Around 4:30 a.m., UCPD issued a 10-minute warning to the protesters — who had been occupying and farming a southern portion of a university property, known as the Gill Tract, since Saturday afternoon — to vacate the property or face arrest.

One protester, a UC Berkeley affiliate, was arrested for trespassing and resisting an officer, according to UCPD spokesperson Lt. Eric Tejada. Tejada said the protester was registered in the student directory but could not confirm whether this person is an active student.

The rest of the protesters moved off of the land willingly, and the university allowed the protesters to keep coming back to the land to collect their belongings, according to Claire Holmes, campus associate vice chancellor of public affairs.

Around 9:20 a.m., a tractor was brought in to remove the crops occupiers planted over the weekend, and two more individuals were arrested for trespassing and refusing to follow police orders. A fourth person was arrested around 10 a.m, Tejada said.

Occupy the Farm made a public announcement Sunday morning that they planned to break down their tents early Monday morning and continue to farm throughout the day, said Occupy the Farm spokesperson Matthew McHale.

“The UC’s use of police intervention was completely unnecessary and unreasonable, especially after we publicly declared we were leaving later today,” McHale said.

University officials took action this morning because they wanted to choose a time when they felt they could vacate the lot as safely as possible and with the least amount of disruption to the community, Holmes said.

Currently, Occupy the Farm protesters are in close proximity to the property and have called for a public reconvergence at 5 p.m. to decide what to do next, said  Lesley Haddock, a demonstrator and a UC Berkeley junior.

According to Holmes, police are still near the tract to monitor the situation, and there will be police present throughout the day.

Contact Megan Messerly at mmesserly@dailycal.org

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The group assembled to oppose recent proposals to develop the southern portion of an Albany plot of land known as the Gill Tract, owned by the Regents of the University of California. The proposals suggest developing the lot into a senior housing complex and a national chain grocery store, Sprouts Farmers Market.

Occupy the Farm activists said they would rather see the land developed into a urban farm that could be used to educate the community and to conduct research on how to improve soil quality.

“This piece of land is unparalleled in terms of being an agricultural resource,” said Matthew McHale, an Occupy the Farm spokesperson. “We envision not only a resource for growing food but for community resilience.”

Around 1 p.m., Occupy the Farm activists congregated in front of Albany City Hall before marching south on San Pablo Avenue to the portion of the Gill Tract north of Monroe Street. The group walked behind a banner that read “Sprout Farms Not Grocery Stores.”

Several cars met the group at the property, bringing truckloads of dirt, an assortment of plants as well as some chickens and goats. The group tilled the soil and planted hundreds of plants, including lemon cucumbers, mustard greens and Yukon Gold potatoes, into the afternoon.

Saturday’s movement is the first major effort to cultivate the Gill Tract since last spring, when the group assembled farther north on the property to protest the development of the same senior housing facility and a different grocery store, Whole Foods Market. In September, Whole Foods canceled its plans to build on the Gill Tract, citing project delays.

Urban-farm activists continued to break into the property throughout the summer and into the fall to care for their crops, arguing that the land should be accessible to the community because it is owned by a public university.

The northern portion of the tract farmed last spring is a Class 1 agricultural land, and it is extremely nutrient-rich and conducive to farming. In September, it was placed under the purview of the UC Berkeley College of Natural Resources and is currently prepared and ready for planting, according to Claire Holmes, campus associate vice chancellor of public affairs.

This spring, farmers hope to prove that the southern plot of land, which was once host to military barracks, is also agriculturally viable.

Some community members and Albany city officials, however, believe the land would be better be served with commercial development that would bring economic growth to the area.

“We could bring life to San Pablo,” said Albany Mayor Peggy Thomsen.

Campus officials issued a statement Thursday urging city residents to prepare for an occupation, noting that they would closely monitor the situation. UCPD was at the tract on Saturday and advised the group several times that the property is closed to the public, but no action was taken.

Last May, three weeks after the initial occupation began, nine Occupy the Farm protesters were arrested — two who remained on the Gill Tract and seven who were outside the entrances to the encampment. Charges were never filed against the protesters.

Some Albany community members staged a counterprotest on Saturday, riding bicycles around the Gill Tract and carrying signs with the name “Occupy the Farm” struck out.

Albany resident and counterprotester Preston Jordan sees Occupy the Farm’s actions as an attempt to circumvent a democratic system that is already working.

“There are issues throughout history that call for civil disobedience,” Jordan said. “But I don’t think this calls for that.”

Occupy the Farm activists set up an encampment Saturday night on the property, and six tents were still standing as of 10 a.m. Sunday morning.

In the immediate future, the group plans to continue planting, cleaning up the land and being “good stewards,” McHale said.

“Farming is about the long game — setting down roots,” McHale said. “Putting plants in the ground is hope. It is inherently oriented toward the future.”

Megan Messerly covers city government. Contact her at mmesserly@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @meganmesserly.

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If the plan is approved, the city manager will draw up a list of costs for traffic analysis, traffic control methods and construction for the conversion of the two streets.

Benefits of the conversion would include a safer environment for pedestrians and cyclists, less traffic due to reduced vehicle speeds and more convenient access to the campus due to the relocation of bus traffic to Bancroft, proponents say.

We’re trying to follow best practices,” said Berkeley Design Advocates President Anthony Bruzzone. “Current best practices suggest that two-way streets are better for traffic and better for business.”

The proposal is one of many improvements to Telegraph Avenue’s current design suggested by Berkeley Design Advocates, a volunteer group of architects and urban planners. Other proposed improvements include extended sidewalks, improved street lighting and more interaction between retail and entertainment spaces.

The campus currently supports the proposal because it has the potential to improve safety, said Christine Shaff, communications director for UC Berkeley’s Facilities Services.

City Councilmember Kriss Worthington, however, has introduced a separate list of his own goals.

His proposal, called the Telegraph ACTION Plan, includes improvements like outdoor merchandise tables for retail stores, increased visibility of parking and a monthly music festival, all of which, he estimates, would cost $50,500.

While the financial impact of the project has yet to be calculated, Worthington has said his 12-item plan may cost less than the two-way street proposal.

“The focus on two-way streets and sending all that money at the expense of not doing these things is very problematic,” Worthington said. “I would say that these are more important and more time-sensitive than which way the cars are going.”

The Telegraph Business Improvement District also opposes the conversion of the two streets, said Executive Director Roland Peterson, and would rather see other improvements, like creating parklets — small parking spot-sized spaces for recreation and beautification —  which will also be discussed at Tuesday’s meeting.

“We’re very intrigued, but we need to flesh out more about parklets,” Peterson said. “We’re very much interested in possible redesigns of the street in ways that make it better for pedestrians and traffic.”

For those who walk or drive down Bancroft and Durant daily, the change would have mixed results.

“As a driver, two-way streets do have their conveniences,” said senior Amanda Garcia, who has been driving in Berkeley for several months. “As a student, though, one-way streets are kind of convenient. It’s easier to cross. I can see this being a positive change, though.”

Megan Messerly covers city government. Contact her at mmesserly@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @meganmesserly.

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On Wednesday, the board will release and then vote on the names of finalists for the position, which was vacated by Leah Wilson, former board president. Wilson resigned on March 31 after taking a position with the Alameda County Superior Court, the first time a school board member has resigned since 1909.

The applicants include two campus professors, the campus director of local government and community relations, and a scientist and former deputy director of the Nuclear Science Division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, among others.

The candidates are Ty Alper, Peter Bloomsburgh, Michael Bolgatz, Meleah Hall, Spencer Klein, Dan Lindheim, Satish Rao, Margit Roos-Collins, Julie Sinai and Mark Zoidis.

Because the new board member will serve a partial term — until Nov. 30, 2014 — he or she needs to be able to “hit the ground running” and “immediately be an integral and contributing member of the board,” said board president Karen Hemphill.

In the coming months, the board will be learning to work with a new superintendent, “all while focusing on bridging the opportunity gap that exists along racial lines in our district,” Hemphill said in an email, referencing the city’s 2020 Vision program, which aims to close the city’s achievement gap by the year 2020.

Alper, a professor at the UC Berkeley School of Law, has seen this gap himself, as both he and his wife went through Berkeley public schools as children.

“I know firsthand how important it is for all children in this city to get the educational opportunities that will enable them to thrive,” Alper said, echoing many of the sentiments of his fellow candidates.

Many candidates who come from analytical backgrounds, such as computer science and financial advising, plan to bring their analytical minds to the job to address the numbers of the achievement gap in Berkeley public schools as well as those of the district’s budget.

Other applicants stressed the importance of maintaining solid and open relationships with the community.

“We need to be meeting the needs of our kids and families in relation to a positive education outcome,” Sinai, campus director of local government and community relations, said. “We as a community need to come together to provide coordinated support.”

The board has 60 days from the time Wilson’s resignation was submitted to fill the vacancy, according to the Berkeley city charter. It plans to fill the seat nine days before the deadline at its May 8 board meeting at the latest.

Megan Messerly covers city government. Contact her at mmesserly@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @meganmesserly.

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When Rodrigo and his parents were told they would not be allowed to return to the United States after a winter break visit to Mexico because they had failed to renew their visas, his classmates in Berkeley launched a campaign and circulated a petition to bring him home.

Berkeley parent Mable Yee and Rodrigo’s friends have been attending community events, including a Berkeley forum on immigration reform last Thursday, to raise awareness of their friend’s situation. Additionally, six of Rodrigo’s friends plan to travel to Washington, D.C., in May or June — at the invitation of Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland ­— to tell politicians about their friend’s plight.

“Stories like Rodrigo’s remind us of just how broken our immigration system is,” Lee said in a statement. “I am committed to continuing my fight on behalf of all of my constituents for a comprehensive immigration policy.”

In preparation for their trip to Washington, where they hope to talk with influential political figures, the kids have been raising money by selling T-shirts, hosting games and seeking donations.

“We think that the immigration law isn’t fair,” said fourth-grader Kaiya Daniels, who attends Jefferson Elementary School with Rodrigo. “We want our friend to come back.”

Advocacy group National Latino Children’s Institute is working with the kids to secure an audience for the children at the national level.

“It’s an opportunity to visibly look into immigration,” said the institute’s executive director, Josephine Garza. “We have hopes that something will come out of this that will be positive.”

The planned trip is particularly timely, given the expected release of an immigration reform bill by a Senate committee within the next few days and another from the House next week, Garza said.

“This hit just at the right time with what’s happening now,” Garza said. “They’re really coming to a point where both sides are going to have to make some kind of concessions.”

For Rodrigo and his family, who are stuck in Cuernavaca, Mexico, the impending immigration reform is not a matter of policy but rather something that will directly impact their future.

Additionally, while Rodrigo’s parents, Javier Guzman and Reyna Mayida, both had jobs in Berkeley, the two have struggled to find work in Mexico. However, the three have been overcome with happiness at the outpouring of support they have received from the Berkeley community.

“I have some things to say, but it’s not about the situation — it’s about how thankful I am,” Rodrigo said. “I’m thankful to my friends for all they’re doing.”

Megan Messerly covers city government. Contact her at mmesserly@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @meganmesserly.

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While it has always called Northern California home, the brewing company — whose pale ale is the second-best-selling craft beer in the country — decided to open its new establishment in Berkeley to share some of its more limited specialty beers outside its Chico facilities and beer festivals.

Because San Francisco and Oakland already have numerous establishments offering craft beer, Sierra Nevada decided to open a location in Berkeley’s relatively smaller market instead, said Ryan Arnold, communications manager for Sierra Nevada.

“What is intriguing about Berkeley is there is sort of a food and beverage renaissance,” Arnold said. “It already is a vibrant community, more diverse and showing to be a progressive place, and that’s an exciting place for us to weave into the fabric to share our beers in this small, intimate tasting room.”

The establishment at 2031 Fourth St. will be a small space with limited seating to encourage customers to approach the bar counter and engage with team members, ask questions and become educated about the variety of beers Sierra Nevada has to offer, Arnold said.

Trumer Brauerei, which brews a German-style Pilsner at its Berkeley location just several blocks north of the proposed Sierra Nevada, also currently has a tasting room, although it is not open to the public. Instead, the brewery offers tours during the weekdays, and guests may sample its products afterward, provided that they are 21 years of age or older.

“It’s great — the more the public gets educated about beer, I think overall the better the whole craft-brewing industry does,” said Jeff Eaton, production manager at Trumer, about Sierra Nevada. “I’m excited just because we only make a Pilsner here, and it’ll be fun to go down the street and get some of those rare beers that you don’t see on draft.”

While Berkeley currently has a few locations that offer beer-tasting experiences, several more are set to open over the course of the year, including The Rare Barrel on Carleton Street, Hoi Polloi Brew Pub on Alcatraz Avenue and the beer garden Moxy, which is set to open by the end of the month on Sacramento Street.

“I would say that I have definitely had trouble finding a good place to go,” said Gavin McCormick, a third-year UC Berkeley graduate student, of Berkeley’s current beer scene. “I wouldn’t say I’m a diehard fan (of Sierra Nevada), but I like it a lot. It’s a really good beer when you’re not really sure what situation you’re in. No one ever doesn’t like it.”

Megan Messerly covers city government. Contact her at mmesserly@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @meganmesserly.

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But while Berkeley residents have been using Downtown as a portal out, others in the Bay Area have been coming in, settling down and calling it their new home — leaving Telegraph Avenue on the sidelines. With flocks of young professionals coming to find new housing, Downtown has seen a boom in housing development, with nearly 1,000 apartment units planned for the area.

Telegraph, however, has yet to witness the same kind of growth. Struggling to reclaim its storied past as a hub of intellectual activity, many on Telegraph are looking to Downtown and feeling left behind.

Telegraph: home to students

“Telegraph has been starved for attention and money from the city of Berkeley for years,” said Councilmember Kriss Worthington. “It’s long past time to do something about it.”

The lack of attention shows. There stand a few housing developments, including one at the corner of Haste Street and Telegraph that has slowly emerged more than a year after the fire at the Sequoia building. But it is nothing on the scale of what is going on Downtown.

The Residences at Berkeley Plaza, for instance, is an ambitious proposal for a 17-story building in the historic Hinks Department Store that currently houses Shattuck Cinemas. Another project, Acheson Commons, will occupy the northeast corner of University and Shattuck avenues and add hundreds of new units to the city’s rental housing stock. These are just two of the more ambitious developments proposed among the many in place for Downtown, spanning nearly 1,000 apartment units.

“Telegraph doesn’t resonate with people as much as it used to,” said Roland Peterson, the executive director of the Telegraph Business Improvement District. “Any commercial district is not going to succeed unless the people who live around it support it.”

The people who live around Telegraph, however, have found themselves to be one of the area’s greatest strengths and weaknesses. Developers are continuously building units suited more for student needs than those of the young professionals who are spurring the housing growth Downtown.

Of the nearly 200 proposed housing units near Telegraph on Southside, around 120 of the units describe themselves as “dormitory-style” housing and “student-oriented rental apartment units.”

Downtown: Berkeley’s transportation hub

Just a few streets away, however, Bay Area professionals are increasingly finding Downtown to be a suitable housing option, in contrast to the student-heavy Telegraph and Southside.

“Attitudes are changing about the Downtown,” said Downtown Berkeley Association CEO John Caner. “People see it as an up-and-coming, fun environment.”

Yet Downtown’s growth is only a recent phenomenon, and the city is still actively working to revitalize the area under the Downtown Area Plan. One of the reasons for this newfound growth, on top of Bay Area regional economic recovery, appears to be Downtown’s transportation strengths.

In fact, for experts like former Oakland city planner and longtime Berkeley resident John English, the BART station may be the overriding reason that Downtown is thriving while Telegraph seems stagnant.

With BART and the buses providing easy access to Oakland and San Francisco, the appeal of the area as a transportation hub attracts students and professionals equally — thus spiking housing demand.

“Downtown is a node of activity for the greater Bay Area,” said Berkeley developer Derek Allen, director of development for ROEM Corporation.

Notably, the current location of Downtown Berkeley BART’s iconic brown dome was not the only spot for the station that was considered when the transit system was still in the works.

“I remember when the BART system was being planned,” English said. “There was the plan of BART running up Telegraph and into Sproul Plaza.”

Finding a niche for Telegraph

Had that been the case, Telegraph’s story might be different today. Instead, Telegraph’s residents feel left in the dust in the wave of Downtown’s heavy development.

No one is more aware of the problems on Telegraph than city officials. As such, the iconic street has seen years of meetings and get-togethers discussing how to revamp its slumped economy and dilapidated facade. There is generally a sense of what people want to see in a recovered Telegraph.

“You have to have specialty stores in niche markets,” said Mayor Tom Bates, who has recently undertaken efforts to address Telegraph’s problems. “We have to find that niche, a combination of good food, shops and exciting places to be.”

Current ideas for improving Telegraph in the near future to reach that ideal include installing LED lights, an in-progress project funded by the university; changing the flows of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic and enticing new stores to move into the area.

Yet Worthington worries that improvements to the now-fragile district will remain just talk for quite some time.

“There are dozens of ideas that have been circulating,” Worthington said. “There are dozens of meetings that have been held. And yet, very little has actually been done for years. We need to actually come up with specific things we can do to support the stores there and support the area.”

This includes making sure Telegraph Avenue lives up to its historic reputation.

“When I’m hitchhiking around Europe, when I’m walking down the streets in India and say I live in Berkeley — Telegraph Avenue is the iconic street of Berkeley,” Worthington said. “Nobody in Europe or India asks me about Shattuck Avenue, Ashby Avenue, San Pablo — it’s always Telegraph.”

Megan Messerly covers city government. Contact her at mmesserly@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @meganmesserly.

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Joshu-ya Brasserie chef and owner Jason Kwon purchased Ann’s about a month ago and is thinking about revamping the restaurant and changing its name to “The Bleecker Street Bistro.” Ann’s, a popular Berkeley breakfast and brunch destination known for its sizable portions at student-friendly prices, lies just a couple of doors down from Kwon’s upscale sushi joint on Dwight Way.

Under Kwon’s purview, the restaurant has changed little so far. The only changes to speak of are that the restaurant is now host to several new menu boards and that it has extended its open hours by three hours until 8 p.m.

Although the crimson banners outside the diner still read “Ann’s Kitchen,” several customers who frequent the restaurant noticed that their credit card statements now read “The Bleecker Bistro.”

Yet, as of now, the name change is the only thing that Kwon has decided upon. There is no new menu, target clientele or design change to speak of at this point in time, said Kwon’s publicist, Tom Walton.

“He likes what Ann’s is, as it caters to a different portion of the community,” Walton said, comparing Ann’s clientele to that of Joshu-ya. “While he might use some of his culinary expertise to add some items to the menu, we really don’t know yet.”

The purported name change has generated some buzz within the community about when and to what extent changes at Ann’s will occur. The consensus among Ann’s customers is that, regardless of any changes Kwon might make, they want the breakfast menu to remain the one they know and love.

“Breakfast is like the best thing going here,” said UC Berkeley junior Bryce Dewees, who frequents Ann’s. “I hope it doesn’t change too much.”

Megan Messerly covers city government. Contact her at mmesserly@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @meganmesserly.

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Rent control, a blessing for tenants and a curse for landlords, restricts apartment unit price increases for buildings built prior to the mid-1980s and has remained the subject of contentious debate for decades.

“I hate that thing,” Kashani said regarding rent control. “It is discrimination.”

When Kashani purchased Oxford Hall more than 20 years ago, strict rent control was already in effect in Berkeley.
After landlords expressed difficulties resulting from the policy, the California State Legislature passed the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act in 1995 to lessen the severity of rent-control laws in five cities, including Berkeley.

The act, known as vacancy decontrol, allows landlords to raise rents to the market rate at the beginning of a new tenancy.

Arguments in favor of vacancy decontrol were twofold. One, landlords were concerned that wealthy individuals were hoarding rent-controlled units; and two, owners of rent-controlled buildings found it difficult to renovate and maintain old apartment buildings on meager earnings.

Berkeley’s Rent Stabilization Board recently discussed the policy at its last two meetings after a report showed that vacancy decontrol has exacerbated Berkeley’s already tenuous affordable housing situation.

Since the act went into effect, formerly rent-controlled apartments have become less affordable for the city’s low-income residents, and improvements to buildings have nowhere near matched the amount of extra income generated from vacancy decontrol, said board Deputy Director Stephen Barton.

But for Kashani, improvements are difficult not from lack of money but more so from residents who are reticent to move.

Vacancy decontrol serves as a disincentive for some of Oxford Hall’s long-term tenants to move because they will not be able to find rental housing priced as cheaply in Berkeley, said Oxford Hall’s apartment manager, Unes Gollestani.

Additionally, landlords continue to see some tenants taking advantage of low-cost apartments. Oxford Hall has one tenant who only sporadically stays at his apartment, according to Gollestani.

“I asked him one time, ‘Why are you keeping the apartment?’” Kashani said. “He said, ‘It’s cheaper than one night at a hotel for the whole month.’”

While some residents have been reluctant to move, Berkeley has seen growth in a new population segment — young professionals looking to escape high San Francisco rents, according to Barton.

“When vacancy decontrol went into effect — at the time of the dot-com boom taking off — rents pretty much skyrocketed,” Barton said.

East Palo Alto, another city with formerly strict rent-control laws, suffers from a similar technology boom-induced blight due to the proximity of Facebook’s headquarters to the city, according to East Palo Alto Rent Stabilization Board member William Byron Webster.

“It’s a complete rape of East Palo Alto,” Webster said. “The greatest threat to East Palo Alto is from Facebook.”

Due to increasing housing demand, cities like Berkeley and East Palo Alto are developing strategies to mitigate the effects of vacancy decontrol for low-income tenants, such as including affordable housing components in new projects.

Berkeley City Council and Rent Stabilization Board members hope to meet by the end of this month to discuss current city housing issues.

“The Legislature did not intend to wipe out inclusionary housing ordinances,” said Berkeley City Councilmember Kriss Worthington. “It’s pretty obvious what the impact has been: a giant windfall for landlords and significant harm to tenants.”

Yet, at the end of the day, many residents still desire rent-controlled apartments, even if prices trend upward.

Although recent UC Berkeley graduate Austin Houlgate has experienced minor maintenance issues while living in Oxford Hall, he is willing to put up with the condition for the comparably lower price and convenience.

“If I intended to move out of the building, it would be because I intended to move out of Berkeley,” Houlgate said. “It’s just a really good situation.”

For rent-controlled building owners like Kashani, the future includes making sure their businesses stay afloat.

“Competition is very hard,” Kashani said. “Without vacancy decontrol, we would have gone bankrupt.”

Megan Messerly covers city government. Contact her at mmesserly@dailycal.org.

Correction(s):
An infographic attached to Thursday’s article “City struggles with vacancy decontrol” stated that the proportion of pre-1999 tenants whose landlords have tried to get them to move is 80 percent. In fact, the proportion of tenants is actually 8 percent.

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Family and friends remembered Castle’s smile, which appeared throughout a photo slideshow depicting his life: as a baby grinning broadly, as a young man happily conquering the waves on his surfboard and as a UC Berkeley student confidently smiling with his parents in front of South Hall.

“How can you take such a beautiful life and put it into words?” said Castle’s brother Joe at the commencement of the memorial service.

Castle, who graduated from UC Berkeley in 2012 with a degree in political science and comparative politics, had taught university-level English in China’s Guizhou province with the Peace Corps since August.

Castle’s love for teaching preceded his role as an English teacher in China. He spent more than six years as a tutor and mentored countless others in his hometown of Brentwood.

“Whenever our girls had a question about anything, they’d call him,” said Jolene Conder, a family friend whose two daughters Castle mentored. “He was real-life proof to them that anything was possible.”

Castle also built lasting relationships with his students in China, who would often eat dinner with him and affectionately referred to him as “Mr. Sunshine” because of his smile, according to Peace Corps regional director Helen Lowman, who read a letter expressing President Obama’s condolences.

Eric Behne, Castle’s high school friend, remembered that his first impression of Castle was that he was “extremely smart” and “good at everything,” but his fondest memories are the countless hours the two spent listening to the Beatles’ music and classic rock. Behne said that when he recalls his high school years spent with Castle, he can barely remember being in class at all.

Family and friends were unsurprised to hear that Castle would be serving in the Peace Corps, as he had spent a great deal of his childhood serving in his local community. Jami Palladino, another family friend, told of the way in which Castle had often helped out in her husband’s vineyard, pulling weeds and helping customers select fruit to purchase.

“I was so proud of the man he had become,” said Castle’s father, David. “I was so impressed with his intelligence, his compassion and his love for humanity.”

David Castle’s lasting memory of his son is of when the two visited a Vincent van Gogh exhibition at the de Young Museum, where he remembers his son standing in front of “The Starry Night” in quiet contemplation.

“That memory reminds me of a lyric once written about that painting,” he said, referring to “Vincent” by Don McLean. “‘The world was never meant for one as beautiful as you.’”

Megan Messerly covers city government. Contact her at mmesserly@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @meganmesserly.

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