Ryan Coogler, filmmaker who went to high school in Berkeley, makes Oscars history
Coogler’s vampire film “Sinners” broke records with 16 nominations. Born in Oakland, he graduated from St. Mary’s College High School in Berkeley.
Around Berkeley: Extreme music, letter writing club, climbing competition
Other events include two autobiographical plays, a group meditation circle and a ukulele club that meets biweekly.
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City
Train strikes and kills pedestrian in West Berkeley
The death comes less than two months after an Amtrak train fatally struck another man just four blocks away.
‘ICE-free zones’ plan moves forward in Alameda County
A proposed ban on federal immigration agents from using county property and a coordinated response plan will be considered by the Board of Supervisors later this month.
‘ICE-free zones’ among ideas Alameda County is considering to defend against Trump immigration crackdown
Following the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis, county officials are gearing up to ban ICE agents from certain areas.
Over 2,000 East Bay residents bought e-bikes with vouchers in the last 6 months
A $10 million fund from Ava Community Energy and Alameda County was used to reimburse e-bike buyers. Meanwhile, a new study shows laws haven’t kept up with e-bike collision risks.
Crime & safety
Gun violence in Berkeley has plummeted. They helped make it happen
Berkeley has seen the fewest shootings citywide in nearly a decade, mirroring a national trend. The city’s gun violence intervention program — launched over a year ago, around the same time as the city’s last fatal shooting — is nearly at the end of its funding.
schools
Amid federal threats, University of California gets ‘critical’ support in Newsom’s proposed budget
UC would get $350.6 million in new funding, keeping with Newsom’s 2022 pledge to give annual budget increases for five years.
Housing & Development
Empty empires: A few Berkeley landlords are sitting on several vacant buildings
One Berkeley family may own as many as five vacant properties. Their bill under the city’s new vacancy tax will be more than triple what they paid in property taxes last year.
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ARTS
Meet Berkeley’s new poets laureate — a kindergarten teacher and 2 high school freshmen
Hanan Masri, whose work explores land, ancestry and her mother’s Palestinian heritage, has been crowned Berkeley’s new poet laureate. The city’s new youth laureates are friends at Berkeley High.
Business
Urban Ore workers ratify first union contract months after ending strike
The salvage store’s contract includes bumped up hourly and holiday pay, offset by a reduction in revenue sharing. Workers also get more time off and job protection.
Community
How I relearned to love Berkeley as a blind person
Dirk Neyhart grew up in Berkeley in the ’50s and ’60s. After surviving a stabbing that left him disabled, he found joy and purpose in community service.
Nature
Berkeley’s Cazadero camp heavily damaged by winter storms
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said the director of the city-owned music camp north of Guerneville. The camp is seeking donations and help clearing toppled redwoods and debris.
The Wire: Get cash from Kaiser after $46M settlement; Cal scientists’ search for extraterrestrial life
Also: New data show how BART outages snarled commutes and a spike in catalytic converter thefts to start the year.
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Opinion
Opinion: Berkeley should rethink rule requiring 26-foot clearance for fire trucks on city streets
Selective enforcement of an optional state fire code rule has harmed street fairs and farmers markets. If applied uniformly, many streets would lose half their parking. A policy better tailored to Berkeley’s narrow roads is needed.
Opinion: Flock can’t be trusted not to share Berkeley’s surveillance camera data with Trump and ICE
Contracting with Flock is incredibly risky for the safety and security of Berkeley’s residents and completely goes against its commitments as a sanctuary city.
Opinion: Proposed parking fees at the Berkeley Marina won’t reduce deficit
People will go to nearby free lots, and enforcement will be expensive. The city should instead raise fees on big boats to shore up the Marina Fund.
Opinion: Berkeley should save the historic UA Theater
A developer plans to demolish almost the entire 93-year-old United Artists theater. Do we, as a community, want to let this happen?
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Berkeleyside is retiring comments on stories. Here’s why.
A disproportionate amount of our editors’ time is spent serving a small group of readers. We now offer other ways for readers to engage with our newsroom.
