Cecilia Lunaparra named winner in Berkeley City Council District 7 election
Lunaparra, who secured the seat with 291 votes, is the the first undergraduate student to be elected to Berkeley City Council.
Green Day and Santana recorded at Berkeley’s Fantasy Studios. Tenants won a fight to preserve its former building for arts
The owners of the former studio on 10th Street, where filmmakers have also conceived and produced classic films and groundbreaking documentaries, sought to increase R&D space at the expense of vacant media production suites. Tenants and advocates appealed to block the change.
latest stories
Expect the unexpected from this Oakland-based wine club and distributor
Stephanie Franklin’s Fly Wines promotes diversity and discovery by focusing on overlooked and unheralded regions and labels.
Berkeley eligible for state housing grants under “prohousing” designation
The state has identified Berkeley as one of 47 cities statewide with a track record of boosting housing production.
Richmond’s Saigon Seafood Harbor temporarily shutters
A running list of restaurants that have recently closed in Berkeley, Oakland and beyond.
Cecilia Lunaparra declares victory in District 7 race for Berkeley City Council
The Alameda County elections office expects to certify the results late Friday. Lunaparra’s campaign said it is now confident of her victory.
Five East Bay women taking wine to new places
Get to know the women winemakers behind Tessier, Osa Major, Ruby Blanca, Buddy Buddy and It’s Lula Season.
Around Berkeley: Archival BART footage, Gilman District Street Fair, pianist Awadagin Pratt
Other events include Bay Nature Magazine’s Bioblitz, the Berkeley Bluegrass Festival and a Young People’s Symphony Orchestra concert.
Update: Annie and Archie are parents of four new peregrine falcon chicks
The fourth chick hatched Wednesday as people watched on the big outdoor screen at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.
Sen. Nancy Skinner endorses Mayor Jesse Arreguín for State Senate
Skinner backed Arreguín to fill her District 7 seat, while opponent Jovanka Beckles has earned endorsements from progressives like Pamela Price.
City
Tasneem Raja wins prestigious Gwen Ifill Award for leadership in journalism
Raja, the co-founder of Cityside and editor-in-chief of The Oaklandside, was recognized for her mentorship and commitment to diversity and inclusion in journalism.
Recall organizers demand speedy special election to decide Alameda County district attorney’s future
On Tuesday, recall supporters rallied in downtown Oakland, asking the county Board of Supervisors to hold a special election this summer to let voters decide Pamela Price’s fate.
UC Berkeley students begin Sproul Plaza sit-in to protest Gaza war, Cal’s investments
Students are calling for the creation of a Palestinian Studies program, an academic and financial boycott of Israel and a cease-fire in Gaza.
Alameda County prosecutors allegedly excluded Black and Jewish people from death penalty juries
A federal judge has ordered District Attorney Pamela Price to review 35 death penalty cases after notes from decades ago showed alleged ‘prosecutorial misconduct.’
Crime & safety
Death penalty jury review: Berkeley cases involved murders, dismemberment
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing dozens of death row cases, several of which have Berkeley ties, after new records arose indicating prosecutors may have deliberately excluded prospective jurors who were Black or Jewish.
schools
New UC Berkeley student housing complex will have Ohlone name
A new housing complex for graduate students in Albany will be called xučyun ruwway to honor the homeland of the Ohlone people.
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ARTS
San Francisco International Film Festival returns to BAMPFA with two must-see films
Banel & Adama takes place in Senegal and has a climate change subtext while Soundtrack for a Coup d’Etat connects the imperialist pillaging of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with jazz music.
Business
Some Berkeleyans may lose landlines if AT&T clears regulatory hurdle
AT&T wants to abandon much of its landline telephone network, but some residents in the hills say that’s their only reliable means of communication.
Community
10 things to do in Berkeley and Oakland on Earth Day
Beach cleanups, film screenings, rallies and more are on tap to honor the planet on Earth Day, which was first held April 22, 1970.
Nature
Hatching chicks, zombie parasites and honeybee births: A Berkeley photographer’s work in the spotlight on Disney+
At WonderLab, his multidisciplinary space in West Berkeley, Anand Varma aims to bridge the gap between photography and traditional science. The National Geographic explorer’s work is the subject of the TV series “Photographer.”
Berkeley Wire
News about Berkeley from around the web.
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Opinion
Opinion: New data shows why cars should be banned from Telegraph Avenue
Numerous studies have shown that car-free streets and protected bike lanes boost the economic vitality of retail corridors.
Opinion: It’s time for James Chang to lead Berkeley’s District 7
James Chang is a dedicated public servant who truly cares about the well-being of our communities.
Opinion: The housing preservation measure that may prevent housing
The demolition ordinance be heard before the Berkeley City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 26.
Opinion: Cecilia Lunaparra is the student champion we need in Berkeley’s District 7
Lunaparra revolutionized student engagement in local politics. Now she’s taking that revolution to the ballot box.
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