What’s next for old city hall and Civic Center Park? The next few months could be pivotal.
John Caner
Posted inArts
Pride ‘On the Plaza’ celebration today in downtown Berkeley
Live music and events “On the Plaza” will run throughout the summer.
Posted inCity
Lack of public input on new Berkeley youth center rankles neighbors
Downtown business owners and neighbors expressed frustration that a new center for young adults with mental illness and substance abuse problems was approved without public input.
Posted inCity
Special Berkeley council meeting announced to vote on compromise minimum wage
Old City Hall. Photo by Melati Citrawireja A special meeting of the City Council has been announced for Thursday night to vote on a compromise minimum wage proposal for Berkeley. Up to this point, voters were set to consider two competing minimum wage proposals this fall, one sponsored by labor advocates, and another supported by a […]
Posted inBusiness
Downtown Berkeley launches new marketing campaign
A new campaign launched by a number of downtown Berkeley organizations in collaboration with the Downtown Berkeley Association, encourages people to visit downtown. Photo: courtesy DBA Downtown Berkeley Association is hanging 85 colorful double banners from downtown Berkeley’s lampposts to launch a new branding campaign, “Meet Me Downtown.” The campaign is being led by the DBA with […]
Posted inBusiness, City
Berkeley City Council to consider $19 minimum wage
The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce held a meeting Monday for local businesses regarding the minimum wage increase proposal from the Labor Commission that’s set to go before council Tuesday night. Photo: Emilie Raguso The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce held a meeting Monday for local businesses regarding the minimum wage increase proposal from the Labor Commission […]
Posted inCity
Berkeley council open to proposals to end homelessness, but questions how to pay for them
Since Measure S failed in 2012, many say Berkeley’s homeless population has only grown. Photo: Emilie Raguso Since Measure S failed in 2012, many say Berkeley’s homeless population has only grown. Photo: Emilie Raguso By Francesca Paris At a special worksession Tuesday night, the Berkeley City Council expressed interest in a raft of recommendations from an independent citizen […]
Posted inCity
Berkeley launches donation boxes for homeless people
(L to r) Downtown Berkeley Association CEO John Caner, Vice Mayor Linda Maio, Berkeley Food & Housing Project Executive Director Terrie Light, and City Councilman Jesse Arreguín pose before making the first donations to a Positive Change box. Photo: Seung Y. Lee (L to r) Downtown Berkeley Association CEO John Caner, Vice Mayor Linda Maio, Berkeley […]
Posted inBusiness, City, Community, Housing & Development
Berkeley council says affordable housing, union labor should be priority community benefits
Around 90 people lined up at a May 5 Berkeley City Council meeting to discuss community benefits. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel The Berkeley City Council took its first steps Tuesday to prioritize which community benefits it will require from developers, and affordable housing and local union jobs were the top priorities. Council members said other priorities […]
Posted inCrime
Case dismissed against 2 homeless men after review of Berkeley beating video
Image: Bryan Hamilton The Alameda County district attorney’s office has dismissed the case against two men who pleaded guilty to battery charges last week. The decision came after authorities reviewed a video that showed an interaction, between the men and two Downtown Berkeley Association workers, that began as a verbal altercation and took a violent turn. In the video […]
Posted inCommunity
Activists, homeless demand end to campaign of ‘brutality’
Activists angered by a video that caught a downtown ambassador assaulting a homeless man hold a rally March 27 to protest the violence and proposed new laws regulating homeless behavior. Photo: Ted Friedman One day after a video that showed a Downtown Berkeley Association ambassador assaulting a homeless man went viral, a group of activists held […]
Posted inCrime
2 men take plea deals after 1 is beaten on video
Image: Bryan Hamilton Update, April 1: The Alameda County district attorney’s office has revisited the case, dropped the charges against both men, and had a judge declare them factually innocent. See the update. Original story, March 27: Two homeless men shown on video in a heated interaction that turned violent, when a Downtown Berkeley Association staffer appeared to punch […]