Today’s Berkeley Voice has a brief announcing the public meeting on the fate of the downtown Berkeley Post office that was set for Nov. 20 at the Berkeley High School theater.
An announcement circulated today now says the meeting has been postponed until after the holidays.
The group Save the Berkeley Post Office (SavetheBerkeleyPostOffice.com), which had criticized the timing of the meeting on the week of Thanksgiving, when many people are out of town, is calling the postponement “a victory.”
Here is the text of the group’s announcement:

A Victory!
USPS will reschedule the November 20th Meeting. On November 13th, Diana Alvarado of the USPS wrote that

“The public meeting will NO LONGER be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20, 2012, and will be rescheduled at a future date and time following the Holiday Season.”

The date change is a big victory and it is the result of everyone’s hard work. Special recognition goes to Ying Lee, Congresswoman Barbara Lee and her staff, and our City Manager Christine Daniel.
Verbally, Diana Alvarado stated that if the USPS decides to sell our Allston Way post office, the USPS intends to give a preference to bidders who agree to lease back the lobby and sufficient space for USPS retail services. We need much more information on this. And of course all the broader postal service problems will remain.

A 1930s view of the Julia Morgan-designed Berkeley City Club, then known as the Berkeley Women's City Club, "a monument to the city's womanhood."

A tour of homes and buildings designed by architect Julia Morgan will be hosted by the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association from noon to 4 p.m. Nov, 18.

Sites on the tour, being held as part of the statewide Julia Morgan 2012 Festival, will include private residences and landmarks such as the Hearst Gymnasium (her collaboration with Bernard Maybeck) and Girton Hall on the UC Berkeley campus; the Berkeley City Club; and the Bancroft Hotel, designed by Morgan’s longtime associate Walter T. Steilberg.

A post-tour reception will be held at the association’s McCreary-Greer House at 2318 Durant Ave.

The tour cost is $25, or $20 for BAHA members. For details or reservations visit berkeleyheritage.com, send an email to baha@berkeleyheritage.com or call 510-841-2242.

A 1970s postcard shows the entrance to the Berkeley City Club on Durant.

The screen chemistry of Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy are on full display in the 1949 film “Adam’s Rib,” directed by George Cukor.

The film will be presented on the big screen at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Rialto Cinemas Cerrito, 10070 San Pablo Ave., as part of the Cerrito Classics series.

“To my mind, Tracy-Hepburn’s best, and an Oscar-winning screenplay by another couple, Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin,” writes Linda Moss of Friends of the Cerrito Theater. “It’s all about the battle of the sexes, and in a very modern way.”

Judy Holliday plays the defendant in the comedy, which has the two headliners playing married attorneys who are handling opposite sides of the case.

Seats are $8 each available at the box office or online at rialto cinemas.com.

Eastshore State Park has been renamed for Sylvia McLaughlin, co-founder in the 1960s of Save the Bay, the organization that led to the establishment of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission.
None of that might have happened if this 1933 proposal to fill and channel the Bay had been approved and funded.
The proposal was led by Berkeley and from the tone of the July 20, 1933 article in the Oakland Tribune, the leaders of the other cities were backing the estimated $27 million plan.

This multi-page photo feature from the 1939 Oakland Tribune Yearbook on the process involved in getting a story into the evening newspaper (which the Trib was at the time) looks straight out of movies “The Front Page” or “His Girl Friday,” from the reporters and photographers wearing fedoras, to the copy editors with eyeshades, to the kid on carrier route, to the lack of minorities and women.
Scroll down for a look at the entire process and how many people it took to put out an edition.

Police are turning to "America's Most Wanted" for help in finding suspect Omar Sosa Arenal.

An unsolved 2010 Berkeley sexual assaultcase will be featured this weekend on the long-running television show “America’s Most Wanted.”
The announcement from the Berkeley Police Department:

Berkeley, California (August 10, 2012) – America’s Most Wanted (AMW) will be featuring a stranger sexual assault case that occurred in Berkeley. The episode will air August 10, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. on the Lifetime Television Network.
During the early morning hours of November 10, 2010, the suspect entered the minor victim’s bedroom window. The suspect then sexually assaulted the victim, but evaded capture by fleeing to Mexico.

The suspect was identified as Omar Sosa Arenal, DOB: 6/22/1983 and currently has a no bail warrant for his arrest. He is wanted for various sexual assault charges.
Detectives have been actively pursuing leads and trying to locate the suspect. Detective Alan Dunn stated “with the help of America’s Most Wanted, we are hoping the suspect will be captured and face justice for his brutal crimes.”
BPD is urging anyone with information about the suspect’s whereabouts to please call the BPD Sexual Crimes Unit at (510) 981-5735 or (510) 981-5900 (non-emergency line.) If a person wishes to remain anonymous, he/she can call Bay Area Crimes Stoppers (BACS) at (800) 222- TIPS (8477).

Here, better late than never, are the Albany Berkeley Girls Softball League game reports for May 12, compiled by Bora Reed

Younger Division

North Berkeley Investments Sparkling Penguins 16, Strategic Economics Ruby Robbins 8
The Ruby Robbins started out strong with Saskia Knight’s hard single into left field. The Penguins answered back, nabbing 3 outs early in the top of the first inning. The Penguin’s Loren Breidenbach led off the teams batting with an unstoppable single. The Ruby Robbin’s Noa Teiblum closed the first inning with a third out to stop the Penguin’s from scoring more runs. The Penguin’s Gabriela Lerman and Katie Hennig helped cut the Ruby Robbin’s batting short, making a third out in the top of the second. In the third inning, Robbin’s Olivia Eknoian hit a run scoring single into Center Field. Katie Hennig hit a big double and kept the Penguins scoring in the bottom of the third inning. The Penguin’s Aniyansi Qunitero closed the game with a single and RBI, her second of the game.
Dr. Brehnan Lightning Bolts 12, Alliance Graphics Purple Dragons 11
On Saturday, as the Alliance Graphics Purple Dragons met the Dr. Brehnan Lightning Bolts, the Dragons’ Taigah Brown was the first to wow the crowd when she grabbed a grounder at second base and through to first. The Lightning Bolt runner was safe, but it was a great play all around. In the second inning Taigah hit a pitch down the third base line to score two Purple Dragons, Norrie White and Magda Eros. But the Lightning Bolts came back, with Taylor Hillgardner throwing out a runner from third base and then knocking in a run the next inning. Summer Salas and Cigan Valentine also had hits for the Lightning Bolts, and the winning run was knocked in by Tess Flinchbaugh

Middle Division

Five Little Monkeys Black Lightning 3, Prin Chiropractic Yellow Jackets 0

With Sydney Taylor pitching for the Lighting, the Yellow Jacket’s Layla Souza started the game with a solid hit to center, but a force at second and two strike outs ended the inning. In their half of the inning the Lightning recorded back-to-back singles by Kieran Sinnott and Danielle Kitaoka, but also failed to score, with the Yellow Jackets’ third base Kira Williams’ throw to the catcher PB Fross catching the lead Lightning at the plate for an out. The second inning was quieter, with five strike outs, and an out at first, Lightning second base Sara McIntosh to Elka Saaf covering the bag for the out. The third inning started quietly as well, with Elka pitching for the Lightning, and allowing only one runner, the Yellow Jackets’ Fross, who was stranded at third after a double and steal. In the bottom of the third, the Lightning’s bats finally came out: after a solid single by Sydney, Asia Brantley made the team’s first bunt attempt of the year, advancing the runner and beating out the throw for a single. Kieran also singled, and all three scored before Yellow Jacket pitcher MacKenzie Andrew caught Sara’s infield pop-up to end the inning.
Woohoo Fit Awkward Monkeys: 7, Adobe Enchiladas: 0
The visiting Monkeys climbed to a two run lead in the top of the first on hits by Hannah Lane-Goldstein and Kaitlyn Bailey. Enchilada Grace Schafer Perry at second base closed the inning with a pair of outs. In the top of the second, the Monkeys swung into action for three runs. Violet Marshall and Ellie Dischinger hit singles and Lane-Goldstein added a booming triple. Defensively, an alert tag-out at first by Sonya Love and solid pitching by Jaelin Brun retired the side. The Enchiladas spiced things up in the bottom of the second with singles by Taylor Kempf and Genelise Hazen, but were held scoreless by the tight grip of the Monkey defense. In the top of the third, the Monkeys scratched out one run. Great defensive back-up by Enchilada right fielder Emma Chamberlin held Monkey runners on overthrows at first base. In the bottom of the third, Chamberlin and Schafer Perry hit singles, but Monkey pitcher Lane-Goldstein worked the strike zone to hold the Enchiladas scoreless. In the top of the fourth, the Monkeys drove in one run on a single down the left field line by Lucy Elser. Enchilada pitcher Avery Rasband settled into a rhythm and three consecutive strikeouts closed the top of the fourth. The Monkeys chewed through the Enchilada order in the bottom of the fourth holding them scoreless on one infield hit and three strikeouts.

Older

Friedman Brueggemeyer Fantastic Flying Pans 15, Albany Rotary Cyclones 9 (Older Division)
At fabled Fielding Field, the Pans and the Cyclones held a well-matched and well-hit game. For the hard-hitting Cyclones, Tara Steckler, Sydney Handler-Vosen, Clem Mitrani-Bell, Natalie, Francesca, and Rachel all sprinkled key hits throughout the game. For the slugging Frying Pans, Zoey Horowitz, Robyn Wampler, and Maeve Gallagher and others hit a medley of singles and doubles. The Cyclones’ Erin Cain pitched two strong innings, and the Frying Pans even recorded “four” outs in the 5th inning (with two down) as Rachel hit a screaming line drive to Pans’ pitcher Kaili Meier who caught and doubled-up the runner at first.

Team Zonta Garbanzos

The Albany Berkeley Girls Softball League season is well under way, with girls grades 1-8 building skills, learning teamwork and having fun. Below is a report of the Older Division’s mid-season tournament on Saturday, April 28, 2012, along with a few reports from games in the Middle and Younger Divisions. Special thanks to the team of embedded reporters for the game write ups.

Zonta Garbanzos Win Mid-Season Tournament
Zonta Clubs’ Garbanzos girls softball squad jumped to an early commanding lead from the get-go in their 1st game on Saturday against the Friedman-Brueggemeyer Fantastic Flying Frying Pans with 1 run each scored by Zinnia Thewlis, Grace Rusin, Dylan Kurzgul and Anne Mugler. The 4 run lead was held throughout the 4 inning game thanks to sharp pitching from Zinnia and Grace and deft fielding skills of Claire McNally and Griffen Campbell.

The Garbanzos hosted their 2nd game versus the Albany Physical Therapy Cyclones. The Cyclones opened the top of the 1st with a couple runs sparked by a Jane Xu double and Haley McDermott RBI. A quick response in the form of a 3-run rally got the ‘bonzos back in control with the go-ahead run scored by Griffen stealing home during a Camila Rice drawn-out at-bat. Mugler on the mound kept the ‘bonzos in control with a one-point lead. The 2nd half of the game featured Griffen pitching for the Garbanzos allowing the Cyclones only one more run on a sacrifice fly. Two more runs earned by the ‘bonzos’ hustlin’ Dylan with Anne’s RBI assured victory and the honor of competing in Game 3…

. . . The Championship Round:

Ready to be challenged by the Impact Heat, the Garbanzos lead off with a Dylan Kurzgul base hit ripped down the 3rd base line and through the defender’s glove for an additional base. Dylan’s speed and a solid base hit provided the ‘bonzos a 2-point lead to defend. The Heat promptly put it on the ‘bonzos; with a 3-hit/3-run response to go ahead 3-2.

Inning 2 for the ‘bonzos got going much how the 1st inning started, this time with an Emma Rusin single off the Heat’s Isabelle Lavrov, whose generosity helped walk in a few runs for the ‘bonzos. The pitching prowess of Zinnia Thewlis preserved the Garbanzo’s 5-3 lead through the 2nd inning. Isabelle’s attempts to curb her generosity were futile as Claire and Emma’s walks were advanced with swift base stealing and an RBI single by Clara Bekeny. A ripped-with-vengeance RBI single by Isabelle gave her and the Heat a brief sense of redemption.

With the Garbanzos firmly ahead 7-4 at the top of the 4th, Quinn Lewis took to the mound for the Heat. The good-eyes and swift feet that put Dylan and Cami on and around the bases elevated Claire’s bloop single into a 2 RBI hit!

The Heat staged an earnest effort to come back from its 9-4 deficit with pitch patience shown by Bella, Quinn, Isabelle and Jessica walking to fill the bases and eek out a few more runs to a score of 9-7. . .assured final by Cami Rice’s hustle to achieve the last out.

Younger Division

Alliance Graphics Purple Dragons 15, Berkeley Investments Sparkling Penguins 13

The Sparkling Penguins hit well throughout this exceptionally well-played game, with Lilah TK driving in 3 runs, and Ellena Fry knocking in an RBI double in the first inning. The Dragons countered with strong hitting from Amalina Lambert-Mullin (3 RBIs), Magda TK (2 RBIs) and Taigah Brown (2 RBI’s). Playing third base for the Penguins, Loren TK and Gabreiella TK each made outstanding fielding put outs. The play of this evenly-matched game came in the 3rd inning, as Purple Dragon shortstop Mira Knowles (5 RBIs) caught a fly ball, stepped on second and threw to Lila Marish-Roher (3 RBIs) at first, completing a rare triple play.

Berkeley Children’s Dentistry Blue Angels 22, Strategic Economic Red Ruby Robins 18

Jamie Cronin started the 1st inning with a strong hit, advancing runners. This was followed by double by Peyton Moore. In the second inning Bella Nathan hit a double and brought Eva Intoci in to score. Angels outfielder Naomi Birenbaum also threw to Peyton on 1st base for two outs and in the 3rd inning, there were a number of RBIs with Aviva Branoff hitting a double. For the Ruby Robins Zoe Exter was the hitting star with an RBI double in the first and a run scoring single to left in the 2nd. In the third inning Saskia Knight hit a hard single up the middle to start a rally. Viola Coty-Moran did a terrific job stopping grounders from going up the middle from the pitcher’s mounds.

Middle Division

Arkin Tilt Architects Purple Panthers 6, Five Little Monkeys’ Black Lightning 6
Elka Saaf pitching for Black Lightning recorded two strikeouts, and the Purple Panthers stranded two runners in the scoreless top of the first. The Lightning opened its half of the first with a burst of hits: singles by Asia Brantley and Nora Galvan-Carty, then a double into the outfield by Chloe Stapleton-Gray. Camille Kobelin drove Chloe home with a single of her own, but was then forced out at second on a fielder’s choice off Elka’s infield grounder. The second inning brought out the Panthers’ bats, with back to back singles by Abigail Cain and Georgia Thomsen. Two outs later, four Panthers in a row—Alyssa Hampton-Merina, Madline Kaneko, Uma Navarro and Jazmin Terry—singled. Jazmin’s liner to left drove in the fourth, inning-ending run. The Lightning battled back in their half of the second, with Kieran Sinnott reaching first on an infield hit, then going all the way to third on an overthrow while making a play for second. Asia rapped a single to score her, before Georgia, pitching for the Panthers, closed the door. After two quick outs in the top of the third, the Panthers racked up two more runs, with Abigail’s single followed by Georgia’s triple to right. On a full count, Annie Davenport punched a single to center, scoring Georgia. In the bottom of the third, down by two, the Lightning dug in and evened the score, with Elka and Sara McIntosh singling, then scoring on a single by Kieran, and a fielder’s choice by Asia.

The Prins Chiropractic Yellow Jackets 8 – Hot Studio Tigers 1
It was a glorious day for softball at sunny Gilman Field. In the top of the first, Solia Valentine threw to Eleven Thewlis for a great put out at 2nd base after the batter tried to turn a single into a double. In the top of the 2nd inning, Sophie Shean made a great snag at third of a sharply hit ball. In the third, pitcher Daisy Paige was on fire, striking out the first two batters, while her battery mate, catcher Audrey Dowling, caught everything that came her way. In the bottom of the third, the Tigers finally got their batting mojo working, as Solia smoked a single up the middle, Daisy drove one to center field and Eleven drove in the Tigers lone run.

Yellow Jacket’s Helen Ross pitched a strong first two innings, with great catching by PB Fross and Mia Syren. Claire Conners in right field made a nice play with a quick run in to first and throw to Mackenzie Andrew at second base for a solid out. Yellow Jacket’s hitters were on fire with several solid hits by Claire Conners, Helen Ross, MacKenzie Andrew, Mia Syren, and also Layla Souza’s screamer to left field in the top of the third inning. Yellow Jackets pitcher MacKenzie Andrew and catcher Camille Lussier led the team in the third inning, with a nice middle field stop by Lila Blue Pond. Mia Syren brought in the most runs with three RBI’s for the game.

For more than two decades, the Kensington Circus Pub has been an anchor at Colusa Circle at the “Four Corners” area of Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito and Kensington.
It’s a favorite for its fish and chips, musical appearances and, — most of all — the fact that you can set your toddler down and enjoy a brew.
We were saddened to see this post on pub’s Facebook fan page late this afternoon:

The Kensington Circus Pub (SF Bay Area, CA)
Yes, folks, it’s official — Graham is indeed selling the pub, which is in escrow now. Although we’d like to hope that the new owner will carry on some of the old traditions, please do stop by some Friday or Saturday soon to wish Graham well (he’s heading back to England) or on any other day of the week to wish James, Winnie, and the rest of us good luck in our upcoming job hunts. We love you guys! It’s been an honor and a pleasure to serve you for the past 25 years, and we will greatly miss seeing you all on a regular basis. Best wishes from all of us!

Here is our video from December 2010 of Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwtiz and Grammy Award-winner-to-be Adam Machado at a book release party for the anniversary compilation “Hear Me Howling! Blues, Ballads & Beyond: The Arhoolie 50th Anniversary Box Set” at Down Home Music in El Cerrito in December 2010.
Strachwitz tells how his decision to record a song played by some Berkeley hippies led by Berkeley’s Country Joe McDonald before an anti-war rally in 1965 resulted in the royalties that allowed him to buy the Arhoolie/Down Home building.
So why has it taken more than a year for us to post it? Well, um, obviously because we knew Machado was going to win a Grammy Award for authoring great liner notes for “Hear Me Howling!”
(We also wish we’d had a tripod.)