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 RCPC Boardmembers

VOL. 19      NO. 3    ISSUE NO. 199      March 6, 2004                               CIRCULATION: 5,100 RESIDENCES; 200 BUSINESSES

Sponsored by The Rockridge Community Planning Council • 5245 College Ave. PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94618 • 644-4228

Are You A Community Activist? Rockridge Needs You!

RCPC seeks
Board candidates
gathered recently at a
by Deborah Weinstein,
RCPC Vice Chair
Iplanning meeting to review
the goals and progress of the
s there something about
Rockridge that you would
like to change? Serving on the
Board of the Rockridge Com-
munity Planning Council will
enable you to work on a solu-
tion. RCPC will hold its annual
election in April for five Board
Directors, each of whom serves
a two-year term. The Board con-
sists of one appointed and ten
elected directors. Candidates
must be 18 years of age, reside
within RCPC boundaries and
indicate their intention to run
for office by March 18. (A
map and description of RCPC
boundaries is available online
at www.rockridge.org.)
organization and to consider
issues facing Rockridge.
Library, 7:30 p.m.
Since 1986, RCPC has been
representing Rockridge to the
City of Oakland on matters that
affect the community. RCPC
acts as a community steward
on issues from land use and
zoning to traffic and crime.
A description of RCPC’s work
in the community is available
online at www.rockridge.org.
Candidates for the RCPC
Board are invited to submit a
photo and a 125-word statement
describing their interest in run-
ning for the board. Statements
and photos must be received by
March 18 for publication in the
April issue of The Rockridge
News. Please include your
address and phone number.
Mail hard copies to RCPC,
5245 College Ave, PMB 311,
Oakland, CA, 94618. Elec-
tronic copies can be sent via
e-mail to deborahlweinstein@
yahoo.com.
Candidates will speak
and voting will take place at
the April 15 RCPC General
Meeting at the Rockridge
For further information,
call the RCPC voicemail at
644-4228.
Shaping the Future of
Claremont Middle School
agenda:
RCPC General Meeting
Thursday, March 18, 7:30 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library
Former school troubleshooter now school principal
Community Room
5366 College Avenue at Manila
by Doug White
F
English and math. With some of
the same teachers who now work
for him, Chambliss developed an
improvement plan which, over
the past two years, helped stu-
dents boost performance.
David Chambliss,
Claremont Middle
School Principal.
 Rockridge Merchants Describe
or
David
Chambliss,
becoming principal of
Claremont was a logical step
after being hired as a specialist
to improve the middle school’s
test scores.
New Association (RDA)
 RCPC Land Use Study Update
• RDA CHAIR LOUISE ROTHMAN REIMER
PHOTO: CY GULASSA
will talk about the Rockridge District
Association, a self-funded organization
of local merchants, and describe its latest
projects, including capital improvements,
parking and UnderBART. She will also
discuss ways RCPC and RDA can col-
laborate on community projects.
• UC BERKELEY GRADUATE STUDENTS
“I realized that
As his job took him to other
cities, Mr. Chambliss questioned
why he was not spending more
time on reform in his own city
of Oakland.
I needed to
go back and
be with one
school, in my
town, making
my town
better.”
 PRINCIPAL, PAGE 8
Chambliss first worked at
Claremont in 1999/2000 as an
independent analyst with RPP
International, an organization
commissioned by the Califor-
nia Department of Education to
evaluate Claremont’s low scores
on state standardized tests in
will join a working group to discuss
the current status and future direction
of RCPC’s Land Use Study. For more
information about the study, call Hiroko
Kurihara at 510/384-0557.
“At lunch one day, I asked
myself, ‘Why am I in central
Oregon?’” he recalled. I had a


March 6, 2004
2.




Rockridge News Editor
Cy Gulassa on duty in Baja.
PHOTO BY KIRK VAN MOON
Reflections on
The Rockridge
Rod and Gun Club
W

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
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.

hile economists debate the merits
of sending jobs abroad, The
Rockridge News was among the first to
outsource its editor. The newsletter has
been edited in Paris, Budapest, Seattle,
Chicago and, this February, San Felipe, a small fishing village on the Sea of Cortez
in Baja California, where 23 family and friends celebrated the 30th anniversary of
the Rockridge Rod and Gun Club.




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.

Okay, the Rockridge Rod and Gun Club is not really a club—no dues, no rules. The
name was whimsically bestowed years ago on a group of Harwood Avenue and Ivanhoe
Road neighbors who, off and on for three decades, have taken spring vacations together
to San Felipe to enjoy the sun, party, fish, dance, buy trinkets, and eat shrimp and fish
tacos washed down with margaritas and iced Coronas. We cook under open air ramadas
strung with Christmas lights, sleep on the beach, and wake to fiery, beginning-of-the-
world sunrises. Breakfast? Savory burritos, tamales and empanadas hawked by the wives
of fishermen.

Rockridge News Production
Cy Gulasssa ........................Editor-in-Chief
Ortrun Niesar, Claire Isaacs
Doug White ....................... Writers
Barry Kaufman...................Food
Jo Ellis...................................Advertising
Theresa Nelson ....................Neighborhood Merchant
Lydia Gans...........................Photography
Lauri Scharber....................Advertising
Susan Montauk...................Business Manager
Don Kinkead.......................Graphics & Layout

In the early ’70s the streets were dirt, the sea churned with flotillas of fishing boats
and shrimp trawlers and the air was fragrant with the smell of mesquite fires. Today, San
Felipe has paved roads, a malecón full of shops and eateries, licensed fishing guides,
carnival parades and its own private airport. But it’s still an exciting, dusty, rough-edged,
foreign adventure, especially now that the kids we once hauled down bring kids of their
own to hunt shells, learn street Spanish and sample palotes, ice cream bars in Potteresque
flavors like hibiscus and tamarind.

RCPC Board of Directors, 2003-2004
Daniel Ferdelman ..............Chair
Deborah Weinstein...........Vice-Chair
Jessica Pitt, John Potis .......Secretaries
Greg Yoch............................Treasurer

Because of the rigors of sun and sand and the constant distraction of bikinis, I had
to seek the serenity of an outdoor internet café to edit The Rockridge News, one that
provided a beach overlook. Normally bright sun washes out laptop screens. The café’s
solution was a primitive sun shield, a black, papier mâché dome that looked like a mar-
riage between a charcoal smoker and an igloo, with an opening for a Sony laptop and
a pair of hands.

Dulcy Anderson, Jennifer Edmister,
Hiroko Kurihara, Susan Montauk,
Theresa Nelson, Mike Taylor
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.

There were drawbacks to an otherwise idyllic working vacation. For one, the guf-
faws and laughter of the Rockridge club members who wandered by as I worked were
disquieting, including those of grandkids Max, Rocky and Maya who quipped: “That a
beehive?” “Looks like a big gum drop!” “Are you stuck in there again?” That last was
a cruel rub. Just the day before I had been so intent on editing that I worked through
closing time and—get this—got locked inside an outside café. The proprietor had to be
summoned from supper and for days afterwards I was a reluctant town celebrity.

Articles published in The Rockridge News may be
reprinted only with the permission of the Editor.
CONTACTING THE ROCKRIDGE NEWS
 Are there community issues you’d like to see
covered in The Rockridge News?
 Do you have questions about newsletter
distribution?
Despite such upsets,
the Rockridge Rod and
Gun Club has fostered
life-long friendships and
an abiding fascination
for the cultures of others.
No small achievement for
an informal association
located in a small village
in the north of Oakland.
 Would you like to volunteer to be a Rockridge
News block captain?
Contact us at one of the following addresses or
telephone numbers:
Editor: editor@rockridge.org
www.rockridge.org
The Rockridge News, 5245 College Avenue,
PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618
RCPC Voicemail: 644-4228
NEWSLETTER ADVERTISING/DEADLINES
Publication date of the next issue is
 April 3, 2004
 April deadline is March 18
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.)
 A sampling of members
of the Rockridge
Rod & Gun Club, 2004.
DESIGN BY BRIAN GULASSA




3.
Claremont Avenue Residents
Deplore Motorists’ Behavior
C

March 6, 2004

alming traffic on Claremont Avenue
dominated discussion at the January
meeting of the RCPC Traffic and Pedestrian
Safety committee. Residents
along the major artery related
stories ranging from tragic
to nuisance, all underscor-
ing the need for urgent action
along a route with a long his-
tory of problems:
mont into two lanes with a central turning
lane,” said John Potis, traffic committee
chair. “But they all agree that something
Temescal cleanup volunteers take a photo
break. From left: Barbara Loomis, Miles
Ave; Steve Elspas, Locksley Ave; Laura
Lee Westaway, Miles Ave; Tony Freitas,
Miles Ave
A Green
Valentine’s Day
“I have had two cars
totaled while they were
parked on the street and
watched a cyclist die
– something needs to be
done to slow cars down.”
(Timothy Jones)
by Jackie Hoeppner-Freitas
It took a City of Oakland bucket loader to
remove all the green waste on Valentine’s
Day that volunteers raked up around Temes-
cal Creek in the two blocks between Clifton
and Clarke streets. The DMV Neighbor’s
Association (DNA) sponsored the work
party as part of its quarterly cleanups
under the City’s Adopt-a-Creek program.
The next cleanup will be the morning of
Saturday, April 24, 9a.m. to noon, the day
Oakland celebrates Earth Day, followed by
a potluck and pasta feed at noon. There will
be plenty of work to do in April cleaning
up after the winter storms, so please save
the day!
“The city put the stop
light in at Forest after
a school crossing guard
was run over and killed.
We don’t want to wait for
another person to die before the city does
something.” (Fred Simmons)
RCPC Traffic Committee Chair John Potis
proposes restriping Claremont as a way to calm
traffic while preserving flow.
GRAPHIC: JOHN POTIS (JANUARY 2004 ROCKRIDGE NEWS)
needs to be done to slow cars down and
increase safety for pedestrians.”
I
“We almost started a riot trying to back our
boat into the driveway.” (Gisela Simon)
n addition to considering Clare-
mont a top priority, the committee
proposed working with City Council
member Jane Brunner to reduce speed
and enhance safety on major Rockridge
streets, distributing a flyer that explains
the advantages of restriping Claremont,
inventorying Rockridge traffic volumes
and crash data, and pursuing the Traffic
Safety Mini-Grant Program offered by the
Oakland Pedestrian Safety Project.
“I know when school is out because of all
the kids yelling for cars to stop and all the
cars are honking.” (Monroe Teachenor)
“Claremont is a gateway to our neighbor-
hood, but now it is more of a freeway through
our neighborhood. (Kristin Wilson)
 Dylan ,
Keith Avenue.
“Claremont is so wide because of the
electric trolleys that used to be in the middle
of the street. There is no need for this much
pavement now.” (Timothy Jones).
 Thalia & Arien
Hardy Street.
Want to help? Want more information?
Please attend the next RCPC Traffic and
Pedestrian Safety Committee meeting
March 22, 2004, from 7 to 9pm at the
Rockridge Branch Library.
“Through much perseverance, I was able
to get the crosswalks repainted near my
home, but it is not enough.” (Joe Chegia )
“Not everyone at the meeting necessarily
agreed with my ideas for re-striping Clare-


  
	






  
	




	


	




March 6, 2004
4.




Chabot Elementary School’s
Annual Spring Auction Raises
Funds for Enrichment Programs
A
The Zoning Counter
The Zoning Counter provides Rockridge
residents with an opportunity to review
construction project proposals to be under-
taken in their neighborhoods. While it is a
compilation of recent applications filed with
the Oakland Planning Department, it is not
necessarily a complete or up-to-date listing.
Individuals may contact the Case Planner
or the Planning Department for additional
information.

nthony Chabot Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) invites the
community to join us for an “Evening In Paradise” at the annual Spring Auction to
be held on Saturday, April 3, from 6-11 pm. Our tropical extravaganza will be held at

the Pauley Ballroom in the U.C. Berkeley student union building.
The auction is Chabot’s biggest fundraiser and all proceeds
support the school’s enrichment programs including music,

art, library resources, a computer program and a new
on-site garden curriculum. The PTA also contributes to
improvements in the physical plant. Chabot is the local
elementary school in Rockridge and is one of the reasons
this neighborhood is so desirable. We have a fabulous
principal, wonderful teachers and the curriculum rivals any
private school. As you know, both the city and the state are cutting education spending
drastically so we rely on the local community more than ever. We gratefully appreciate
any donations you can make to help us reach our goal of raising $40,000. Please contact
Susie Poncelet to make a donation (e.g. an item to be auctioned, a gift certificate, or a
cash contribution). Donors to this event will be listed in our program and on our website
(www.chabotelementary.org).

5327 SHAFTER AVENUE
Proposal: Design review for a 732 square foot
addition to the rear of an existing single family
home.
Applicant: Anthony R Key & Amy Kitiver
Contact Person/Phone Number:
Anthony R. Key & Amy Kitiver 547-4565
Owner: Anthony R. Key & Amy Kitiver
Planning Permits Required: Special Residential
Design Review for addition or alteration in
the R-35 Zone and Minor Variance to allow
a 4'1" side yard set back where a 5' set back
is required (maintaining the same setback as
existing).
Historic Status: Potential Historic Property
(PDHP), ASI contributor, minor importance;
Survey rating: D2+
Case Planner: Moe Hackett at 238-3979 or
mhackett@oaklandnet.com

Tickets for the event are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. To purchase tickets or for more
information call Susie Poncelet at 510/985-1246 or e-mail sponcelet@earthlink.net.


	
 



	

	






	



5644 OAK GROVE AVENUE
Proposal:  To construct a second story addition
to the rear of an existing single-family dwell-
ing in order to accommodate a new master
bathroom.
Applicant: Kathy Kuhner
Contact Person/Phone Number: 510/472-1986
Owner: Kathy Kuhner
Planning Permits Required: Minor Variance to
build within the required side yard setback area
(3'0" proposed; 5'0"), and Regular Design Review
for an addition to a single-family dwelling.
Historic Status:  Potential Designated Historic
Property (PDHP); Survey rating: C2+
Case Planner: Pete Vollman at 238-6167 or
pvollman@oaklandnet.com

 

	 
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5.

March 6, 2004

At the February RCPC Meeting
RCPC Thanks Experts for
Ballot Issue Presentation
By now we all know the outcome of the March 2 election,
but we can be assured that those who attended the February
RCPC general meeting made better decisions in the voting booth,
thanks to a spirited discussion of the issues facilitated by: Ann
Spanier, head of Voter Service for the League of Women Voters
of Oakland; Justin Horner, chief of staff for councilmember Jane
Brunner; Pat Dilks, Chair of National Women’s Political Caucus
Alameda North; and RCPC board members Susan Montauk, Mike
Taylor and Deborah Weinstein. Also present was Melanie Shelby,
contestant for Oakland City Council At-Large seat.
Be a Rockridge News Block
Captain; Help Get the News Out
One-hundred-fifty-two volunteers hand deliver The Rockridge
News to the doors of the 5000 residents and the merchants
in our neighborhood, one of the many reasons Rockridge is such
a strong and vital community.
Would you like to share the fun? Do you have 20 minutes a
month to devote to your community? As a Block Captain, you
will receive a bundle of newsletters and a distribution list at
your door each month (except in August, when the paper is not
published) that you would then deliver to neighbors.
Piece of cake? Yes! A sweet way to make a contribution to
the community. Here are two available delivery routes that need
volunteers:
#11F Block Captain: From 5418 College, even numbers
along College up Manila, then across the street to the
corner of Bryant and Manila down the odd numbers of
5400 Manila to College
#17F Block Captain: 5200 block of Locksley Avenue
Call 547-3855 or e-mail Susan at smontauk@juno.com to
volunteer.

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, RCPC publishes its
financial statement annually in The Rockridge News.


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RCPC is the fiscal agent for
FORL, FROG and Whistlestop.


March 6, 2004
6.




Rolling Gallery
by Cy Gulassa
You’ve seen it cruising Rockridge streets:
a low riding ’69 Mustang encrusted
with dolls, skulls, ghouls, lizards, horns,
bullets, Betty Boop, and a thousand other
artifacts that provoke humor, admiration,
disgust or, on a dark night, even fear.
What is it? Affirming that beauty is in
the eye of the beholder, “It’s an artcar,”
says owner Howrad Vives, a lanky artist
given to wearing waist-long dreadlocks,
shades, a floppy hat and an ankle-length
wool coat.
Howrad Vives,
local artist.
If you are looking for a great way to
individualize your car—make it stand out
from all the BMWs and Hummers in the
company parking lot—Vives is the man to
see. He’ll design and build it for you or
consult as you construct your own. Or for a
small donation he’ll chauffeur you anywhere
— local pharmacy or even to the opera.
Artist takes his
mobile exhibit
on the road.
PHOTOS:
CY GULASSA
“Why bother with a cliché taxi or stretch
limo when a one-of-a-kind artmobile is avail-
able?” he asks with just a hint of a grin.
in Latino neighborhoods that Vives has
renamed his “Carnal Cruiser” El Carro
de Los Muertos, a kind of roving altar that
celebrates with traditional whimsy the Day
of the Dead. Vives invites kids to come to
Auburn or Harwood where the car is usu-
ally parked and check it out. “Touching
is okay,” he says.
The car has great advantages. In traffic
jams, passengers can amuse themselves by
visiting with the little creatures adorning the
interior. “If it’s attention you want, you’ll
definitely get it,” Vives promises. He says
drivers on freeways slow down for second
and third I-don’t-believe-it
looks, and people stare as he
gets out. “They even run after
you with questions.”
In addition to artcars, Vives does plasma
sculpture in his San Francisco studio,
examples of which are for sale on eBay. For
more info: Daturico@hotmail.com.
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The Rockridge specimen is
the product of a collaboration
between Vives and a bunch of
school kids in his daughter’s
class a few years ago in Sara-
toga. “They needed an art
project and my car needed a
paint job. I slathered it with
gesso and invited the kids to
participate, using stuff local
toy stores donated.”
The process wasn’t hap-
hazard. The kids first designed
motifs and sketched plans
before going at it, Vives said.
A dual theme emerged. “The
kids’ work represents youth,
energy and fantasy, and my
mortality, something I think
a lot about as I get older.”
 





	 
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7.

March 6, 2004

Boero Redux

A Safeway store in the ’40s and a manufacturing
base for over fifty years has been reborn as a
handsome retail building.

A business once called “sweat shop”
is reborn as up-scale retail building
by Kristil Robarts and Kimberly Leo
Many Rockridge residents remember the
old commercial building on College
Avenue between Manila and Kales that had
darkened windows and the constant hum of
sewing machines coming from the interior.
Out in the back, enterprising residents would
find discarded scraps of beautiful cloth that
they took home and sewed into quilts and
seat covers. Because many weren’t sure
what was going on inside, they called it a
sweat shop, a place where people worked
long hours for low-wage piece work. They
were wrong.
The nickname stuck, much to the chagrin
of Paul Boero, one of four brothers and
sisters of the Boero family who owned the
company. He is quick to defend the family
business and its practices. Founded in 1942
by Paul’s father and grandfather, the com-
pany sewed exclusively for the well-known
Koret clothes company. “It was always a
union shop,” he said, with workers initially
members of ILGWU and later UNITE. At
its peak, Boero’s employed 75 workers. “We
were like an extended family,” he said. He
has fond memories as a child visiting the
shop back when trolley tracks still ran down
College Avenue.
Paul Boero
PHOTO: KRISTIL ROBARTS
the property after the company closed in
2002, when Koret moved its production
offshore. The Boeros wanted to develop
new retail space that would enhance the
area and draw in quality retailers.
décor and gift shop with a Pacific Northwest
theme (think cowboy), and Namaste: Yoga
in Rockridge. Namaste offers a variety of
Hatha- and Vinyasa-style classes and work-
shops for all levels of students.
They have done just that. What was once
a Safeway store in the ’40s and a drab manu-
facturing base for over fifty years has been
reborn as a handsome building designed by
architect Kava Massih and built by contrac-
tor Jef Schwarck.
Two others retailers opened in Febru-
ary: Chic, a clothing store specializing in
Italian designer wear, and Ladies Workout
Express, a women’s workout and fitness
studio. All four owners are going into
business for the first time and say they
are pleased and excited to join the grow-
ing family of distinguished retailers on
College Avenue.
The spacious interiors are already home
to two new businesses that opened during the
holidays: Red Feather Mercantile, a home
The family business and associated
childhood memories were some of the rea-
sons the Boero family decided to develop
Mon–Fri 9:30 - 6:00
Sat 9:30 - 5:00
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Serving Rockridge Since 1909
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March 6, 2004
8.




Principal
To address behavioral obstacles to
learning, Principal Chambliss implemented
what in the school’s 2002/3 site plan was
called the Opportunity Room. Instead of
being given an off-campus suspension,
a student who disrupts a class is sent to
talk with teacher Frank Williams who
runs the Opportunity Room. Williams
models respectful behavior by listening
to the student’s concerns and discussing
the classroom work and situation that
caused the problem. The emphasis is on
creating a one-on-one learning opportunity
while holding the student accountable for
disruptive behavior.
The respect Claremont
students have for their
teachers and their own
learning is evident as one
walks the halls…
from page 1
little epiphany and realized that I needed
to go back and be with one school, in my
town, making my town better.”
In 2001, hearing of Mr. Chambliss’
decision and knowing him from his work
as a program evaluator, Superintendent
Dennis Chaconas hired Chambliss as
assistant principal at Havenscourt Middle
School. “One of the reasons that he hired
me,” Chambliss said, “was that through my
teaching experience and work with RPP,
I understood how definition of standards,
means of assessment, and curriculum
development all line up.”
Imunicating with parents about the academic
progress of their children.” Students
regularly bring home course descriptions,
progress reports, counselor evaluations, and
bi-weekly newsletters, all reflecting staff’s
commitment to teaching.
One of Principal Chambliss’ primary
academic goals in 2003/4 is to track
progress of all Claremont students who under
perform. Of most immediate concern is the
20% of Claremont students who read below
grade level. While the school district man-
dates that such students participate in the
High Point Reading Program, Chambliss
was able to restrict the size of these remedial
classes to 25 instead of 32, thanks to the
school librarian who volunteered to teach a
class, and to grant money that enabled hiring
an extra teacher. In place of an elective,
students in High Point spend two periods
of instruction each day in reading class.
In general, the basic respect Claremont
students have for their teachers and their
own learning is evident as one walks the
halls while classes are in session. Through
open doors, one most often sees students
and teachers attentively working together
on the hour’s lesson.
n 2002, a year before Mr. Chambliss
became Claremont’s principal, morale
among faculty fell after a 4% pay cut and
loss of 3 positions. At first viewed skepti-
cally as just another administrator, he had to
work hard to win the trust of faculty. Added
to this challenge was the loss of one of its
two assistant principals to budget cuts.
Principal David Chambliss invites
readers to send questions and comments to
david.chambliss@secmail.ousd.k12.ca.us.
In the April issue of The Rockridge
News: Claremont Competes with Private
Schools.
So that teaching could be the central
focus when students returned in the fall,
Principal Chambliss and Assistant Principal
Carolyn Gramsdorff spent the first summer
revising the staff handbook, defining new
policies and procedures, and describing
goals for the new year.
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9.

March 6, 2004

Urgency or Emergency?
 Entrance to Sutter Urgent Care on
Telegraph Avenue. PHOTO: CLAIRE ISAACS
case of bronchitis. Urgent Care is a great
resource for Rockridge.
A wasp sting reveals an alternative
to the emergency room
Rather than treat all emergencies in the
ER, Alta Bates’ Emergency opened Sutter
Urgent Care about a year ago specifically to
deal with those problems that require imme-
diate attention but are not serious enough
to warrant ER, and your own doctor is not
available for advice. The clinic is located at
5700 Telegraph, but the entrance is around
the corner on 57th Street, with ample free
parking. It’s clean, comfortable, well lighted
and underused because so few know about
it. Right now, the clinic averages only 11
patients per day.
by Claire Wahrhaftig-Isaacs
A cut of the finger.
A speck in the eye.
A nasty bee stinger.
A fever too high.
A
HMOs, plus Medi-cal and Medicare. Be
prepared to fill out a medical history and
list your current meds.
recent encounter with a yellow jacket
helped me discover a wonderful medi-
cal resource right here in Rockridge—Sutter
Urgent Care. Back in August, I was stung by
two ground wasps while hiking in Vermont.
Afraid I would have the same serious reac-
tion I got from a bee sting more than thirty
years ago, I ended up in the emergency room
(ER) in Rutland. Happily my reaction was
so normal that everyone concluded I had
either lost my sensitivity or was immune
to wasp stings.
If your problem is life-threatening, you
should call 911 for an ambulance. Anyone
arriving at Urgent Care with extremely
serious problems will be transported to
the nearest ER.
According to Dr. Joseph Medina, who
rotates duties with Dr. Yenka Alonge and
Dr. David Hyerde, patients can be treated
for a variety of urgent needs from eye and
ear infections, chest pains and allergies to
respiratory and kidney problems. Staff also
treat sexually transmitted diseases and can
do sutures, prescribe medicine refills, and
order on-site blood tests in the facility’s lab.
According to technician Ondra Pyles, an
X-ray machine will soon be available.
Hours are weekdays 5-9 p.m.; weekends
and holidays 3-9 p.m. For further informa-
tion call 204-2750. Spread the word—this
clinic is a real boon to the Rockridge
community.
So I didn’t worry when I was stung on
my own Rockridge deck three weeks later
by swarming yellow jackets. Wrong again.
In a few minutes my arm swelled from wrist
to shoulder. By the speed of the swelling,
I knew this sting was not fatal—a deadly
one works much faster—but I was in severe
pain. Rather than wait in a long queue in
an ER, I chose Sutter Urgent Care where
skilled staff allayed my anxieties and pro-
vided prompt, professional care.
Isaacs can be reached at RNews@rockridge.org
Oakland Voters
Form New
Yahoo! Group
I
Dr. Medina, who has worked for 20 years
in an ER in San Jose, is a true believer in
urgent care medicine because it is efficient,
effective and saves doctors, patients and
hospitals time and money. No referrals are
necessary, but patients are encouraged after-
wards to see their regular doctor who will
receive a detailed report. Like any emer-
gency clinic, Sutter Urgent Care is obliged
to see any patient who requests treatment.
They take nearly all insurance plans and
n response to increasing demand for
community discussion about legisla-
tion and civic issues affecting Oakland
residents, a new on-line group has been
formed to foster and promote these conver-
sations. The group’s membership is open
to all; please consider joining at http://
groups.yahoo.com/group/oakland_voters.
You may choose to receive either individual
or summary e-mails from the group, or you
can log in to read messages when you choose.
Your opinion can make a difference and
community leaders are listening!
When a few weeks later my husband
complained of chest pains like those he
experienced during a bout with pneumonia,
we drove straight to Urgent Care again. We
were quickly assured that he had neither
pneumonia nor a heart attack, just a bad





 











	


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March 6, 2004
10.




	





	
	


 

tomatoes. Enjoy with a glass of Italian red
wine and crusty bread.
Chicken In Hunter-Style Sauce
(Chicken Cacciatora)
Ingredients
 3 tomatoes, fresh or canned imported
plum tomatoes, cut up with their
juices
 Coarse salt and pepper
 3-4 pounds chicken cut into 8
pieces, or 8 chicken thighs, with skin
removed
 1⁄4 cup olive oil
 1 medium yellow onion peeled and

A Chicken in Every Pot and a Car in Every Garage.
I

n case you haven’t noticed, the presiden-
tial election season has started. As best
as I can determine, only one presidential
candidate ever used food and cooking as his
campaign slogan. That was Herbert Hoover
in 1928 – “A chicken in every pot and a car
in every garage.” Forget the cars; keep the
chicken. Whether it is a stew, a soup or a
braise, I love one-pot chicken meals.
pots and pans to create mini-recipes that
you combine for the final dish. In one-pot
chicken cooking, everything happens in one
place. In most cases, the chicken is cut up
into quarters or eighths, browned in oil
and set aside. Aromatic vegetables, herbs
and spices are added to the cooking liquid
which may be either water, wine, stock or
a combination of all three. Bring to a boil
and simmer until done. Serve over rice or
broad noodles. What could be simpler? In
all cases it is the particular combination of
herbs, spices and vegetables that provide
the ethnic flavor.
cut into 8 wedges
 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
 2 cups dry white wine
 1 pound small brown mushrooms
 1⁄2 cup fresh oregano leaves
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°
2. Season chicken pieces with salt and
It seems that every culture has a stan-
dard one-pot chicken dish: Italy– Chicken
Cacciatora; Hungry– Chicken Paprikash;
France — Coq au Vin; Morocco– Chicken
Tagine; France– Poule au Pot or China–
Steamed Chicken.
pepper
3. Heat olive oil in a heavy, enamel-
bottom ovenproof pot over
medium-high heat until hot but not
smoking. Add chicken pieces and
brown well, 4-5 minutes per side.
Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer
the chicken to a plate and set aside.
4. Add the onion wedges and garlic
From a culinary history perspective, I’m
sure that right after direct grilling over fire,
cooking chicken in a pot with local herbs
has long been part of the human culinary
experience. Consider the famous Italian
dish chicken cacciatora. Alla cacciatora
means “hunter-style.” The basic prepara-
tion is always the same: chicken, garlic,
onions, tomatoes, white wine and oregano.
I also like to add brown mushrooms. If you
are so inclined, any alla cacciatora recipe
could be used for cooking rabbit.
According to the Food Lovers Compan-
ion, prior to Herbert Hoover, France’s King
Henry IV stated in his coronation speech that
he hoped each peasant in his realm would
have “a chicken in his pot every Sunday.”
It may surprise many people, but prior to
World War II, chicken was available only
to the affluent and to chicken farmers.
Hoover’s call for a chicken in every pot
was a dream for most Americans. Can you
hear John Kerry or George Bush calling for
Chateaubriand every Sunday as the rallying
cry for economic reform?
to the pot and cook, stirring until
softened (about 6 minutes). Add
the tomatoes, toss well, cook for 1
minute. Add the wine, mushrooms
and oregano.
5. Return the chicken pieces to pot.
Bring to a boil. Transfer to oven.
Cook until done; about 40 minutes.
6. To serve, divide chicken among 4
plates with a bed of rice or broad
noodles, spooning vegetables over
each portion.
What follows is one of the least com-
plicated recipes I know — to be perfectly
honest; there is nothing innovative about it.
But results are just great. The chicken and
mushrooms both have an amazing capac-
ity to pick up the flavors of the wine and
Slow-cooked chicken is a one-pot marvel
in which chicken pieces and a variety of
vegetables, herbs, and spices are poached or
steamed in a liquid of water, wine or broth.
While the chicken slowly cooks, the bird
becomes very tender and juicy and picks up
all the flavors of the other ingredients. And
the magic of the dish is that it gets better
every day. During the winter months, I try
to cook a chicken in the pot meal on most
Sundays. Served over rice, the dish just
keeps getting better during the week.
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.
Writing Courses:
Accessing the Intuitive Mind
at The Opening:
594-1905



	
Play With Language: Access Inner Landscapes
The premise of chicken-in-the-pot cook-
ing relies on a very simple logic: a steady
building of flavors, one on top of the other,
as opposed to more complex component
cooking where you have to use several
Word Textures—Trance States
Improvisation Games—The Tarot—Meditation
Writing From The Subconscious




11.

March 6, 2004

Chimes Pharmacy: College Avenue Institution

by Jacqueline Tasch
I
Chimes Pharmacy,
Then and Now
In 1941, you could grab a shake or a sundae
at Chimes Pharmacy’s soda fountain while
you waited for owner Clyde Howes to fill
your prescription. You could also take home
a book from the circulating library at the
rear of the store and a bottle of brandy to
sip while you read it.
n business on College as early as
1909, Chimes has stayed close to
its original location near Alcatraz
Avenue, and is now located at
3210 College Avenue, Berkeley.
At right, owner John Gelinas
presides over an array of medicinal
supplies. Below, an early photo of the
pharmacy, equally well-stocked.
By the time John Gelinas went to work
at the pharmacy in 1966, the soda fountain,
the library and the liquor had disappeared,
and Cy Cardiff was the owner. A high school
student working part-time for Cardiff, John
tooled around Rockridge on his bike deliver-
ing prescriptions and other packages. Back
then, there were half a dozen drugstores up
and down College Avenue and on nearby
thoroughfares.
PHOTOS: JACQUELINE TASCH
Chimes occupied
the site located at
today’s
Ovation
clothing
shop;
when he returned
as pharmacist, the
drugstore was in
its present space,
but twice the size.
To cut his rent, John
Today, John is the owner-pharmacist of
Chimes, which he bought from Cardiff in
1986, the year his second child, Ashley, was
born, and Chimes is the only neighborhood
drugstore.
Returning to Rockridge and a retail
pharmacy after years in pharmacy school
and working other places suited John just
fine. “I see people I know all the time,” he
says. “I went to Chabot Elementary School
with some of my customers, and I see other
customers grow up. Their mothers come in
pregnant, then with newborns, and later I
see the teenagers.”
put up the wall that created what is now
Body Options.
Until he came up against calculus, John
had the idea that he might be an architect
when he grew up. On his occasional days
off, he likes doing small carpentry projects
around the house, but he’s happy with his
eventual career choice. “I can’t imagine
what else I would do,” he says.
Records suggest that the Chimes phar-
macy was on College Avenue as early as
1909. The first location was at the corner of
Alcatraz, where A Cuppa Tea now stands,
just over the line into Berkeley.
Since then, the store has been creeping
up the street toward the Oakland bound-
ary. By the time John became delivery boy,
New Store:
Chic Fashion Clothing
	
 

5414 College Avenue
Owner: Rana Mazandarani
Monday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sunday, 12 - 6 p.m.
Moved:
Rossomano
5332 College Avenue
relocated to San Francisco

 

 	
 

Closed:
Suzy Q Barbeque
5299 College Avenue

	

 
  





March 6, 2004
12.




North Oakland lost a beloved member of
its community in late January. Melinda
Levine—artist, editor, writer, activist wife
of former Oakland school board member
Ken Rice and mother of Morgan Rice—died
January 27 after a ten-month battle with
leukemia.
ing, and design. In the mid-1990s, with little
professional training, she began a career as
artist, designing colorful cut-paper collage
illustrations that appear in many children’s
books— the exuberant images jump off the
pages. She also designed the street banners
along Telegraph Avenue, and a popular politi-
cal poster featuring Congresswoman Barbara
Lee’s opposition to President Bush’s post
9/11 policies
In Memoriam
Melinda Levine
She was fondly remembered at a cel-
ebration service February 7 at Peralta
Elementary School, a fitting venue since
it was there that many of the 180 people
in attendance first met Melinda. “The ‘We
Love Melinda Fan Club’ is enormous,” wrote
her husband in words that were delivered at
the memorial by daughter Morgan. Indeed,
love was evident in the many tributes that
eloquently praised her passion for art, her
dedication to community and global causes,
and her extraordinary ability to see the best
in people and make them believe in them-
selves. Throughout her illness, she never
lost her sense of humor.
Ken and Melinda collaborated on a book
titled “Living Rooms.” He contributed many
of the photos; she provided the text and color.
Her most ambitious project was her last, a per-
petual calendar published by Syracuse Cultural
Workers. Titled “Rebels and Radicals for World
Music,” it features cut-paper illustrations of 13
singers and songwriters, including Pete Seeger,
Odetta, Paul Robeson, and Violetta.
Bluebird,
by Melinda Levine
had purchased their two-story home on 61st
Street. Melinda worked as a book and maga-
zine editor and writer while Ken set up his
professional architectural photography busi-
ness in their home. Their daughter, Morgan,
was born in 1983.
W
Melinda lives on in her wonderful art,
in her generous spirit of community, and
in the many, many hearts of those whom
she loved.
hen their daughter entered Peralta
Elementary School, the Rices became
involved in school politics and were active
members of the Peralta Parent Teacher
Group. At Melinda’s urging, Ken ran for
the Oakland School Board in 1996 and was
elected District One representative.
Born in Buffalo, New York, Melinda was
working on her Ph.D. in English when she
dropped out to become a union organizer
in Boston, where she met fellow activist
Ken Rice. The couple married and moved
to Berkeley in 1977, and within a year they
"SHOULD YOU
SAVE FOR YOUR
Melinda produced books on art, garden-
KID'S COLLEGE
OR FOR YOUR
RETIREMENT?
OR BOTH?"
  		

  
 	  
   
 
  

 	
  
  



 
       	 

 
  	     
 
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13.

March 6, 2004

PHOTO: DON KINKEAD
Zoom,

Zoom,

Zoom.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD MERCHANT
BY THERESA NELSON
Rockridge
Two Wheels
Owner: Darragh Howard
here’s no two ways about it, scooters
are fun. And Rockridge Two Wheels
offers some of the most stylish, fuel-efficient
and just plain exciting scooters anywhere.
It’s a trip back to the days of La Dolce Vita
but with modern, high-tech machines and
real performance.
T
5291 College Avenue
Oakland   594-0789
www.rockridgetwowheels.com
8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Monday – Friday
11 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Saturday
Entering this sliver of a store, you’ll
see a charming restoration of an old auto
repair annex, with whitewashed brick walls,
a 100-year-old hand-cut wooden floor, and
retro store fixtures of custom aluminum.
What really catches your eye, though, are
the colors, the sleek black, blue, and cherry
red of rows of retro scooters.
12-3 p.m. Sunday
  Rockridge Two Wheels owner
Darragh Howard stands ready
near one of his sleek machines.
PHOTO: LYDIA GANS
Owner Darragh Howard said that
Rockridge Two Wheels is one of the only
places where you can buy all three leading
brands: Piaggio, Aprilia and Kymco. Most
other dealers carry only one line, but here
you can compare and find the scooter that’s
right for you.
on his own Piaggio 200cc, which goes up
to 90 mph and get 70 miles per gallon. An
added plus — you cross the bridge through
the carpool lane toll-free, and in traffic jams
scoot between cars.
Wger. In general, scooters are geared toward
convenience and usability, and motorcycles
more toward performance. Scooters range
from $1,800-6,300, and motorcycles such as
the Kymco Venox 250cc retail for $3,850.
He also carries Ego electric bikes, which
plug into the wall to charge and can go 20
mph for 20 miles.
hat’s the difference between a scooter
and a motorcycle? Darragh said the
differences are blurring as scooters get
beefed up and smaller motorcycles become
popular. The main difference is that scoot-
ers have a step-through area for your legs,
and all the models have automatic trans-
missions; just twist the grip and go. With
motorcycles, the gas tank and engine are
in the center so you have to swing your leg
over and shift manually. Some models have
a glove compartment and roomy storage
under the seat, including a cell phone char-
Outside the U.S.A., scooters are every-
where because of their fuel efficiency and
ease of parking. Their popularity in the
states is increasing, said Darragh. “Couples
buy one as a second vehicle, students zip to
school on them and commuters use them
to get to BART (scooter parking is free).
Some seniors use scooters for primary
transportation.” All the scooters Darragh
sells carry two people, and he commutes
to Rockridge from San Francisco every day
In addition to scooters, electric bikes
and small motorcycles, Darragh carries a
full line of equipment for riders, from hel-
mets and sunglasses to stylish jackets from
Firstgear. The shop also repairs scooters.
Darragh, who has a degree in Mechanical
Engineering from the Dublin College of
Technology, first tried careers in software
sales and imported cars, then decided to
pursue his passion for scooters which he
acquired working for his uncle’s scooter
shop in Dublin, Ireland. He opened in June,
2002, and said business has been good:
“scooters are somewhat recession-proof
because they are much more affordable
than a car.”
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville...............The T
The T
The T
The T
The Team Y
eam Y
eam Y
eam Y
eam You Can T
ou Can T
ou Can T
ou Can T
ou Can Trust
rust
rust
rust
rust
You Come First
You Come First
You Come First
You Come First
You Come First
The next time you stroll down College,
stop in for a test drive, and imagine your-
self zooming around Paris or Rome — or
Rockridge — on a sleek new scooter!
Providing Exemplary Service
In Rockridge since 1980
Shannon Klatt
Shannon Klatt
Shannon Klatt
Shannon Klatt
Shannon Klatt
Buyer Specialist Realtor
(510) 339-4281 direct line
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Senior Realtor
(510) 339-4280 direct line
   


 


			
	


Call
Call
Call
Call
Call Mary Jane
Mary Jane
Mary Jane
Mary Jane
Mary Jane today
today
today
today
today for all your Real Estate needs
 for all your Real Estate needs
 for all your Real Estate needs
 for all your Real Estate needs
 for all your Real Estate needs
(510) 339-8400
(510) 339-8400
(510) 339-8400
(510) 339-8400
(510) 339-8400 office
 office
 office
 office
 office ♦www
www
www
www
www.MaryJaneMcConville.com
.MaryJaneMcConville.com
.MaryJaneMcConville.com
.MaryJaneMcConville.com
.MaryJaneMcConville.com
    

 
  	
  
 
Jan Carlisle
Jan Carlisle
Jan Carlisle
Jan Carlisle
Jan Carlisle
Administrative Assistant
Linda Fino
Linda Fino
Linda Fino
Linda Fino
Linda Fino
Escrow Coordinator
        


March 6, 2004
14.




Housecleaning
Reasonable rates. $52 for 4 hours. Expert
& reliable services from local employment
cooperative. Call 534-6766 and we’ll send
someone to spiff up your home. Ask us for
our references from Rockridge clients.
Adult Art Camp
July 18 – 25. Nature,  creativity,  fun, cama-
raderie. Experienced, dedicated teachers.
Drawing, Painting, Writing, Papermaking,
Gourd Craft, Figure Painting, Photography,
Landscape,Teambuilding and Performance Art.
Morning Tai Chi .Brochure available. Karen
LeGault, 510/601-1619.
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. April deadline is March 18.
Tahoe Condo For Rent
Two bedroom, pool, hot tub, on beach, sleeps
six, available June 20-27 and June 27-July 4.
Jane 658-9530.
Jazz and Classical Piano Lessons
Rockridge jazz pianist with UC Berkeley
music B.A. offers lessons in jazz, blues, clas-
sical, music theory, ear-training, technique.
Experienced, patient teacher, all ages/levels.
Janet 653-6783.
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.
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)
Completely Beginning
Drawing & Painting
With Karen LeGault, for adults. Line, shape,
form, space, perspective, value, color. Char-
coal, pencil, pastel, colored pencil, watercolor.
Monday 6:30 to 9:30pm  March 29 to May 10.
510/601-1619.
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 464-5934
Work from Home
Earn $500  $5000, P/T to F/T. Full Training
Provided. Local interview. Bilingual positions
available. For free info: Gary Sinick 597-1129.
www.growmynestegg.com
663-6674
France, 16th Century Stone
Millhouse
For rent fully furnished. On 3 parklike acres
with running stream. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, fire-
place. 62 miles from Paris. $650 per week. Call
925/939-9343 for photos and more info.
Jazzercise
Fast, effective, fun, dance/fitness class taught
by orthopedic nurse practitioner. Piedmont
Avenue Elementary School. Tuesday thru
Friday, 6:15 pm. 654-7078. NEW STUDENT
SPECIAL: @29/month (first three months).
No membership fee.
Temporary Room Rental
Having out of town guests and nowhere to put
them? Large, sunny room available in Crafts-
man home in Rockridge/Elmwood area. See
website for photos and info. http://geocities.com/
cayenne2810 or call 510/547-8788.
Computer Helpdesk
Comes to You!
In home or office, personal desktop support.
System recovery, Internet, E-mail & antivirus.
Wired/Wireless networks. DSL installation and
sharing. Certified PC hardware/software, net-
work specialist. Donegan Consulting MCSE,
CCNA 510/338-0645
Want More From Life?
Psychotherapy can help you remove roadblocks
and find new solutions. Explore work issues,
relationships, creative goals, self-esteem—you
decide what’s important. Visit time4therapy.com
or call 510/207-5402. Jan Graham, MFT
MFC#35757




15.

March 6, 2004



COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Compiled by Jo Ellis
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
Also, representatives of The Women’s Interna-
tional League for Peace and Freedom will provide
information and answer questions.
• Monday, 3/8, 7:30pm, Amnesty International
For details about upcoming field trips and special
programs, call Kathy at 531-6724.
North Oakland Multi-Purpose
Senior Center
First Saturday every other month, 10am to noon.
Peralta Elementary School: 460 63rd St. (park-
ing on Alcatraz Ave., just east of Telegraph).
APRIL TOPICS: Trees, design review and zoning
update. More information at 238-7001 or
www.oaklandnet.com.
Oakland City Council Meeting
monthly meeting.
• Sunday, 3/21, 2pm, readings celebrating the 3rd
5714 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Center Hours:
Monday – Friday, 8:45am to 4:45pm. Variety of
computer classes, workshops, educational/social
events, walking groups and field trips.
• Free Tax preparation help until April 15. Call
annual issue of Nocturnes, an Oakland-based
journal, and its 1st CD. Music by Richard Chance.
• Wednesday, 3/24, 7:30pm, Jeffrey Meyers:
Somerset Maugham: A Life.
• Thursday, 3/25, 7:30pm, Michael Chabon: Sum-
597-5085 for appt. (between 11am and 3pm).
• Sign up for trips to Asparagus Festival in April
Every Tuesday, 7pm, City Hall
Oakland Planning Commission
merland.
• Sunday, 3/28, 4pm, Vyvyane Loh: Breaking the
and October trip to New York to see the Lion
King.
The Newsletter, “North Oakland Senior Times”
provides a schedule of classes and a monthly
menu for lunch: (suggested donation: seniors
age 60 + $2 and $4 for those under age 60). Call
597- 5085 to get details about membership,
newsletter, class or appointment times, and
opportunities to become a volunteer.
Elder Care Support Group
1st and 3rd Wednesday each month, 6:
30pm, City Hall. Get agendas and details at
www.oaklandnet.com.
The Greater Rockridge N’hood
Crime Prevention Council
Tongue.
• Thursday, 4/1, 7:30pm, Scoop Nisker: Big Bang,
the Buddha and the Baby Boom.
• Monday, 4/5, 7:30pm, Paul Theroux: Stranger at
the Palazzo D’Oro.
• Tuesday, 4/6, 7:30pm, Rebecca Solnit: River of
Steering Committee meets 3rd Tuesday each
month, 7 to 8:30pm., Fire Station #8 community
room, 463 51st Street. Residents and business
members of NCPCs 12Y and 13X areas are
invited to voice their concerns about crime and
public safety.
Rockridge Branch Library
Shadows.
For more inf. about readings, discussion groups and
classes: 653-9965 or www.dieselbookstore.com.
Chabot Elementary School
Annual Spring Auction
Alta Bates Medical Center, Herrick Campus, 2001
Dwight Way, Berkeley. 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 510/869-4569 or
e-mail Monicalcsw@alum.calberkeley.org.
Food Drive
“Evening in Paradise” PTA fundraiser for enrichment
programs: e.g. music, art, library, new on-site
garden curriculum. Saturday, April 3rd , 6 to 11pm
at Pauley Ballroom in the U.C. Berkeley student
union building. Tickets: $25 in advance and $30
at the door. To donate an item or gift certificate
to be auctioned or to make a cash donation,
contact Susie Poncelet at 985-1246 or e-mail
sponcelet@earthlink.net.
Photo Contest For Views of Oakland
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
FOR CHILDREN:
• Toddler Story Time: Saturday, 10:30am:
3/6,3/13,4/3,4/10.
• Pre-School Story Hour: Wednesday, 10:30 &
Alameda County Community Food Bank. Hosted
by Great Clips for Hair, Rockridge Center, 5118
Broadway. Bring in non-perishable food items
through the month of March and get $2 off a
haircut. To become a volunteer for the Alameda
County Food Bank, call Mary Schoen: 834-
FOOD(3663) or www.accfb.org
Volunteers Needed
11am: 3/3,3/17,4/7.
• Pajama Story Time: Tuesday, 7pm: 3/9, 3/23,
4/13.
FOR ADULTS:
• Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice.
The Glenview Performing Arts Center will choose
two $50 finalists and a few “honorable mentions”
and use their photos as backdrop/intermission
for the show, CASINO!, which is set in Oakland
and will run in May. Photos, which must be in
slide form, will be judged for uniqueness, clarity
and beauty and may include people or animals.
There is no entry fee. Participants should send one
slide per envelope, including contact information
(address/phone/e-mail) to: Alan Templeton, Glen-
view Performing Arts Center, 1318 Glenfield Avenue,
Oakland, Ca., 94602. Entries will not be accepted
after April 1. Winners announced April 5. For more
information call Theodore Dawson at 531-0511, or
Alan Templeton at alantempca@yahoo.com.
Community Concert By The
Berkeley Broadway Singers
First Tuesday of each month, from 6 to 8pm.
Advance sign-up 5pm.
Library Hours:
Tuesday, 12:30 to 8pm
Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 10am to 5:30pm
• Oakland Elizabeth House: A Transitional
Residence for Women and Children in Rock-
ridge.6423 Colby St., Oakland. Residential
and support services for homeless and
low-income women and children. Orientation
and training for new volunteers. Help with
childcare, homework, mentoring, field trips
and house chores. Call 658-1380, ext.4, or
volunteer@oakehouse.org.
• Bambino Thrift Shop: All Volunteer Shop
Friday, 12 to 5:30pm
Sunday and Monday: CLOSED
Rockridge Toastmasters
Every Tuesday, 7pm, Veterans Building, 200
Grand Ave., Oakland. Improve public speaking
skills in a friendly and supportive environment.
For information: Mary, 531-8790 or e-mail
info@rockridgetoastmasters.org
Writer’s Support/Critique Group
benefiting Oakland Children’s Hospital, 5290
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.
• North Oakland Community Charter School
Rockridge Branch Library, Saturday, March
20, 1:30 to 5pm. ALL writers welcome. Bring
9 copies of 5 pages of your prose for on-site
reading/discussion. Sponsored by the California
Writers Club, Berkeley branch (www.berkeley
writersclub.org/). For more information: 482-
0265 or Writefox@aol.com
Diesel Book/Poetry Readings
Sunday, March 28 at 4pm. St. Augustine’s Church
400 Alcatraz Ave., Oakland. Free concert of
show tunes, 60s songs and other popular music.
Donations appreciated. For more information call
604-5732 or see www.berkeleybroadwaysinge
rs.org.
College Avenue Adult Center
(NOCCS): tutors to work with 1st to 4th
graders, one-on-one or in small groups, on
math skills, beginning reading and writing
skills. Weekly time commitment of at least one
hour. Located at College Ave. Presbyterian.
Church, (next to Dryers ice cream). Contact
Jennifer Bloom, Director: 655-0540 or
teachers@noccs.org.
5433 College Ave. All events are FREE and open
to the public.
• Sunday, 3/7, 2pm, a Celebration of Interna-
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.
tional Women’s Day. Whitney Chadwick and
Tirza True Latimer read from The Modern
Woman Revisited: Paris Between the Wars.


March 6, 2004
16.




Don Coelho
	
 

  	


    

		    

339-4721
 
 
28th year
serving Rockridge!

	

  
		
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