On January 4, 2023, long-standing Berkeley resident Mel Martynn died unexpectedly after suffering a stroke. Not only was Mel an outstanding resident of Berkeley, he was also an outstanding resident of Savo Island Cooperatives Homes, Inc. and I had the pleasure of living next door to him for several decades. -more-

It has begun. The race for the California State Senate seat is on. Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin will be filling out his dance card in his run for State Senate. Nancy Skinner is termed out. https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Candidates/list.aspx?view=intention&electNav=124

Some rumors have State Senator Nancy Skinner coming back to Berkeley to run for mayor with the rumored reason being her retirement income isn’t enough. The other rumor is that Skinner and Arreguin will be endorsing each other to change places. I hear second hand Berkeley Councilmember Sophie Hahn also has her eyes on running for mayor.

Barbara Lee seems to be falling for the lure of running for Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat; we can expect a feeding frenzy for Lee’s House seat. I hope Lee comes to her senses and finishes out her career in the House rather than going down with a loss in a statewide race and leaving us with a list of unsatisfactory choices to fill her shoes in Congress. Nancy Pelosi endorsed Adam Schiff, but I am hearing from friends that they are supporting Katie Porter. Even my out-of-state sister wanted to talk this week about how great Katie Porter would be as a California Senator.

Age keeps coming into the picture with President Biden, who is now 80. (I do support a second Biden term, though after reading Amy Klobucher’s book Antitrust I wish she was VP). Barbara Lee is 76. Adam Schiff is 62. Katie Porter is 49.

This is going to be an interesting year of musical chairs as we move to the March 2024 California primary.

I have long speculated that Arreguin’s actions revolved around his next career move. Since the holders of the money to fill the dance card weigh heavily in the real estate industry (including developers/builders/construction), should we expect more compromising sounding language from the dais that does nothing in order not to offend those campaign contributors? -more-

RE: February 14, 2023, City Council Meeting Item 13

Dear Mayor Arreguin and City Council Members:


The Berkeley Neighborhoods Council is writing to support Item 13a, “updating the citywide Affordable
Housing Requirements in the Zoning Ordinance,” with the changes proposed by Councilmember Harrison
(Item 13b).

We are opposed to the changes proposed by Councilmembers Taplin and Humbert (Item 13c).
Offering developers the option to “fee-out” has led to us far exceeding our RHNA goals for market rate housing while sorely missing the mark on BMR units. We believe that the AHMF must be used to incentivize building BMR units into every project proposed in our city for us to maintain socioeconomic diversity in our city and to meet the high goals set by ABAG. Giving discounts to developers only encourages them to pay a fee that (even when leveraged with federal and state money) does not cover the cost of actually building BMR units.

The proposed Square Foot Ordinance is a start to closing loopholes that developers have used for decades to reduce the fees they pay, but still gives large discounts to developers. The Taplin-Humbert Supplemental only increases those discounts. Proponents of the Tamplin-Humpert amendment believe that it will create more missing middle housing. Unfortunately, what they fail to understand is that missing middle sized housing does not equal missing middle income. Just because the size of the project is between single family and a large apartment building doesn't mean it will be affordable to middle class
families. -more-

On Friday, February 10, eight prominent Iranian dissidents participated in a panel discussion organized in Washington DC at Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace and Security. All eight joined in a call for unity, both in Iran and internationally, against the theocratic regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Nobel laureate and women’s rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi, actress-activist Golshiftah Farahi, Iranian soccer-star Ali Karini, and Kurdish activist Abdullah Mohtadi all spoke via video from Iran; while present at Georgetown University were Canade-based activist Hamed Esmaellion, exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi, US-based author & women’s rights activist Masih Alinejad, and actress-activist Nazarin Bonladia. -more-

It is widely known that if you receive Social Security and/or SSI, you are not allowed to earn much money before your benefits, essential for survival, are jeopardized. You can make up to eighty dollars in a month without any penalties, and without the requirement to report. Beyond that, you must report money you earn. Additionally, a history of working jeopardizes the criteria that, to government, proves disability. -more-

Don't Look Up: A Close Encounter

On January 26, a small near-Earth asteroid, called 2023 BU, zipped over the southern tip of South America about 2,200 miles above Earth's surface. While concerned scientists noted this distance was well within the high-Earth-orbit of many global satellites, NASA offered the reassuring news that there was no risk of the asteroid striking Earth. Still, it was a close call. I just checked my wall map and found the distance between 2023 BU and Earth's surface was less than the miles covered by a flight from San Francisco to Honolulu (2,394.72 miles).

General Mills "Loves" Nature

It's no secret that the processed snack conglomerate known as General Mills doses its treats with unhealthy amounts of sugar (typically the second-most-listed ingredient). But these days the processed-food giant wants to be seen as a "Green-ish" business. Hence, the improbable note on its "crunchy bars" that proclaims the snack bars' flimsy wraps are "recyclable" at various "store drop-off" locations.

Click on their "Recycle4Nature.com" website and Mills proclaims recycling its snack wrappers is "our first step toward making all of our packaging fully recyclable by 2025."

Mills' goes on to state: "Believe it or not, recycling polyethylene film is more than a sustainable, eco-friendly way to minimize our environmental footprint. That same material can also be turned into some pretty amazing things. Your contributions to store drop-off recycling can be turned into playground sets, decking, fencing, and furniture." (Note: Most city-run recycling operations don't accept plastic bags, film or wraps.)

The website's list of participating chains includes Safeway, Lucky, Sprouts, and Trader Joe's. According to the Recycle4Nature.com website, the closest drop-off-eco-depot is more than a mile's drive from our front porch; most drop-off destinations require driving 6-13 miles. The Safeway in the 1400 block of Shattuck is touted as having a "green bin in front by entrance" but a quick drive-by reveals there is no bin at this location. A Safeway in Lafayette invites participants to drop off "Product wrap on cases of water/soda bottles, paper towels, napkins, disposable cups, bathroom tissue, diapers, and female sanitary products" and follows up with a "Do Not Drop" list that specifically excludes "candy bar wrappers."

In the end, Gen. Mills' "4Nature" claim is undermined by a single statement at the bottom of the snack-wrapper that reads: "Contains Bioengineered Food Ingredients." -more-

One of the Great Radio Bloopers

On February 12, 2023, a KCBS reporter's weather update went awry causing her to dissolve into a pot of on-air giggles. "Sorry," she said. "I meant to say we can expect good weather for hiking and cycling. Did I really say 'Good weather for hikeling and psyching'?" Yes, she did!

Nation-wide Anti-war Protests on Sunday, February 19

Upset by the huge bite the Military-Industrial-Political Complex takes out of the national budget? Alarmed by the risk of a world-ending nuclear conflict? Concerned about the persistent problems of child hunger, unmet housing needs, inadequate medical care and underfunded education in the US?

If you want to take steps to improve the future for the citizens of our Divided States of Warmerica, why not put on your walking shoes and head off for San Francisco this Sunday for one of more than a dozen Rage Against the War Machine demos happening across the country—from the main event in Washington, DC, to "sister rallies" inSan Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Minneapolis, Ann Arbor and elsewhere. -more-

Worth Noting:

Directions with links to ZOOM support for activating Closed Captioning and Save Transcript are at the bottom of this calendar.

The GO to MEETINGS are the Agenda Committee at 2:30 and City Council at 6 pm on Tuesday and the North Berkeley BART housing project meeting. The BART housing meeting is offered twice at 7 pm, in-person on Wednesday and as a virtual meeting on Thursday.

• Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 pm: The Agenda Committee meets to review the City Council draft agenda for February 28. Council Draft agenda Item-12 City Manager is a request for 3 staff for HR and $450,000 for marketing and social media to enhance City of Berkeley as an employer, The Droste proposal to limit legislation will be discussed after draft agenda review.
• Tuesday evening at 6 pm: City Council meeting. Item-13 under action is the in lieu fee charged to developers for affordable housing. City Council and the Agenda Committee are recorded, use closed captioning (CC) and allow save transcript. The Youth Commission meets at 6:30 pm.
• Wednesday: The Commission on Aging meets at 1:30 pm. The 4 x 4 Committee meets at 3 pm on rent increases, demolition ordinance and evictions. The Human Welfare Commission meets at 7 pm. The in-person meeting on the North Berkeley BART Housing Project is in the BUSD Board Room at 7 pm.
• Thursday: FCPC/OGC, DRC, TIC all use CC and allow save transcript. The FCPC/OGC meets at 6 pm. All other meetings start at 7 pm. The North Berkeley BART Community meeting (same agenda as in-person meeting on Wednesday) is offered as a virtual/zoom meeting. The Design Review Committee (DRC) will review two multi-story mixed-use projects: a 6-story with 127 units on Telegraph at Webster and the 25-storywith 326 units on Shattuck at Allston. T1 is on the Transportation and Infrastructure Commission (TIC). The Rent Board also all meets.

A public request was sent to record one of the BART meetings and to allow Closed Captioning and Save Transcript at the virtual meeting on Thursday.

Check the City website for late announcements and meetings posted on short notice at: https://berkeleyca.gov/

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BERKELEY PUBLIC MEETINGS AND SPECIAL EVENTS

Sunday, February 12, 2023 – Super Bowl 3:30 pm

Monday, February 13, 2023 – Lincoln’s Birthday, A Berkeley City Holiday,

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 -more-