC Berkeley’s Richmond Field Station (RFS). -more-

Just how much radiation is there in southern Richmond, and how dangerous is it to residents and folks who work there? -more-

What is the definition of a “test”? -more-

While condo conversions and the Landmarks Preservation Ordinance represent the bread and butter issues of municipal politics, Berkeley voters will also get to weigh in on matters of national and global significance when they cast votes on two ballot measures. -more-

6:45 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17: -more-

UC Berkeley officials have issued a call for a consultant to lead the process that could end with major changes for the most hotly contested piece of real estate in Berkeley history, People’s Park. -more-

A five-person panel will present their views Wednesday night about the role of social services, homelessness and new housing in a new plan for downtown Berkeley. -more-

The question of how to deal with out-of-district students in the Berkeley public schools has become a major issue for school board candidates in this election. -more-

Butter knife bandits -more-

Fourteen former El Cerrito mayors have endorsed me, since I will bring fresh ideas to the city council and I understand to prioritize how we spend our city’s limited funds. -more-

My name is Janet Abelson. I’m the mayor of El Cerrito and I appreciate this opportunity to tell you about my background, my accomplishments on the El Cerrito City Council and my plans for the future. -more-

I was elected to the City Council in El Cerrito in 2002 and I’m now running for my second term. I have been serving my community for 10 years, first as a member of the Redevelopment Advisory Committee, than as a Planning Commissioner, and for four years on the City Council. I proudly served as Mayor in 2004-2005, representing our City on the West County Mayors and Supervisors board; on the Contra Costa Conference of Mayors; and on regional boards, such as the Association of Bay Area Governments. I also have extensive experience volunteering in our public schools. I have lived in El Cerrito with my husband—Phil Martien— raising our two daughters who have attended Madera Elementary, Portola Middle School and El Cerrito High School. I served on school site councils at Madera and Portola and currently represent El Cerrito on the West Contra Costa Unified School District Citizen Bond Oversight Committee. -more-

I, Andrew W. Ting, have lived in El Cerrito since 1987. I graduated from El Cerrito High in 1991. I earned my bachelor degrees in Music and Economics from U.C. Berkeley in 1995. Go Bears!!! From 1995–1997, I went to University of Minnesota to pursue my masters of music with an emphasis in Orchestral Conducting. After coming back to El Cerrito, I realized that my passion has always been in education. I began teaching in the public schools under West Contra Unified School District in 2000 while attending California State University, Hayward to obtain my teaching credential. -more-

IN SUPPORT OF MAYOR BATES -more-

Over the summer I read What’s the Matter with Kansas? by Thomas Frank. Kansas voters regularly vote to humiliate and destroy their state, enriching and empowering the privileged class, and weakening and impoverishing regular folk. We Berkeleyans are too smart to fall into that trap. Or are we? -more-

Lately there has been much discussion about how to help the Berkeley public schools thrive. -more-

The administration is in denial. The “dumb” growth advocates are into defeatism: “... nothing we do in Berkeley’s land use will have any noticeable impact on climate change.” (Sharon Hudson, Daily Planet, Aug. 8). It is an easy type of excuse that is too sweeping in its scope. Why protest the war, when nothing you personally can do will stop it? Why not cheat on your taxes? Lots of people do it and your taxes are probably insignificant in the total budget. -more-

Since the war on drugs began some $47 billion a year is reserved from federal, state, and local treasuries to combat the so-called menace that encompasses the trafficking, sales, and use of drugs directly affecting the citizens of the United States of America. This obviously reflects the government’s view on the subject of drug abuse and related activities as very grave indeed. It is apparently serious enough to lawmakers who deem it necessary to spend that insane amount of tax money, and commit entire agencies of human resources annually in an attempt to try and bring the problem to a halt. The trouble is that through all the searches and seizures, television campaign ads, and mandatory minimum sentencing there is no end in sight and it seems to have fueled a kind of evolution in the world of mind altering substances. -more-

Paris: We invite our French friend to visit us and he says, “I’m afraid to go to America.” It’s a common response: the French are curious about the United States, understand it’s a beautiful, complicated country, but are nervous about visiting. Of course, since 9/11, it’s a lot harder to get a visa. But underneath the security-related paperwork looms a more ominous reality: America is no longer seen as a welcoming place. It’s viewed as unpredictable. Savage. -more-

It will surprise no one, I’m sure, that the unofficial tree maven of the Berkeley Daily Planet is coming out against the clearcutting of a grove of senior live oaks in the city to make way for the construction of a yet another new University Sportspalast. I’ll even add that quite a few of the trees slated for destruction look sturdy enough to sit in. Oaks tend to be trustworthy to bear the weight of a human being. -more-