Berkeleyside

3 days ago | berkeleyside.org | Vanessa Arredondo

The Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) last week approved a budget for the 2025-2026 school year, balancing a nearly $8 million deficit, though officials warned mid-year cuts could be necessary if costs exceed projections. Since late February, BUSD community members have attended board meetings to oppose staff layoffs and proposed cuts to equitable programs and family support positions.

1 week ago | berkeleyside.org | Cecilia Seiter

Editor’s note: Nosh covers food and restaurant news across the East Bay, and each week we publish one article covering all the restaurant openings and one article covering closings. Have a tip for Nosh? Submit it here. In a heavy-hearted Instagram post, El Patio, a beloved West Berkeley bar and restaurant, announced it will be closing in early July. “We’ve watched kids grow up and eat their first limes here. We’ve seen people on first dates and some even get married after that first date.

1 week ago | berkeleyside.org | Roselyn Romero

The first time Dieudonné Brou was pepper-sprayed, he was 11 years old. When he was incarcerated at Alameda County Juvenile Hall in San Leandro, he’d gotten into a fight with another boy. While trying to break them up, a correctional officer pepper-sprayed Brou and the other boy and forced them back into their respective cells. Brou, now 37, doesn’t remember exactly how long he remained in his cell before being allowed to shower and rinse his eyes.

1 week ago | berkeleyside.org | Iris Kwok |Andrew Gilbert

Never miss local events! Sign up for Berkeleyside’s arts and culture newsletter, The Scene. And check out our roundup of affordable things to do anytime in Berkeley. 🕎 Noted Berkeley ceramicist and arts ambassador Susan Felix left quite a collection of completed work in her home studio and friends are organizing a sale to benefit Chochmat HaLev, Susan’s spiritual home for many decades. Sunday, June 22, 2-5 p.m. Chochmat HaLev.

1 week ago | berkeleyside.org | Nico Savidge

More than four years after local leaders drew national attention when they set out to end single-family zoning in Berkeley, a proposal that would put that pledge into action will go before the City Council next week. The legislation would significantly change zoning rules for the city’s flatland neighborhoods, by allowing property owners to build three-story apartment buildings with a fast-tracked approval process in areas that effectively banned multi-family housing for decades.