
These are the people of People’s Park
A civil rights lawyer, UC Berkeley students and grads, artists, travelers and social workers all have a story to tell about their experiences and memories at People’s Park.
A year of photos from People’s Park
Among the photos are scenes from the 54th anniversary, a cake made in honor of park co-founder Michael Delacour, who died in March, and, of course, protesters.
Top stories
El Garage Richmond temporarily closed, North Beach Pizza on the move
A running list of restaurants that have recently closed in Berkeley, Oakland and beyond.
Get a game, get a grip or get some glamour at the Berkeley Holiday Gift Fair
Among the many vendors are Games of Berkeley, Core Chaud Pilates socks and Kintsu MedSpa & Wellness.
This Berkeley resident became a first-time novelist at age 96
At age 60, Dorothy Witt put her historical novel in a drawer and didn’t pick it up for another 31 years. Last year, she self-published the book, partly based on her grandmother’s life in 1860s Victorian England.
Dumpling Hours opens on Lakeshore, Saffron Kitchen comes to Rockridge
A running list of new restaurants opening in Berkeley, Oakland and beyond.



Join us this Friday, Dec. 1 for conversations with Tina Jones Williams and John King
A building boom is fueling the most dramatic change Berkeley’s cityscape has seen in generations. Berkeleyside Idea Makers will offer two conversations that will dive into what this means for all of us who live or work in Berkeley.
Friday, Dec. 1, 6:30 p.m.
Berkeley Art Museum and
Pacific Film Archive
CITY
City Council raises height limits in Southside to spur student housing
New zoning rules could allow more than 2,500 homes to be built in the student-centric neighborhood next to UC Berkeley.
Food insecurity remains high in Berkeley. Here’s where to find food banks and what they need
As residents grapple with high cost of living, demand for basic needs remains high. We’ve compiled resources and a map for finding food banks near you.
Protesters vow ‘no business as usual’ until city leaders call for cease-fire in Gaza
Dozens of protesters disrupted another City Council meeting to demand a cease-fire resolution, vowing “no business as usual” until one is passed
Berkeley rent board chair calls for cease-fire, end of occupation in Gaza
The Berkeley Rent Board will hold a special meeting to consider a resolution in support of a cease-fire in Gaza.
Crime & Safety
A hit-and-run driver nearly killed her son on Halloween. Now this Berkeley mother is demanding safer streets
Many Berkeley residents want traffic calming on their streets, but changes are slow as the city struggles with vacancies in its transportation office.
schools
How UC is navigating the complicated response to the war in Gaza
UC has struggled to appease students but hopes a $7 million investment toward addressing antisemitism and Islamophobia on campuses will help.
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ARTS
Around Berkeley: Sci-fi poetry show, carols on Fourth Street, dance fundraiser
Other events include a book talk about ‘Greek Tragedy in a Global Crisis’ and a documentary about the making of ‘Fitzcarraldo.’
Business
Historic Oaks Theatre is finally reopening as a bouldering gym
Expected to open on Solano Avenue by the end of the year, it will be Berkeley’s fourth climbing gym.
Community
Cityside makes key hires with an eye on growth and sustainability
New team members in development, people operations and sponsorship, and the creation of a new community journalism position, are designed to ensure the nonprofit news organization is best positioned to thrive.
Nature
A glass dome? A pedestrian bridge? UC Botanical Garden dreams big
A $40 million visitor center with a glass atrium and a bridge linking the main garden to the Redwood Grove are among the ideas floated in a new long-range plan.
Berkeley Wire
News about Berkeley from around the web.
Share your photos with us on Flickr and we may feature them on Berkeleyside.
Opinion
Opinion: Making streets safe for everyone, especially the elderly and children
Berkeley must also be a city inclusive of elderly and young people who deserve safety in their neighborhoods and on their routes to school.
Opinion: Don’t deny Berkeley representation on the AC Transit Board
The board is expected to vote on Wednesday, and one option would leave Berkeley without a representative for two years.
Opinion: CPUC’s upcoming consumer solar vote would hurt renters, schools and farmers
As a working mom who rents in multifamily housing and an elected Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board commissioner, I know firsthand what it is like to be saddled with sky-high utility bills without solar.
Opinion: Berkeley needs a gun violence prevention program
Thus far, there appears to be no political will by the city of Berkeley to realize a program like Ceasefire.
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How we work
7 ways Berkeleyside can help you
We can help you tell your story, remember your loved one or spread the word about your events. And there are a few ways you can help us, too.
We’ve made a few changes to Berkeleyside comments
We’ve shortened the commenting window, removed downvotes and made a few other adjustments to improve the quality of discussion on Berkeleyside.
Want to contribute for Berkeleyside as a freelancer?
We want to make it easy to understand our process. Here’s what we’re looking for, and how we’ll support you.
Berkeleyside’s approach to public safety reporting
Our goal is to keep the Berkeley community informed of incidents that may impact their safety while focusing on explanatory and accountability reporting.