Author Archives: Lance Knobel

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On Saturday: Berkeley practices for a major earthquake

May 18, 2012 3:30 pm by Lance Knobel
The bright red line shows the Hayward Fault running through Berkeley

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Tomorrow morning, a (simulated) 6.9 earthquake on the Hayward Fault hits Berkeley. Do you know what to do in a major disaster?

Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) from across the city will be participating in a live exercise both to test their skills and to spread the word about effective disaster preparedness.

“This is the first time Berkeley has done this kind of citywide exercise,” said Deputy Fire Chief Gil Dong. “It’s designed to get people prepared and aware about supporting themselves during a disaster.”

Dong said that 150 people representing 66 groups and many individuals had signed up for the exercise. “Getting this type of response the first time and on a Saturday in May is fantastic,” he said. Last year, the city did a more limited emergency exercise focused on radio communications. … Continue reading »

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Olympic star Natalie Coughlin runs with King students

May 17, 2012 7:00 am by Lance Knobel
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On Monday, 11-time Olympic medallist Natalie Coughlin introduced First Lady Michelle Obama at a Let’s Move press conference in Dallas. Yesterday, the Cal grad and Lafayette resident took time out from her training schedule to join with students at Berkeley’s King Middle School at its annual runathon.

… Continue reading »

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West Berkeley plan held for further council debate

May 16, 2012 3:58 pm by Lance Knobel
Public hearings on the West Berkeley Project were heated and contentious. Photo: Tracey Taylor

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For the third consecutive week, Berkeley City Council heard many passionate arguments against the third phase of the West Berkeley Project and a handful in support. But a vote on amending the West Berkeley Plan, certifying the environmental impact report and adopting CEQA findings and the Mitigation Monitoring Program was held over to yet another special council meeting — scheduled for 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22.

Last year, the City Council approved zoning amendments for reusing and expanding existing buildings and businesses and which allowed new uses. The third part of the project deals with a new Master Use Permit (MUP) process which provides for greater flexibility in developing large sites. The project would allow the creation of a maximum of no more than six MUP sites over the next ten years. … Continue reading »

Unfunded liabilities prompt initiative, Council resolution

May 15, 2012 3:15 pm by Lance Knobel
Street repair is one of the major deferred maintenance costs the city faces. Cracks that lead to constant potholes on Dwight Way at Telegraph. Photo: Tracey Taylor

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A ballot initiative to force the city to do biennial reports on obligations for employee and retiree expenses and for Berkeley’s physical infrastructure and capital assets appears likely to appear on the ballot in the November election, according to supporters of the plan. At the same time, at tonight’s City Council meeting a similar measure is being proposed by four councilmembers, led by District 5′s Laurie Capitelli. The council measure, however, lacks the penalties for failing to produce the report that the initiative draft contains.

The ballot initiative is called the Berkeley Fiscal Accountability, Clarity, Transparency and Sustainability Ordinance of 2012, which shortens to FACTS. It would require biennial reports on the city’s financial obligations for the next 20 years, and would prohibit the City Council or the voters from “incurring any debt financing, or imposing any new tax, assessment or property-related fee, or increasing any existing tax, assessment or property-related fee, or scheduling an election to impose or increase and tax, assessment or property-related fee” unless the report required in the ordinance has been published and certified. … Continue reading »

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News

Best of Berkeleyside: This week’s most popular posts

May 12, 2012 11:29 am by Lance Knobel

Thursday's Bike to Work Day attracted a record number of riders, including Ric Oberlink and his dog Sassy Girl. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel

The continuing dispute over the University of California Berkeley’s Gill Tract figured prominently throughout the last week. On Monday evening Occupy the Farm activists issued a statement urging the university to cede the tract to urban farmers. Within a day, university officials responded with “disappointment and dismay”, citing a “stunning degree of arrogance and entitlement”. UC police blocked access to the tract on Wednesday, and a lawsuit was filed against 14 members of Occupy the Farm later that day. The university sealed off the site on Thursday.

The debate over the West Berkeley plan also continued to simmer, with a second public hearing at this week’s City Council meeting. Nearly four hours of testimony showed a more balanced mix of supporters and opponents to the plan. The council plans a full discussion of the plan and a vote on its adoption next Tuesday.

Land and street use seemed to be in the air this week. Our coverage of the proposal to bring a car-free “Sunday Streets” plan to downtown Berkeley provoked plenty of positive comments — and very few negatives — from Berkeleyside readers.

Do you like staying informed about local news? Would you miss us if we were gone? Then help sustain this independently owned, locally grown news site by supporting us with a monthly subscription or a donation. Berkeleyside thanks you for all your help.

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Police blotter: Recent crime in Berkeley

May 11, 2012 10:54 am by Lance Knobel
Police HQ

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Friday, May 4

Armed Robbery – Hearst and Spruce Streets
On Friday, May 4 at approximately 10:15 p.m. an armed robbery occurred near Hearst and Spruce. The two 21-year old male victims were walking nearby the intersection when they passed two males.  The first male asked for the time while the second male approached them with a knife, drawn and visible. The suspect with the knife demanded the victims’ property. The first suspect took a wallet and cell phone from one of the victims while the second victim yelled for help. The suspects fled to a waiting vehicle which drove away in a northeasterly direction on Le Conte.  The victims were not injured during the encounter. … Continue reading »

Berkeleyside

Berkeleyside says thank you to its advertisers

April 27, 2012 4:50 pm by Lance Knobel

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Berkeleyside would like to express its gratitude to our current advertisers:

Actors Ensemble of Berkeley, Amoeba Music, Aurora Theatre, Berkeley Lab, Berkeley Playhouse, Berkeley Poetry Festival, Berkwood Hedge School, Bernardo Lopez Garden Design & Installation, Carolyn Jones: The Grubb Company, Downtown Berkeley Association, Fantasy T-Shirts, Five Restaurant, Focal Point, GovHub, The Grubb Company, Ira & Carol Serkes: Pacific Union/Christie’s International Real Estate, Jewish Music Festival, LMi.net, Marsh Interiors, McKevitt Fiat, Mrs. Dalloway’s Literary and Garden Arts Bookstore, Photo Laboratory, … Continue reading »

University open letter addresses “confusion” on Gill Tract

April 27, 2012 2:51 pm by Lance Knobel
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The University of California Berkeley has responded to the self-styled “Occupy the Farm” protest at the Gill Tract with an open letter to neighbors. In the letter, university administrators describe what they call “confusion and concern” over the property and future plans.

The letter cites a five-year long collaborative “community engagement process” which Occupy the Farm “has little regard for”. It explains that the “agricultural fields on the Gill Tract that are now being occupied are not the site of a proposed assisted living center for senior citizens and a grocery store. The proposed development parcel is to the south, straddling the intersection of Monroe Street and San Pablo Avenue, and has not been farmed since WWII.” It also “categorically” denies the allegations that genetically modified crops are being used on the site.

Here’s the full text of the open letter:  … Continue reading »

Police blotter: Recent crime in Berkeley

April 27, 2012 12:27 pm by Lance Knobel
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This is a partial list of recent crimes in Berkeley based on information from the Berkeley Police Department, followed by a snapshot of BPD activity this week. The calls for service spreadsheet is available on Google Docs. See also the San Francisco Chronicle’s regularly published list of arrests in Berkeley. For other sources of information on crime in Berkeley see Community CrimeView and Crimemapping.com.

Sunday, April 22

Violation of Park Hours Leads to Narcotics Arrest – Seawall Drive/Berkeley Marina

On Sunday at about 2:20 a.m., BPD officers were doing a security check of the Berkeley Marina area. One of the officers spotted an Oldsmobile occupied and parked along Seawall Drive in the Berkeley Marina. The individuals were in violation of Berkeley Municipal Codes — Posted Park Hours and No Parking. The officer talked to both the man and woman inside the parked car. Another officer acted as a cover officer. A records check revealed that the Oakland man was on Felony Probation for selling cocaine base aka “crack” and was subject to search. The officer searched the inside of the car and found powder cocaine inside a dollar bill. The officer arrested the male suspect for violations of 11350(a)PC – Possession of a Controlled Substance and a Felony Probation Violation – 1203.2 PC. The woman was free to go and left the scene in the car.  … Continue reading »

Berkeley’s Mayor Bates announces his re-election bid

April 26, 2012 12:15 pm by Lance Knobel
Mayor Bates: "I'd be delighted to continue doing the work I've been doing." Photo: Lance Knobel

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Mayor Tom Bates, who has held office since 2002, announced his widely anticipated bid for re-election today. Bates, 74, has served one two-year term and two four-year terms.

Berkeley’s mayor used his recently activated Twitter account to break the news at 11:28 am today. He wrote: “Announcing today that I’m running for Mayor of Berkeley to continue the progress we’ve made over the last 10 years,” and followed up with a tweet directing people to his website, TomBates.org.

Speaking to Berkeleyside, he said: “I’m going to be seeking another term. I’d be delighted to continue the work I’ve been doing.”

This year’s mayoral race will be the first decided by ranked-choice voting. As yet, however, no challenger has emerged to Bates.

Bates said the five main goals he had when he started as Mayor of Berkeley 10 years ago were: 1) making Berkeley a leader in tackling global warming and climate change, 2) finding ways so that people who work in Berkeley can live in Berkeley, 3) tackling the achievement gap and health disparities for children, 4) providing excellent services for our citizens, 5) revitalizing the downtown. … Continue reading »

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