Berkeley is a dog-friendly city, where leash laws are honored in the breach more than the observance. Photo: Nancy Rubin

The city’s decision to stop beloved pizzeria Gioia from providing seating really set readers’ teeth on edge. Comments expressing something between despair and outrage have reached 84 and counting.

A rash of home burglaries in an area of West Berkeley spurred a community meeting. According to one resident’s report, the amount of interest in the meeting surprised everyone, including the police, and helped build new connections in the neighborhood.

Owner Greg Ent hopes to build some temporary structures on the site of the Sequoia Apartments, which were destroyed by fire in November. The hope is to create something with the lure of the Proxy project in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley.

Berkeley police were involved in a shooting in Castro Valley on Wednesday night related to a narcotics investigation. The shot suspect, Steven Oliver Moore, is the son of Leonora Moore, owner of the much-troubled drug house on Oregon Street that was renovated and sold last year.

Think Berkeley needs a gentler, kinder parking ticket policy? You’re not alone: Councilmember Kriss Worthington hopes the City Council considers a new policy at its meeting next Tuesday.

Finally, podcaster John Rieger considered Berkeley’s casual attitude to dog leash laws (photo above). Make sure to watch and listen — it will bring a certain smile to your weekend.

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Lance Knobel (Berkeleyside co-founder) has been a journalist for nearly 40 years. Much of his career was in business journalism. He was editor-in-chief of both Management Today, the leading business magazine...