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News

Ending the Conflict in the Holy Land on the Basis of Peace and Justice

Dr. Amer Araim
Wednesday May 19, 2021 - 04:48:00 PM

There must be an end to the carnage in the Holy Land and the sufferings of the Palestinians and the Israelis, which will be only achieved by agreeing that the Holy Land belongs to the Palestinians(the indigenous people) and the Israelis, that both sides should enjoy being in their homeland, and practicing their respective faiths with freedom from fear, and the threat of expulsion. 

The latest escalation in violence is rooted in the fact that for more than seventy years, the Palestinians have been suffering from displacement and threat from expulsion from the land of their ancestors. The United States has been involved in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from the beginning, and has been siding with the Israelis. However, this policy has neither resolved the conflict on the basis of peace and justice nor brought peace to the Israeli society itself. Israel by oppressing the Palestinians is creating an atmosphere of fear, and suspicion between the Palestinians and the Israelis, and unless it is stopped, it will lead to further bloodshed and destruction on both sides. 

The Biden Administration, though represents an improvement from the total one-sided policy of the Trump Administration, so far has not contributed to solving the conflict on the basis of peace and justice, which requires, stopping Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories. These Israeli settlements are contrary to international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. Recently, the Biden Administration has prevented the United Nations Security Council from adopting measures to deal with present escalation of violence. It is sincerely hoped that the Biden Administration will facilitate the efforts to bring to an end this latest round of killings and destruction, which must be combined with further action by the United Nations Security Council to establish a permanent peace on the basis of two-state solution. Israel will be on 78 percent of the Mandated territory of Palestine, and the Palestinian state on the remaining 22 percent, and to solve the question of Palestinian refugees on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions, and the principles of international law. 

It is hoped that after implementation the proposed ceasefire, the Biden Administration will begin working within the United Nations Security Council to establish a permanent peace in the Holy Land on the basis of two-states solution. President Biden by resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of peace and justice will contribute to world peace and tranquility. 

Dr. Amer Araim is former Senior Political Affairs Officer of the United Nations, former Secretary of the United Nations Special Committee against Apartheid, Adjunct Professor of Political Science, Diablo Valley College, and member of the Social Justice Alliance and the Interfaith Community of Contra Costa County


Rosa Parks Students Take Advantage of Distance Learning to Change the World

Opinion Pieces Written for the Daily Planet from Quarantine by Margot Pepper’s Third Grade (8 and 9 years old)
Thursday May 20, 2021 - 05:34:00 PM

Dear President Biden and Vice-President Harris,

First of all, I am thrilled that you are president, and vice president. If I had been able to vote, you would have received my vote.

Did you know that meat harms the earth and that vegetarianism can help save us from annihilation? As you know, if you annihilate something, you put an end to its existence. Can you slowly move towards annihilating meat consumption in this country? You don’t have to do it all in one step, just slowly edge toward it. Here are some reasons. There’s more to meat than meets the eye.

First let me explain the problem. Raising meat is causing global warming. It produces a mega amount of greenhouse gases. To begin with, cows fart methane and a tremendous amount is going into the air and warming it up way too much. If that wasn’t enough, animal poop is polluting the water. It’s hurting the fish and the sea plants. Even worse, meat raisers are cutting down wild animals’ habitat to make enough room for their meat-producing properties!! And raising meat can cause overgrazing. Overgrazing is killing plants. Less plants means the earth burns up. And the baddest of all? There’s not going to be enough land to raise both the meat we “need” and the vegetables we truly need. By 2050 there won’t be enough food for everybody according to TIME. Seriously, guys: this IS global warming!

You don’t NEED meat to survive. Meat is a want. If you choose to eat meat, you’re polluting the environment. If everyone eats meat, guess what? There will be no more howler monkeys, anaconda snakes, giant otter or capybaras. Why? Their habitat will be taken up by cows, chickens, and other animals raised for meat. Think about meat like a solar eclipse or lunar eclipse: only have one serving of meat every five years. Or think about meat like your birthday: once a year, the most special thing in the history of most special things.

Here’s my solution. Stop eating meat entirely. No more meat in the world ever. Vegetarianism decreases global warming, improves air quality, and ensures that there will be enough food. Maybe you can have the White House be all vegetarian on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Then you will be setting an example for others to follow.

Sincerely,

Clive Donaldson, age 9

383 words

 

 

 

Dear Governor Newsom, 

 

You have been doing an excellent job with coronavirus but there is another thing that has to stop and that is fracking. Fracking is a cheaper way to get oil out of the ground for cars and to heat houses but it harms the environment, trees and animal habitats. But if I were you I wouldn’t care about some girl telling me what to do; you would want reasons. Well, I have plenty. Fracking has many harmful effects. Its worst effect is on the environment by poisoning water. According to the Wilderness Organization, “fracking can poison ground water” with oil and natural gas. Fracking uses 4 million gallons of water per well, so that’s a lot of water contamination.  

 

The way it works is this. Huge holes are drilled into the ground, water, sand, and a mixture of chemicals are shot into the rock at high pressure. This fractures the rock and releases the gas. Fracking is legal in 21 states and should not be legal here. There are many other harmful effects of fracking as well. 

Like the disposing of bad fluids in water makes trees and plants die. It also poisons animals and affects their habitat. It can even destroy wildlife. For example, fracking weakens poisoned trees, encouraging parasites to attack the weak tree and harms bird eggs.  

 

Besides polluting water, fracking causes a lot of other harm, some of which we might not yet know. According to a Youtube video called “What is Fracking and Why it is Controversial,” fracking causes small earthquakes. Furthermore, “fracking can cause health issues such as cancer.” Those are just some of the harmful effects of fracking. Remember, we don’t know what they all are because fracking is so new. 

 

Many people believe that fracking is necessary. It provides jobs for lots of people because they make a decent amount of money from fracking. Additionally, fracking provides money by selling the gas to cars. It's an easier process than drilling in the ocean. Finally, fracking provides gas for cars and heats houses. These are all reasons why people believe fracking is important. But you need to know that fracking is not worth the money and to ban it in California! 

 

Although fracking is harmful there are ways to make it safer for the environment. Like replace fresh water with recycled water or brine to make fracking not as harmful as regular fracking. Reduce methane leaks from the process or use waterless fracking. Clean up the waste water. Finally, use renewable energy such as solar and wind power instead of fracking. These are some ways to make fracking less harmful. 

 

Now I understand that you like fracking and I agree with you that it can create jobs and provide cheap energy, which is all good for the economy. However, the harmful things it can do to the environment have a greater cost. We need to put our planet Earth first. Thank you for your time and please consider my idea about either banning fracking or finding other ways to get the money. 

 

 

Sincerely, 

Stella Gatt, age 8 

509 words 

 


 

 

Dear Kamala Harris, 

 

I am thrilled that you are Vice President, and that there is more diversity in the White House. However, I have a big problem… Fracking. Fracking is well known but people don’t know its cost. 

 

Fracking has been around since the 1940s, and it’s causing global warming by leaking methane, the powerful greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. According to WWF-Australia, “Global warming stresses ecosystems through temperature rises, water shortages, increased fire threats and drought...” 

 

According to Kurzgesagt–In a Nutshell, “fracking uses an average of 8 million liters of water, a daily consumption of about 65,000 people (90% of fracking fluid is water!) Fracking also uses tons of sand and 200,000 liters of chemicals!” If that's not crazy enough, fracking also increases the cost of ice cream! According to “ Things You Probably Don’t Know About Fracking” by Martin Tillier - (Jun 18, 2014,)” part of the ingredients of ice cream to improve the texture is guar gum. Guar gum is also used in fracking fluid. The price of guar gum increased 20 times since 2000 when fracking became more widespread, even though fracking has been around since the 1960s. However, there are still some solutions in sight. 

 

America should find better ways to get oil and, better yet, energy that is renewable and good for the environment. Like using energy from windmills to charge electric cars and heat your water. Also, the U.S Government should subsidize electric cars so we can stop using oil for cars.  

 

You may say, “We need oil and there's too many cars that rely on gas.” I KNOW! The government should fund scientific research to find better ways of getting oil and renewable energy. It should also fund companies that produce hybrid and electric cars each year to make them more affordable. 

 

Besides making sure our government does it’s part, If we are all aware and do our part as well, like saving energy, driving less and recycling, we can make change together. So, in the future, our earth will not be an unhealthy, polluted planet.  

 

Sincerely, 

Mason Coleman, age 9 

342 words 


 

Dear Auntie Kamala Harris, 

 

I feel so blessed that my generation gets to witness the first Black vice-president in the United States. Congratulations! Thank you for speaking out for People of Color’s rights, in fact all of our rights. But there’s a problem. White supremacists led by Donald Trump do not want rights for African Americans. Please help this country get to a place where Black lives truly matter. 

 

The 14th Amendment is defined as granting citizenship and equal civil and legal rights to African Americans and slaves who had been emancipated after the American Civil War. This was supposed to protect black people but today it does not. Many black lives have been lost because no one is following this amendment. When police shoot Black people more often than white people, does this sound like equal civil and legal rights? This happened more under Donald Trump’s presidency. Donald Trump threw away Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream--not actually, just metaphorically. I want you to make sure the 14th Amendment is enforced. I don’t want people to think it’s ok to be mean to African Americans. 

 

According to Representative Barbara Lee: “Black and Brown people are targeted more frequently than white Americans despite equal rates of (marijuana) use. Additionally, prison sentences for Black and Brown people are more likely to be longer than white people.” People may think “Black people will go on a rampage” if they are given equal rights. THAT'S SIMPLY NOT TRUE! They are actually really nice and just want to have equal rights and to be viewed as equal. Why would anyone think they are not? 

 

In summary, people of Color do not have equal civil and legal rights as protected by the 14th amendment. Every race should be viewed as equal and all of our lives, especially Black lives, matter everyday. You have a special responsibility to make sure the 14th amendment is enforced as a former prosecutor, daughter of immigrants and as the first African American woman vice-president. I believe you will do what’s right. 

 

Love, 

Your nephew, Mateo Jeremy Casher, age 9 

337 words 

 

417 words 

 

Dear President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, 

 

I am impressed with how you made it to president and vice president. But I have a problem: animals are going extinct. If we don’t help, they will go extinct one by one. And in the end, we will end up being extinct too! 

 

You probably haven't seen a tree without a trunk. That's because it is not very likely. That would be like an ecosystem without animals or plants. We should save endangered animals because each one is part of a larger community. And we are part of that community. 

 

Animals are endangered because of hunting, habitat loss, diseases and more. Many animals are going extinct because people are hunting them for meat, and destroying the forests they live in for timber and roads. 

 

It’s like what happened with the gray wolf. It was endangered and on the top of a food chain. When the wolves were not there, the elk went out of population and then the willow and aspen trees were endangered of being eaten too much and so on. 

 

You might be thinking, how are we going to save the animals that are going extinct? Here are some suggestions. To begin with, help reduce plastic use.There is one big problem for animals and that problem is plastic. Plastic can get stuck in the throats of all sorts of animals, and take away their ability to breath. Secondly, make a law that makes it illegal to hunt. Third, stay away from protected spots on beaches and in forests, where animals can rest, and eat. Finally, support the Animal Welfare company. Please help the animals and save us all. I know we can get through this mass extinction together.  

 

Sincerely, 

Evie, age 9 

282 words 


Dear Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden,  

 

As you know, climate change is harming the earth. Well, I want you to help. I live in California where global warming is causing massive wildfires. I’m worried that global warming will cause our trees to die, taking away needed oxygen. 

 

One simple solution to climate change is to reduce fossil fuels. The first and easiest way is for communities to ride bikes or walk instead of driving. Another is for them to use much more public transportation instead of individual cars. You could help by encouraging Congress to pass laws funding public transportation.  

 

Yet a third way to stop fossil fuel emissions is for you to subsidize hybrid and electric cars that don’t use much fossil fuel. These cars are better for the environment than gas cars. To begin with, when hybrid cars brake, they produce electricity from the friction. Hybrid cars are also better for the environment because when they are stopped, they produce no pollution. In addition, when hybrid cars go in reverse, the electric motor converts the motion into electricity. For these reasons I hope you consider subsidizing hybrid and electric cars. 

 

Another solution to global warming is installing solar panels. Solar panels are eco friendly and cut down on fossil fuels. We use most electricity during the day when they operate.  

 

You may be thinking it takes fossil fuels to produce solar panels, but this amount is tiny compared to the fossil fuels that would be used without them, particularly if the electricity is stored in batteries. 

 

Now, you might be thinking, this might be too expensive to fix and our economy doesn’t have enough money. But you really just need to realize the only reason people aren’t getting solar panels, electric and hybrid cars is they can’t afford them and cities can’t afford new public transportation. All you have to do is tax people like Elon Musk (188 Billion), Jeff Bezos (187 billion), Bill Gates (129), Mark Zuckerberg (105 billion) and Warren Buffett (87 billion) to pay for all this and give them solar panels in exchange. Their total net worth is $696 billion dollars. 696,000,000,000. Taxing them just 1%, less than a tenth of what my parents pay, would raise $6,960,000,000. Maybe you could pass an executive order to get this done. 

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this. You two alone could help save our planet. 

 

Sincerely, 

Stieg Larsson-Hall, age 9 

412 words 

 


 

Dear Vice President Kamala Harris, , 

 

Global warming will heat up the earth and is therefore bad for the earth and I want you to stop it. Global warming started around the 1800's. It was discovered by a scientist named Guy Callendar. The earth's atmosphere is like a blanket. Like a greenhouse, earth traps heat and won’t let it go. That is why it is called the greenhouse effect. Global warming is caused by Co2. Co2 stands for carbon dioxide. 

 

Global warming harms coastal areas. The ocean absorbs most of the green house heat and kills the coral. Fish habitats like clownfish, live in coral reefs. So, some species of fish are going extinct and eventually there will be a food shortage. According to the YouTube Video, Saving Corals from the Effects of Climate Change, “Reefs provide crucial protections from storms.” Hawaii might go under water as the ocean levels rise, rain forest might even turn into deserts. Some coastal areas will go under water. For example, Antarctica will melt. Oceans will rise and polar bears will have a harder time surviving. In addition, some coastal areas will be shifted to different areas. Those are some ways global warming harms coastal areas.  

 

But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can encourage people to ride a bike, walk or use public transportation instead of driving a car, using less gas and producing less Co2. For example, if there is a candy shop two blocks away, you could just walk there right? Why use Gas and co2 when you don’t even need to use any! Well of course if it’s like 56 miles away you can use public transportation, or if there is a thing where you have to stay away from others ( like covid-19) you can use an electric car. But please, try not to use too much gas. I hope you consider doing this.  

 

Sincerely, 

Sophie Duramad, age 8 

310 words


Opinion

Editorials

It's Not News, but the Chronicle's Prose is Purple

Becky O'Malley
Thursday May 20, 2021 - 11:36:00 AM

Well, the olden days are back again in Frisco. It’s a one-paper town these days, at least in the real paper-printed newspaper world, and that one paper (called the Comical by many ever since I’ve been reading it, close to 50 years) is now owned by the Hearst empire, which formerly ran the Examiner back when it was a real paper-paper. If you find this genealogy hard to follow, you’re not alone. In part, what’s happening has been caused by the financialization of almost everything, about which more later.

For now, let’s stick to the San Francisco Chronicle, which has lately assumed the mantle and the mantra of the original Hearst papers: yellow journalism in purple prose.

Me, I’m pretty forgiving. I read the pre-Hearst Chron back in the old days when its main news was in Herb Caen’s gossip column. I even remember Count Marco, the columnist who specialized in “transmogrifying” hapless ladies who were beneath his standards for female attractiveness into glamour queens.

The Hearst Examiner, the competition in those days, was racier by contemporary standards, It was not above making things up and/or spicing them up. 

I learned that from personal experience. Once I was interviewed by an Examiner reporter covering a City Hall demonstration I attended, and the resulting story featured the completely fabricated claim that I’d spent the night with my boyfriend in a parked car on Polk street. Not to go into too much detail about old news, but he wasn’t my boyfriend and we arrived at 6 a.m., not the night before. 

But Hearst’s current model for the San Francisco Chronicle is in a whole different ballpark. Since early April the paper has devoted a truly obscene number of column inches to the sexual peccadillos of the mayor of Windsor, a developer-dominated suburb of Santa Rosa on the tackier fringe of the wine country. 

I tried to figure out how many stories they’d done about the guy, but gave up at about twenty-five. Go here if you want to try your own count. 

Many—most—of these started on the front page above the fold, with gigantic photos of unlovely people, both the accusers and the accused. And they went on for pages and pages and pages—perhaps four full pages each, unheard of in real newspapers. 

Don’t get me wrong, the mayor makes Brett Kavanaugh look like an altar boy. No, that’s not right, they both look a lot like some altar boys I’ve known, and they share the Richard Nixon defense: “Never indicted.” But the old-fashioned newspaper custom of saying “allegedly” when they’re repeating unlitigated charges seems to be honored these days more in the breach than in the observance. 

I know that the dictates of the Me Too generation instruct us to believe the woman, and in fact mostly I do. I also know that we must beware of blaming the victim. In this case, a whole chain of women of all sorts told all, going back at least to 2005, to the phalanx of bylined Chronicle reporters assigned to this lurid tale. One of them had brought the story with her from her previous job at the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat, which had declined to publish it because it was just unproved allegations. The several women’s claims do seem plausible on the surface, but no charges have ever been filed against the undoubtedly randy mayor. 

But they lost me with the last victim narrative, the one from a petty official who told the story of what she did in 2015 after attending a conference with the mayor. 

In brief (the account in the paper is TMI) she spent the evening drinking with him in bars, then went back to his hotel room for more drinking, took off her pants, got in bed with him and then was Shocked, Shocked, when he showed her his penis. Because she’d told him she had Boundaries. Really? 

All in all, the whole of this story, what’s grandly labelled “A Chronicle Investigation” goes way beyond Too Much Information. It’s a lot of time, space and money devoted to the kind of sleazy goings-on that have been standard among low-level politicos everywhere forever—not news. I could tell you ten stories about the same kind of stuff right now, but I won't. 

As print papers gets thinner and thinner, their content gets weaker and weaker and at the same time more and more bloated, perhaps because they're trying to create clickbait. The Chronicle has a newish editor, and it looks like his goal is to Transmogrify the old dame into the National Inquirer on steroids. 

Even the “Open Forum” on the editorial page lately has been mostly reprints of op-eds and columns syndicated from big papers. I love Charles Blow, but seeing him in the Chronicle the day after I’ve seen him in the New York Times and possibly also online is not necessary. But at least he’s not an Inquirer wannabe—at least he doesn’t focus on sex and violence. 

And then there are the poor pitiful remnants of what used to be the Chron’s robust suburban competition. All of the once-lively independent papers have been swallowed up in a series of corporate acquisitions, the worse being the hedge fund Alden Global Capital’s takeover of the Media News Group, which had in turn previously swallowed the San Jose Mercury, the Contra Costa Times, the Oakland Tribune and the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Today's news: Alden Global has acquired the storied Chicago Tribune. The hedge funds’ moneymaking scheme is to lay off most of the staff, underpay those who are left, and loot the capital from the companies they control. 

The consequences are paricularly bad in the expensive Bay Area. 

“I think our plight can be best summed up this way: For journalists living in the Bay Area, the rent is too damn high and the pay is too damn low,” crack investigative reporter Thomas Peele, once of the East Bay Times, told a union demonstration in 2019. 

It’s only gotten worse since then. The pay of the last remaining reporters at all local papers is still too low. The Chonicle, the last quasi-metropolitan daily, is avidly chronicling Sex In The Suburbs, while doing nothing intelligent to explain why the rent here is too high for experienced journalists, let alone home prices. 

The two crises are converging. Just as money-men are converting newpapers to cash cows, housing all over the world is being financialized by international capital. California suffers from a surfeit of luxury construction and a dearth of affordable units, while state legislators in Sacramento dance to market-rate developers’ tunes. Scott Wiener and his cohorts are turning California into a free-fire zone for global investors, who are buying up urban homes as a place to park their excess wealth. Today's Chronicle editorial enthusiastically endorses the flagships of the Wienerite flotilla of really bad bills aimed at wresting control of land use away from local governments, SB 9 and SB 10. 

This is an international story with a local focus. The same kind of thing is happening not only in trendy San Francisco, but in Milwaukee and Bloomington and Brooklyn and London and Austin. Yet the Chronicle continues to report it as “only in the Bay Area” with only CalYIMBY sources quoted. It would be nice if we had a real newspaper to report on what’s going on in Rest of World—but that’s a story for another day.


Public Comment

Israel Crimes Intensify

Jagjit Singh
Saturday May 15, 2021 - 12:44:00 PM

The festering Israeli Palestinian conflict is rooted in British colonial crimes. Following the Second World War, Lord Balfour, a fierce Zionist, gifted the land inhabited by predominantly Palestinians to the Jews with massive military and economic aid from the US.

Edward Said, the brilliant Palestinian academic, described the dispossession of Palestinian land: [“The Balfour] Declaration was made (a) by a European power, (b) about a non-European territory, (c) in a flat disregard of both the presence and the wishes of the native majority resident in that territory, and (d) it took the form of a promise about this same territory to another foreign group so that this foreign group might quite literally make this territory a national home for the Jewish people…. Balfour’s statements in the declaration take for granted the higher right of a colonial power to dispose of a territory as it saw fit”.

How quickly we have forgotten the shameful chapter in our own history when early US settlers committed genocide against the Native Americans. 

The American media reporting on the deteriorating situation in Israel has been profoundly disappointing. A common narrative, “barrage of rockets streamed out of Gaza while Israeli jets pounded the territory." Correction:The rockets were fired in response to unspeakable atrocities being committed by far-right Israeli police attacking Palestinian worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and ethnically cleansing Palestinians from their homes(designated by the UN as a possible war crime). 

What is sorely missing from the American media reporting is the simple question “Do the Palestinians have a right to defend themselves from an apartheid government (designated as such by Human Rights Watch) bent on committing genocide? Why must Palestinians suffer the indignities of such a brutal occupation? Did we not repel our former colonial overlords, the Brits, because of seething anger and resentment over colonial rule? Why should we deny the Palestinians the same rights and aspirations?" 

President Biden has shown a complete lack of leadership parroting the same tired defense of Israeli aggression “Israel has the right to defend itself”. But he has not uttered one word of criticism excoriating Israel’s right-wing settler terrorists and Israeli police attacking Palestinian worshippers. 

Hundreds of Palestinians have been wounded with reports showing police fired rubber-coated bullets, stun grenades and tear gas at Palestinian worshipers. This follows weeks of protests to block Israel from evicting dozens of Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem to give their homes to illegal settlers. The Israeli government is using brute force to terrorize Palestinians while Israeli settlers walk freely in Palestinian neighborhoods driving them out of their homes with guns drawn.  

Videos posted online shows explosives, possibly stun grenades, being fired inside the mosque, which is the third-holiest site in Islam. Medical personnel were initially barred from reaching the injured Palestinians (a serious war crime). Eyewitnesses described a scene of terror when Israeli forces began opening fire while people prayed. 

Predictably, the situation escalated rapidly with Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killing scores of Palestinians, including many children. The tension in Jerusalem has been mounting for weeks as Palestinians have been desperately attempting block Israel from forcibly evicting them from their homes.  

This is excessively cruel and a complete violation of international law. The European Union and the UK severely condemned the planned evictions. Meanwhile, the timid Biden administration and Republicans remain silent, uncomfortable about offending the powerful pro-Israel lobby who routinely insist on unconditional support. Successive US administrations have created this incendiary situation by their long role as a dishonest broker, rewarding Israel’s occupation and apartheid policies with $billions in US military and economic aid, making us complicit in Israel’s war crimes. It is time US taxpayers raise our collective voices to halt this grave injustice and allow Palestinians to charter their own destiny free from Israeli oppression.


Columns

THE PUBLIC EYE:What Happens Next?

Bob Burnett
Saturday May 15, 2021 - 05:56:00 PM

Six months have passed since the fateful November 3rd presidential election. Here are the BB predictions for the next six months.

1.Coronavirus Pandemic: There's good news and bad news. The good news is that the CDC just loosened the mask guidelines for those of us who have been vaccinated. By mid-summer the region where I live -- San Francisco Bay area -- will likely have achieved herd immunity; that is, more than 80 percent of the adult population will have been vaccinated. The bad news is that significant parts of the US will not reach these vaccination levels and, most likely, will never reach them. 

Our local experts ( https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/2021-05-herd-immunity-California-Bay-Area-16148134.php) now believe that the State of California will reach herd immunity right around June 15th -- the goal set by Governor Newsom for "reopening" the state. The experts explained that California is ahead of the rest of the nation because we have a lower incidence of "vaccine hesitancy:" "About 30% of Americans on average are reluctant to get vaccinated, but the number is lower in California, with an estimated 10% to 15% of Golden State residents vaccine hesitant, according to data from the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. Studies have shown that people who identify as Republican are less likely to get vaccinated than Democrats, and vaccine hesitancy in California is generally higher in red counties, according to the department." 

Our experts feel that it will take several years before the United States reaches herd immunity -- because of vaccine hesitancy, new virus variants, and global travel patterns. This means travel will continue to be restricted as well as participation in large events. 

Political consequences: As long as the U.S. continues to make progress overcoming the pandemic, this bodes well for the Biden Administration. In California, given that the golden state reopens on June 15th, this progress bodes well for Governor Newsom -- the recall effort was already a long shot (The latest polls (https://calmatters.org/commentary/2021/04/california-newsom-recall-poll/ ) find that just 36 percent of California residents favor recalling Newsom.) 

2.Donald Trump: For Democrats, the past six months has been positive -- Joe Biden has done a good job, is popular, and has the nation headed out of the abyss. For Republicans, the past six months have -- once again -- been about Donald Trump. 

After Trump's 7-million vote election loss, the January 6th insurrection, and his second impeachment trial, the Republican Party split. An April NBC News poll (https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20690434-210098-nbc-news-april-poll-4-25-21-release) found that Trump's approval had slipped to 32 percent (21 percent very positive and 11 percent somewhat positive). In this poll, for the first time, more Republicans saw themselves as supporters of the GOP (50 percent) rather than as supporters of Trump (44 percent). It's hard to gauge the size of this split, but the intra-Party debate about the role of GOP leader Liz Cheney indicates that a substantial number of Republicans no longer want Trump to lead their Party -- probably not a majority, somewhere in the vicinity of 33 percent. (This estimate aligns with polls (https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/11/politics/voting-restrictions-analysis/index.html ) that indicate around 70 percent of Republicans feel the 2020 election was "stolen" from Donald Trump.} 

Trump is down but not yet out. He has lost his social media presence -- he's banned from Twitter and Facebook and has yet to create a replacement. This has had two consequences: first, the DT "thought of the day" is not as omnipresent as it once was. Second, Trump's fundraising is not as effective as it was -- nonetheless, DT's political action committee is sitting on a reserve of about $85 million. 

Political Consequences: For the moment, DT runs (most of) the Republican Party. That's a problem for the GOP because Trump is unpopular with the general electorate, is no longer an effective social-media presence, and is headed for a set of messy legal problems. Hmm. Seems like Republicans are "hoist on their own petard." 

3. The Big Lie: The recent CNN poll indicates that about 30 percent of voters (70 percent of Republican voters) believe that Joe Biden was unlawfully elected. Trump, and his Republican cohorts, have succeeded in spreading the big lie. 

In the last decade, the Republican Party hasn't had much of a policy agenda, they've mostly been concerned with social issues. During Trump's reign their agenda consisted of build the wall, cut taxes, and repeal Obamacare. In 2021, their agenda has been further simplified: don't cooperate with anything proposed by the Biden Administration -- because Biden has unlawfully elected -- and inhibit the votes of everyone other than Republicans. 

Most Republicans legislators have accepted his big lie and moved forward with voter suppression. Ten states -- including Arizona, Florida, and Georgia have pushed through new laws to make it more difficult to vote. ( https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/553012-controversial-voting-laws-add-to-democrats-midterm-obstacles) “I think we need to state the purpose: Republican politicians are using lies about the 2020 election to pass voter suppression laws that they think will hand their party power,” said Jena Griswold, the secretary of state in Colorado and the chair of the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State. 

Although the intent of the Republican legislators is to diminish Democratic votes, some of the measures may deplete Republican votes -- for example, new laws making it more difficult to cast absentee ballots will inhibit the votes of GOP seniors. In addition, the new voter-suppression legislation has been subjected to dozens of lawsuits. 

Political Consequences: Unclear. It's undemocratic to make it more difficult to vote but Republicans don't care. The GOP problem is that this is not a broadly popular message and doesn't serve as an effective alternative to the Biden/Democrat agenda. 

Summary: Hmm. Republicans have sold out to Trump and he's about to go down bigly. The GOP seems to be headed over the falls. Meanwhile, don't expect bipartisanship. Biden needs to hold a steady course. 

Bob Burnett is a Bay Area writer and activist. He can be reached at bburnett@sonic.net 


SMITHEREENS: Reflections on Bits & Pieces

Gar Smith
Saturday May 15, 2021 - 06:11:00 PM

Happy Birthday, Wavy Gravy

It's not every day that Hugh Romney (better known as "Wavy Gravy") turns 85. And that may explain why the celebration is lasting for three whole days—May 14-16.

And what a festival it is! As always, Wavy's fun-raising birthdays are also fund-raising events for two of his signature do-good charities—the Seva Foundation and Camp Winnarainbow.

This time-around-the-sun, the birthday fun features a virtual online fest of "songs, tributes & stories" starring a who's who of beloved Sixties Survivors including: Joan Baez, Jackson Browne, Ani DiFranco, Steve Earle, Michael Franti, Jorma Kaukonen, Maria Muldaur, Graham Nash, Bonnie Raitt, Buffy Saint-Marie, and Bob Weir—with Wavy as Master of Merriment. For the complete line-up and all the other delicious details—including a video link to all jinks, high and low—click on https://www.seva.org/.

And what better time to revisit our proposal to the City to consider adding a new plaque to the street sign marking the intersection near Wavy's wood-shingled home on the corner of Henry Street and Berryman. The proposed new sign would dub the short, block-long stretch of road leading to Live Oak Park: "Wavy Gravy Way." 

AT&T Caught Red-handed? 

Several Berkeley power poles have now been outfitted with microwave wireless transmitters and complaints are starting to come in from neighbors living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) disorders. It appears that "The Internet of Things"—long ballyhooed by Big Com giants like Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T—has brought a few things that weren't mentioned on the corporate dish-list—like headaches and sensations of burning skin. 

The National Institutes of Health have concluded that 5G radiofrequency (RF) exposures are known to cause "nerve stimulation, changes in the permeability of cell membranes, and effects due to temperature elevation." There may be other side-effects triggered by 5G exposure but there has been a lack of independent studies into 5G RF risks. As the NIH points out: "Conflicts of interest and ties to the industry seem to have contributed to the biased reports. The lack of proper unbiased risk evaluation of the 5G technology places populations at risk." 

And those at risk appear to include some long-time Berkeley residents who are now scrambling to sell their homes and relocate in an attempt to out-run the 5G "rollout." 

"Some mornings I wake up and my hands are burning," says one North Berkeley resident. "My skin is visibly red." Her damaged hands currently are being treated with topical creams by a local dermatologist. The burning—accompanied by bouts of tinnitus and other hearing disorders—began on the same day a newly installed WiFi antenna was activated on Gilman Street, near the Berkeley Natural Grocery. 

The resident (who prefers to remain anonymous) claims that covering her hands with ice-packs or plunging them into cold water only provides momentary relief. 

"Rainy days are better than dry, hot days," she reports. "Apparently, the rain helps block the radiation from the transmitter" but on most days, she says, "I feel like I'm being burned at the stake." 

She and her husband are part of a small group of "electro-sensitive" residents who fear the prospect of hundreds of transmitters popping up in Berkeley—as many as two or three per block. They are desperately trying to find housing in less-developed communities outside the heavily wired Bay Area. 

Poverty Tows in Berkeley 

On my Sunday run, I noticed a car parked on Rose Street with a bright red towing tag tucked under a windshield wiper. The car was dusty and appeared to have been parked for some time. Berkeley police had drawn a chalk arrow on the street and another on the car's rear tire to provide visual proof that the car had not been moved and was targeted for a tow and storage—all at the owner's expense. If the vehicle could not be driven, the tag warned, "you should arrange for private towing or auto wrecking service to move it off the street." 

This left me wondering why we have a system that allows the police to essentially steal someone's vehicle, bill them for the theft, and demand a bounty to regain custody of the car. (Also worth noting: There was plenty of open curb space on this stretch of Rose, so the vehicle didn't pose any parking inconvenience.) 

The Chronicle recently reported how the practice of "poverty tows" is causing major misery in San Francisco. Most affected: people of color. Latinos composed 15% of those targeted for tows, with Black drivers representing 19%, and America Indian/Alaska Native residents accounting for a whopping 20% of poverty tows. 

As the ACLU and other rights groups see it, poverty tows amount to a cruel and criminal act that should be outlawed. In the meantime, here's a simple step that police officers could employ to reduce the trauma: Instead of placing a warning tag on an over-parked vehicle and walking away, the police could use the license plate or VIN number to identify and contact the owner—by letter or phone. The owner would then have an opportunity to move the car and there would be no need for the police to impound it. 

If the car cannot be safely driven, the city could offer to tow the car to a storage lot. Any car owner whose income falls below, say, $15,000 a year would be exempt from having to pay to have their car taken away. 

Gun-lovers for Peace 

In 2019, a wounded war vet named Sgt. Dan McKnight founded BringOurTroopsHome.US to challenge "Washington DC and its war machine." Heartened by recent YouGov polls that show 58% of Americans favor "an immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan," McKnight has announced a new campaign—The Ten Seven Club, named to commemorate October 7, 2001, the date "my brothers and sisters in uniform hit the ground running in Afghanistan." 

McKnight's 10-7 Club supports the Constitution's historic position that only Congress can declare war and holds that it's time to "wave goodbye to the ideas of empire and restore the limited government republic envisioned by our Founding Fathers." 

The 10-7 Club's "Defend the Guard" campaign also would prevent the deployment of National Guard troops without a formal declaration of war by Congress. 

All well and good. But here's where the boots leave the ground. "To inaugurate this new association," McKnight announces, "we are announcing a gun giveaway!" [Emphasis in the original.] Join the 10-7 Club by June 13 and "you will automatically be placed in a raffle to win a brand-new AR-15, the most popular rifle in American today." The $1,500 AR-15 is an assault rifle described as ideal "for home defense, competitive shooting, and more." (It's the "and more" that has me worried.) 

So, in exchange for a monthly membership fee, you'll be entered in an automatic raffle for an automatic rifle. 

Mapping Militarism 

What if there was an animated map of all the world's current armed conflicts? Well, it turns out there is such a thing. Actually, there are two—and here they are: 

First up is World BEYOND War's interactive Mapping Militarism 2021, which just debuted on May 2. This online tool is a mapster's masterpiece that allows anyone to scan the planet, pick out a particular conflict area, and zoom into a trove of site-specific details including present wars, numbers of US troops on the ground, drone strikes, money spent, weapons sent, amounts of military "aid" and who gets it, types of chemical and biological weapons, number and location of nuclear weapons, location of 800-plus US bases in other countries, data on NATO deployments, and a list of all US wars and military interventions since 1943. 

Second, TLDR News has posted a video that portrays "Every Ongoing War: All 56 Global Conflicts and 113,523 Annual Deaths Explained." 

 

Karmic Strips 

Last Sunday's Doonesbury strip offered a well-crafted, short-but-sour reference to "That Other Guy." 

Sitting behind his NPR studio microphone, Garry Trudeau's doppleganger Marc Slackmeyer asks Sen. Lyndsay Graham this question: "With the GOP in disarray, who do you think should lead the party into the future?" The senator's fictitious (but factual) reply follows:
"That's an easy one. We need someone tough enough to survive two impeachments for high crimes in addition to 29 ongoing lawsuits and five criminal probes in three jurisdictions including investigations into bank fraud, insurance fraud, tax fraud, racketeering, solicitation of election fraud, conspiracy, threatening officials and incitement of violence! That's who should be leading the party." 

Karmic Strips Redux 

In a recent Candorville strip, cartoonist Darrin Bell opens on a scene where Lemont Brown is waiting for a bus alongside a young boy who starts a conversation. The kid boasts about his father who, apparently, is a politician. 

"My father and his friends get together and pass flaws," the young tyke proclaims, proudly adding the news that "My father is incongruous." 

Reminds me of the meme: "What's the opposite of 'progress'? Answer: 'congress.'" (Note: Be wary of disparaging memes. Despite its flaws and corruption, congress is still a key tool for progressive change.) 

MoveOn's Hope to Out-Fox Fox 

Writing from the MoveOn platform, Robert Reich shares some troubling news: "On Friday [May 7], of the top 10 most popular Facebook posts, nine were from far-right extremists, including Ben Shapiro and Franklin Graham. And every weeknight, more than 3 million people tune in to watch Tucker Carlson on Fox News. It's the largest audience of any show on cable news." Reich cited a short-list of troubling trends in the following links: 

"Sean Hannity used to rule Fox. But in the post-Trump era, Tucker Carlson is king," CNN, May 7, 2021
"Majority of Republicans still believe the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump," Ipsos, April 2, 2021 

"False news travels 6 times faster on Twitter than truthful news," PBS NewsHour, March 9, 2018. 

Restraining Orders Are Absurd 

I read yet another news story about a San Francisco woman harassed by a former male companion after a spate of domestic violence prompted her to seek a restraining order (RO). And, as in most such stories, the offender simply ignored the RO and returned to bang on her door and threaten further violence. 

SF District Attorney Chesa Boudin recently took some heat after it was revealed that more than 100 domestic violence complaints on file had been dismissed and none of the remaining cases had resulting in criminal charges being filed. 

Another Victory for the Patriarchy 

Thugs who attack innocent people on our streets are tracked down, arrested, and punished. But if the perp happens to be a boyfriend or a partner, the police stand back, refusing to "meddle" in a "relationship" problem. 

Note: There are no "retraining orders" for burglars, robbers, arsonists, carjackers, or rapists. These criminals face arrest and jail with no "get out of jail free card." 

This practice is a remnant of an institutional patriarchy that proclaims a hands-off stance with there is a charge of violence within a marriage or a relationship. In cruder terms, this hesitancy to intervene is predicated on the once-unchallenged belief that "in a marriage, a man is entitled to beat his wife" and the police dare not invade this "sanctuary" of male privilege. 

Many times, the police explain, no charges are brought because the female victims refuse to file a complaint. (As if the action of calling the police in the first place does not constitute a complaint.) 

Restraining Orders that Really Restrain 

Too often, restraining orders don't work. More often than not, an abusive mate will return to inflict more fear and pain. 

If we want to maintain the "exceptional" practice of issuing restraining orders, here's a suggestion. When a partner is accused of assault, he (or, to be fair, she) is not simply ordered to stay away from the victim's address. Instead, the accused attacker is fitted with an electronic ankle bracelet that tracks the person's position. Approach within 20 feet of a victim's dwelling and an alarm is sounded. The alarm is monitored not only at the nearest police station, but also blasts a warning into the neighborhood, thanks to a siren attached to the ankle bracelet. 

Another potential improvement: Design an ankle bracelet that not only tracks and blasts but also contains a built-in taser that activates within 20 feet of a designated building and delivers a crippling blow that will disable the potential attacker until the police arrive. 

And speaking of potential attackers, here's the latest pop-tune Trumpelstiltskin parody from The Founders Sing: 

I Can't Live (If Living Is Without You) 

Founders Sing 

 


ON MENTAL ILLNESS: About Development

Jack Bragen
Saturday May 15, 2021 - 06:15:00 PM

Psychotic delusion in the early stages could manifest as an extreme system of denial. In my teens, if I think back, I ignored a number of bad problems that I should've faced and addressed. Had I faced these difficult realities, I might have been able to salvage friendships and other situations. Instead, my mind was off on another track and was headed for psychosis, and this only created more complications in my pre-adult life. 

Many psychiatrists who strictly ascribe to the medical model of psychiatric illness would disagree with what I've said above. Some might say that my observation holds true solely because, in early stages of psychosis when the symptoms are beginning to develop in the brain, the disease shows itself as milder forms of what a psychiatrist would call "abnormality." 

Causes of psychosis are believed to be partly genetic and partly environmental. I believe that part of environment includes the internal environment, consisting of the thought patterns we have adopted, our desire systems, and our fears. If we set ourselves up for something unattainable, we are headed for a confrontation with facing or not facing obvious and unfavorable facts. When the reality of our unrealism becomes more apparent, we can assimilate this and we can and dial back our expectations, or we could go into more extreme levels of effort. Some of this effort will be non-productive because of it being distorted. 

Those who enter political contests are obsessed with symbols of success. They do not believe they are worthy of self-respect unless they rise to the top. This is not merely ambition; it is a character flaw. It could be classifiable as a disorder. This is so if the politician is obsessed with power and does not care so much about doing her or his job, which is to serve the public. 

Many mentally ill people have something similar. The difference is politicians usually can act normal and be accepted as normal while doing insane things. Another difference between most politicians and most psychotic people is politicians can acknowledge the reality of losing a political contest. This has some notable exceptions. 

Obsessed people often overdevelop their capacity for effort. Yet effort piled atop effort doesn't necessarily help a person's goals; sometimes it has an adverse effect. And it often it can a person to blow a neurological fuse. 

When a mentally ill person or an obsessed non mentally ill person realizes they're not getting what they're after, sometimes a meltdown occurs. We saw the example of Donald Trump losing the Presidential race. He soon resorted to planning an attempted coup, one that might have overthrown democracy in the U.S., but for the bravery of a few security personnel and officers on hand. 

Donald Trump is not "normal." And this is fine by me. However, not okay includes everything else about him. "Normal" is not always a virtue and "abnormal" isn't always a drawback. However, when you are destructive with your power, that power should be taken away. 

Some mentally ill people are extremely high functioning and are recovered to the extent that they fully acknowledge physical realities. The very same individuals have been highly creative, highly flexible, and highly aware. Not much remains that would be considered "mentally ill" except that they may continue to take medication. 

I've interacted with enormously successful, creative, aware people and with remarkably high functioning, successful mentally ill people, and the two categories have a lot in common. One difference is in how much a person can handle. There isn't much difference with respect to basic personality. Mentally ill people can be intellectually highly developed and can cherish rather than feel shame concerning the idea they aren't "normal." 

It is those who have shut down consciousness and have embraced hate, self-absorption, the lust for power and the wickedness of greed who have something to be ashamed of, and not mentally ill people, who have a brain illness and who are rudely regarded as "abnormal." 

Jack Bragen has produced several books, including "Instructions for Dealing with Schizophrenia: A Self-Help Manual," and "Jack Bragen's 2021 Fiction Collection" available on lulu.com and elsewhere.


Arts & Events

The Berkeley Activist's Calendar, May 16-23

Kelly Hammargren
Saturday May 15, 2021 - 06:05:00 PM

Worth Noting:

This is one of the fullest lists of City of Berkeley (CoB) meetings in weeks. This quick summary are the meetings and events worth your attention.



Sunday, May 16 at 10 am – 3 pm Native Garden Tour #3 – Bringing Back Natives, 25 gardens are featured over 4 weeks. Pre-Register for links If we all started filling our gardens and landscapes with native plants we could bask in gardens and open space filled with butterflies, skippers and birds. The decorative and ornamental plants filling the nurseries create food deserts for birds and butterflies.

Monday – CCCC Park Committee at 6 pm features Robin Grossinger from SFEI to speak on Urban Ecology and how to bring biodiversity to our city

Tuesday – City Council special meeting at 6 pm two items, 1. A new process for submitting major legislation, 2. Changing the in lieu mitigation fee calculation from number of units to sq ft – the in lieu fee is the fee paid not to have below market affordable units in a project

Wednesday – Reimagining Public Safety is at 6 pm. The Fire Safety Zoomposium is at 7 pm. You must pre-register for links to the Fire Safety zoomposium.

Thursday – Land Use Committee is at 10:30 am, expect TOPA (Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act) to be finalized. There is no posting yet of the tentative noon CCCC meeting. The seismic study of the Veterans Building and Maudelle Shirek Building (Old City Hall) were scheduled to be completed by May 20. Email Johncaner@gmail.com if you wish to be on the notification list.

Saturday – Everyone who pre-registered for the free virtual screening of the Rights of Nature film Invisible Hand will have access to the film for 24 hours beginning at 4 pm. Limit 100 (25 spots left). Register by emailing hammargrenkelly@gmail.com

Sunday, May 23 - at 10 am – 3 pm Native Garden Tour #4 – Bringing Back Natives, 25 gardens are featured over 4 weeks. Pre-Register for links. Rights of Nature film Invisible Hand Q&A with the directors at 6 pm. Access to the film ends at 6 pm.



The agenda for the May 25th City Council meeting is available for review and comment.  

>  

Sunday, May 16, 2021  

Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour at 10 am – 3 pm (event is virtual and free) 

Register at https://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/register-2021 

Hosted on Zoom and YouTube – see April 25 and May 2 tours at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLIN_S5D0pZjeO59HBi2HyA 

Home page: https://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/ 

 

Monday, May 17, 2021 

Council Budget & Finance Committee at 10 am, 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87464185769 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 (toll free) Meeting ID: 874 6418 5769 

AGENDA: 2. American Rescue Plan Act Overview and State Budget Overview (Townsend), 3. American Rescue Plan Preliminary FY2022 Allocations, 4. FY2022 Proposed Budget Presentation 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/Policy_Committee__Budget___Finance.aspx 

 

Council Agenda and Rules Committee, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm, 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82547047106 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 (toll free) Meeting ID: 825 4704 7106 

AGENDA Planning for June 1 Regular Council meeting CONSENT: 1. Waiver of Sanctuary of City Ordinance for Westlaw Contract, 3. Appropriations limit for FY2022, 4. Amend Contract add $225,000 total $3,716,917 with Ghilotti Construction Co, Inc, for Rose Garden Pergola Reconstruction and Site Improvements, 5. MOU Multi-Agency Policing for Grizzly Peak Blvd (Oakland police Dept, UCB Police, East Bay Regional Park District, BPD, Contra Costa Sherrif’s Dept, EBMUD, City of Orinda), 6. Arreguin, co-sponsor Harrison – Oppose AB 1139 Net Metering – 80% reduction in credit given to solar users for surplus energy sent back to the grid, 7. Arreguin – FY2022 Budget Referral $900,000 Continuing Anti-Displacement Programs (Housing Retention $250,000, EBLC $275,000, EDC $275,000, Flexible Housing Subsidies for Homeless Prevention $100,000), 8. Arreguin – FY2022 Budget Referral $100,000 Landlord incentives for Section 8 Participation, 9. Arreguin, co-sponsors Bartlett, Harrison, Taplin – Support SB 617 the Solar Access Act, ACTION: 10. FY2022 Proposed Budget Hearing #2, 11. ZAB Appeal 2421 Fifth, 12. Police Accountability Board – Appointment of Members, 13. Disaster and Fire Safety Commission – Expand Automatic Gas Shut-off Valve Requirements in Multi-family, Condominium and Commercial Buildings undergoing Renovations, 14 a. SSBPPE – Resolution CoB and City food service vendors shall not serve sugar sweetened beverages at city meetings, use city funds for sugar sweetened beverages or sell sugar sweetened beverages in vending machines, b. CM alternative – healthy options shall be emphasized and the majority of beverages shall not be sugar-sweetened, 15. Harrison – Resolution Updating CoB Street Maintenance and Rehabilitation Policy, 16, Arreguin – Reappointment of Dan Rossi, Christine Schildt and Adolph Moody to Berkeley Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, 17. Harrison – Budget Referral Establish 2-year Pilot Existing Building Electrification Incentive Program to assist New Homeowners, Renters and Existing Homeowners with Transition to Zero-Carbon Buildings, REFERRED ITEMS FOR REVIEW: 8. Impact of COVID on meetings, 9. Discussion of Implementation of Appendix D of City Council Rules of Procedure (Temporary Rules regarding policy committee and legislative workflow during COVID-19 local emergency), UNSCHEDULED ITEMS: 10. Strengthening and Supporting Commissions, UNFINISHED BUSINESS FOR SCHEDULING: 1. Kitchen Exhaust Hoods, 2. Surveillance Technology, 3. Objective Standards Recommendations for Building Density (multi-unit), Design and Shadows. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/Policy_Committee__Agenda___Rules.aspx 

 

Mayor Jesse Arreguin Virtual Town Hall at 6 pm 

Videoconference: https://www.jessearreguin.com/ 

Teleconference: Meeting ID: 858 0775 0984 Passcode: 016557 

AGENDA: questions must be submitted by 3 pm 5/17, Town Hall is recorded 

 

Community for a Cultural Civic Center (CCCC) Park Committee at 6 -7:30 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87617988018 

(there will be a waiting room – participant limit 100) 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 876 1798 8018 

AGENDA: Urban Ecology: How to bring biodiversity into our cities for a vibrant, resilient and healthy community by Robin Grossinger Berkeley resident and Senior Scientist with the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) (presentation followed by Q&A) 

To learn more about the San Francisco Estuary Institute & the Aquatic Science Center https://www.sfei.org/rl#tab-1-0 

 

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 

City Council Closed Session at 5 pm, 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83723795637 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 (toll free) Meeting ID: 837 2379 5637 

AGENDA: 1. Conference with legal counsel – pending litigation, WCAB cases 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/City_Council__Agenda_Index.aspx 

 

City Council Special Meeting at 6 pm, 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86449479164 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 (toll free) Meeting ID: 864 4947 9164 

AGENDA: 1. Systems Alignment Proposal – Establishes procedure/process for submitting major legislation 2. Updating Citywide Affordable Housing Requirements the focus is changing the in lieu mitigation fee calculation from number of units to sq ft 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/City_Council__Agenda_Index.aspx 

 

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 

City Council Facilities, Infrastructure, Transportation, Environment & Sustainability Committee at 2:30 pm, 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89070612875 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 (toll free) Meeting ID: 890 7061 2875 

AGENDA: 2. Ordinance Amend BMC 7.52 reducing tax imposed for Qualifying Electrification, Energy Efficiency and Water Conservation Retrofits, 3. Implementation of 15 MPH Speed Limit at all early-childhood education facilities, 4. Refer to CM prioritize establishment of impact/mitigation fees to address impact public right of way (fees to offset damage to streets) 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/Policy_Committee__Facilities,_Infrastructure,_Transportation,_Environment,___Sustainability.aspx 

 

Animal Care Commission at 7 – 9 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82150538692?pwd=V2pDbnhMTXZOMVZvVlZpRWxaUHZaUT09 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 857 4344 7842 Passcode: 725597 

AGENDA: II. Public Comment, VI. Proposed new CoB ordinance to mandate that only plan-based food be provided by all CoB owned and operated facilities, V. Budget. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Animal_Care_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Outreach Committee at 5:30 pm 

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/93833351265?pwd=a2lWVHBvMzZNb3Z3ZTIvSFE2cXhldz09 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 938 3335 1265 Passcode: 194580 

AGENDA: 4. Public Comment, 5. Tenant Survey, 6. Accessibility issues: closed captioning, 7. Social media expansion. 

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/ 

 

Independent Redistricting Commission at 6 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88692263888 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 (toll free) Meeting ID: 886 9226 3888 

AGENDA: 2. Training – City Charter and Municipal Code Redistricting Regulations 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/redistricting/ 

 

Human Welfare & Community Action Commission at 6:30 pm 

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/4863098496 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 486 3098 496  

AGENDA: 5. Review CoB funded Easy Does It, 7. Update closure of Alta Bates, 8. Accessibility issues Pathways and new facility at Grayson, staff v consultants, ombudsman and new liability concerns over Justice Dept ruling on mental health, 9. TOPA, Homeless encampment near Here/There, 11. Report on Adeline Corridor, 12. Citywide public restrooms reports. 17. Current state of homelessness in Berkeley. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Human_Welfare_and_Community_Action_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

 

Reimagining Public Safety Task Force at 6 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83826470218 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 838 2647 0218 

AGENDA: Discussion/Action: Fair and Impartial Policing Presentation from working group, Fair and Impartial Policing Implementation of Recommendations – Jennifer Louis Interim Police Chief, BerkDoT Overview – Liam Garland, Subcommittee Reports: Policing, Budget & Alternatives to Policing, Community Engagement 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/RIPST.aspx 

 

Fire Safety Zoomposium at 7 pm 

Pre-register for zoom link (capacity 500) https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Nycf9Qh2Qx6xe2XTmQh-Qg 

Organized by Councilmembers Lori Droste, Sophie Hahn and Susan Wengraf. If you have any problem with preregistration contact their offices or email ldroste@cityofberkeley.info, shahn@cityofberkeley.info, swengraf@cityofberkeley.info 

 

Thursday, May 20, 2021 

City Council Land Use, Housing & Economic Development Committee at 10:30 am 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82484333477 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 (toll free) Meeting ID: 824 8433 3477 

AGENDA: 2. TOPA (Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act) 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/Policy_Committee__Land_Use,_Housing___Economic_Development.aspx 

 

City Council Closed Session at 1 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83208410242 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 (toll free) Meeting ID: 832 0841 0242 

AGENDA: 1. Conference with Legal Counsel pending litigation Ruegg& Ellsworth v. CoB (Alameda Superior Court R. RG 18930003), 2. Conference with real property negotiators for 199 Seawall Drive, 3. Conference with Labor Negotiators, employee organizations: IBEW, Local 1245, SEIU 1021 Community Services and Part-time Recreation Activity Leaders, Berkeley Firefighters Association Local 1227, Berkeley Police Association, SEIU 1021 Maintenance and Clerical Chapters, Berkeley Chief Fire Officers Association, Public Employees Union Local 1. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/City_Council__Agenda_Index.aspx 

 

Design Review Committee at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/95186840261 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 951 8684 0261 

AGENDA: 1. 2000 University – majority recommendations – demolish two existing commercial structures, construct 8-story mixed-use 82 dwelling units and ground floor commercial – unresolved conditions only 

2. 3000 San Pablo – final design review – demolish an existing 2-story commercial building and construct 6-story mixed-use building with 78 units (including 7 very low-income units)1,248 sq ft commercial space, 2,320 sq ft usable open space, 52 long-term bicycle spaces, 43 vehicular parking spaces 

3. 2136 San Pablo – preview – demolish existing 2-story non-residential structure and construct 6-story mixed-use building with 123 residential units (5 residential stories above podium, 3 live-work units at ground level, 50 off-street parking spaces in mechanical lift system. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/designreview/ 

 

Fair Campaign Practices Commission and Open Government Commission, 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81384737206 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 813 8473 7206 

AGENDA: Fair Campaign Practices Commission (FCPC): 6. Mandated Cost of Living Adjustment for Public Financing Program, 7. City Clerk Enforcement referrals a. Carol Marosovic, b. Stephen Murphy, Open Government Commission (OGC): 9. City Council public participation in meetings held via videoconference, 10. Limitation of Speaker time at city meetings, 11. Substantive changes or additions to an item on the agenda at the meeting it is scheduled to be heard, 12. Letter of support for SB-459 Political Reform Act of 1974, lobbying, Joint FCPC-OGC: 14. Officeholder accounts. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/FCPC/ 

 

Community for a Cultural Civic Center (CCCC) at 12 pm 

Email Johncaner@gmail.com for meeting zoom link 

AGENDA: Seismic Study Report expected on May 20 

 

WETA – Water Emergency Transport Authority Special Meeting at 1 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89718217408 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 897 1821 7408 Password: 33779 

AGENDA: 3. Approve FY 2022-2024 Title VI Program, 4. Preliminary FY 2021/2022 operating and capital budgets, 5. WETA business plan concept and organization. 

https://weta.sanfranciscobayferry.com/sites/weta/files/weta-public/currentmeeting/b052021a.pdf 

 

Friday, May 21, 2021 - City Holiday – Malcolm X Day 

 

Saturday, May 22, 2021 

Rights of Nature: Invisible Hand Film (free event) access to the film begins at 4 pm 

https://www.invisiblehandfilm.com/berkeley-give-nature-a-chance/ 

Registration limit is 100. Everyone who is registered will have access to view the full length 85 minute feature film Invisible Hand from 4 pm Saturday until the Q&A with the film directors on Sunday at 6 pm. 

The free virtual screening is sponsored by Sustainable Berkeley Coalition and Berkeley Citizens Action 

Registration is easy just email hammargrenkelly@gmail.com 

(your email will NOT be added to any constant contact or other promotional list) 

 

Sunday, May 23, 2021 

Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour at 10 am – 3 pm (event is virtual and free) 

Register at https://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/register-2021 

Hosted on Zoom and YouTube – see April 25 and May 2 tours at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLIN_S5D0pZjeO59HBi2HyA 

Home page: https://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/ 

 

Rights of Nature: Invisible Hand Film Q&A with film directors at 6 pm, zoom door opens at 5:30 pm (access to the film ends at 6 pm) 

https://www.invisiblehandfilm.com/berkeley-give-nature-a-chance/ 

Registration limit is 100. Everyone who is registered will have access to view the full length 85 minute feature film Invisible Hand from 4 pm Saturday until the Q&A with the film directors on Sunday at 6 pm. 

The free virtual screening is sponsored by Sustainable Berkeley Coalition and Berkeley Citizens Action 

Registration is easy just email hammargrenkelly@gmail.com 

(your email will NOT be added to any constant contact or other promotional list) 

 

_____________________ 

 

City Council Regular Meeting, May 25,  

email comments to council@cityofberkeley.info 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/City_Council__Agenda_Index.aspx 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89074533623 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 (toll free) Meeting ID: 890 7453 3623 

AGENDA CONSENT: 1. 2nd reading - Amendment FY2021 Annual Appropriations $76,221,382 (gross) $51,227,368, 2. Resolution and Ratifying COVID-19 Local Emergency, 3. Minutes for approval, 4. Assessments: Berkeley Tourism Business Improvement District FY22, 5. Assessment: Berkeley Property Owners Business Improvement District - Downtown FY22 & Authorize contract with Downtown Business Association (DBA) $7,285,257 for 7/1/2021-12/31/2026, 6. Assessment: North Shattuck Business Improvement District FY22, 7. Assessment: Telegraph Business Improvement District, 8. Formal Bid Solicitations $250,000, 9. Memorandum of Agreement with the City of Oakland for National Urban Search and Rescue Response System acting through FEMA, Sate and Local governments, 10. Contract $100,000 with Multicultural Institute for COVID-19 Outreach and Health Education Activities 6/1/2021-6/30/2022 outreach to Latinx, particularly day laborer and domestic workers, 11. Revenue Grant Funding Support from State of CA Board of State and Community Corrections Proposition 64 Public Health related to Marijuana Act, $1,000,000 5/1/2021-4/30/2024, 12. Revenue Grant Funding Support State of CA Public Health Services, 1-CHDP $353,395, 2-MCAH $332,000, 3-Tobacco $300,000, 4. Immunizations $42,204, 5-Public Heal Emergency Preparedness $257,000, 13. Accept Donation from CA Office of Emergency Services $9,000, 14. Classification and Salary: Establish Director of Police Accountability monthly salary $11,862.93 - $17,794.40, 15. Protiviti Government Services: GSA Vehicle for Professional Services, GS-35F-0280X $137,000, 16. Grant Application Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE) $42,000, 17. P.O. $206,180 with Altec Industries, Inc for One (1) Aerial Bucket Truck, 18. P.O. $245,000 with Braun Northwest for One (1) 2021 North Star 155-1 Type 1 Ambulance, 19. P.O. $206,200 with Cal-Line Equipment Inc for three(3) Bandit 250XP Brush Chippers, 20. P.O. $866,000 with Golden State Fire Apparatus, Inc. for one (1)Pierce Quantum 1500 GPM Pumper, 21. Contract add $50,000 total $100,000 with Stanley Access Technologies for On-call and Emergency Repair Service for Automatic Doors, 22. Declaration of Intent – FY22 Street Lighting Assessments, 23. Fund Allocation request to MTC $450,000Transportation Development Act Article 3, 24. Agreement with AC Transit for Operation and Maintenance of transit Signal Priority Equipment deployed by Rapid Corridors Project, 25. Surplus Lands Act AB 1255 requires jurisdictions to compile and report annually an inventory of surplus lands to CA Dept of Housing and Community Development, 26. Lease Agreement: 2010 Addison/Center St Garage with Lexie’s Frozen Custard, 27. Appointment Monica Renee Jones to Mental Health Commission, 28. Authorization for Police Review Commission to conduct online poll, 29. Arreguin-Support AB 1177 CA Banking Options Act (zero fee, zero penalty financial services would eliminate exploitative alternatives such check cashing and pre-paid debit cards), 30. Taplin-Budget Referral Sixth St Traffic Calming 1. Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacons at Sixth and Channing, 2. Median refuge, 31. Hahn, co-sponsor Bartlett - COVID Economic Recovery-Expanding Local Purchasing Preferences to Rebuild the City’s Local Economy Tax Base, 32. Wengraf cosponsors Arreguin, Hahn, Taplin - Holocaust Remembrance Day, 33. Wengraf, co-sponsors Hahn, Harrison, Droste - Budget Referral Traffic Calming increase funding by $100,000 to $200,000, 34. Wengraf, co-sponsors Hahn, Harrison, Droste - Amend BMC14.72.105 allow broader range of community facilities to be eligible for parking permits, 35. Droste-cosponsors Arreguin, Robinson, Bartlett - Budget Referral Willard Park Ambassador, ACTION: 36. Public Hearing Environmental Division Fee Schedule adding microenterprise home kitchen operations (MEHKOs) proposed $510 for permit and inspection, 37. Public Hearing Recreation and Camps fee increases, 38. FY2022 proposed budget hearing #1, final adoption June 29, 39. a. Grant Allocation Recommendation for Programs from Sugar Sweetened Beverage Panel of Experts (SSBPE), b. CM approve SSBPE recommendations 1-13 (not 14 & 15) and uphold previously Public Health allocation $339,374, 40.a. Hahn Amend Berkeley Election Reform Act (BERA) to Regulate officeholder accounts, b. Fair Campaign Practices Commission 1-prohibit or regulate officeholder accounts, 41. (per Arreguin will be moved to consent to be rescheduled for June 15) Droste-cosponsors Kesarwani Robinson, Commission Reorganization for Post-COVID19 Budget Recovery Refer to the CM and City Attorney to bring back changes to the enabling legislation phased approach Phase 1: prioritize merging Homeless Commission & Homeless Services Panel of Experts and merging Housing Advisory Commission & Measure O Bond Oversight Committee, Phase 2: see chart 

Additional considerations Staff to bring forward recommendations on consolidations one by one, CM and commissions to consider federal state or other mandates that might be impacted, what elements to keep, update or retire, relevant topics/issues, number of commissioners, qualifications, standing committees, volunteer workload and capacity.  

Existing Commission 

 

 New Commission Name (suggested) 

 
Commission on Climate and the Environment 

(18 members) 

 Zero Waste, Energy, Community Environmental Advisory, and Animal Care 

 
Parks, Recreation, Waterfront (special Marina subcommittee) 

 

 Children, Youth, and Recreation and Parks and Waterfront 

 
Peace, Justice, and Human Welfare 

(mayor and council appointees only eliminates representatives of the poor) 

 Peace and Justice Commission and Human Welfare and Community Action Commission 

 
Public Health Commission & Sugar Sweetened Beverage Panel of Experts 

 

 Community Health Commission and Sugar Sweetened Beverage Panel of Experts 

 
Housing Advisory Commission 

(Phase 1 priority consolidation) 

 Measure O and Housing Advisory Commission 

 
Homeless Services Panel of Experts 

(Phase 1 priority consolidation) 

 Homeless Commission and Measure P Homeless Services Panel of Experts 

 
Public Works and Transportation 

 

 Public Works and Transportation 

 
Planning 

 

 Planning and Cannabis 
All other commissions will maintain their current structure: Aging, Library Board of Trustees, Civic Arts, Disability, Commission on the Status of Women, Design Review Committee, Disaster and Fire Safety, BIDs, Fair Campaign Practices and Open Government, Redistricting, Landmarks Preservation, Labor, Loan Adjustments Board, Personnel, Planning, Police Review/Accountability, Reimagining Public Safety, Mental Health, Zoning Adjustments Board, and Youth 
INFORMATION: 42. Mental Health Commission Work Plan. 

_____________________ 

 

Public Hearings Scheduled – Land Use Appeals 

2421 Fifth Street (construct two residential buildings) 6/1/2021 

1205 Peralta (conversion of garage) TBD 

2943 Pine (construct a 2nd story) TBD 

Notice of Decision (NOD) and Use Permits with End of Appeal Period 

1241 Ashby 5/25/2021 

3107 Deakin 5/18/2021 

2246 Fifth (2222 Fifth, 2233 Fourth, 2231 Fourth, 2246 Fifth associated sit improvements including hardscape and landscape) 5/24/2021 

1733 Fourth (Convert retail space to auto sales) 5/19/2021 

0_55 Latham 5/25/2021 

0_65 Latham 5/25/2021 

0_75 Latham 5/25/2021 

2301 Oak 6/1/2021 

1231 Ordway 5/19/2021 

770 Page 5/27/2021 

1913 San Antonio 5/19/2021 

2600 San Pablo 5/27/2021 

2411 Sixth 5/25/2021 

2234 Ward 6/1/2021 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Planning_and_Development/Land_Use_Division/Current_Zoning_Applications_in_Appeal_Period.aspx 

 

LINK to Current Zoning Applications https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Planning_and_Development/Land_Use_Division/Current_Zoning_Applications.aspx 

___________________ 

WORKSESSIONS 

May 18 – 1. Systems Realignment 2. Affordable Housing Policy Reform (tentative) 

July 20 – 1. Bayer Development Agreement (tentative), 2. Measure FF/Fire Prevention 

September 21 – 1. Housing Element (RHNA) 

October 19 – 1. Update Zero Waste Rates and Priorities, 2. Berkeley Police Department Hiring Practices (referred by Public Safety Committee), 3. Crime Report 

December 7 – 1. Review and Update on City’s COVID-19 Response, 2. WETA/Ferry Service at the Marina 

 

Unscheduled Workshops/Presentations 

Cannabis Health Considerations 

Civic Arts Grantmaking Process & Capital Grant Program 

 

This meeting list is also posted on the Sustainable Berkeley Coalition website. 

http://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html and in the Berkeley Daily Planet under activist’s calendar http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com 

If you or someone you know wishes to receive the weekly summary as soon as it is completed, email kellyhammargren@gmail.com to be added to the early email list. 

If you wish to stop receiving the Weekly Summary of City Meetings please 

forward the weekly summary you received to kellyhammargren@gmail.com