A man has been charged with numerous offenses for allegedly trying to set multiple people on fire Monday night in Berkeley, police said Wednesday. -more-

Berkeley police said Tuesday they are increasing their presence along Grizzly Peak Boulevard because of reports that people are lighting fireworks and bonfires there. -more-

September 17 is the 97th anniversary of the 1923 Berkeley Fire.

It’s quite possible you’ve never heard of it. And given the vast conflagrations in California of the past few years—even just the past few weeks—it may be easy to forget or diminish the significance of that long ago fire.

But the devastating experience of Berkeley in 1923 presaged what we are experiencing now. And it was also the first major “urban/wildlands interface” fire of the modern era in the United States.

Of course there had been earlier huge urban fires—including 1906 in San Francisco—as well as large rural fires that had burned forest and countryside and destroyed any small towns in their way. But 1923 in Berkeley appears to be the first instance where a fire began in California wild lands and then burned deep into one of the largest urban areas of the state.

What exactly happened in 1923?

Much the same thing that happened in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills Firestorm in 1991, in Santa Rosa in 2017 (the Tubbs Fire), in Redding in 2018 (the Carr Fire), in Paradise last year (the Camp Fire), and in Oregon and California’s Berry Creek / Oroville region (the Bear Fire) this month. A wild lands fire that became a runaway inferno in one direction when the wind strengthened. -more-

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has extended an air quality alert through Monday, September 14. Some parts of Alameda County have Unhealthy or Very Unhealthy air.

When air quality is Very Unhealthy, everyone, especially children, older adults and those w/ breathing or heart issues, should stay indoors with windows and doors closed. Go to http://www.baaqmd.gov/ for info, and http://www.acphd.org/air-quality.aspx for tips.

To reduce smoke exposure during COVID-19 Shelter-In-Place, consider creating a clean room in the home: https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/create-clean-room-protect-indoor-air-quality-during-wildfire.

The best way to protect from COVID-19 and poor air quality is to stay indoors. Cloth and surgical masks do not protect from smoke, but do protect from COVID-19. N95 masks should only be used by those who do not have the option to stay indoors.

The current advisory may be extended. Current Air Quality can be found at: https://www.airnow.gov/ and https://www.baaqmd.gov. -more-

Strange as it seems, the election is upon us. TV pundits are counting down the days until the official presidential deadline: 54, 53, 52…. If you’re a Berkeley resident like me, you’re haunting your mailbox waiting for your vote-by-mail ballot to arrive so you can immediately vote and send it back. And like almost everyone else in Berkeley, possibly with the exception of a few Loony Libertarians or still-sulky Bernie-Babies, deciding who gets your vote is No Problem.

That’s on the president’s line, of course, and Barbara Lee for Congress too. Even when you scroll down to the California offices, many of the choices are easy.

Myself, I’m a bit annoyed with the record of our state legislators, Senator Nancy Skinner and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, both of whom are obviously bought and sold by the building industry, as evidenced by their consistent support of the numerous bills put forward by Scott Wiener and his gang which are intended to strip local governments of their control of land use. But these proposals have now been shelved for the second time, and since neither Berkeley legislator has any meaningful opposition it doesn’t matter whether you vote for them or not.

Actually, Skinner has a very good record on police-related issues, so that’s enough reason to tick her box. Buffy is terminally cute and has a cute baby or two, but I’m not sure that’s enough to get my vote. I did sympathize a bit with her well-publicized need to schlep her nursing infant to Sacramento in order to vote last week. I managed a congressional primary campaign with a baby on my hip and two older kids trailing behind—it’s not easy. Let’s say that for now Buff’s a toss-up in my list.

Today I got email announcing the local endorsements of Berkeley Citizens’ Action and Berkeley Progressive Alliance, and I observe that they’ve agreed with my choices for Berkeley City Council. Good for them.

Here they are:

District 2 City Council: Cheryl Davila, website: www.cheryldavila.vote
District 3 City Council: Ben Bartlett, website: www.benny.vote
District 5 City Council: Sophie Hahn, website: www.sophiehahn.com
District 6 City Council: Richard Illgen, website: www.richardforcitycouncil.org -more-

First there was the little neighborhood group that could. Then there was the pants on fire report. And then, of course, there was the deflated football cherry on top of the heap of stink that has become the college experience on campus. What's even worse, discerning alumni and observers know that the University of California at Berkeley bears full responsibility for it all. -more-

The Question of Identity

As the white cop’s knee slowly squeezed the life out of George Floyd, there were people standing ten feet away, yelling and begging him to stop. To no avail; he could hear them, but his only response to them was his unrelenting desire to kill. Thus, he exemplified in microcosm the overall response of the police to the massive demonstrations against their brutality. That response has been to increase their killings and tortures. When Jacob Blake, in Kenosha, sought to mediate a fight between two women on the street in broad daylight, the only thing the cops could think to do, when they arrived, was shoot him seven times in the back. -more-

Four years ago, a new malady hit the American public—ESD. “Election stress disorder” affected more than half the voters in the nation. The symptoms are headaches, nausea, sleeplessness, light-headedness, and spiking of blood pressure. Small wonder; the 2016 election cycle, like none in our history, demeaned public discourse, denigrated the public good, and diminished the democratic process.

And now, in 2020, as a new presidential election is rapidly approaching, ESD is on the rise again. This time, a substantial number of Americans are jittery about the future of democracy itself. They are deeply concerned that the Trump administration has led us away from the traditional democratic values of equality, fairness, justice, and opportunity based on the public good; and replaced these values with cynicism, greed, and selfishness motivated by the compulsion for personal power and private gain. And they are also deeply troubled, that in doing so, Mr. Trump has demonstrated that he has either an alarming ignorance of, or utter contempt for: The Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the rule of law.

In the early days of our nation, Thomas Paine wrote in Common Sense that the highest vocation of an individual in a democracy is that of being a citizen. What he meant was that civic engagement and political involvement are the lifeblood of a democracy.

During the Trump impeachment hearings, Congressional Republicans, as an excuse to justify the abdication of their Constitutional obligations, kept repeating the mantra, “We have an election soon, let the people decide.” Well, that election will happen on Nov. 3. There are also critical elections for Congress. This election is about the future of democracy. That’s why it is important that each and every one of us gets involved. We can contribute energy, time, money, or all three. And we can make a difference. For too long, Americans have been serious about unserious issues and unserious about serious issues. Perhaps the tragic consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic will force us to get serious about serious issues.

TWENTY-FIVE REASONS TO GET INVOLVED:

If you are thinking of sitting out the upcoming Presidential and Congressional elections on November 3, think again; because the results will, directly and indirectly, affect you and your whole family in ways that you never imagined. So think about the issues that matter to you. It’s worth the effort as the stakes are high! The most crucial issues to consider, not necessarily in order of importance, are: -more-

Aside from defeating Donald Trump for President, probably the most important thing voters can do in this election year is return control of the Senate to Democrats. This article suggests nine close Senate races where Berkeleyans and other locals might contribute effectively and financially to help Democratic and Independent candidates for Senate. Republicans need to lose a minimum of four seats for Senate control to shift to the Democratic Party.

Our actual votes in national elections, at least in Berkeley, won’t matter much this November since Berkeley will certainly send a Democrat back to the House of Representatives, there are no California Senate seats on the ballot, and the State seems pretty solidly ready to vote for Biden and reject Trump for President.

So one of the best things we can do is donate to and otherwise support Democratic and independent incumbents and challengers for Congressional seats. It’s less than two months to election day, and absentee and early voting will start soon in many states. -more-

How best to encourage mask wearing in Berkeley?

At our council meeting next Tuesday, the city will consider allowing staff to issue fines for people who refuse to wear masks in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. There would be exceptions for those that have documented medical reasons for not wearing them and provisions for waiving the fines for those with financial hardships. This is based on an order from Berkeley’s Health Officer and it would be primarily enforced by Code Enforcement staff. -more-

Two scholars, Anne Case and Angus Deaton, reported in their book, Death By Despair, the substantial increase in the death rate of white workers who were 45 to 54 and without college degrees from 1999 to 2017. Had the death rate not increased, about 600,000 would still be alive. The deaths occurred as a result of drugs, alcohol, and suicide. These workers had been experiencing serious problems in their lives both on and off their jobs, which as the authors mention, can suck the joys out of life as well precipitate considerable stress. This is why the book is entitled “Death By Despair”. -more-

Given that KPFA (the nation's first listener-supported radio station) was founded by a pacifist, it's somewhat surprising that the Pacifica radio network of today is so frequently roiled by internal rumblings, factional infighting, and class-struggle conflicts. -more-

Donald Trump has been mercilessly attacked for denigrating the combat deaths of members of the US armed forces. As we have all recently learned, during his November 2018 visit to Paris to mark the centennial of the World War I Armistice, "hallowed ground" where more than 116,000 US military personnel died, "Cadet Bone Spurs" (a fellow who dodged the draft during the Vietnam War with a record five deferments!) refused to take a 90-minute drive to join other world leaders at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in a commemoration of the Allied dead. Instead, Trump asked: “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” Trump went on to mock the 1,800-plus Marines killed in the Battle of Belleau Wood as “suckers.” Presumably by not dodging the bullets or (as in Trump's case) dodging the draft. -more-

We are sadly familiar with the drumbeat of police killings of Black and Brown people across the country. These killings may be far away, but we in Berkeley have our own policing problems. The BPD’s own data show a clear pattern of racial discrimination in stops, searches, and use of force. This year has also seen examples of guns drawn and less-lethal weapons used on Black people.

Measure ii will create a new Police Accountability Board and Director that will have full access to internal BPD records and data, more time for investigations and training in due process procedures, allowing for better oversight of police. This is not a panacea, but it will allow the City Council and the public to better understand what drives policing practices and to impose discipline if needed.

This Campaign deserves your support because:

This is a civil rights issue

The NAACP and other rights organizations have long demanded that the era of “Two Berkeleys,” with police practices impacted by the race of the civilian, end immediately. Racial profiling is a clear violation of the Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments. We need strong disciplinary procedures to make sure the rule of law applies to police.

This is a public safety issue

Each of us is only safe if all of us are safe. The willingness to call and work with the police to combat crime depend on the community knowing they will be treated fairly and equally.

This is a regional issue.

Bay Area police agencies work together closely. A breakthrough in Berkeley in creating a strong oversight structure will be a good model for communities around the region. -more-

The political conventions have come and gone and little has changed in the 2020 presidential election. Before the conventions, Joe Biden led Donald Trump by an average of 8.0 percentage points; after the conventions, Biden led Trump by an average of 7.6 points. (https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-general/national/ ) Trump continues to be unpopular; his latest ratings are 53.1 percent disapprove and 42.7 percent approve. (https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/ ) For Trump to win, external factors will have to intervene. Let's consider ten possible game changers.

1.The Presidential Debates: There will be three presidential debates: September 29 (Cleveland), October 15 (Miami), and October 22 (Nashville). (There will be a Vice-Presidential debate on October 7 (Salt Lake City).) -more-

This is craziness. The smoke blanketing the Bay Area has it dark out and cool, when by all rights we should be well into the daytime and getting hot. What comes to mind for me is--Apocalypse? This weather triggers a lot of past stuff for me. -more-

During the reign of the Emperor Justinian I (527-565 AD), a mysterious plague spread out of the Nile Valley to Constantinople and finished off the Roman Empire. Appearing first in China and North India, the “Black Death” (Yersinia pestis) radiated throughout the Mediterranean and into Northern Europe. It may well have killed close to half the world’s population, some 50 million people. -more-

The U.S. has 4% of the world’s population, but more than 25% of global coronavirus cases.

Dr. Scott Atlas is Trump’s new pandemic adviser. Dr. Atlas is a neuroradiologist with no background in epidemiology or infectious diseases. Trump has embraced this new adviser because Dr. Atlas argues that the role of government is not to stamp out the virus but to protect our most vulnerable citizens and then let the rest of us get infected until “herd immunity” is reached. -more-

Exit Exxon

After nearly a century basking in the top ranks of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, ExxonMobil has been told to leave the party. The Climate Activist community couldn't be happier, calling Exxon's exit "a historic moment marking the fall of Big Oil."

Exxon became particularly reviled when it was revealed that—despite its long denial of carbon-caused climate change—"Exxon knew about the climate crisis and lied" to protect its profits while the world burned.

"Make no mistake about the significance of this news," the 350.org Team writes. "Not only was Exxon the oldest member of the Dow Jones, but it was the world's largest oil company and, for many years, the world's largest company, period.

"The truth is that Big Oil is failing. A new day is on its way—one where we move to a resilient, regenerative, and just energy economy. Even the finance world is waking up."

Run, Kamala, Run!

It's great to see "Berkeley's own" Kamala Harris out on the campaign trail as Joe Biden’s running mate. Great attributes: child of immigrant parents from Jamaica and India, she is not only the first woman of color to be running on the Democratic Presidential campaign trail (Native American activist/author Winona LaDuke was Ralph Nader's VP choice for his Green Party runs in 1996 and 2000) but Harris has become the first candidate to campaign in sneakers. -more-

Worth Noting:

Tuesday – City Council starts at 6 pm. Agenda Item 33 is the Annual Housing Pipeline Report – housing approved and built and Item 36. Is whether the Council will vote no confidence in the Police Chief.

Wednesday – The Council Facilities, Infrastructure, Transportation, Environment & Sustainability Committee, 2:30 pm item 2 is Traffic Circles Policy and recommendations and items 3 – 8 are related to climate and the environment.

The Planning Commission, 7 pm is holding a special meeting. Item 10. Is the public hearing on the draft Adeline Corridor Plan.

Thursday – The Council Land Use Committee item 2. Is the Berkeley Economic Dashboard. It is interesting as to where the City businesses were before the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no update to the report from March 2020.

The Design Review Committee, 7 pm will preview a presentation on the Group Living Project at 2210 Harold Way proposed as high-density student housing.



The City Council Agenda for September 22 is available for comment and follows the list of meetings.



Sunday, September 13, 2020

North Berkeley Neighborhood Alliance, 4 - 5 pm

Meeting for neighbors who are concerned about what gets built at the North Berkeley BART, questions about AB2923, classification of the station, etc can be emailed to nbneighborhoodalliance@gmail.com

You must Register to attend https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMlcu6trT8pH9YEBA9_2MmUNC1BBycWz_xw



Monday, September 14, 2020

Board of Library Trustees

https://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org/about/board-library-trustees

Closed Session 6:30 pm

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83992759821

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 839 9275 9821

Agenda: I. Public Comment, II. Closed Appointment Director of Library Services, public employee performance evaluation.

Open Session: 8:15 pm

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82634141933

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 826 3414 1933

Agenda: I. Public Comment, II. Salary increase for Deputy Director of Library Services.

-more-