Ethnic Studies lecturer-turned-local arts booster Michael Parayno knew his wildly popular underground venue, the Birdland Jazzista Social club, was in trouble from the moment he saw a Prius tool up Sacramento Street on Friday with an unmistakable City of Berkeley sign. It turned out the Birdman was in trouble again, pretty much for the same offenses he’d committed last year — food service at a non-permitted event that’s open to the public, sidewalk encroachment, amplified sound indoors and around the exterior of the building. Parayno was infuriated. “They just photocopied the same citation that was issued in January, 2011, and wrote ‘second notice,’ on it,” he said. But this time, the fine was much steeper: $5,500 daily, a 1100% percent increase from the original $500 penalty.
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