Daily Archives: February 24, 2012
The Berkeley Wire: 02.24.12
PIQ, Berkeley offers lots of Italian flavor [Chronicle]
Berkeley Hills murder could have been predicted [Daily Planet]
UC sued over student’s drug-induced drug damage [Chronicle]
City Council to vote on forbearance fees petition [Daily Cal]
Berkeley’s Don Barksdale elected to baskeball’s hall of fame [BANG]
OC Museum of Art opens major Diebenkorn exhibition [OC Register]
Winter Wonderland Kids Series gets family rocking [Chronicle]
Rise in price of parking ticket fines increases city revenue [Daily Cal]
Photo: February in Tilden, by Wnewton1948/Berkeleyside Flickr pool.
Berkeleyside says thank you to our advertisers
Berkeleyside would like to express its gratitude to our current advertisers:
Amoeba Music, “Body Awareness” at Aurora Theatre Company, Berkeley Lab, Berkwood Hedge School, Bernardo Lopez Garden Design & Installation, BHS Live, Cal Youth Camps, Carolyn Jones at The Grubb Company, Five Restaurant, Focal Point, Greener Printer, The Grubb Company, Jewish Music Festival, Marsh Interiors, McKevitt Fiat, Photo Laboratory, Psychotherapy Institute, Sutter East Bay Medical Foundation, Tom Miller & Friends Lawyers, Travlyn Russell Tupperware, and UC Berkeley Optometry.
Berkeley documentary film shortlisted for an Oscar
If you’re stocking up on snacks in preparation for Oscars night on Sunday, make a note to watch out for a nominated film with a Berkeley connection.
The Barber of Birmingham is an Academy Award nominee for best documentary short subject this year. The film, which explores the impact of the then potential nominee Barack Obama as the first African American president on a group of aging Civil Rights activists in the South, was co-directed by Gail Dolgin, a Berkeley-based independent documentary filmmaker who died in October 2010 while working on the film.
Dolgin’s co-director and producer, photographer Robin Fryday, who lives in Marin, completed the movie which was given financial suport by the Berkeley Film Foundation. … Continue reading »
Murder trial delayed for psychological assessment
Judge Sandra Bean yesterday delayed the trial of homicide suspect Daniel Jordan DeWitt so that two doctors could assess him for mental competence under section 1368 of the California Penal Code.
On Wednesday, DeWitt was charged with felony murder and use of a deadly weapon in the killing of Peter Cukor outside his home in the Berkeley hills on Feb 18. Yesterday, Dewitt’s lawyer, Brian Bloom, asked the court for a delay so that DeWitt’s competence to stand trial could be assessed.
Cukor and his wife Andrea Cukor returned home around 8:45 pm on the night of Feb. 18 and saw DeWitt loitering in their garage. Peter Cukor told DeWitt to leave, went inside the house, then came out again and was attacked, according to BPD. A ceramic planter was allegedly used in the attack.
Al DeWitt Jr., DeWitt’s father, said his son was diagnosed five years ago with paranoid schizophrenia and has been in mental health facilities at least nine times. … Continue reading »
No suspect in Berkeley High student shooting case
Oakland Police Department say they have no suspect for Thursday morning’s shooting of a Berkeley High senior as he was riding his bike at the intersection of Lowell and Market streets in north Oakland.
The 18-year old victim, who is not being identified by OPD nor by BUSD, sustained a non-life threatening gunshot wound from a gunman who was also riding a bicycle. The call to OPD was made at 8:03 am. The victim, an Oakland resident according to OPD, is recovering at Highland Hospital after surgery yesterday.
OPD cannot confirm whether the victim was also carrying, or may have shot, a gun, as has been reported in other media. “The investigative team is not releasing any information while it conducts its research,” said an OPD spokesperson. … Continue reading »
Latin flavors lie at the heart of Casa de Chocolates
Two Latinas originally from L.A, with a shared passion for chocolate, Mexico, and social justice, are combining forces to open Casa de Chocolates in The Elmwood today.
Amelia Gonzalez, 50, who worked for KPFA Radio for 20 years, most recently as general manager, was approached by chocolatier Arcelia Gallardo, 35, about coming on board as an angel investor for her artisan sweet treats store that pay homage to cacao’s Latin American heritage.
Gonzalez was interested, but also wanted to play an active role in the development of the budding business, which suited Gallardo, who preferred to focus on perfecting her products, handcrafted in small batches.
So Gonzalez, who has lived in Lima, Peru, and Oaxaca, Mexico, has handled everything from managing construction permits with the city to sourcing ancillary merchandise such as ceramics, tin boxes, and molinillo (wooden whisks for making Mexican hot chocolate), while her partner focuses on flavor pairings. … Continue reading »
Putting a focus on Berkeley, looking for improvements
Last night, Berkeleyside’s Lance Knobel appeared on the Soapbox Derby radio show on KALX-FM to talk about Berkeley and Berkeleyside’s March 5 Business Forum which will shine a spotlight on the city’s economic climate. In particular we will be asking: can Berkeley become a more startup-friendly city?
You can listen to the conversation — which includes a discussion of “resolutions” for the city, both past and present — by visiting Soapbox Derby a production of KALX Berkeley 90.7 … Continue reading »
It’s marmalade season at June Taylor’s Berkeley business
Berkeleyside recently dropped in on June Taylor at The Still Room, the artisanal jam and preserve business she started in west Berkeley.
It’s citrus fruit season and Taylor and her small staff were nose to the grindstone turning Meyer lemons and blood oranges into candied peel and marmalades. Taylor is one of the country’s most respected artisan preserve makers and a shining example of a successful Berkeley-based entrepreneur. She is currently working to fill orders for scores of accounts in Japan, where her brand has something of a cult following.
Read our full profile of Taylor, an Englishwoman who has lived here for many years, published in January last year. … Continue reading »
