Ruling to remove injunction after declaring UC Berkeley in compliance with safety laws.

See full article here.

Popularity: 3%

“We’re not just hippies, we’re people—and we have families,”: Quotes from the Berkeley City Council Meeting discussion on the ongoing tree-sit at the grove near UC Berkeley’s Memorial Stadium, June 24, 2008.

“I’d like to give my last thirty seconds to Zachary RunningWolf”

Multiple people during the public comment session yielded part of their two-minute comment period to protest leader and local activist Zachary RunningWolf.

RunningWolf on why he hasn’t been at the grove the last couple days: “I had to move away from the scene because (the police) are targeting me.”

Tree-sit supporter Beverly Dove, who has been arrested near the grove Saturday: “I wouldn’t take water from (the university) … they have tried to end the life of the tree-sitters.”

Emergency room physician Larry Bedard, who examined the tree-sitters from below on Sunday: “What medical school did the police go to? I think the police are being told do something they aren’t trained for.”

Matthew Taylor, who was also arrested near the grove last week: “You can see my photo in the (San Francisco) Chronicle.”

Councilmember Takes

Councilmember Kriss Worthington
“Based on the testimony I heard on the telephone here from the tree-sitters what they indicated is that this is truly an emergency situation … based on his testimony I would like to make a notion that we add this to the agenda this evening.”

Councilmember Max Anderson
“This is a very dire medical emergency up there.”
“The university is assuming authority and power and has assumed that the judge has made certain decisions that she hasn’t made yet in this case.”

Councilmember Dona Spring
“There is a number of things we can do, we can ask the university to … let their physician go and examine the protesters.”
“The university is not to be trusted.”
“We can do these things and most importantly we can tell (UCPD) that they can vacate the sidewalk.”

Councilmember Gordon Wozniak
“If they are really facing an emergency they can call an ambulance.”

Councilmember Betty Olds
“Don’t they have to come down to go to the emergency room? You can’t expect the fire department to go in the tree.”

-Posted by Ashley Trott

Popularity: 23%

Even before Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s announcement of a statewide drought on Wednesday, officials at the East Bay Municipal Utility District and environmental organizations throughout the city have some tips to minimize water usage.

Here are a few of their tips:

-Don’t start any new landscaping
-Wait until the fall to plant or start new landscapes
-Add compost to soil to increase its water-holding capacity
-Add a 2-3 inch layer of recycled mulches to prevent the evaporation of water
-Use efficient irrigation systems, use self-adjusting timers
-When watering, use drip irrigation instead of sprayers
-Fix any leaks in irrigation system
-Invest in ways to harvest rain water
-Only water lawns that you use
-Water landscapes at dawn, dusk or in the middle of the night
-Fix leaky toilets

Source: EBMUD spokesperson Jeff Becerra and Teresa Eade, senior program manager with the Bay-Friendly Landscaping Program at stopwaste.org

Popularity: 40%

Measure F was approved by voters in Tuesday’s primary elections, but some have cited the system by which taxes are classified does not give affected residents a fair voice.

Approximately 64.85 percent of voters approved the tax in the primary, according to the Alameda County Registrar of Voters, which includes voters who are not directly affected by the tax.

While the text of the measure itself does not indicate how the revenues from the utility tax on residents of unincorporated areas must be spent, the measure historically provided revenues to be set aside to fund county services in unincorporated areas, such as law enforcement and libraries, among other things.

Some residents of the unincorporated areas have cited that Measure F does not make these specifications intentionally, in order for it to be classified as a “general tax” instead of a “special tax.”

As per Proposition 218, the 1996 initiative that addressed taxation, the power to raise local funds through taxes shifted from local governing boards to local residents and property owners. This, combined with the vote requirements of Proposition 13, requires that Measure F only gain a simple 50 plus one majority through a county-wide vote in order to continue taxing residents of the county’s unincorporated areas. This is in contrast to a “special tax,” which, although could have given the residents affected by the tax sole control over the issue, requires a 2/3 vote in order to pass.

Popularity: 43%

After the crime scene tape and cop cars have left, students of UC Berkeley’s Greek community have left signs mourning the passing of a UC Berkeley fraternity member killed last night.

They are mourning the tragic death of 21-year-old Chris Wootton, a member of Sigma Pi who was fatally stabbed early this morning.

In a display of support, students have delivered flowers and chalked phrases such as “We Love You Chris” on the street near the parking lot Wootton was killed. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 100%

Three Unit 1 male security monitors were robbed at gunpoint early Wednesday morning as they waited at a nearby bus stop.

Alex Cheng, 19, Jason Keller, 20, and Devin Koba, 19, were sitting at the bus stop between the Putnam and Freeborn halls, waiting for the Owl Line to come pick them up when the suspect approached them holding a handgun and took two cell phones and $182.

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Popularity: 81%

I didn’t know what to expect when I walked into a war tax resisters’ meeting Monday evening, but I was surprised to find that among these government-defiers were mild-mannered old ladies, farmers, school children and writers.

The gathering, which was held in a private residence, and the stories the speakers told gave me glimpses into how these people had come to feel so strongly about a cause that they were willing to illegally withhold money from the government.

An immigrant from El Salvador, Julio Serrao, told of how he became a pacifist when the civil war in his home country destroyed his life and left 31 of his family members dead.

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Popularity: 68%

When interviewing members from city governments across different college towns, it was clear that there were differences in how students interact with city government, and the way in which city councils function. But one overarching shared problem across the towns was on housing crises.

Jesse Arreguin, recent Cal grad and Jason Overman, fifth year who ran for city council in 2006, both expressed that as members of the Rent Stabilization Board, they are able to work with both student and non-student residents over the need for affordable housing.

“Rents are very high, not enough student housing, co-op housing and affordable housing is an issue for the broader community,” Arreguin said.

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Popularity: 69%

As I strolled down Telegraph Avenue last Sunday on my way to Moffitt Library with my backpack weighing down on me, I was almost jealous of the sidewalk vendors I passed by. They chatted idly with one another in the sun, as my shoulders sagged under the 20-pound economics textbook in my bag.

After I talked to long-time vendor Diana Yoshida though, I realized I was not the only one with this misconception.

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Popularity: 64%

Wednesday’s Olympic Torch relay in San Francisco was more about protest groups rallying for their cause than it was about the Olympic games.

Whether it was Pro-Tibet, Pro-China, activists against involvement in Darfur, activists for animal rights, or even for bringing back nudity in the Olympic games, everybody had an opinion.

Although thousands of people showed up on the Embarcadero Monday for the event, there was only one I met who was there just to watch the torch relay. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 65%