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This map shows that most of the area proposed for re-zoning from single family to multiple housing falls within the limited area where people of color were allowed to buy homes during Berkeley's "red-lining" period of racial segregation in housing, which was primarily enforced by real estate sales practices.  Most of the areas where people of color were NOT allowed to live would be excluded from this proposal because they are in fire zones.
This map shows that most of the area proposed for re-zoning from single family to multiple housing falls within the limited area where people of color were allowed to buy homes during Berkeley's "red-lining" period of racial segregation in housing, which was primarily enforced by real estate sales practices. Most of the areas where people of color were NOT allowed to live would be excluded from this proposal because they are in fire zones.
 

Opinion

Editorials

Updated: The First Shoe Drops

Becky O'Malley
Sunday March 24, 2019 - 01:29:00 PM

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?
Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you…

At noon on Sunday, the eyes of many in this beleaguered nation were turned toward Washington, hoping that their hero would hit it out of the park with his expected report on the transgressions of Trump. Or perhaps Robert Mueller should be compared not to Joltin’ Joe but to a Greek hero, Hercules, whose seven labors looked a lot like the tasks allotted to Mueller.

Two of Mueller's jobs in particular were Herculean, comparable to cleaning the Augean Stables. In his short time in office, the Resident has produced more than enough—manure to keep the special counsel busy shoveling for two more years. But it looks like the effluent instead has been divvied up among several federal and state prosecutorial teams, which might be even better.

The Trump gang looks a lot like the Hydra, the many-headed monster that Hercules slayed in another of the seven labors. Let’s see, which heads have been cut off already? Manafort, Cohen, Gates, Flynn,Stone…the list is long and could be growing. Has the Mueller investigation found all of them, or will prosecutors in New York and Virginia come up with more?

But Mueller has disappointed those who expected that he would provide the solutions to everything that’s wrong with this country.

Jolting Joe has left and gone away…

The enormous expectations many of us had for this investigation resemble the hopes some had for Bernie Sanders in 2016 and continue to nurse for 2020. It’s not surprising that some Americans are still looking for a grandfather figure to step in and make everything all right. Both Mueller and Sanders are stern, serious Old White Guys, models of stability and rectitude, even though one is a life-long Republican and the other is a Socialist. But it’s not that simple. Grandpa to the Rescue hasn’t worked.

At the moment, the best hope for saving the world will instead be in the hands of grandmothers, Nancy Pelosi and Elizabeth Warren. The best script would have the House of Representatives taking up the shovel and uncovering even more dirt about the mess in Washington, but stopping just short of impeachment, which would only set up an unwinnable contest in the Republican Senate. A well-documented and publicized congressional exposé will make it easier for a strong woman to wield a new broom as a presidential candidate who promises to clean up the deep corruption which has been well-documented in the spin-off from the Special Counsel’s investigation.

And what are we to make of the Barr letter about the Mueller report? 

Spin. A press release purporting to be a summary, but actually a canny selection of the facts that fit, and no more. Hey, I’ve written advertising copy in my day, and it can always be the truth, just not the whole truth.

Congress can get the rest of the story, if they’re willing. 

 

 

 


Public Comment

What Berkeley Needs to Know about Proposed "Missing Middle" Re-Zoning

Councilmembers Kate Harrison and Sophie Hahn, Mayor Jesse Arreguin
Friday March 22, 2019 - 11:39:00 AM
This map shows that most of the area proposed for re-zoning from single family to multiple housing falls within the limited area where people of color were allowed to buy homes during Berkeley's "red-lining" period of racial segregation in housing, which was primarily enforced by real estate sales practices.  Most of the areas where people of color were NOT allowed to live would be excluded from this proposal because they are in fire zones.
This map shows that most of the area proposed for re-zoning from single family to multiple housing falls within the limited area where people of color were allowed to buy homes during Berkeley's "red-lining" period of racial segregation in housing, which was primarily enforced by real estate sales practices. Most of the areas where people of color were NOT allowed to live would be excluded from this proposal because they are in fire zones.

Proposed revisions to the Missing Middle report to be considered at the Berkeley City Council meeting on March 26, 2019

In the report on Missing Middle housing, we ask that the City Manager consider 1) the process by which other cities considered these type of changes and 2) for those that moved forward, how these changes were effectuated. Cities such as Houston, Chicago, Portland, and Minneapolis, among others, have undergone this process in a variety of ways and to varying degrees of success. Berkeley should learn from these cities to guarantee that any Missing Middle housing is built with equity as a key consideration.

The report warrants further examination of how fire impacts our zoning needs. Ingress and egress are critical issues citywide as fire has the potential to spread throughout the City extremely quickly in Berkeley,[1] especially as climate change makes fires stronger and faster. We ask that the report look at how other cities incorporated these concerns and disaster preparedness in all areas of their cities.

No zoning changes should exacerbate gentrification or displacement; it is especially important that the effects of past redlining not be compounded. Automatically excluding all high-fire zones will result in eliminating 70% of the R-1 and R-1A zoning[2] that could be considered for upzoning and result in increased pressure on the areas of the historic redline and in low-income areas. Much of the proposed rezoning aligns with the historic redline; if not done carefully, rezoning can lead to displacement through demolished housing stock and rising rents. San Francisco has recognized that it is losing affordable housing more quickly than it is constructing it. Berkeley is in an affordable housing crisis and must retain the affordable housing we already have. 

When considering changes to the zoning code, we must also consider the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act’s[3] exemption of new units from rent control. Even if current tenants guaranteed a first right to lease at prior rents, these units will lose affordability over time. Existing tenants are likely to leave during the construction period with new tenants facing exorbitant market-rate rental prices. For example, in Chicago,[4] the particular lots that were upzoned experienced increases in housing prices and early indications are that no net new housing was produced.[5] Much of the particular lots that were affected in Chicago and would be impacted here are in historically black and brown neighborhoods. 

We are also facing a crisis in homeownership. As Councilmember Bartlett examines in his Open Doors Initiative, Berkeley's stock of starter homes is dwindling every year. Missing Middle housing is well-suited for these starter homes, provided that there is sufficient assurance that the housing will be owner-occupied. We ask that the study examine how home ownership rates changed upon implementing Missing Middle in other cities, and whether Berkeley can provide loan or other assistance to guarantee that families are able to own new housing. 

Recommendation:  

Refer to the City Manager to bring back toprepare a report to the Council a report of examining methods that may foster a broader range of housing types across Berkeley, particularly missing middle housing types (duplexes, triplexes/fourplexes, courtyard apartments, bungalow courts, townhouses, etc.), in areas with access to essential components of livability like parks, schools, employment, transit, and other services. The report should examine how other cities that have prepared for and implemented these changes particularly Minneapolis, Chicago, and Portland, did so including mitigating potential side effects, particularly on displacement and increases in rental prices in the surrounding area and providing assistance to first time homebuyers so that the benefits of the additional housing are equitably distributed. 

The rReport should include, but is not limited to, examining how other cities approached and recommending alternatives to:to: 

  • Identifying where Missing Middle housing is optimal/should could be permitted and the increase in density.
  • Allowing the possibility of existing houses/footprints/zoning envelopes to be divided into up to 4 units, potentially scaling the floor area ratio (FAR) to increase as the number of units increase on site, creating programs such that homes that are more affordable, saving and lightly modifying an older structure as part of internally dividing it into more than one unit.
  • Excluding very high fire severity zones as defined by the Cal Fire and/or City of Berkeley. Incorporating unique geological features, such as hillsides and high fire severity zones, and considering fire and disaster preparedness service needs.
  • Considering form-based zoning as a potential strategy.
  • Creating incentives to maintain family-friendly housing stock while adding more diversity and range of smaller units.
  • Creating incentives for building more than one unit on larger than average lots.
  • Evaluating whether changes would place particular pressure on neighborhoods with historic redlining (see attached PowerPoint); provide suggestions to protect existing housing stock, provide for tenant protections, demolition controls and, no net loss provisions and increase affordability.
  • Considering provisions that align with our land value recapture policy objectives to maximize affordability in Berkeley.
  • Evaluating methods for promoting first time home ownership of these units.
  • Incorporating design elements, including green features, and impacts on historic preservation.
  • Examining how different cities effectuated these changes (e.g., changes to their General Plan, zoning changes, etc.)
  • Evaluating the public process used in the course of considering these changes.

[2] The fire zones make up approximately 50% of the square mileage of all R1, R1-A, and R2 zoned areas.
[5] “Upzoning Chicago: Impacts of a Zoning Reform on Property Values and Housing Construction”, Yonah Freemark, Urban Affairs Review, 2019. Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachussets Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.  

 

 

 

 

 

 


Will SB 50 Wipe Out Your Neighborhood?

Forwarded by Zelda Bronstein
Saturday March 23, 2019 - 05:28:00 PM

SB 50 is an unprecedented law that will destroy thousands of homes & apartments to build luxury housing up to 8 stories high. Are YOU in the SB 50 Demolition Derby?

SEARCH & SHARE this SB 50 Map.


No Room at the Inn.

JP Massar
Thursday March 21, 2019 - 12:17:00 PM

Attention Berkeley residents: Do you have one of those signs that says:

"No matter where you're from, we're glad you're our neighbor." ? or "We Believe... No Human is Illegal..." ?
I'm sorry but your sign is no longer operative: you're going to have to change it to:

"No matter where you're from**, we're glad you're our neighbor.""We Believe... No Human is Illegal**..."

** Unless you are a resident of Berkeley living in your car, a camper van or RV.
On Thursday, February 28th, 2019, the Berkeley City Council voted 6-3 to pass the first reading of one of the most inhumane ordinances it has ever taken up. It voted to condemn those residents of Berkeley who are homeless but in possession of an RV or car for their shelter and transportation needs to either banishment or sleeping in doorways. They did this by banning RVs from parking on city streets in the wee hours of the morning, from 2:00 AM to 5:00 AM (and yes, that includes YOUR RV if you happen to own one, are otherwise housed, and park it on the street). 

In other words, when faced with a homeless crisis, after professing to want to do everything possible to alleviate said crisis, and after declaring recurring shelter emergencies, the City Council voted to make homelessness an even more extreme problem in Berkeley than it is already.

This action was driven by complaints from housed residents and business owners in West Berkeley. But instead of considering reasonable regulations to limit the number or density of RVs in any one location, to provide assistance to those surviving in RVs by providing dumping facilities, and/or treating those forced to live in RVs, including children, as human beings -- as almost the entire public requested before the vote, even those insisting that 'something has to be done' -- the Council chose a draconian response. No public speaker, including those most affected by the aggregation of RVs in West Oakland, spoke in favor of outright banishment, and yet the Council could barely contain itself in its eagerness to enact legislation that no one in the community apparently advocated for nor apparently wanted.

Not only is this vote by the Berkeley City Council cruel, but the ordinance, or parts of it, and existing law that prohibits living in vehicles, may be against the law.

In June of 2014, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a ban on living in vehicles as unconstitutionally vague and an invitation to discriminate against the poor.
(C.f. https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-homeless-vehicles-20140620-story.html ).

In August, 2018, in Bloom v San Diego, a federal judge blocked San Diego from enforcing municipal code outlawing living in vehicles because "the ordinance is both vague on its face and is being arbitrarily enforced." (C.f. https://www.courthousenews.com/judge-blocks-san-diego-rv-parking-restriction/ )

In September, 2018, in Martin v Boise, the Ninth Circuit ruled that it was unconstitutional to outlaw people's needs as human beings in public spaces (e.g. the necessity for sleep) if a City could not provide a place for them to go.
(C.f. https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2018/09/04/15-35845.pdf )

"We consider whether the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment bars a city from prosecuting people criminally for sleeping outside on public property when those people have no home or other shelter to go to. We conclude that it does."

The City of Berkeley has continued to refuse to designate any place for Berkeley resident RV dwellers to live, the City has evicted them from their previous residences at the Marina, and its shelters are full. Outlawing their residences (their RVs) and condemning them to effective banishment or unsheltered street survival arguably falls under a similar rubric.

Regardless of the legal and constitutional, Berkeley is engaging in the unethical and immoral. We profess our support and willingness to provide sanctuary for those from foreign lands, yet we refuse to humanely deal with those of us within our City's borders on the brink of losing all they have. It's time for the Council (and each of us) to look a little more carefully into the mirror, to reconsider what we are doing, and, on March 26th, for the Council to refuse to enact this ordinance into law.


US Denies Visas to ICC Judges

Jagjit Singh
Saturday March 23, 2019 - 05:48:00 PM

Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, recently announced that the U.S. will start denying visas to members of the ICC who may be investigating alleged war crimes by the U.S. military in Afghanistan. War hawk, John Bolton went further threatening U.S. sanctions against the judges. The ICC has accused the U.S. military of brutally torturing at least 61 prisoners in Afghanistan during the ongoing war, The report also leveled charges against the CIA accusing the agency of torture and rape in Afghanistan, and black sites in Poland, Romania, and Lithuania. 

The visa restrictions were also issued to deter ICC efforts on investigating Israeli war crimes. Members of the court, particularly European countries, have strongly condemned the Trump administration’s actions. Crimes committed by the US military and the CIA have been well documented by US officials in the “torture memo” which successive US administrations have refused to make public. As further evidence of our increasing disdain for basic human rights, the current administration has withdrawn from the United Nations Human Rights Council and has ignored 20 requests by special rapporteurs of the United Nations. In essence, the US is saying “No one has a right to judge what we do abroad.” This has established a dangerous precedent for other nations guilty of similar violations. Threatening ICC judges from doing their jobs makes a complete mockery of our claim to be a moral authority to the rest of the world. For more go to, http://callforsocialjustice.blogspot.com/


Columns

THE PUBLIC EYE:Managing Traumatic Trump Disorder

Bob Burnett
Friday March 22, 2019 - 05:15:00 PM

Just when it appears that Donald Trump's behavior cannot get any worse, it plunges to a new low. The week of March 11 brought a fresh batch of Trump outrage. For those of us suffering from Traumatic Trump Disorder, it's time to take new action to protect our mental health.

Most of us have had the experience of being in an abusive relationship. For example, a persistent problem with a toxic family member; or a romantic relationship that turns sour; or a sadistic boss or teacher. An abusive relationship weights on us, bring us down; it can produce depression, anxiety, a general feeling of powerlessness, irritability, as well as physical symptoms, such as insomnia. That's what's happening for those of us who are not Trump acolytes (roughly 57 percent of the electorate). We can't avoid Trump's malignancy; his abusive behavior is in our faces day after day, causing the political equivalent of PTSD -- Traumatic Trump Disorder. 

The week of May 11 began with the news of the second crash of a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft; subsequent investigation revealed the culpability of the Trump Administration -- Trump had cut corners for Boeing. Next the White House revealed their 2020 budget, which included massive cuts to Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid. On Wednesday, Breitbart News Network published an interview with Donald, where he growled, "I can tell you I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers for Trump – I have the tough people, but they don’t play it tough — until they go to a certain point, and then it would be very bad, very bad." Friday brought news of a terrible shooting spree at New Zealand mosques; even thought the shooter shooter was a self-identified white supremacist, Trump minimized the role of the white supremacy movement in the surge of racial/religious violence. Finally, Trump spent the weekend in the White House, tweeting his frustration with the Mueller investigation, Fox News, Saturday Night Live, Joe Biden, and John McCain, among others. 

Trump has become a daily nightmare. The combination of the Mueller investigation coupled with a new set of Congressional investigations led by House Democrats, has increased pressure on Trump and he's responding with increasingly bizarre behavior. Until Donald leaves the White House, he's going to be omnipresent on all the news outlets. 

Trump is crazy. The most "followed" politician on social media, he's decompensating in plain site. In the process, he's infecting all Americans. Those who support Trump (39 percent) have developed a unique response; they've become moral relativists who say, "Trump doesn't tell the truth and I can't stand his tweets, but I support him because...." The rest of us are continuously bombarded with his malevolence, struggling to hold onto our sanity and our values. 

What can be done to manage Traumatic Trump Disorder? Five suggestions: 

Admit there is a problem: If you are in a relationship with a romantic partner that turns toxic, an important first step is to admit that it has failed. Often this involves recognition that you must make your own health a priority and that you cannot "fix" the other person. 

If you are gaining weight or losing sleep or find yourself being irritable all the time, perhaps this is due to the background drone of Trump's malfeasance. Obviously, you are not going to "fix" Trump. Admit you're afflicted with Traumatic Trump Disorder. 

Develop a plan of action: While an important first step is to acknowledge the problem, this must be followed by constructive action. This could take many forms: joining a therapy group, taking time to meditate, embarking on a new exercise regime, or joining a resistance group such as Indivisible. What's common with all these alternatives is that you make your personal health a priority. (And resolve that you will not let Donald Trump bully you into passive submission.) 

Practice self affirmation: One of the most important steps, when moving out of an abusive relationship, is to give yourself a daily pep talk, tell yourself that you can do this -- you can make the changes necessary to manage your Trump Traumatic Disorder. 

If you've ever had the experience of adopting a regimen to lose weight, you will be familiar with this process. Each day you go through the weight-loss regimen -- such not eating dessert or refusing second helpings. At a regular time each day, you weigh yourself. And as you see the pounds slip away, you acknowledge your progress. 

As you deal with Traumatic Trump Disorder, remind yourself that you regaining your health to save yourself and the country. 

Set limits: An essential step in dealing with an abuser is setting limits. For example, saying to an abusive relative, "I will not allow you to yell at me and call me names." (Or, "I will not allow you to physically threaten me.") One of the problems with Trump supporters is that they are not able to set limits; from a moral perspective it makes no sense for them to say, "I don't trust him or like his behavior but I think he's doing a good job." 

How do we set limits with Donald Trump? By denying him air time. 

Cut back on your use of social media. Restrict watching TV news or political talk shows. (Avoid Trump press conferences or speeches.) Donald's a pertinacious abuser. The most effective way to deal with him is to not directly engage with his behavior. (There's another positive side affect of restricting your use of social media: it reduces the amount of vitriol circulating in the public space -- which, over time, will lower the level of rancor.) 

Develop a support system: It's easier to deal with Traumatic Trump Disorder with the support of friends. It's therapeutic to be part of a group that registers new voters. Or that sings patriotic songs such as , "This land is your land." Or that works to raise funds for a new community center. 

A key element of Trump's insanity is his insistence: "You're on your own and only I can save you." Reject this assertion. Replace it with the mantra: "The people united will never be divided." 

Resist. Reclaim your mental health. And save democracy. 


Bob Burnett is a Berkeley writer and activist. He can be reached at bburnett@sonic.net 


ECLECTIC RANT: On the New Zealand killings

Ralph E. Stone
Saturday March 23, 2019 - 05:49:00 PM

Editor's Note: We are following the example of Al Jazeera in no longer printing the names of mass murderers. 


On March 15, 2019, B***** T*******, an Australian, attacked two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 50 and wounding several others. He posted links on Facebook that connected to a live video of the massacre from a camera mounted on his body. The video showed unspeakable slaughter as a gunman moved through the houses of worship, saying nothing, shooting as many people as he could.  

He also left behind a 74-page “manifesto" declaring himself a “ racist” and “ethno-nationalist eco-fascist" and various diatribes against immigrants, Muslims, Jews and religious converts. He wanted to defend “our lands” from “invaders,” to reduce immigration rates” and to deepen division and start a civil war in the United States. Calling immigrants invaders is right out of Trump’s playbook. 

T****** further stated in his “manifesto” that he was inspired by mass murderer A*** B*****, who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011. He also mentions Finsbury Park terrorist D**** O*****, and then goes on to rail against mass immigration and said he views Donald Trump a “symbol of renewed white identity.” Think about that for a moment — Tarrant links Trump with two mass murderers. 

President Trump expressed sympathy for the victims, but played down the threat of white nationalism across the world, saying he didn’t consider it a rising threat despite data suggesting otherwise. Yet, Trump keeps encouraging both violence and white nationalism, and white-nationalist violence is rising. David Leonhardt of The New York Times put it nicely, “While Trump doesn’t deserve blame for any specific attack; he does deserve blame for using the world’s biggest bully pulpit to corrode our democracy and public safety.”


ON MENTAL ILLNESS: The Value of Therapy

Jack Bragen
Saturday March 23, 2019 - 10:35:00 PM

Medication is presumed to be a non-negotiable necessity for people with schizophrenia. The disease is considered biologically-based. Medication, much of the time, treats the worst of the symptoms by introducing a new abnormality to counter the devastating abnormality created by the illness. People with schizophrenia are thought to have excessive dopamine in an area of the brain, and this is believed to cause improper gating of thoughts. 

The medication lowers dopamine in all parts of the brain, and this includes the malfunctioning area, causing the gating area to function closer to "normal." The problem is that a patient is left with a slowed central nervous system, making it much harder to function to do a very wide variety of tasks, many of which most non-afflicted people take for granted, and assume anyone can do. 

When we have this slowed functioning, it is harder to defend oneself against verbal and psychological manipulation or other forces of assault. This is where we are vulnerable to those therapists who are therapeutically assaultive. This happens. 

Not to knock treatment professionals--they have good purposes. However, there are a few bad apples, who seem to get something out of wreaking havoc to the "code" within our minds that might otherwise allow us to function in life. 

Therapy has purposes. One of them is to facilitate relief from the pain that is often inherent in living with mental illness. Therapists often provide supportiveness. This includes pointing it out when we've done something right. This is helpful since it can generate positive emotions. 

Positive emotions and positive thinking allow success at tasks and enterprises on which we embark. Instilling "positivity" is potentially very helpful. 

However, some therapists focus too much on what is apparently going wrong. This is based on the idea that a mental health consumer is like a broken machine and must always be fixed. This is where the consumer is not perceived as an actual person, Instead, they are the material on which it is the therapist's job to perform work. 

Focusing on the negative, including in an attempt at helping, causes the patient's mind to create and dwell in more negativity. If the mind is filled with thoughts of what is supposedly wrong, it is bad content that results in a bad mood and ineffectiveness. Secondly, therapists might pick apart the thought processes of the consumer, by means of questions and sub-questions. I consider this to be a psychological form of vivisection. 

Psychological vivisection exists. And it can trigger an angry response. When it does, the therapist will analyze "What specifically makes you feel that way?" A good response to this, that you can rehearse is "Your dumb questions." Then, the therapist will probably ask either "Which question bothers you?" or, they will ask, "What about the questions makes you angry?" and then, they will ask, "What in your past leads you to be upset about this?" When they ask this, you can simply answer with, "I simply dislike being picked apart and I wish you would stop doing that." Then, they will ask, "What do you want to have happen in therapy?" or, "What do you want to get from therapy?" 

The modus operandi of these therapists is to take and maintain control of the conversation through a pre-prepared set of rehearsed questions. 

It is up to you. I believe that what I'm calling psychological vivisection really exists, and I believe it is abusive. It is a common practice for less experienced therapists, and it is done because they haven't figured out yet how to be a supportive therapist. Perhaps they are too young or perhaps they just lack enough expertise. 

Being medicated often causes the consumer to be more vulnerable verbally. It is easy for most therapists to lead the conversation to go where they want when dealing with a medicated person. This holds true even when a session begins with a therapist not saying anything. 

Many therapists continue to utilize what I consider outmoded systems. The assumption is often that something went wrong in a person's past, and that is what brought them into a position of receiving therapy. And while this could be true for many people, I question the usefulness of continually rehashing one's past.  

I've observed that therapists have methods of muddying a person's anger. In some instances, this is achieved along with, and by means of, invalidation. The questioning that therapists do, and the assertions that they make (e.g. this is your symptoms, it's not real) have a way of psychologically castrating a person. Of course, the therapist can defend this and protest that they aren't doing this. Then, the focus is back on the consumer, and on what made him or her have this "erroneous" perception. 

Those therapists who want to really help someone, and are able to do this, are a good find. And it is good to give mental health professionals the benefit of the doubt, and to presume, unless they repeatedly show otherwise, that they are trying to help. 

When accused or otherwise pressed, it is human nature to defend oneself. Thus, therapists could sometimes mistakenly resort to their tools of analysis in an attempt at obtaining refuge, if a consumer is hostile or accusatory towards the therapist. 

I've interacted with and observed people who are molded by the mental health treatment system. Some have adopted infantile ways of functioning and some completely believe in their own helplessness. 

Therapy, at its best, is a way of releasing old and unnecessary pain, and it is a way for us to feel that we are not alone in our struggle. Bad therapy, at its worst, reinforces helplessness, and it is a hindrance to success. 

 

 


Arts & Events

The Cardboard Turntable and the Memorial Toilet

Carol Denney
Friday March 22, 2019 - 05:19:00 PM
Artist and poet Gary Turchin, "Two Gloves and Trumpets"
Marcia Poole
Artist and poet Gary Turchin, "Two Gloves and Trumpets"
Artist and poet Carol Denney, "Memorial Toilet"
Carol Denney
Artist and poet Carol Denney, "Memorial Toilet"
 Artist and teacher Krystal McKinney
Carol Denney
Artist and teacher Krystal McKinney
Artist and printmaker Joanna Ruckman
Marcia Poole
Artist and printmaker Joanna Ruckman

Don't miss the cardboard turntable[1], the robot that speaks, or the Memorial Toilet[2] surrounded by flowers, candles, and remembrance cards. Don't miss the ethereal watercolors by one of Berkeley's most articulate advocates for more humane housing policy[3], the playful retrieved metal sculptures[4], or the subtle printed sheets almost obscured by garden leaves[5]

"Creativity Unhoused" is an Expressions Gallery exhibition in which artists, activists, and poets both with and without housing worked together to create a show full of humor, audacity, creativity, and sheer beauty using an outrageously wide spectrum of media, including film, weaving, shattered glass, monoprints on sheets, ultra-chrome prints, photography, lithography, scrap wire and stones, river rocks, and bathroom fixtures.  

Artists Rinna Flohr and Marcia Poole organized for months with an informal collective of artists and Berkeley residents to create this show. They collaborated with First They Came for the Homeless to provide access to materials and assistance in the presentation and submissions. The organizing group shared an interest in how the alchemy of mixing housed and unhoused artists might manifest in an exhibition about human survival and hardship, the camaraderie and humor built between people on the streets and neighbors, the inspiration and wild constraints that spring out of retrieved materials, and the brightest, most expressive colors of community building at its best. 

The show grew out of a similar exhibition a few years ago, where Flohr and Poole's efforts helped gallery newcomers get established as community artists. Both artists share a deep interest in reframing first impressions of class differences and eccentricities, and both have extensive backgrounds in creative outreach to marginalized communities. The gallery offers classes, poetry readings, and all the artists assist as docents throughout the show. 

Some of the artists would only agree to submit work on condition of anonymity, which was readily agreed to by both Flohr and Poole so that "Doc", "Mike", and "Anonymous Artist A" could contribute playful sculpture, intensely beautiful jewelry from found materials, and strangely human forms from river rock. Some artists are well-known, such as Doug Minkler, a printmaker who describes himself as making posters "for my own preservation, that is, planetary preservation. My prints are inspired not by rugged individualism, but by the collective humor, defiance and lust for life exhibited by those on the margins." 

But the Creativity Unhoused show is its own explosive, inspiring explanation. Celebrate spring by dropping by Expressions Gallery at 2530 Ashby Avenue, open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5:00 pm, and from Sunday noon to 3:00 pm (and by appointment at 510-644-4930) for an unforgettable sip of something wildly, wonderfully unexpected. 

# # # 



[1] Krystal McKinney 

[2] Carol Denney 

[3] Mike Zint 

[4] Doc 

[5] Suzi Garner 


American Bach Soloists Reprise ST. MATTHEW PASSION

Reviewed by James Roy MacBean
Sunday March 24, 2019 - 09:44:00 PM

Reprising Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, which they last performed locally in 2015, American Bach Soloists presented this monumental work throughout the Bay Area over the weekend of March 22-25. I caught the Saturday evening performance at Berkeley’s First Congregational Church. The cast featured many of the same singers from the 2015 performances. Baritone William Sharp again sang the role of Christ (Christus in German), and both soprano Hélène Brunet and mezzo-soprano Agnes Vojtko repeated their roles from 2015. Once again, the orchestral forces were divided into two groups, as were the choruses, thereby highlighting the many antiphonal passages in Bach’s score.  

Where the score is concerned, ABS’s Music Director Jeffrey Thomas uses the relatively spare orchestration Bach himself would have used rather than the large-scale orchestration Felix Mendelssohn employed when he revived the long-forgotten St. Matthew Passion in Leipzig in 1829. Likewise, American Bach Soloists perform on period instruments, thus approximating as best as possible the sonorities of Bach’s era. Further, the American Bach Choir sings the large chorales that, in Bach’s time, were sung by the church congregation, who knew these set pieces by heart. 

The St. Matthew Passion begins with a brief instrumental introduction, then launches an antiphonal call-and-response between the two choruses. “Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen”/”Come, you daughters, help me lament,” sings Chorus I. “Sehet,”/”See” they add. “Wen?”/”Whom,” replies Chorus II. “den Bräutigam,”/”the bridegroom,” sings Chorus I. Here Bach’s text suggests the notion that Christ is the bridegroom of the worshipful Christian congregation. Yet these opening lines are addressed to unbelievers, the daughters of Zion, that is to say, the Old Testament Jews. So there is here both a forward and a backward glance, with the backward glance suggesting the union of the Old and New Testaments, so that Old Testament Jews, if the follow the teachings of Christ, can become the Christians of the New Testament.  

Just as The Gospel According to Matthew is narrated from Matthew’s viewpoint, so too is Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. For these ABS performances, British tenor Guy Cutting sang the role of the Evangelista. Cutting’s high tenor sounded almost like a countertenor, with the result that although he sang with great clarity, his voice did not always project strongly. This, however, is only a minor reservation, for in most respects Guy Cutting was superb as the Evangelista. Bach gave to the person of Christ a specific identity who speaks (or sings) in his own voice, and Bach underscored the sacred aspect of Christ and his utterances by accompanying Christ’s words with a “halo” in the strings. Baritone William Sharp sang grandly as Christus, though I seem to remember his voice as being stronger when he sang this role back in 2015.  

As in 2015, the vocal highlights were provided by Hungarian-born mezzo-soprano Agnes Vojtko. Her voice has a lilting quality that is sumptuous indeed. The aria “Erbarme dich,”/”Have mercy, Lord” as sung by Agnes Vojtko is a thing of utmost beauty! To my mind, it is the supreme highlight of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion.  

Almost as beautiful was Agnes Vojtko’s early recitative “Du lieber Heiland du”/”you dear Savior,” followed by the aria, “Buß und Reu”/”Penance and remorse.” With an accompaniment of two flutes, superbly performed here by Sandra Miller and Janet See, this offered yet another highlight. Likewise, the concluding recitative and aria as sung here by Agnes Vojtko, make a resoundingly beautiful ending to the work as a whole. 

Soprano Hélène Brunet also had some gorgeous moments, as in her first aria, “Ich will dir mein Herze schenken’?”I want to give you my heart.” This vocal part features accompaniment by two oboes da caccia, ably performed here by Stephen Hammer and Meg Owens. Also beautiful was the duet between Hélène Brunet and Agnes Vojtko plus chorus, “So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen”/”Now my Jesus has been taken,” accompanied by two flutes, two oboes, and two violins. Baritone Jesse Blumberg was excellent as Pontius Pilate; and baritone Constantine Novotny ably sang several small parts. Tenor Steven Brennfleck was convincing as Petrus, and soprano Kathleen Aungst had at least one lovely solo aria, “Blut nur, du liebes Herz!”/”Bleed, oh dear heart!” Countertenor Nicholas Burns also had at least one gorgeous aria, “Erbarm es Gott!”/”Have mercy, God!”; and tenor Mathew Hill shone in the aria, “Geduld!”/”Patience!” Violoncellist William Skeen had a lovely solo accompanying an aria near the close of this St. Matthew Passion. Violinists Elizabeth Blumenstock and Tatiana Chulochnikova of Orchestra I and violinists Tekla Cunningham and Jude Ziliak of Orchestra II were excellent throughout. Conductor Jeffrey Thomas led his forces with his usual sure hand.


The Berkeley Activist's Calendar

Kelly Hammargren, Sustainable Berkeley Coalition
Saturday March 23, 2019 - 05:23:00 PM

Sunday, March 24, 2019

No City meetings found – City Sponsored John Lee Invitation Co-Rec Softball Tournament

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/CalendarEventMain.aspx?calendarEventID=15733

Monday, March 25, 2019

City Council Policy Committee Health, Life Enrichment, Equity and Community, 10 am, at 2180 Milvia, Redwood Room, Agenda: 3. Brown act, 5. Ban Racial Discrimination on the Basis of Hairstyle

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/Policy_Committee__Health,_Life_Enrichment,_Equity___Community.aspx

Ad Hoc subcommittee on Paid Family Leave, 1 pm, at 2180 Milvia, Cypress Room, Agenda: C. Paid Family Leave Proposal

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/paidfamilyleavesubcommittee/

Housing Advisory Commission – Housing Trust Fund Subcommittee, 5:15 pm at 2939 Ellis St, South Berkeley Senior Center, Agenda: 4. Operating Funds for Community Housing Development Organization

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Housing_Advisory_Commission/

Landmarks Preservation Commission - Subcommittee, 3 – 4 pm at 1200 Euclid, Berkeley Rose Garden, Scott Ferris discusses newest design for Rose Garden and pending ADA accessibility improvements

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/landmarkspreservationcommission/ 

Mental Health Commission – Accountability Subcommittee, 4 – 5 pm at 2180 Milvia, Cypress Room, Agenda: 2. Annual review subcommittee’s work 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Mental_Health_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Zero Waste Commission, 7 – 9 pm at 1326 Allston Way, Willow Room, City of Berkeley Corporation Yard, Agenda: 6. Staff updates transfer station feasibility study, zero waste strategic plan, SB 1383 Formal Rulemaking Process, N.CA Recycling, 7. Deconstruction final report, 8. Marketability of non-bottle plastics #1-#7, 9. Single Use Foodware and Litter Reduction, 10. Carpet Recycling Promotion for Earth Day 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Zero_Waste_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Tax the Rich Rally with Occupella, 5 – 6 pm, top of Solano in front of closed Oaks Theater, RAIN CANCELS 

Tuesday, March 26, 2019 

Berkeley City Council, at 1231 Addison Street, BUSD Board Room, https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/City_Council__Agenda_Index.aspx 

4 pm, Closed Session, Agenda: Existing Litigation Rudie v. City of Berkeley ACSC No. RG 17 870389, Greenberg v. City of Berkeley ACSC No. 17 858207 

6 pm – 11 pm, Regular Session, Agenda: Consent Calendar: 1. Density Bonus Ordinance, 11. PRC co-sponsorship of NACOLE (National Assoc. for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement Regional Training and Networking event May 3, 2019, Action Calendar: 19. ZAB appeal 1722 Walnut St, 20. Measure T1 Phase 1 project funding gap, 21. RV Parking adopt ordinance prohibiting parking during certain hours, 22. Missing Middle, 23. New General Plan 24. Response: 1000 Person Plan to Address Homelessness, Information Reports 26. Berkeley Economic Dashboards 

Solano Avenue Business Improvement District Advisory Board, 11 am, at 1821 Catalina Ave, Thousand Oaks Baptist Church, Agenda: 3. Street Team Basket watering, tree well maintenance, 4. Banners, 5. 2019 Fall OED Forum, 6. Wine Walk, 7. 2019 Budget 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Solano_BID_Board.aspx 

Wednesday, March 27, 2019 

Disaster and Fire Safety Commission, 7 – 9 pm at 997 Cedar St, Fire Department Training Center, Agenda: 3. Wildfire Evacuation, Emergency alerting and Public Education, 4. Referral Fire safety Standards for Rebuilt Fire damaged Structure, 5. Report from Community-Based Working Group, 6. Hazard Mitigation Plan, BAUASI cutting Alameda Co Funding for Urban Shield 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Disaster_and_Fire_Safety_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Energy Commission, 6:30 – 9 pm at 1947 Center St, Sitka Spruce Conference Room, Agenda: 4. Building decarbonization and gas infrastructure, 5. Natural Gas Ban and Deep Green Reach Code and Building Code Amendment Update, 6. EV Roadmap Update, 7. 2019 Workplan, 8. Future agenda BESO evaluation 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Energy_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Joint Subcommittee for the Implementation of State Housing Laws, 7 – 9 pm at 2180 Milvia, 6th Floor Redwood Room, Agenda: 9. Existing Objective Standard Framework 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Joint_Subcommittee_for_the_Implementation_of_State_Housing_Laws_Homepage.aspx 

Police Review Commission, at 2939 Ellis St, South Berkeley Senior Center, 

5:30 pm, MOU Compendium Subcommittee, Agenda: 4. MOU with other law enforcement agencies 

7 – 10 pm, Commission Meeting, Agenda: 8. 2018 Annual Crime report, 9. Whether “clear and Convincing” standard is appropriate in PRC Boards of Inquiry & whether meet-and-confer is occurring or occurred on this issue, 10. New business, a. Safety for Sex Workers, b. Commendation of BPD personnel 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Police_Review_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Thursday, March 28, 2019 

City Council Budget & Finance Committee, 2 pm at 2180 Milvia, 6th Floor Redwood Room, members Kesarwani, Droste, Davila, Agenda: 2. Biennial Budget Process, 3. Funding Sources Public Works, Parks, Recreation and Waterfront and process for allocating funding, 4. Refer to City Manager Designation election Day as Holiday. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/Policy_Committee__Budget___Finance.aspx 

Civic Arts Commission, 6 – 8 pm at 1901 Russell St, Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch Library, Agenda: Letter to Meyer Sound, Public Art Guidelines, Election Chair, Representatives to Design review, Cultural trust, Cultural Trust executive, request Audit by City Auditor of 1.5% Public Art revenue. Presentation: Mission Statement & Cultural Equity Statement 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/CivicArtsCommissionHomepage/ 

Community Health Commission, 6:30 – 9 pm at 2939 Ellis St. South Berkeley Senior Center, no agenda posted, check before going 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Community_Health_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Housing Advisory Commission – Bi-annual Housing Policy Report Subcommittee, 6 pm at 2000 University, Au Coquelet, Agenda: BMC 19.44.020(B)(10) 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Housing_Advisory_Commission/ 

Mental Health Commission, 7 – 9 pm at 1947 Center St, Multi-purpose Room, Agenda: 3. Lifelong Presentation, 6. Annual Report, 9. Background material supporting Resolution on Police Use of Restraint Device, 11. Public Right to Information about commissioners 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Mental_Health_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Zoning Adjustments Board, 7 – 11:30 pm at 1234 Addison, BUSD Board Room 

2518 Durant – add distilled spirits services – on consent 

3212 Adeline – add distilled spirits services – on consent 

1711 MLK Jr Way – replace 799 sq.ft. non-conforming commercial space with one dwelling, eliminate 2 parking spaces, create 700 sq.ft. usable open space, increase total bedrooms from 15 to 19, wave 1 parking space, staff recommendation - DENY 

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/zoningadjustmentsboard/ 

Friday, March 29, 2019 

No City meetings or events found 

Saturday, March 30, 2019 

No City meetings or events found 

Sunday, March 31, 2019 

No City meetings or events found 

_____________________ 

 

 

City Council April 2 meeting agenda is available for review and comment, Agenda: Consent Calendar: 3. Budget referral year-round opening West Campus Pool5. Opposition to ACSC to Eliminating Settlement Conferences for Unlawful Detainer Cases, 7. Public Outreach and Educational Meetings on Electrification, Action Calendar: 13. Funding Eviction Defense Center and East Bay Community Law Center, 14. New Marina Fee, 15. DEIR Upper Hears and 2020 Long Range Development Plan, 17. Vehicle Dweller Program, 18. a.& b. Safe Lead-Paint Practices 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/2019/04_Apr/City_Council__04-02-2019_-_Regular_Meeting_Agenda.aspx 

 

Public Hearings Scheduled – Land Use Appeals 

1722 Walnut – ninth dwelling - 3-26-2019 

1050 Parker – Parker – Medical Office Building - 4-30-2019 

2700 Tenth – Pardee Parking Lot - 4-30-2017 

1444 Fifth St – 4 single family dwellings - 5-14-2019 

_____________________ 

 

To Check For Regional Meetings with Berkeley Council Appointees 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/City_Council__Committee_and_Regional_Body_Appointees.aspx 

_____________________ 

 

The meeting list is also posted on the Sustainable Berkeley Coalition website. 

http://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html 

 

When notices of meetings are found that are posted after Friday 5:00 pm they are added to the website schedule https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html and preceded by LATE ENTRY