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VOL. 18 NO. 10 ISSUE NO. 195 November 8, 2003 CIRCULATION: 5,100 RESIDENCES; 200 BUSINESSES
Sponsored by The Rockridge Community Planning Council • 5245 College Ave. PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94618 • 644-4228
Dialectic of Change Heats Up In Rockridge
Planning the Future
of College Avenue:
Hallowe’en in Rockridge!
T
Retail/Service
Mix Focus
For November
Meeting
he Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little
Pigs, on closer examination, resemble
Rockridge’s Nelson family as they join other
families during RCPC’s Hallowe’en Parade.
The success of the annual
event forced a change
in the format for this
year’s parade.
Story, page 3.
by Jessica Pitt
What is the ideal mix of
retail shops, offices,
services, and residences for
the College Avenue business
district? Do we want more
restaurants on College Avenue?
What community services and
neighborhood-serving busi-
nesses would we like to bring
into the neighborhood?
At its General Meeting
November 20, the Rockridge
Community Planning Coun-
cil’s Land Use Committee
will present the results of a
land use study that shows the
current use of properties along
College Avenue. Then, we’ll
discuss what changes would
be needed to make it an ideal
business district.
NEW MIX, PAGE 4
a g e n d a:
RCPC General Meeting
results of an RCPC study of
College Avenue businesses
and offer your ideas.
See story, top left column,
this page.
Thursday, November 20, 7:30 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library Community Room
5366 College Avenue at Manila
Safety on Claremont
Is crossing Claremont Avenue
on foot a problem for you?
We’ll discuss a plan to reduce
traffic from four lanes to
three. See story, page 5.
Report on Council-
College Avenue
Development Plan
What vision do you
have for College
Avenue? Hear the
member Jane
Brunner’s Livable
Communities Grant
City’s Zoning Proposal
Would Affect Rockridge:
Seeking a Balance
Between Owners’
And Neighbors’
Needs
by Jacqueline Tasch
One of the biggest challenges the city
faced in drafting new design review
guidelines for one- and two-unit residen-
tial structures was “striking a reasonable
balance between allowing appropriate
development and respecting neighbors’
views, solar access, and privacy,” City
Planner Christopher Buckley told the RCPC
General meeting on October 16.
But no one in the audience—and there
were many people—spoke out on behalf
of home builders or residents seeking to
alter existing homes. Instead, Buckley and
Residential Design Review Supervisor Ed
Manasse heard a number of often emotional
arguments on behalf of maintaining neigh-
bors’ environment—particularly on the
issues of view and solar access.
The new guidelines were prompted by
a City Council zoning revision adopted in
December 2001 that affects much of North
Oakland and all of City Council District
1. Because of this revision, more extensive
scrutiny will be given to proposals for new
housing.
Buckley said staff who drafted the
criteria for the Oakland City Planning
Commission a the more objective design
review process. With explicit criteria, people
planning projects would know what would
be expected of their proposals, and consistent
results could be achieved. In other words,
different staff members would approach dif-
ferent projects using the same measurable
criteria.
DESIGN REVIEW, PAGE 4
November 8, 2003
2.
ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
Around the Neighborhood
by Jacqueline Tasch, Editor, The Rockridge News
Walking the Walk:
The Kitchen Tour, Schools
And Politicians
Imagine
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
NEW HOURS:
Tuesday: 12:30 – 8 p.m.
Weds, Thurs, Sat: 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Friday 12 – 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, Monday CLOSED
LIBRARY DETAILS: SEE CALENDAR, PAGE 15.
that your house has been selected to play a starring role in the
Rockridge Kitchen Tour. Knowing that hundreds of people are
going to pass through your kitchen that day, you get up early to do some last-minute
tidying up. You’re still in your pajamas when a few perfect strangers walk right into
your kitchen—and without bringing coffee or donuts. The intruders are surprised at
your surprise—they thought they were merely getting an early start on the tour.
The Rockridge News, founded in 1986 by Don Kinkead,
is published monthly in Oakland and is sponsored by
the Rockridge Community Planning Council, a non-
profit public benefit organization founded to: preserve
and enhance the unique character of the Rockridge
neighborhood; promote the health, safety and quality
of life of its residents; furnish a forum for community
involvement, and provide leadership and representation
of neighborhood interests.
That’s exactly what happened to one participating couple this year. Thinking it
would turn away any early birds, the tour directors had posted a “Do Not Knock” sign
on everyone’s front door early Sunday. These visitors, however, took that to mean they
could just come on in. Needless to say, the front door was quickly locked after that,
and it wasn’t reopened until official tour time.
Rockridge News Production
Jacqueline Tasch..................Editor-in-Chief
Ortrun Niesar, Claire Isaacs...Writers
Barry Kaufman...................Food
Jo Ellis...................................Calendar
Theresa Nelson ....................Neighborhood Merchant
Lydia Gans...........................Photography
Lauri Scharber....................Advertising
Susan Montauk...................Business Manager
Don Kinkead.......................Graphics & Layout
David Hatfield................... RCPC Liaison
Fortunately, this was one of the few unplanned events on this year’s successful
Kitchen Tour ( see a full report, page 12). I was among the dozens of volunteers who
staffed the tour’s nine houses. Late in the day, I greeted visitors at the Locksley house,
where they had to wait in line for a few minutes to keep even a very large kitchen
from overflowing.
To amuse myself—I can’t speak for the waiting visitors—I asked people how much
of the route they walked. I was surprised at the number who had walked all or most
of it. Nobody had a guess as to how far that might have been. Now, with the authority
of mapquest.com, I can tell you that you walked exactly 4.29 miles if you started and
ended at College Avenue Presbyterian Church, visiting all the houses in a rough figure
8 looping north and then south. No wonder I was tired.
T
RCPC Board of Directors, 2003-2004
Daniel Ferdelman ..............Chair
Deborah Larson.................Vice-Chair
Jessica Pitt, John Potis .......Secretaries
Greg Yoch............................Treasurer
David Hatfield, Hiroko Kurihara,
Susan Montauk,Theresa Nelson,
Chad Thompson, Michael Whitfield
he distance from College Avenue up Chabot to Chabot Elementary School isn’t
nearly that far, but dozens of parents and kids walked the whole way, creating the
first-ever “walking school bus” at that school. I made the route part of my morning walk
on October 8 (International Walk to School Day). Paula De Cristofaro, who organized
the event, is hoping to repeat the walking school bus every month. Check the Chabot
School website for news (http://www.chabotelementary.org/).
NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTIONS
Annual subscriptions to The Rockridge News
can be obtained by sending a check for $18, payable
to Rockridge News Subscriptions to: Rockridge News
Subscriptions at the address below.
Articles published in The Rockridge News may be
reprinted only with the permission of the Editor.
CONTACTING THE ROCKRIDGE NEWS
That day, I was impressed by how many fathers were walking their kids to school.
A day earlier, making the polling place a stop on my morning walk, I was impressed
by the number of young people who waited to vote. My surprise probably has more to
do with my stereotypical notions than the real world, but I thought I’d share.
Y
Are there community issues you’d like to see
covered in The Rockridge News?
Do you have questions about newsletter
distribution?
ou really can’t be an officially certified newspaper columnist without having
something to say about the election. I’ll say that I’ve been a big fan of Arnold
the Actor since my brother tied me to a chair many years ago and made me watch The
Terminator on video. I was a devoted fan for a few years, and then my interest waned
(while Arnold’s girth waxed). Nevertheless, I made time in my schedule this summer
to see Terminator III and enjoyed it.
Would you like to volunteer to be a Rockridge
News block captain?
Contact us at one of the following addresses or
telephone numbers:
Editor: jatasch@mindspring.com
www.rockridge.org
The Rockridge News, 5245 College Avenue,
PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618
RCPC Voicemail: 644-4228
NEWSLETTER ADVERTISING/DEADLINES
Which, of course, says nothing about his qualifications to be governor. I don’t agree
that a Texas twang is always better than an Austrian brogue or that a long political
resume is needed to be qualified for public office. However, Arnold seems to lack
grassroots experience. It occurs to me that the RCPC is looking for some new board
members ( See page 3). If he signed on, Arnold would get some real experience in
grassroots politics, and the attendance at General Meetings would soar. We might even
turn it into a reality TV show. What do you think?
Publication date of the next issue is
December 6, 2003
December deadline is November 13
Advertising rates are $22/column inch. Six-month
pre-pay rate available. To advertise, call Lauri
Scharber at 655-2196. (RCPC reserves the right
to refuse any display or classified ad that it deems
inappropriate.)
3.
November 8, 2003
They came by the
threes and tens and
twenties to celebrate
Hallowe’en.
Heading north
along Hudson
Street, the ratio of
caregiving adults to
costumed kids was
as much as 3 to 1 in
some stretches.
Like some others,
this little pumpkin
wilted in the sun.
PHOTOS: JACQUELINE TASCH
Rockridge Hallowe’en Parade
Changes Find Mixed Response
The care and feeding of a successful community event
What kind of community Hallowe’en
celebration is right for Rockridge?
The RCPC will be discussing that ques-
tion early in 2004 and invites your ideas
and comments.
candy were involved in the decision to
change the parade format.
Over the years, the event grew
larger and larger, with more than 1,500
people participating, by one estimate.
Providing for the safety of so many
children—especially when crossing the
street—became more and more difficult.
There were liability issues for the spon-
soring RCPC, but more worrisome was
the possibility of injury to one or more
Rockridge children. A recent close call
made this possibility more real.
For several years, RCPC sponsored a
parade with trick or treating along College
Avenue on the Sunday before Hallowe’en.
Rockridge Kids was a cosponsor, and
merchants along the Avenue handed
out candy and other treats. This year, a
different sort of celebration took place,
in part because parents hoped to put
more emphasis on the parade and less
on the candy.
The size of the event also required
more and more volunteer energy to
organize and supervise. This year in
particular, volunteers were in short
supply, and the event was almost canceled
entirely for lack of willing leadership.
Some Rockridge residents—and some
merchants, too—were unhappy with the
change. “A Hallowe’en parade with no
trick or treating?” wrote Becky Indrio.
“What a great way to ruin a successful
annual event.” Her son, 8-year-old Marco,
warned, “If you have a parade without
candy, you will have a parade without
kids.” Both suggested that merchants
often hand out pencils or other candy
substitutes, providing an alternative for
parents who prefer not to have their
children collect candy.
If you’d like to participate in the
discussion about Hallowe’en plans,
please send comments to the Rockridge
Community Planning Council, 5245
College Avenue, PMB 311, Oakland,
CA 94618.
Also, volunteers will be needed
for next year. It’s not too soon to step
forward.
In fact, a number of issues besides
NOTICE
RCPC Board
Has Openings
for Rockridge
Neighbors
Do you live in the Rockridge commu-
nity? Are you concerned about traffic,
schools, crime, and zoning issues? Are you
interested in helping to maintain the great
quality of life found in our neighborhood
and help lead the community into the future?
Then join the RCPC Board of Directors.
We currently have openings on the RCPC
RCPC BOARD OPENINGS, PAGE 5
Costumed Kids,
Parents Invade
Rockridge
Hundreds of local kids in costumes,
accompanied by cadres of grownups,
celebrated Halloween on Sunday, October
26, with stories, songs, a parade, and treats
in FROGpark.
The festivities began with entertain-
ment at the Rockridge Library, provided
by the East Bay Dads: Cliff Reichstaffen,
Ken Cluff, and Chad Thompson. The com-
munity room quickly filled to capacity. The
overflow strained to hear from the lobby
outside, straggled down the stairs, and
swarmed the sidewalk outside, waiting
for the parade to begin.
On the walk up Hudson Street, many of
the children were babes in arms and tots in
strollers. Furry costumes and full-face masks
were less popular on a day that resembled
Fourth of July more than Halloween. Adults
were in plentiful supply—the ratio in some
groups was as much as four or five wannabe
kids to one actual child.
At FROGpark families remained to play
for quite a while. Albertson’s provided cook-
ies, and Dreyer’s sent an old-fashioned ice
cream truck. Thanks to them and to all these
helpful adults who organized, entertained,
and cleaned up: Naomi Hatkin, Theresa
Nelson, Alice Chegia, Barbara Stewart,
Kristin Barr, Carroll Moore, Barney Smits,
and Jim Chegia. Maureen Bormolini and
Kristi McLeod helped bring us the Boy
Scout crossing guards.
November 8, 2003
4.
Design Review
she asked.
Someone else noted that “sunny Crafts-
man bungalow” is a frequent phrase in
classifieds. “Nobody says, ‘Wow, I’m
moving into a dark house,’” he said.
from page 1
Here’s an example. One criterion reads:
“A project shall maintain the most signifi-
cant views from primary living spaces of
abutting lots and lots directly across the
street to the extent achievable through
skillful and considerate site planning and
building design.”
Whether solar access to interior spaces like
kitchens should also be protected had been a
“hotly debated internal question,” Manasse
said, but small Rockridge lots give few design
options to expansion-minded owners.
Proposed design review changes were
intensely discussed at the October meeting.
Views were another significant issue,
as the views specified in the ordinance are
of landmarks like the bridges, the Bay, or
Mount Tamalpais. That policy protects only
the wealthy, one questioner said: “Seeing
grass and trees and blue sky is as important
to me as seeing the Golden Gate Bridge is
to people in multimillion dollar houses.”
The draft provides specific definitions
of significant views—first priority goes
to the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges and
the San Francisco skyline—and primary
living spaces—with priority going to the
main living room or family room.
these limitations, Buckley said that a
project’s height, building width, and other
dimensions should not “have to be shrunk
more than 20%” from what the zoning
regulations would otherwise allow.
After hearing an overview of the draft
report, members of the audience jumped
directly to the outcomes of concern to them.
One woman told how, 9 months after she
bought her house in Lower Rockridge, the
neighbors extended their garage so that it
stood just 2-1⁄2 feet in front of her kitchen
window, blocking out most light. “Isn’t
light as important indoors as outdoors?”
The solar access criterion calls for mini-
mizing “the loss of solar access to actively
used outdoor areas… from shadows cast”
and defines a shadow as “the area of shade
on the ground or exterior paved surface
as determined by a solar study using 9
a.m., noon, and 3 p.m. on the spring/fall
equinox.”
Buckley and Manasse pointed out that
owners of houses also had rights about how
to develop their property, but the rights of
neighbors were in the forefront among
the audience. One member said people
should have “a reasonable expectation that
[the neighborhood is] not going to change
dramatically.” Manassse countered that
property owners should have “a reason-
able expectation that they have the right to
make changes within the allowed building
envelope of their property.”
While efforts should be made to respect
New Mix
dents, business owners, and developers to
answer frequently-asked questions about
new development projects. Come share
your questions and concerns so they can
be incorporated into the guide; let us know
what information would be most helpful.
from page 1
Buckley noted that the drafts still need
to be adopted by the Planning Commission.
Rockridge residents may contact his office
to be notified of any proceedings on this
issue. He can be reached at 238-6983.
This meeting launches a community
planning process, providing community
members with their first opportunity to
help shape a new vision of College Avenue.
We will also discuss ways that vision can
influence future Rockridge development.
Attend this important meeting to help
determine the future character of the Rock-
ridge business district and to learn ways
community members can help shap future
development. The meeting is November 20,
7:30 p.m., at the Rockridge Library.
In addition, the RCPC is developing a
community guide for neighborhood resi-
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5.
November 8, 2003
A Proposal for Taming Claremont Avenue Traffic
by John Potis
Csafer for pedestrians without compromis-
ing its utility as a thoroughfare? In recent
years, residents have asked both Berkeley
and Oakland officials to address the danger-
ous nature of traffic on Claremont Avenue,
but no solutions have been implemented.
A fresh look at this topic will be part of
the November meeting of the Rockridge
Community Planning Council.
direction and a center lane for left turns.
The experience of other U.S. com-
munities, including several in California,
suggests that this produces results. The
four- to three-lane conversion has been
successfully implemented on roads with
average daily total traffic volume (ADT)
of up to 20,000 vehicles. Claremont has
an ADT of 12,000.
laremont Avenue is one of the few
uncongested streets in the Bay Area,
but some drivers take advantage of the clear
lanes by picking up speed. This makes
things difficult for pedestrians, who often
have trouble crossing Claremont Avenue
at intersections without signals. Making
a safe passage across four lanes of traffic
takes considerable care, and if cars are
speeding in one or more lanes, crossing
can feel downright dangerous.
Safety is generally improved as a result
of these projects. With the three-lane con-
figuration, prudent drivers tend to set the
average speed of traffic rather than speed-
ers who weave through traffic, pass on the
right, and do other dangerous things. In
addition, pedestrians have to cross only
two lanes of moving cars, instead of four,
and the center turn lane acts as a safe area.
Motorists entering or leaving Claremont
would have better sight lines for oncom-
ing traffic and, like pedestrians, only two
lanes of traffic to negotiate.
One proposal suggests reconfiguring
Claremont Avenue between College and
Telegraph Avenues. The present four lanes
would be reduced to three—one in each
How can Claremont Avenue be made
RCPC Board Openings
from page 3
board, the nexus of neighborhood concern
and decision making in Rockridge. RCPC
Board members help guide projects and
issues in the neighborhood.
Board candidates are invited to submit
a statement of about 125 words describ-
ing why they want to join us. Statements
must be received by November 24. The
available positions are continuations of
existing terms, so no membership vote is
required. Candidates will be interviewed at
the December Board of Directors meeting,
and a decision will then be made. Can-
didates must be at least 18 years old and
reside within RCPC boundaries (a map and
boundary description are available online
at www.rockridge.org).
Since 1986, RCPC, a volunteer 501(c)
3 corporation has represented Rockridge
to the City of Oakland on issues affect-
ing the community. The Rockridge News,
Rockridge Library, FROG Park, Rock-
ridge Kitchen Tour, and, most recently,
the UnderBART project are products of
RCPC involvement.
The change to three lanes would not
affect parking, and there would be enough
room to add bicycle lanes—a new clearly
marked place for cyclists to ride. Bus
service—with only one line using the
Oakland section of Claremont—should
not be affected.
A traffic study would be necessary
to implement a conversion from four to
three lanes. Such a study might recommend
some changes to signal phasing, but the
location of traffic signals would not have
to be changed.
Mail statements to: RCPC, 5856 College
Avenue, PMB 130, Oakland, CA, 94618,
or e-mail RCPC Chair Daniel Ferdelman,
danielferdelman@yahoo.com, with “RCPC
BOD Candidate” in the subject line. Include
your address, telephone number and e-mail
in your statement. For further information,
call the RCPC voicemail at 644-4228.
#
More details will be provided at the
November General Meeting. Here are some
links to documents that describe experi-
ences in other cities.
!
!
M M M
http://www.walkable.org/download/
rdiets.pdf and http://www.walkable.org/
4-3CON%7E1.pdf
# "
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or call Sheldon at 601-7426
November 8, 2003
6.
Education Blooms
at Peralta School
A view of the new
playground garden dedicated
last spring, featuring an
amphitheater, cobblestone
paths, flower and vegetable
beds and a wooden
sunflower fence created by
Peralta students.
by Susan Killebrew
As students arrive each morning at
Peralta Elementary School, they pass
through the 63rd Street and Dana Street
entrances along walks lined with penstemon
and salvia and terracotta pots spilling over
with trailing geraniums.
Micci Martinez, parent
of a Peralta Kindergartner,
pruning plants in the
courtyard during a Saturday
garden work party.
When kindergartners are dismissed at
midday, many share lunch with their parents
in the school’s courtyard at umbrella-shaded
tables nestled among Japanese maples, fuch-
sia, and princess flower.
And throughout the day children enjoy
the most recent addition to the school
grounds, a grassy playground knoll featur-
ing an outdoor amphitheater, cobblestone
paths, and a delightful picket fence made
of giant wooden sunflowers created by
Peralta students.
Peralta School Parent Forum
Parents of children who will be attending
school next year can learn more about
Peralta Elementary School at a parent forum
on November 19 at 7 p.m. Parents of cur-
rently enrolled students will be available to
chat and answer questions. Call the office
at 879-1450 to schedule a guided tour of
the school. For a more casual look around,
the school playground is also open to the
public after school and on weekends.
This newest garden, dedicated officially
at the Peralta Spring Community Festival
last May, is the result of a collaboration
involving Peralta staff, students, parents, and
members of the community. California Arts
Council artist-in-residence Lauren Elder
designed the site with input from Peralta
students. Funds were provided by Oak-
land City Council member Jane Brunner’s
office, the Potrero Nuevo Foundation, and
the Peralta Parent Teacher Group. Members
of the building and construction trade unions
donated their time and skills, and several
Bay Area businesses contributed free or
discounted materials.
growth cycles. In social studies, students
explore agricultural topics as part of both
Native American and Black History stud-
ies. Japanese indigo planted this fall will
make fabric dye for textile arts projects in
the spring.
Mr. Hand, who has taught at Peralta for six
years, explains, “If we want children to
live in a better world, a world of civility in
which they will be aware of the finer things
in life, we need to provide it for them. We
need to teach it and live it.”
Further expansion of Peralta’s gardens
is planned, with a focus on creating four
new trellised entrances. To dig in and
contribute time or resources to Peralta’s
gardening program, contact Peralta parent
Nancy Carlysle at 655-0492.
Science lessons developed at the Law-
rence Hall of Science teach children how
to classify plants and investigate their
Corn, squash, and pumpkins planted last
spring are now being harvested. Students
and parents tend Peralta’s gardens under the
expert guidance of the school’s first-grade
teacher and master gardener, Calvert Hand.
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7.
News From the Rockridge Library
Assistant DA to
Discuss Crime
Reduction at
NCPC Town Hall
O
November 8, 2003
by Marilyn Citron and Patricia Lichter
Library. This small and intimate gathering
brought together the library staff, FORL
Board members, and library donors. We
want to thank everyone who attended and
the community-supporting retailers who
provided treats: Katrina Rozelle Pastries,
5931 College Avenue, Peet’s Coffee, 2916
Domingo Avenue, Berkeley, and Rosen-
blum Cellars Winery, 2900 Main Street,
Alameda.
A New Reference Librarian
Linda Jolivet has joined the reference
staff at the Rockridge Library, filling
a long-vacant librarian position. Linda
recently served as reference librarian for
the African American Museum and Library
at Oakland (AAMLO) and has also managed
the Eastmont and Brookfield branches.
ne of the Oakland Police Department’s
strongest allies in the fight against
crime is the district attorney’s office,
which prosecutes the people the police
arrest. Assistant District Attorney Russ
Giuntini, with 25 years of experience in
the justice system, will be the guest speaker
at the November 18 Greater Rockridge
Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council
(NCPC) Town Hall. He will speak about
crime reduction efforts in Oakland.
Before coming to the Oakland Public
Library, Linda served as media services and
reference librarian at St. Mary’s College in
Moraga and as librarian for the educational
curriculum and Media Center at Kentucky
State University. A graduate of Berkeley
High School, she has a BA in art educa-
tion, and received a Masters in library and
information studies from the University of
California at Berkeley in 1988.
Our next donor appreciation event will
be held in the spring. Read The Rockridge
News for details.
Adopt-A-Magazine
FORL is excited to announce a new
Adopt-A-Magazine program at the library.
Due to extensive budget cuts, many maga-
zine subscriptions will not be renewed.
Library patrons may adopt a magazine
for the Rockridge Library to ensure that
those magazines will be on the shelves
next year.
Giuntini has a long list of credits in the
field of crime reduction. He was Senior
Deputy District Attorney in charge of the
Major Narcotic Prosecution Unit from 1988
to June 1999. He has worked directly with
community policing organizations (NCPCs)
for the last 12 years and is the origina-
tor and contributing author of numerous
crime reduction strategies, one of which
is Oakland’s recent Nuisance Abatement
Ordinance, which permits law officers
to confiscate vehicles of people who buy
controlled substances in Oakland.
Look for Linda at the reference desk
and say hello.
A Successful Party
Contact the library staff at the branch
to learn how you can participate in this
tax-deductible contribution.
On Monday October 20, the Friends of
the Rockridge Library hosted their first
donor appreciation party at the Rockridge
S and J PCS Center
serving the Rockridge Community
On the crime prevention side, Giuntini
helped revamp the mentor diversion program
to include high tech and pre-apprenticeship
training in its educational program for 18-
to 24-year-old nonviolent first-time drug
sellers. In 2003, he authored a parolee initia-
tive that is designed to curb the homicide
rate in Oakland. It rewards academic and
vocational achievement while establishing
curfews and placing stay-away orders from
areas with high homicide rates.
5916 College Ave @ Chabot Ave
(510) 601-8282
Open 7 days a week
Authorized cell phone Dealer for:
AT & T, T-Mobile & Verizon
The Thursday, November 18 Town Hall
will begin at 6:45pm with light refresh-
ments in the upstairs community room
of the Rockridge Library, 5366 College
Avenue. Following the speaker’s remarks,
audience members will have a chance to
ask questions. Please join us!
October Sales In Rockridge:
Address
Bd/Ba
List Price
Selling Price
Close Date
6121 Ocean View
3+/3
$995,000
$995,000
10/01/2003
5131 Desmond
2/1
$549,000
$628,000
10/03/2003
2 Ross Circle
2/2
$895,000
$895,000
10/06/2003
5212 Desmond
2+/1
$529,000
$590,000
10/09/2003
5673 Keith
4/2
$725,000
$825,000
10/09/2003
5457 Broadway
2+/1
$489,000
$625,000
10/10/2003
5644 Oak Grove
3/1
$900,000
$850,000
10/14/2003
6080 Ocean View
3/1
$759,000
$730,000
10/15/2003
In October, homes in Rockridge sold for an average of $440 per square foot. These
homes sold within an average marketing time of 22 days.
November 8, 2003
8.
Standing Room Only for Brunner Meeting on Crime
by Claire Wahrhaftig-Isaacs
North Oakland has seen 12 homicides
this year compared to four last year.
Domestic violence has increased 16% and
auto burglary by 24%.
Local Crime Facts and Figures at Your Fingertips
U
ntil a few months ago The Rockridge News published crime reports and sta-
tistics for our neighborhood. We searched in vain for someone to replace the
departing volunteer who spent many hours each month assembling those reports
from the published data base. Fortunately, the crime statistics can now be accessed
from the Internet, and the site is extremely user friendly. Go to www.oaklandnet.com.
Under Website Highlights on the right-hand side, click on Crime Watch II.
While North Oakland extends beyond
the boundaries of Rockridge—and most
crime in Rockridge involves burglary or
theft—rising crime is a concern for many
area residents. As a result, an overflow
crowd turned out to hear Councilmember
Jane Brunner and leaders of the Oakland
Police Department (OPD) discuss strate-
gies for reversing that trend. Those who
attended the October 4 meeting at Peralta
Elementary School had the chance to ask
questions on the most urgent issues and to
get some candid answers.
You will need to specify crimes and dates, as well as an area. Zip code 94618
covers most of Rockridge. You may also use a police beat. The Rockridge neighbor-
hood is roughly similar to the 12Y beat. Beat 11X is to the west, beat 12X is to the
south, and 13X is to the east.
recent months investigating “what works and
what doesn’t in other cities across America”,
she said. Some useful tactics in such cities
as Boston, Kansas City, and Indianapolis
include: Directing patrols to “hot spots”
where crime is frequent; making proactive
arrests of serious, repeat offenders; get-
ting guns off the streets; paying attention
to high-risk youth; enforcing traffic and
drunk driving laws; holding door-to-door
meetings with the community; fostering
a sense of police legitimacy and public
confidence in police.
more widespread obedience of law,” Brunner
said. She described an effective program
in Boston that works with high-risk youth
through age 24, especially those who are
drug dependent. That federally funded proj-
ect was a collaboration of police, churches,
probation officers, nonprofit groups, and
social workers.
Police Chief Richard Word, Lt. Lawrence
Green of Criminal Investigations, and other
officers were on hand to present information
about police procedures and organization,
answer questions, and lead small discus-
sion groups.
Chief Word said that police crackdowns
in North Oakland hot spots—on Shattuck,
40th and Telegraph, and San Pablo—have
reduced but not eliminated crime. Crime
emanates
outward
from these spots and is
“I’m not an expert on police, but you
can become an expert fast,” Councilwoman
Brunner said, as she opened the meeting.
She praised Lt. Green, police service
area commander for North Oakland, for
his “incredible” effort “working with us,
communicating with us, and telling us the
truth.” However, she also complained that
she has yet to receive an OPD plan for North
Oakland despite her repeated requests.
“A legitimate police institution fosters
CRIME, PAGE 9
Brunner and her staff have set to work in
Mon–Fri 9:30 - 6:00
Sat 9:30 - 5:00
CHIMES
PHARMACY
Serving Rockridge Since 1909
3210 College
Near Alcatraz
652-1990
663-6674
9.
November 8, 2003
Crime
police facility.
Lt. Green said that North Oakland
has the best Crime Reduction Team
(CRT) in the city. Its leader, Sgt. Darren
Allison, has a background in narcotics
enforcement.
from page 8
not confined to them, Chief Word said:
Forceful approaches there can reduce
crime citywide. Oakland’s Operation
Cease Fire is targeted at drug dealers
and others who sell guns illegally.
Small groups were still discussing
crime issues—including crime in lower
Rockridge, walking to BART, and door-
to-door scamming—long after the meeting
officially ended.
Some quiet gasps greeted Word’s
assessment, based on national statistics,
that some familiar types of community
policing may not be much help. For exam-
ple, he said neighborhood watch groups
do little to prevent crime because they are
generally not located in high crime dis-
tricts. Community meetings about crime
are equally ineffective, Chief Word said,
unless they focus on specific problems
such as local hot spots. The principal effect
of storefront police and police newsletters
is to comfort the worried.
What does work is door-to-door meet-
ings with individuals at their homes and
businesses, Chief Word said.
ROCKRIDGE’S BOUNDARIES are Woolsey
and Alcatraz on the north; Telegraph,
Colby and Claremont on the west; 51st
Street and Broadway Terrace on the south;
and Tunnel Road on the east. That places
it in the northeast corner of North Oak-
land, or Council District 1, which extends
from the Berkeley border to MacArthur
Boulevard and from the Oakland Hills to
Emeryville.
Operation Impact, in which CHP and
Alameda County Sheriff’s Department
officers have supplemented the OPD
ranks, has helped to cool things down in
Oakland, he said, but this is not a perma-
nent program. A new ballot measure is
being prepared that would provide addi-
tional officers and a seismically sound
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November 8, 2003
10.
for a smooth soup puree in a blender.
The following recipe is the simplest and
most delicious soup you can make. Every
time I serve it, my guests want to know the
recipe. When I tell them, they look at me
and say, “That’s it?” Yes, that’s it!
Roman Egg Drop Soup
(serves 6)
Ingredients
Is It Soup Yet?
Aq 3 eggs
q 1⁄2 cup grated Parmigiano cheese
q 6 cups chicken broth
s a child, other than the traditional
Friday night chicken soup, the only
other soup I had was out of a Campbell’s
can. While in elementary school, when I
came home for lunch, my mother opened
up a different can of Campbell’s soup —
chicken noodle, vegetable, tomato, cream
of mushroom, alphabet, or chicken rice. If
it was Wednesday, it had to be cream of
mushroom soup. My mother’s pantry was
like the Andy Warhol Campbell’s Soup
painting. The cans were lined up for each
day of the week. By my early 20s I learned
about Progresso soups. No need to add a
can of water to these soups. Right out of
the can — just heat and serve.
labaisse. Although most soups are hot, some
like vichyssoise and gazpacho are served
cold. Because of the peasant origins of most
soups, every locale or ethnic group has an
identified soup — French onion soup, Italian
minestrone, Boston clam chowder, Indian
mulligatawny, Mexican menudo, Russian
borscht, Romanian cabbage, or Vietnamese
Pho to name a few.
q 3 cups of washed spinach cut into
1⁄2-inch strips
q Salt and pepper to taste
Directions.
1. In a small bowl beat eggs. Beat in
cheese and set aside
2. In a saucepan, bring chicken broth
to a boil. Stir in spinach and cook
about a minute
3. Slowly add egg mixture in a thin
Most soups have four essential com-
ponents: aromatic vegetables, stock,
seasonings, and main ingredients. Every
good soup starts with first sautéing one
or more aromatic vegetables. Aromatics
are various plants or herbs that impart a
distinctive fragrance and flavor to food.
Aromatics include onions, garlic, carrots,
celery, green peppers, ginger, or leeks. Once
the aromatics have been sautéed you add
stock. Depending on the main ingredient,
you can use chicken, beef, fish, vegetable
stock or even water. For a quick soup, I
use canned stock. However, for special
occasions nothing beats rich home made
stock. The Pasta Shop carries frozen chicken
and beef stock. Standard soup seasonings
include thyme, sage, savory, or tarragon.
You should always use fresh herbs. The
main soup ingredient can be nearly any
vegetable or combination of vegetables you
like. For a chunky soup, simply simmer
coarsely chopped vegetables until soft and
stream into soup, stirring constantly
to break into thin ribbons. Adjust
seasoning to taste. Serve while hot
with garlic bread and a green salad
Barry Kaufman is a graduate of the Cali-
fornia Culinary Academy. His e-mail is
kaufman42@earthlink.net . Barry is available for
private cooking classes and fundraising events.
By the late ’60s, my diet changed to
brown rice, tofu, and the recipes of Mollie
Katzen, author of the Moosewood Cookbook
and the Enchanted Broccoli Forest. I will
never forget the first time I made potato
leek soup. A whole new world was opened
up to me. From potato leek it was on to
curry pumpkin and black bean soup. By the
mid ’70s, soup became the mainstay of my
culinary repertoire. Goodbye Campbell’s,
hello homemade soup.
A soup can be any combination of veg-
etables, meat, or fish cooked in a liquid.
A soup can be thick, like a gumbo, thin
such a consommé, smooth as in a bisque
or chunky as found in a chowder or bouil-
T I M W R I G H T
E L E C T R I C A L C O N T R A C T I N G
2831 Hillegass Avenue, Berkeley
Phone: 510.729.5352 / Fax: 510.549.9251
1IPUP,BSFO3VTUFO
License# 729761
11.
November 8, 2003
It’s Holiday Open
Studios in Rockridge on
And Many More Artists
Here is this year’s list of artists offering
everything from paintings and sculpture
to handmade jewelry, toys and clothing.
Each piece is unique, made even more
so because you will have met the maker.
Too shy to barge into someone’s home
unprepared? There will be an exhibition
of examples of many of the artists’ work
at the Rockridge Library through the
entire month of November. Maps and
postcards will be available there to help
you plan your own studio tour. Take a
couple of friends with you and walk or
bicycle if you can. Cheers!
December 6 and 7!
Ann Daniels is inviting you to her
house. So are Liz Maxwell, and
Darrill Tighe, and Nagisa Yamamoto and
many more artists living in Rockridge.
It’s Holiday Open Studios, a great time
to pay a visit to the many artists living
among us, creating images and objects of
great beauty, functionality and meaning.
On Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and
7, from 12 to 5 P.M., they will be waiting
for you in their homes or studios—often
they are one and the same—with their
latest works in a variety of mediums
and materials. Come spend a leisurely
afternoon experiencing their work and
their environment. Take your time, sip
a glass of wine, and savor the energy
and beauty of what you see before you.
And do purchase something if you are
so moved. No need to be shy about it.
There is no greater honor you could do
artists than to tell them that you admire
the work and that you would like to
purchase a piece. Further, you will find
that much of what is being offered is
reasonably priced. If the price is indeed
too steep, see if the artist won’t work
out a payment plan for you. Everything
in this world — except death and taxes
— is negotiable.
by Ortrun Niesar
J.P. Andrews 365 61st Street
— Photography
Carol Aust 655 63rd Street
— Figurative paintings
Chris Barrett 6525 Chabot Road
— Painted glass/hand built ceramics
Ann Daniels 5599 Lawton Avenue
— Unique wirework jewelry
Karen LeGault 5233 Locksley
— East/West fusion watercolors
Linda Lemon 5524 Vicente Way
— Mixed media, collages, cards
Liz Maxwell 5808 Chabot Road
— Paintings, prints, sculpture
Githinji Mibire 5327 Dover @54th
quartzes, pearls and semi-precious stones
that she has gathered from all over the
world. Her fingers are callused like a
guitar player’s from bending semi-hard
silver wire to her vision; she doesn’t like
to use tools. Ann takes pride in using
quality sterling silver and making sturdy
clasps and closures for her necklaces by
hand. Eventually, her walls are covered
with exquisite earrings, bracelets and
necklaces to be admired by her family
and friends. Dreamy? No, mysterious are
these lovely pieces, reminiscent of far
away galaxies or energized nano particles.
— Painting
Darrill Tighe 6441 Colby Street
— Watercolor on paper
Gayle Roberts 6525 Chabot Road
— Wheel-thrown functional Stoneware
Siobhan VanWinkle 6371 Telegraph
Meet Ann Daniels
Ann Daniels is an artist who bends
silver wire to shape carefully calibrated
assemblages of semi precious stones into
handsome pieces of jewelry. She sits at
her dining room table surrounded by
boxes and boxes of beads ranging from
brightly colored glass baubles to exotic
— Dolls/hats/clothes
Tudi Wehrman 6525 Chabot Road
— Fused glass, ceramics
Janet Welch 6525 Chabot Road
— Decorative ceramics
Nagisa Yamamoto 5533 Taft Avenue
— Art-to-Wear for kids & adults
Joanne Yeaton 2733 Alcatraz
Color harmonies play
an important role in this
experience, but as we
all know, these happen
to be very personal.
Can’t find the right
color harmony for you?
Talk with the artist and
she will create a piece
just for you. That’s just
one of the advantages
you have when you buy
directly from the artist.
And, what’s more, you’ll
have a wonderful story
to tell.
— Paintings, prints
Illustrations:
Far left, bottom:
Yellow Bell and
Red Chili Peppers
Watercolor; 12"x16"
— Karen LeGault
Above, center
column, and right:
Art-to-Wear for
Kids and Adults
— Nagisa Yamamoto
(Top) Assortment,
hats and vest;
(Right) Jacketjoy
November 8, 2003
12.
“Celebrate Rockridge” a Triumph:
RCPC Kitchen Tour Highlights the Day
the glass pulls, the hanging lamps, and
the stain of selected maple cabinet doors.
At the Regent Street house of Chris and
Rick Frost, the cherry wood-framed cabinets
with curly maple inserts and ebony pulls
were a favorite. Tour guests loved the sea
green Brazilian slate counters at the kitchen
of Michael Tompkins and Luann DeVoss
and the open-hearth cooking fireplace and
zinc counters in the Locksley kitchen of
Kate Elder and John Barth.
by Susan Montauk, Tour Co-Chair
Deborah Larson, Tour Co-Chair
Dthe various jazz and rock bands while the
children were entertained by clowns, stilt
walkers, face painters, and the Zoomobile.
College Avenue merchants opened wide their
doors, merchandise spilling onto tables set
out on the curbs. Cooking demonstrations
and lectures were held al fresco, and tasty
treats were served along with music on
Shafter Avenue alongside Market Hall.
rawn by the Celebrate Rockridge
festival on September 28, Rockridge
residents of every age—from seniors to
babies in strollers—swelled the usual
Sunday crowds on College Avenue to eat,
shop, dance, and make merry. Among
them were more than 850 individuals
who attended the fifth biennial Rockridge
Kitchen Tour. This was the first year that
the Kitchen Tour combined forces with the
Rockridge District Association to produce
this all-Rockridge event, and the results
were felicitous for all involved.
Many homeowners, architects, and
designers were on site to answer questions,
and when they slipped out to visit the other
kitchens, enthusiastic docents took over to
provide tour guests with interesting anec-
dotes and valuable information about the
kitchen construction process. Astute tour
attendees took notes and walked away with
a long list of creative ideas for their own
future kitchen renovation projects.
From 1 to 5:30pm, Rockridge Kitchen
Tour guests followed their tour guide
maps to nine Craftsman, Victorian, and
contemporary homes spread throughout
the Rockridge neighborhood. Highlights
of the tour included the blue, green, and
red motif of the Margarido kitchen of
Jim and Brenda Given--the three colors
are repeated throughout the kitchen, in
Families strolled balloon-festooned
College Avenue from 11am to 5pm, stop-
ping along the way to listen and dance to
K-TOUR OUTCOME, PAGE 13
RCPC thanks all those
who made the RCPC 2003
Kitchen Tour event possible.
Docents: Haig Agigian, Fatima Ali, Edith
Allgood, Claire Bristo, Trisha Buresh,
Karen Cilman, Lynn Crosby, Sherry Davis,
Patrick Doyle, Anne Emerick, Sue Emmons,
Lenora Frazier, Bill Garcia, Kathy Garcia,
John Gomes, Anne Hellman, Claire Issacs,
Diane Jacobson, Barbara Kline, Terry Kulka,
Sally Lappen, Lisa Levitt, Melly Levy, Barbara
Littwin, Gloria Martin, Paul Martin, Jeannine
Miles, Norma Miller, Sharon Miller, Nancy
Morton, Annette Oliveira, Chris Orr, Mark
Ringer, Kelda Rinklieb, Adela Rose, Mark
Sgarzi, Nan Shorten, Cheri Smith, Virginia
Sorgi, Lisa Spearman, Carol Strickman, Carol
Studier, Gail Sullivan, Jacqueline Tasch
Poster Underwriter: Ron Kriss
Ticket Sales : Maison d’Etre/Fred
Womack, Rockridge Realty/Jan Fougner
Raffle Donors: À Côté, Cactus Taque-
ria, Christensen Heller Gallery, Citron
Restaurant, Crepevine, Dreyer’s Grand
Ice Cream, Filippo’s Pastaria, Garibaldi’s,
Grasshopper, Homesteader, Hudson Bay
Caffe, Ildi & Company, Katrina Rozelle,
La Farine Bakery, Loot, Maison d’Etre, Marica
Seafood Restaurant, Market Hall, Nan Yang,
Oliveto, Pendragon Fine Books, Rockridge
Café, Rustica Café, Rosso Mano, Ruta’s Indian
Kitchen, SOI-4 Bangkok Eatery, Zachary’s
Chicago Pizza
Home Owners : Lisa Aliferis & John
Storella, Kate Elder & John Barth, Luann
DeVoss & Michael Tompkins, Chris & Rick
Frost, Brenda & Jim Given, Barbara & Bill
Houston, Judith Paquette, Rhonda Righter
& Edward Lee, Susan Shawl.
Planners: Natalie Mehta (tour co-chair),
Maureen Alano, Connie Calica, Brian Deans,
Gail Durkin, Jo Ellis, Sally Fitzhugh, Ahroon
Henderson, Claire Isaacs, Don Kinkead,
Marilyn Mansfield, Susan Merrell, Jane Meyer,
Nancy Sale
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Nominated for 2003 Top 100 Craft Galleries in the United States
exceptional american crafts
fine custom & designer jewelry
fine art
repairs and apraisals
gallery hours:
tue thru sat 11-6
sun 12-5
5831 college avenue
oakland, california 94618
510.655.5952
www.christensenheller.com
13.
November 8, 2003
Aphids Slime Rockridge Cars and
Sidewalks; Neighbors Seek Solutions
K-Tour Outcome
from page 12
The tour raffle included gift certificates
from College Avenue shops; lucky winners
will have the opportunity to dine at many
of the Avenue’s outstanding restaurants or
select treats at various food shops and gifts
at home decoration shops. Both the raffle
and the tour benefit the Rockridge Commu-
nity Planning Council, the nonprofit 501(c)3
that represents the Rockridge community
on matters of land use and building design,
parks and open spaces, traffic and pedestrian
safety, and schools.
by Theresa Nelson
Sticky goo was found on cars and side-
walks in much of lower Rockridge this
fall, leaving residents to wonder where it
came from and—more important—how
to stop it.
Daniel Gallagher, a city tree supervisor,
had answers to both questions. The sappy
substance, called “honeydew,” was caused
by aphids infesting the Chinese hackberry
trees along many local streets. Like most
insects, Gallagher says, these aphids have
a life cycle, and producing honeydew is
part of the adult phase.
RCPC has published The Rockridge
News since 1985. Past RCPC donations
have gone to FROGPark, the community
service project of North Oakland Commu-
nity Charter School, the Lower Rockridge
Parents Association, the Locksley Gardens
project, and restoration of the Oceanus
mural on Claremont Avenue. RCPC will
be planning for future project support in
the coming months.
The natural byproduct of aphids in Rockridge
has soiled local sidewalks and cars. Pictured
above, Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae, the
“Plum Aphid,” is typical of the species.
How to fix the problem was a tougher
question. Although the City of Oakland
planted the trees, it can’t do much about
the aphids because of its moratorium on
the use of pesticide sprays. However, Gal-
lagher noted that property owners can use
pesticides. However, they may also kill the
natural predators that attack aphids.
Materials distributed by the city’s Parks
and Recreation Department recommend
spraying the trees with a strong stream of
plain water or with insecticidal soaps and
horticultural oils. You can also purchase
aphid predators, including lady bugs and
lacewings, and release them at the site of
the infestation.
$15 Off
Lube, Oil and
Oil Filter Change
$10 Off
Smog Inspection
$20 Off
30,000/60,000
$10 Off
Any Repairs
Mile Service
Expires 12/10/03
Over $100
Expires 12/10/03
Expires 12/10/03
Expires 12/10/03
Although they make a mess of the neigh-
borhood, even large infestation of aphids
don’t seem to harm the trees themselves.
The best news is that Chinese hackberry
trees are deciduous. They lose their leaves
right about now, and the aphids will disap-
pear with them.
Stauder Automotive Service
@ Sheaff’s Garage • 5930 College Avenue State Lamp and Brake Inspections
Oakland (510) 658-3070
Smog Inspections
• Mon.-Fri. 7:30am - 5:00pm
Heating and Air Conditioning Service
• Walking Distance to BART
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Mary Jane McConville
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Providing Exemplary Service
In Rockridge since 1980
Shannon Klatt
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Buyer Specialist Realtor
(510) 339-4281 direct line
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
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Mary Jane McConville
Senior Realtor
(510) 339-4280 direct line
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Jan Carlisle
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Administrative Assistant
Linda Fino
Linda Fino
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Escrow Coordinator
Of course, they may return with new
leaves in the spring….
OPEN DAILY 12 - 2
5352 College Avenue
Your Neighborhood Pub
November 8, 2003
14.
Your Message Could Be Here
Your 36-word message: $18 (phone number
counts as one word). Mail to: RN Classifieds,
5245 College Avenue, PMB 311, Oakland, CA
94618. December deadline is November 13.
Pilates or Gyrotonic®
Try a FREE 30 minute BUZZ Session.CLASSES:
First Class Free in Pilates MAT, NIA®, Yoga,
Yogilates and/or Yamuna® Body Rolling.
Workshops & Teacher Training Certifications.
Mind-Body Connection, 5255 College Ave.,
420-0444 (www.mindbodyconnection.net)
Home Repair Expert
Carpentry, remodeling. Doors and windows,
glass and locks, small electrical, plumbing jobs,
drywall, painting, fences, decks and other odd
jobs. Good rates. Rick, 510/464-5934
Temporary Room Rental
Having out of town guests and nowhere to put
them? Large, sunny room available in Craftsman
home in Rockridge/Elmwood area. See website
for photos and info. http://geocities.com/
cayenne2810 or call 510/547-8788.
Dynamic Duo
Two multi-talented, creative women with
design experience and organizational skills.
Space management: transform any space
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assistance, sewing, painting, framing/hanging
pictures, odd jobs/hauling shopping/errands,
510/693-1244.
Clutter Busters!
Professional Organizing. Are chaos, compul-
sive clutter, and crowded closets confounding
your life? I help you toss out, minimize, reor-
ganize your home or office…in time for a
clutter-free New Year. References available.
Bill 928-9235
Thereapeutic Massage
In Rockridge
California-certified, 20 years experience.
Rockridge neighbor brings relaxation to
your door. Combination of Swedish, shiatsu
and deep tissue—tailored to your needs.
80 minutes—$65. Bill 928-9235
Tahoe Condo for Rent
Our lovely 3br/2+ba condo in Incline Village is
available for rent! Sleeps eight, is fully equipped!
Close to everything! Call 652-6664 for more
information.
Rockridge Resident
Leila S. Gough
leila.gough@agedwards.com
1999 Harrison Street, #2050
Oakland, CA 94612
15.
November 8, 2003
Compiled by Jo Ellis
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Check Your…
E-mail Rockridge News Community Calendar items to: joellis1@hotmail.com, phone 653-3210, or mail to: Rockridge News
Community Calendar, 5245 College Avenue, PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618. Deadline is the next to the last Tuesday of the month.
Councilmember Jane Brunner’s
Community Advisory Meeting
for details about membership, newsletter, class or
appointment times, and opportunities to become
a volunteer.
Elder Care Support Group
information: Kathy, 601-6176 or e-mail www.rockri
dgetoastmasters.org
Writer’s Support/Critique Group
First Saturday each month, 10am to noon. Peralta
Elementary School: 460 63rd St. (parking on
Alcatraz Ave., just east of Telegraph). NOTE: no
meeting in November. • December 6 meeting topic:
"What Makes a Great Neighborhood?" With noted
city planner Peter Calthorpe. More information:
238-7001 or www.oaklandnet.com.
Oakland City Council Meeting
Rockridge Branch Library, 1st Saturday of the
month: 2:30 to 5:30pm. ALL writers welcome.
Bring 6 copies of 5 pages of your prose for on-site
reading/discussion. Sponsored by the California
Writers Club, Berkeley branch (www.berkeleywrite
rsclub.org/)Info: 482-0265 or Writefox@aol.com
Free Comedy Showcase & Open Mic
Alta Bates Medical Center, Herrick Campus, 2001
Dwight Way, Berkeley, 3rd floor, room 3369B
(take elevator B). Free for family/friends caring
for older adults. 3rd Wednesday of each month,
4-5:30pm. For information on all support/
education groups offered by Alta Bates/Sutter
Health: call Monica at 802-1725 or e-mail
Monicalcsw@alum.calberkeley.org.
Volunteers Needed
Every Tuesday, 7pm, City Hall.
Oakland Planning Commission
Start your career in comedy at A’Cuppa Tea, 3200
College Ave, (corner of Alcatraz) Every Tuesday,
7:30 to 9pm. Be there by 7pm to sign up. Also: Call
420-0196 to find out about free acoustic music
performances from 7 to 9pm.
Diesel Book/Poetry Readings
1st and 3rd Wednesday ea. month, 6:30pm, City Hall.
Agendas and details at www.oaklandnet.com.
The Greater Rockridge N’hood
Crime Prevention Council
• Alameda County Community Food Bank: All
welcome, including groups and kids age 10
or older. Assist in the warehouse or office;
staff the Hunger Hotline, the Food Bank’s
toll-free food referral service. Hotline shifts
Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm and 1-4pm. Call Volunteer
Mgr. Mary Schoen: 834-FOOD(3663) or
www.accfb.org.
• Oakland Elizabeth House: A Transitional
5433 College Ave. All Events are free and open to the
public.
• Sunday, 11/9, 3pm, Apogee Press Publication
NCPC Town Hall Tuesday, November 18, 6:45-
8:30pm at the Rockridge Library. Alameda County
Assistant District Attorney Russ Giuntini will speak
about crime reduction and the justice system.
( See article, page 7.) For more information see
the NCPC webpage link at www.rockridge.org.
Rockridge Branch Library
Party: new books of poetry by local poets.
• Monday, 11/10, 7:30pm, Amnesty International
monthly meeting.
• Wednesday, 11/12, 7:30pm, John Isles: Ark,
Residence for Women and Children in Rock-
ridge, 6423 Colby St., Oakland. Residential
and support services to homeless and low-
income women and children. Orientation
and training for new volunteers. Help with
childcare, homework, mentoring, field trips
and house chores. 658-1380, ext.4, or e-mail
volunteer@oakehouse.org
• Oakland Parents Literacy Project: Com-
(poetry) and Ryan Harty: Bring Me Your Saddest
Arizona, (short stories).
• Thursday, 11/13, 7:30pm, Meredith Maran: Dirty:
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017.
FOR CHILDREN:
• TODDLER STORY TIME, Saturday, 10:30am: 11/8,
A Search for Answers Inside America’s Teenage Drug
Epidemic. Book proceeds benefit Bay Area Com-
munity Resources.
• Sunday, 11/16, 4pm, Pamela Cranston: The
12/6.
• PRE-SCHOOL STORY HOURS, Wednesday, 10:30 &
11am: 11/5, 11/19, 12/3.
• PAJAMA STORY TIME, Tuesday, 7pm: 11/25, 12/9.
SPECIAL EVENT: Saturday, 11/15
CHILDREN’S BOOK WEEK: “Go Places, Read!” Story-
teller and workshop on at-home learning activities.
Special prizes, free book and snacks. Call Erica or
Gay at 597-5017 for starting time.
FOR YOUNG ADULTS:
• Teen Hip-Hop Workshops for ages 12 to 18. His-
Madonna Murders. Publication Party.
• Wednesday, 11/19, 7:30pm, Edward Docx: The
munity Activists for Reading Excellence
(CARE) program. Volunteer one day or evening
per month, at a School Clean Up or a Family
Reading Night. As the premier literacy program
in the district, OPLP hosts Family Reading
Nights at 37 Oakland Schools, including two
events each at Emerson, Santa Fe, and Golden
Gate Elementary Schools. Care members are
eligible for various benefits and prizes. George
Willcoxon, Program Director: 889-5903 or
www.oplp.org.
• Bambino Thrift Shop: All Volunteer Shop
Calligrapher.
• Sunday, 11/23, 2pm, Victor Lavalle: The Ecstatic.
• Sunday, 12/7, 2pm, Poetry reading by students
of Elizabeth Robinson’s Poetry Writing Class at
California College of the Arts.
• Sunday, 12/7, noon to 5pm, Amnesty Interna-
tional: Celebrating International Human Rights
Day with a letter-writing campaign at the store.
For inf. about readings, discussion groups and
classes: 653-9965 or www.dieselbookstore.com.
College Avenue Adult Center
tory, MC’ing, DJ’ing, record your own rap.
7 Saturdays: Oct. 4 through Nov. 22 for 2-hours
sessions. Sign-up in person, or call Susan or
Rocky: 597-5017.
FOR ADULTS:
• LAWYERS IN THE LIBRARY: Free legal advice. First
Benefiting OaklandChildren’s Hospital, 5920
College Ave. Volunteers needed Tuesdays
through Saturdays. We will train you to help
with pricing, selling and merchandise display.
Call manager, Carol Maes: 654-9709.
College Ave. Presbyterian Church, 5955 College Ave.
Every Wednesday, from 9:30am to 1:30pm. Light
exercise, socializing, travel programs and music. Hot
lunch available at noon for $2. Info: upcoming field
trips and special programs: Kathy, 531-6724.
North Oakland Multi-Purpose
Senior Center
Tuesday of each month, from 6 to 8pm. Advance
sign-up 5pm.
SPECIAL EVENT: Saturday, 11/15 from 1-3:30pm.
“Writing from the Soul”: Free workshop with
Suzanne West, M.A., Chair of the Dept. of Liberal
Arts, JFK University. Space limited to 25. Please
call by Thursday, 11/13, to sign up.
NEW LIBRARY HOURS
Tuesday: 12:30 to 8pm
Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday: 10am to 5:30pm
5714 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Center Hours:
Monday – Friday, 8:45am to 4:45pm. Variety of com-
puter classes, workshops, educational/social events,
walking groups and field trips.
NEW: Massage services, Monday and Wednesday.
Call for appointment.
SPECIAL LUNCH EVENT: November 12, 12noon. For 60+.
Meet City Atty. John Russo and hear his Community
Report Card. Call 597-5085 for a reservation.
The newsletter, North Oakland Senior Times, provides
a full schedule of classes as well as a monthly menu
for lunch: (suggested donation: seniors age 60+
$1.75 and $4 for those under age 60). Call 597-5085
Friday: 12 to 5:30pm
Closed: Sunday and Monday.
NOTE: CLOSED 11/11 for Veterans Day,
11/27 and 11/28 for Thanksgiving.
As part of City-wide furlough, all libraries may
be closed Wednesday, 11/26. Call to confirm.
Rockridge Toastmasters
Where Cooking IS the Party!
OFFERING
In-Home Cooking Classes
Custom-Designed Cookbooks
Every Tuesday, 7pm.Veterans Building, 200 Grand
Ave., Oakland. Improve public speaking skills
in a friendly and supportive environment. For
www.LulusKitchen.com 510.520.6397
November 8, 2003
16.
Don Coelho
339-4721
27th year
serving Rockridge!
Buying or selling real estate in 2003?
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• Trenchless Sewer Replacement
Ron Kriss, Realtor®/Partner
Lawton Associates
510-547-5970 Ext. 55
510/465-3000
Berkeley – Oakland – Rockridge
ronkriss@jps.net
“I Know Rockridge”
Q Jeffrey Auen Q
ORTRUN NIESAR
Rockridge Real Estate Marketing Consultant
Buyers, Sellers, Investors
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Direct: 510/986-9560
www.HomesEastBay.info
Email: oniesar@aol.com
1.800.805.8827
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Terry Kulka
339-4789
Proven Results in Selling Rockridge Homes.
Providing top quality service to
buyers and sellers of fine homes for 1 years.
A proud supporter of
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Jan Fougner
OWNER – BROKER
BUYING OR SELLING IN
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PROVIDING
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Oakland