Arts & Events

Worth Noting:

All City meetings are currently virtual

Sunday - June 19th at 11 am – 7 pm Juneteenth Festival at Adeline and Alcatraz

Monday - City offices closed in observation of Juneteenth Holiday

Tuesday – City Council at 4 pm are the two continued items from June 14 Axon contract and police equipment, impact statements, policies and reports. At 6 pm is discussion and direction for potential ballot measures for a bond or bonds and parcel tax that may cover affordable housing, the marina, streets, sidewalks, and other infrastructure.

Wednesday – The new merged Environment and Climate Commission starts at 5 pm with an ambitious workplan and agenda. The Civic Arts Commission at 6 pm considers the Queen Shamiram sculpture placement (this is cool check the attachment for photos). The Disability Commission also meets at 6 pm and the Disaster and Fire Safety Commission and Police Accountability Board meet at 7 pm.

Thursday –The mayor is expected to present his proposed biennial budget for 2023 & 2024 at the 10 am Budget and Finance Committee. The Mental Health Commission meets at 7 pm and will receive an update on the SCU (Special Care Unit). The Zoning Adjustment Board meets at 7 pm with the 2213 Fourth Street and 747 (787) Bancroft Way project as the only action item (1 project, 2 sale of alcoholic beverages on consent). The 4 ½ story parking garage with 412 parking spaces accompanying the R & D & manufacturing project met with very vocal neighborhood opposition.

The June 28 Council Regular meeting agenda is available for comment. Use HTML to review individual items. https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas

The Housing Element Draft is available for comment from now until Thursday, July 14, 2022. Do not leave this to the last minute. If you review everything including all the appendixes it is 590 pages. The base element is 152 pages. The community workshop is June 29th from 6 to 8 pm.

Draft: https://raimi.konveio.com/city-berkeley-housing-element-update-public-draft

Housing Element Update Webpage: https://berkeleyca.gov/construction-development/land-use-development/general-plan-and-area-plans/housing-element-update

January 6th hearings are Tuesday at 10 am and Thursday (?). The LA times lists the June 23 hearing starting at noon and cable MSNBC and CNN show 9 am with preview. To watch go to cable MSNBC, CNN or online for streaming and replays. Local TV and FOX are not broadcasting the hearings.

Sunday, June 19, 2022 – Father’s Day

Sunday, June 19th at 11 am – 7 pm Juneteenth Festival at Adeline and Alcatraz

Monday, June 20, 2022 – Juneteenth Holiday

The City of Berkeley recognizes Juneteenth as a holiday and all city offices will be closed on Monday in observation. At this writing, AB 1655 for California to recognize Juneteenth as a State paid holiday is pending. California has had a Juneteenth Day of Observance since 2003, but it is not an official state holiday.

President Biden signed into federal law on June 17, 2021, the recognition of June 19, 1985 as the end of slavery when Union Army Major General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas and informed slaves of their emancipation more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1983.

Remember there are states that in their ban of Critical Race Theory would interpret teachers explaining the origin and meaning of Juneteenth as crossing into prohibited topics, because Juneteenth cannot be explained without discussion of slavery. -more-