Frances Dinkelspiel

Frances Dinkelspiel (co-founder) is a journalist and author. Her first book, Towers of Gold: How One Jewish Immigrant Named Isaias Hellman Created California, published in November 2008, was a San Francisco Chronicle bestseller. Her second book, Tangled Vines: Greed, Murder, Obsession and an Arsonist in the Vineyards of California was published in October 2015 and was both a New York Times and San Francisco Chronicle bestseller. Frances is a former staff reporter for the Syracuse Newspapers and the San Jose Mercury News. Her freelance work has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, People Magazine, Daily Beast, the San Francisco Chronicle, and elsewhere.

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Small businesses have until April 6 to apply to Berkeley Relief Fund

By Frances DinkelspielApril 14:40 p.m.April 1

Berkeley is distributing $3 million and the Berkeley Relief Fund hopes to distribute another $3 million. The deadline for arts organizations is April 20. There is a rolling deadline for renters.

Berkeley workshop steps up to make plastic face shields for nurses, doctors

By Frances DinkelspielApril 12 p.m.April 2

A metal shop made 500 face shields over the weekend. A local teacher and student are also 3-D printing them. They are getting snapped up fast.

Remembering Dr. John Murray, lung specialist who died of complications from COVID-19

By Frances DinkelspielMarch 301:13 p.m.March 30

Murray lived in Berkeley with his wife, the novelist Diane Johnson, for 25 years. They moved to Paris in 1994, which is where he died.

Update: Berkeley amends its shutdown order for cannabis businesses; curbside pick-up once again allowed

By Frances DinkelspielMarch 261:07 p.m.March 27

Even curbside pickup has been stopped. The order means most of Berkeley’s cannabis businesses will close as they don’t have delivery service.

‘I am scared. I don’t know if we will make it through’: Berkeley business owners on coping with COVID-19

By Frances DinkelspielMarch 254:27 p.m.March 26

With customers scarce or non-existent, many businesses have laid off their entire staffs. Some are pivoting online to capture revenue. All are hoping for community support.

KPFA’s Berkeley building will not be sold at auction

By Frances DinkelspielMarch 208:39 a.m.March 20

The radio station’s owner, Pacifica Foundation, is negotiating with Alameda County’s tax assessor to lower the amount of taxes owed.

Homeless people to see big changes in how they sleep, get food, get showers

By Frances DinkelspielMarch 194:41 p.m.March 20

Places that once served hot meals — and offered seconds — will now hand out boxed meals. Daytime drop-in services are being cut back because of COVID-19. It will also be harder to take a shower and do laundry.

Berkeley Public Library will be closed starting Monday

By Frances DinkelspielMarch 144:54 p.m.March 17

Thousands of people a day, including many poor and homeless people, use the library as a refuge. There is no set time when it will reopen.

Panic buying comes to town, as people prepare to hunker down at home

By Frances DinkelspielMarch 1412:36 p.m.March 16

Store parking lots are jammed. People are lining up to get inside. Some shelves are empty, while there are ample supplies of most goods. Everyone seems to be shopping.

Lights dim in the Berkeley Arts District, but restaurants are open

By Frances DinkelspielMarch 134 p.m.March 14

Virtually all of the places people go to see shows in Berkeley are shut.

The work of Arthur Szyk, whose political cartoons lampooned Hitler, resonates today

By Frances DinkelspielMarch 612:01 p.m.March 9

The Polish-Jewish artist, who came to the U.S. in 1941, used his artwork to fight Fascism and support human rights around the world.

What you need to know before you vote

By Frances DinkelspielMarch 23:24 p.m.March 3

There are just three local measures on the ballot, but voters will be weighing in on who should be the Democratic candidate to challenge President Trump.