By CAROLYN JONES, San Francisco Chronicle

BERKELEY, Calif. -- City leaders in Berkeley, Calif. are expected to make a major leap forward Tuesday by becoming the first in the-nation to allow homeowners to pay for solar energy systems through their property taxes.

BERKELEY, Calif. -- One of the four tree-sitters at the Memorial Stadium oak grove descended from the foliage Monday, leaving three protesters attempting to stop the University of California, Berkeley's plans to build a sports training center.

SAN FRANCISCO -- A northern California city that declared bankruptcy last week has thrust itself into the national spotlight as a test case for thousands of floundering cities desperate to unload their extravagant public employee contracts.