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VOL. 19 NO. 8 ISSUE NO. 204 September 5, 2004 CIRCULATION: 5,100 RESIDENCES; 200 BUSINESSES
Sponsored by The Rockridge Community Planning Council • 5245 College Ave. PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94618 • 644-4228
Town Hall Meeting Topic
RCPC Presents:
Rockridge Public
Schools Forum
School reps to discuss programs
and opportunities for involvement
by Mike Taylor,
RCPC Schools Committee
T
Architect’s sketch of proposed Khana Peena Restaurant at College and Bryant.
RCPC Drops Opposition to
Proposed New Indian Restaurant
he success of Rockridge’s public schools
depends on many things, including
programs, facilities, and interaction with
parents and the community. The RCPC
Town Hall Meeting will provide residents
with an opportunity to meet school lead-
ers and learn more about each of these
important factors.
by Hiroko Kurihara
D
Architects Criticize Design
Tespite early opposition, the Khana
Peena restaurant serving Indian cuisine
will open at 5316 College Avenue where a
former corner convenience and liquor store
was located. The restaurant, sister to one
on Solano Avenue, will seat 75-100 people,
mostly in an outdoor patio. City planning
department approval is in the process of
being written.
he proposed design of the
Khana Peena restaurant at 5316
College Avenue has been criticized
by architects as uninspired and inap-
propriate for the location. Architect
Kirk E Peterson labels the dome a
“contraption… with what appear to
be giant sci-fi crab pinchers gesturing
towards the sky.” He argues that since
the building is located in a gateway
position, it should be an important
piece of the neighborhood’s urban
design. “I’m afraid that this design
leaves a lot to be desired.”
Six of Oakland’s public schools are
located in the Rockridge area: Claremont
Middle School, Chabot Elementary, Far
West Arts, North Oakland Commu-
nity Charter School (NOCCS), Peralta
Elementary and Oakland Technical High
School. Representatives from each of these
schools will discuss plans for the school
year and opportunities for community
involvement.
The RCPC Land Use Committee is
working with the City and the applicant to
render the best possible project, early designs
of which were sharply criticized by local
architects. The committee members were
initially opposed because of the number of
restaurants on College Avenue, which has grown by 50 percent over the last seven years,
and because the project runs counter to RCPC’s long-term goals
of encouraging higher intensity mixed-use development along the
One recent school reform bill is the No
Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. While some
provisions of the Act are controversial, one
of its lauded aims is to improve the qual-
RESTAURANT, PAGE 7
RCPC SCHOOLS FORUM, PAGE 7
agenda:
RCPC Town Hall Meeting
Thursday, September 16, 7:30 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Avenue at Manila,
Community Room (Upstairs)
Rockridge Public Schools Forum
Meet representatives from the Rock-
ridge area’s six public schools and
learn how you can contribute to their
success.
Ilana Wexler, Rockridge Kid Who
Wowed Boston, is Back Home
by Cy Gulassa
Ahome in Rockridge. She’s glad
to be among old friends again,
but is still a bit overwhelmed by
the standing ovation and daz-
zling notoriety that followed her
fiery, 5-minute speech, which
fter a stratospheric ride
on the wings of fame, 12-
year old KidsforKerry founder
Ilana Wexler, the youngest and
spunkiest kid to ever speak at
the Democratic National Con-
vention, has landed safely back
Ilana Wexler at
home in Rockridge.
PHOTO: CY GULASSA
ILANA WEXLER, PAGE 12
2.
September 5, 2004
In My Opinion
Local Business Thrown a Curve
by Jessica Pitt, RCPC Board Member
F
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or politically progressive people like me, consumer choices are political statements. We
didn’t eat grapes in my house for years during the Farm Workers grape boycott. I don’t
drink Coor’s beer, eat Domino’s pizza, or wear Nike shoes because I oppose the political
values or labor practices of those companies. So, I paid particular attention when I heard
that profits from Curves gym, which recently opened a branch in Rockridge, were being
used to support pro-life causes.
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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.
For those who haven’t yet heard about the Curves phenomenon, it is a chain of women-
only fitness studios that have taken off like wildfire. Curves is currently the fastest growing
franchise in the nation, with over 7,500 locations and more than 3 million members. While
I have never been to Curves myself, I have friends and colleagues who rave about what a
great way it is for them to get regular exercise.
In April, controversy erupted when two separate editorials in the San Francisco Chronicle
alleged that Curves founder and CEO Gary Heavin contributed company profits to several
pro-life organizations allied with Operation Save America, one of the most militant pro-life
groups in the country. I was disturbed that a business in my neighborhood—which is full of
progressive people like me—was associated with the anti-abortion movement.
Rockridge News Production
Cy Gulasssa ........................Editor-in-Chief
Ortrun Niesar,
Claire Isaacs........................ Writers
Barry Kaufman...................Food
Jo Ellis...................................Advertising &
Community Calendar
Theresa Nelson ....................Neighborhood Merchant
Lydia Gans...........................Photography
Susan Montauk...................Business Manager
Don Kinkead.......................Graphics & Layout
This situation presented a real dilemma for me. I knew that Curves was a franchise, and
that the owner of the local branch might have very different political views from those of
Mr. Heavin, who is based in Waco, Texas. At the same time, I agreed with many pro-choice
feminists, who felt that it was important for women to speak out against the use of Curves
profits for anti-abortion causes, and that the most powerful statement they could make would
be to boycott the business.
RCPC Board of Directors, 2004-2005
Daniel Ferdelman ..............Co-Chair
Deborah Weinstein...........Co-Chair
Jessica Pitt ...........................Vice-Chair
Mike Taylor..........................Secretary
Ehab Bandar........................Treasurer
Then, the situation got even more complicated. In early May, the Chronicle issued a
lengthy set of corrections to the two editorials. It turns out that the charities that Heavin
contributed to were not affiliated with Operation Save America; rather, he gave large dona-
tions to a pregnancy crisis center, an abstinence-only collaborative, and a Catholic family
practice center. While it is true that all three of these organizations are anti-choice and dis-
suade pregnant women from having abortions, they also provide much needed health care
and counseling services to indigent women. Moreover, Heavin’s contributions were not a
percentage of Curves’ profits, but part of his own personal wealth.
Jennifer Edmister, Cy Gulassa
Hiroko Kurihara, Susan Montauk, Mike McDonald,
Theresa Nelson, John Potis, Camille Reed
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.
A May 19 article in Salon Magazine summed up the situation well: “It looked as though
the charges against Heavin were not as distressing as they appeared. He had given his own
private money to anti-abortion groups, but not the kind that picket and hold bloody fetus
posters or encourage violence. A philosophical question had been raised about what it means
to be militant, what it means to be anti-abortion, and what it means to patronize a company
whose CEO may have radically different beliefs than many of his clientele.”
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?
Would you like to volunteer to be a Rockridge
News block captain?
Contact us at one of the following addresses or
telephone numbers:
Although Anne and Michael Marx, the owners of the Rockridge Curves, distributed a
letter to their members clarifying the inaccuracies in the Chronicle columns and explain-
ing why they thought an individualized boycott was ineffective,
they nonetheless lost 13 customers as a result of the controversy,
CURVES, PAGE 7
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Editor: editor@rockridge.org
www.rockridge.org
The Rockridge News, 5245 College Avenue,
PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618
RCPC Voicemail: 644-4228
Articles published in The Rockridge News may be
reprinted only with the permission of the Editor.
NEWSLETTER ADVERTISING/DEADLINES
Publication date of the next issue is
October 2, 2004
October deadline is September 16.
Advertising rates are $22/column inch. Six-month
pre-pay rate available. To advertise, call Jo Ellis
at 653-3210, or e-mail joellis1@hotmail.com.
(RCPC reserves the right to refuse any display or
classified ad that it deems inappropriate.)
3.
September 5, 2004
Volunteer for Daily Bread
Do you have an extra hour each
week to help feed the Bay Area’s
less fortunate residents? Daily Bread can
match you with a food source and needy
organization, doing their best to find a
convenient time and place for you.
If you have two or three extra hours,
Daily Bread is looking for a new food
coordinator. Julianne Morris is bowing out
after several years at the helm. The job
involves connecting new volunteers with
assignments and occasionally arranging for
a pinch hitter to cover someone’s shift.
“It’s a program that to a great extent runs
itself,” Julianne says.
Daily Bread also operates the Milk
for Kids program, which provides milk
donated by the Berkeley Bowl and the
Village Market to children in need.
To volunteer, or for more information,
call Julianne at 510/339-9811.
party leftovers to area shelters.
After hours at The Pasta Shop, Joan Sautter, right, and her friend Maria greet Jose
Luis Larios, a retail supervisor. Joan picks up bags of donated baked goods and salads
at Market Hall on Thursday and Friday. Other businesses in the Rockridge and North
Oakland area also participate in the program. PHOTO JACQUELINE TASCH
Joan and Daily Bread made a great
match. When Joan started, she picked
up leftover breads and other goodies one
night a week from the Market Hall Bakery,
which is practically around the corner from
her Rockridge home. Soon, Joan arranged
more frequent bakery pickups, with other
volunteers.
Looking at the goodies along the glass
counter at The Pasta Shop in Market
Hall, most of us ask ourselves which delec-
table dishes will make up tonight’s dinner
or whether we can resist a forbidden treat
(mine is the coconut flan) or, depending
on the time of day, how much time will
pass before our number is called.
(including La Farine and Star Grocery) and
redistributes it to 33 shelters and charitable
organizations that provide food to people
in need (including Elizabeth House). As a
result, people who may occasionally not
eat at all get to sample some of the best
food the Bay Area has to offer.
One day, she wandered back to the deli
and asked herself where the leftovers went.
She asked the deli counter staffers. Before
you know it, volunteers were picking up
food daily from The Pasta Shop, too.
Seeing a newspaper story about the
group, Joan, who has a full-time job
and family responsibilities, nevertheless
“thought I would make time to volunteer,
because I’m a huge recycler,” she says. “I’ve
always hated to see things go to waste,” she
explains, and on occasion, she had taken
But Joan Sautter wondered what they
did with all the leftovers.
“It is wonderful to give back to the
community,” said Sara Wilson, managing
partner of Market
Hall Foods, which
DAILY BREAD, PAGE 13
Joan is part of an intrepid band called
Daily Bread, an all-volunteer organization
that gathers leftover food from 19 sources
around Berkeley and North Oakland
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4.
September 5, 2004
3-Lane Proposal
For Claremont
Avenue Nixed
by John Potis,
RCPC Traffic Committee Chair
R
Merchants Invite All to the
Rockridge Annual Street Fair
Sunday, September, 26
11-5:00 p.m.
G
et ready for twice the fun! Come to the 6th annual Rockridge Street Fair for a
double feature of food, fun, education, live music and dancing. “Out & About in
Rockridge” will showcase the area’s businesses, while Market Hall’s “Picnic in the
Street” will transform Shafter Avenue into a culinary extravaganza.
estriping Claremont Avenue into two
lanes with a middle turning lane is
not a practical way to reduce accidents
and speeding, according to City experts,
but ways to tame Claremont traffic are in
the works.
Picnic menu and activities include Oliveto spit-roasted porchetta sandwiches; Rock-
ridge Fish fresh oysters and salmon with salsa verde; Enzo’s steak sandwiches and Cajun
chicken sandwiches; Market Hall Produce portabello sandwiches; Peaberry’s iced coffee,
tea and blended drinks; The Pasta Shop flatbread kebab sandwiches and spinach and
feta turnovers; Paul Marcus wines by the glass. Especially for the kids, Bloomies offers
wreath making and Market Hall Bakery cupcake decorating.
At RCPC’s July Town Meeting, Joe Wang
and Peter Chong of the City of Oakland
Transportation Services presented results
from a study of traffic volume and flow on
Claremont Avenue between Hudson Street
and College Avenue, and an evaluation of
the potential effect of a three-lane conver-
sion (nicknamed “Road Diet”).
Adding to the festivities, the following Bay Area food writers will sign books and
sample recipes and ingredients: • Paul Bertolli, Cooking by Hand • Sara Deseran,
Picnics: Delicious Recipes for Outdoor Entertaining • Janet Fletcher, Four Seasons
Pasta • Jay Harlow, West Coast Seafood • Marie Simmons, Fig Heaven • Laura Werlin,
Great Grilled Cheese • Paula Wolfert, The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen: Recipes for
the Passionate Cook. There will be a Cookbook Exchange: Bring a used cookbook and
exchange it or donate $1 or more and select one. Remaining books and proceeds will
be donated to neighborhood libraries.
Using formulas accepted by the Fed-
eral Highway Administration (FHWA),
they determined the effect of a three-lane
conversion on the signalized intersections
would triple the existing delay to approxi-
mately 60 seconds during peak times. This
level of delay is unacceptable by City of
Oakland standards. Based on delay alone,
therefore, a complete three-lane conversion
is not a viable option.
College Avenue events include a sidewalk chalk art contest, hip-hop dance demonstra-
tions, a 5K Fun Run, and Search and Rescue Dogs. And don’t miss: • Diesel—children’s
drama and story telling in the Levant Rugs parking lot, and a reading by novelist Barry
Gifford • Christensen-Heller Gallery — a diamond seminar • The Thelma Harris Art
Gallery — a lecture on how to collect art • Namaste Yoga — a free yoga class • Curves
— bone density and other health screening by Advanced Medical Diagnostics. Continuous
fashion activities will showcase the many designers and clothiers located in Rockridge,
and a free cable-car trolley will transport visitors between Broadway and Alcatraz.
Other options offered as possibilities
for Claremont were a partial three-lane
conversion between Forest and College;
reflective dot rumble strips; more visible
crosswalk striping; a permanent radar speed
sign reading, “Your speed is,” along with
the posted speed limit; and small refuge
islands at crosswalks without signals.
For more information, contact Rockridge District Association (RDA) at 604.3125,
info@rockridgedistrict.com or visit www.rockridgedistrict.com.
An informal poll of the audience
indicated a preference for the radar speed
sign and more visible crosswalk striping. If
you have a preference for what you would
like to see happen to Claremont Avenue,
please contact Joe or Peter at Transporta-
tion Services, 238-3466 or Jane Brunner’s
office, 238-7013.
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5.
September 5, 2004
Recent College Avenue Homicide Draws
Crowd to Crime Prevention Meeting
by Susan Montauk, NCPC Vice-Chair
D
PHOTO, CAPTION: SUSAN MONTAUK
rawn by recent incidents of violent crime in Rockridge, a crowd turned out at the
Temescal Library on July 20 for the monthly Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council
meeting. Among attendees were a woman who was assaulted in her College Avenue chi-
ropractic office, a Barclay’s waitress who fled into the middle of traffic to escape a band
of youths, and the couple whose Lawton home fronts the scene of a June homicide.
Dog Bites Mailman; Cops Find Weed
Oakland Police responding to a report
of a dog biting a mailman on August 28
at Cavour Street in Rockridge discovered
marijuana growing in the vacant lot
adjacent to the incident. Officers removed
the plants, half of which are shown in the
trunk of an OPD squad car.
Oakland Police Department Lt. Lawrence Green, assigned to North Oakland, dis-
cussed the June 25 homicide of Nyima Sorensen, a recent UC Berkeley graduate who
was celebrating his 26th birthday at the Hut, a bar on College Avenue. After Sorensen
and his friends left the Hut around 2 a.m., Nyima went to his parked car where he was
accosted and shot by an armed robber on Lawton Avenue east of College. Green said
that the case was elusive and the department is working on leads.
Residents wanted solutions to the increase in violent crime in the Rockridge area.
Some said they were afraid to go out at night even though most recent crimes took place
in broad daylight. Members of the Rockridge District Association (RDA), an organiza-
tion of Rockridge merchants, were concerned for the safety of employees and urged
an increase in foot patrol. Officer A. J. Frye patrols College Avenue on a bicycle four
days a week during business hours, but the likelihood of his being near the location of
a business while a crime is in progress is remote, Lt. Green said.
Neighborhood Crime
Prevention Council
The Greater Rockridge NCPC Steering
Committee meets monthly to set priorities
for the Oakland Police Department in beats
12Y and 13X. Citizens are invited to attend
these meetings held on the 3rd Tuesday of most
months at the Temescal Library, 5205 Tele-
graph Avenue. The September meeting will be
September 21. Visit www.rockridgencpc.com
for further information.
Green explained that only six beat cops are on patrol in their cars at any given time
in the entire North Oakland area (40th street to the Berkeley border and to the hills),
and even those may be called elsewhere in an emergency. OPD is stretched too thin to
saturate a given area on a regular basis, he said. The Oakland Police department currently
has 739 officers, half the number employed by comparably-sized cities.
When several people expressed frustration because they never heard back from OPD
after their initial report of a crime, Lt. Green apologized and said he too was frustrated
because OPD operates in the “dark ages” of handwritten forms instead of a computer
program that allows easy access to information. Green, more in step with technology
than OPD, started a Yahoo Group for OPD officers and North Oakland residents more
than two years ago. This group has been instrumental in the apprehension and convic-
tion of several criminals.
The following priorities are set for
beats 12Y (no priorities for 13X) for mid-
September/mid-October 2004. Police are
requested to be vigilant regarding:
1. College Avenue/Area, 11:30 pm-1:30
am, robberies occurring at time of bar and
restaurant closings.
The NCPC placed College Avenue on its priorities list for the remainder of July and
August and will convene a meeting of bar and restaurant owners and citizens to plan
for increased safety in the evening hours. Residents concerned about crime are invited
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2. 400 block of McCauley and at inter-
section of Ayala, loitering and suspicious
activity during lunchtime hours.
to attend the regular monthly NCPC meet-
ings on the third Tuesday of each month
at 7 p.m. at the Temescal Library, 5205
Telegraph Avenue.
3. WashHouse Laundromat, Telegraph
Avenue and 59th Street, drug activity, loiter-
ing, and vandalism within one block radius
of intersection and McAuley Streets.
For
more
information,
visit
www.rockridgencpc.com
6.
September 5, 2004
Opportunities for
Volunteers at
The Rockridge News
Would you like to spend a pleas-
ant couple of hours in congenial
company bundling The Rockridge
News once a month for delivery? Or,
would you rather get 10-20 minutes
of exercise delivering The News in
your neighborhood? To volunteer for
either or both types of support posi-
tions, contact Susan at 547-3855 or
smontauk@juno.com
Here are four delivery routes that
need volunteers:
District Captain--Route #16:
Drop off 4 bundles on and
around Cavour Street.
Block Captains needed to
deliver to houses on these routes:
Route 11B: 52 papers, from
5484 College (Citron Restaurant)
even numbers up Taft to 5542,
across Taft to odd numbers
starting 5545, then to 5560 Col-
lege, a house.
Route 16D: 20 papers, both
sides 5200 Claremont, including
apartment at 5248
Route 16A: 42 papers, both
sides of Miles between Cavour
and Clifton.
Brunner Names
Susan Killebrew
Community Hero
Susan Killebrew and family, pictured
at right, display the Community Hero
award she received from Jane Brunner at
the 2004 North Oakland Summer Picnic.
In part the commendation reads: “As the
primary force behind the lower Rockridge
Parents Group, Susan has, in the words of
a neighbor, ‘worked tirelessly to bring
together the households in North Oakland
to support our local elementary school.’ The
Lower Rockridge Parents Group organizes
playgroups, facilitates communication and
activism among 100 families and fundraises
and volunteers to improve Peralta Elemen-
tary. Susans’s efforts are remarkable and
are emblematic of the community action
necessary to strengthen public education
in Oakland.”
Susan Killebrew and her family enjoy
her commendation as a Community
Other Community Heroes honored
at the popular summer event were Barry
Pilger, Charles Porter, Don Link, and Len
Burkhart.
F
Hero. Pictured with Susan are, from left,
Ariel, husband Richard Bruehl, Chloe,
and Sophia. PHOTO: CY GULASSA
ire Station 8’s firefighters stoked
barbecues and cooked burgers at
City Councilmember Jane Brunner’s
2004 North Oakland Summer Picnic
in Temescal Park. Brunner thanked
supporters and honored community
activists. At right, firefighters Kevin
Reed, Brad Pieraldi, Jim Whitty, Chris
O’Brien, and Michael Donner join
Brunner for a post-event photo.
PHOTO: CY GULASSA
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7.
September 5, 2004
RCPC Board of Directors, 2004-05
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.
6929 CHABOT ROAD
Proposal: To install a telecommunications
facility consisting of six rooftop antennas
and three equipment cabinets located on the
ground floor.
Applicant: AT&T Wirelss
Contact Person: Joanne Gundermann 510/816-
8303
Owner: Alameda County
Planning Permits Required: Regular Design
Review and Minor Conditional Use Permit to
establish telecommunication facility.
Case Planner: Jason Madani at 238-4790 or
jsmadani@oaklandnet.com
Following recent elections, members of the 2004-05 RCPC Board of Directors
gather for a group photo at a summer meeting. Front row, from left: Jessica Pitt,
Theresa Nelson, Camille Reed, Susan Montauk, John Potis, Jennifer Barragan
Edmister. Back row, from left: Deborah Weinstein, Mike McDonald, Hiroko
Kurihara, Mike Taylor, Dan Ferdelman, Ehab Bandar. PHOTO: DAN FERDELMAN
Curves
Restaurant
from page 2
from page 7
amounting to approximately $10,000 in lost
revenue.
Avenue, particularly around this location.
RCPC, however, is not going to appeal
the project. Instead, it is working to develop
long-term policies for the future that will
allow city planners and commissioners to
direct to our community new develop-
ment proposals that meet the goals of the
Rockridge Neighborhood Area Plan (cur-
rently being revised). This will provide a
better mix of residential and commercial
establishments.
The Marx’s have encouraged their
members to take action by making dona-
tions to pro-choice organizations. Anne has
worked with Planned Parenthood Federation
of America to create an on-line system so
that Curves members, as a group, can make
donations that are publicly associated with
pro-choice. She wrote, “You may even
want to tell Curves International that you
are donating in honor of Gary!”
401 AVON STREET
Proposal: To construct a 47 sq. ft. one-story
addition to the rear of an existing single-family
dwelling.
Applicant/Owner: Stephen Buel
Contact Person/Phone Number: Stephen Buel
510/597-9807
Planning Permits Required: Minor Variance to
allow a reduced street side yard setback (10'-0"
required, 3'-3" proposed); Regular Design Review
for an addition to a single-family dwelling.
Case Planner: Moe Hackett at 238-3979 or
mhackett@oaklandnet.com
As a side issue, RCPC has been working
with the Rockridge District Association to
identify improvement projects along Col-
lege Avenue. One is to install Rockridge
information columns (kiosks) along College
Avenue. The Khana Peena site is a gateway
location into Rockridge and the applicant
has agreed to reserve the corner of the site
for one of the four columns.
So, where am I on all this? I strongly
believe in supporting neighborhood busi-
nesses, and want to see independently-owned
small businesses in Rockridge thrive. I also
continue to believe that consumer choices
are political choices. I’ve made my decision,
but I won’t tell you what it is. Each of us
needs to make our own decisions about how
we spend our money. As the Curves story
makes clear, it is important that our decisions
are based on accurate information and that
we carefully consider a range of options for
expressing our political views.
RCPC Schools Forum
from page 1
ity of our schools through community
involvement. An action guide prepared by
the Annenberg Foundation entitled “Using
NCLB to Improve Student Achievement,”
lists ideal ways for a community to involve
itself with schools.* In keeping with the
spirit of the guide, the RCPC Schools
Committee hopes that this forum begins
a sustained dialogue between schools and
the community. To learn more about what’s
working well for kids and how you can help,
attend the RCPC Town Hall meeting on
Thursday, September 16, at 7:30 p.m.
For information, contact RCPC Land
Use Committee Chair Hiroko Kurihara at
384.0557 or h2oakland@sbcglobal.net
pdf/NCLBBook.pdf; the text of the NCLB
is available at www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/
leg/esea02/107-110.pdf.
For more information about Oakland
schools, go to: www.ousd.k12.ca.us,
and to the links on RCPC’s website:
www.rockridge.org.
*The
complete
report
is
available at www.publiceducation.org/
8.
September 5, 2004
FROGPark Needs You! Donate Time and/or Money
other projects. To volunteer for skilled
projects, please contact Carroll Moore
at 597-1895.
September 18 named FROG
Playground Community Day
Thank you, College Prep High School,
for your annual commitment of support to
the fall maintenance event! We couldn’t do
it without you!
by Carroll Moore
On Saturday, September 18, 2004,
Friends of the Rockridge-Temescal
Greenbelt (FROG) will hold its annual
playground work party from 8am to 5pm.
Come join your friends and neighbors as
we do repairs and maintenance on the play
structures and surrounding parks. All adults
and kids over the age of 13 (with parental
supervision) are invited – there’s something
for everyone to do.
own gloves, garden rake, broom and shovel
if possible. Please mark any tools you bring
to identify them. Check in at either the
Hardy Park or Redondo (corner of Redondo
and Clarke) playstructures before working.
FROG will provide bagels and coffee in
the morning at Hardy Park (first-come,
first-served) and lunch at noon for all
volunteers!
The play structures will be closed Sep-
tember 18-19 while we work, and to let the
wood sealer dry. Thanks for helping us keep
the maintenance day safe and productive.
Visit
the
FROG
website
at
www.frogpark.org for more details, or
contact Howard Ferrier at 653-6463. Come
support your community-built playgrounds
— they won’t last without you!
We also need a team of skilled work-
ers to build a fence at the Hardy sandbox,
repair the Redondo bulletin board and
We’ll sand, seal, rake, weed and repair
both parks. Volunteers should bring their
+
)&* )& ("!% &# &$
$ ' * ) & * ) & & $
Health Screening
Sponsored non-profit by Curves in Rockridge in conjunction with
the Rockridge District Merchant’s Association Annual Street Fair.
Curves is located in Market Hall’s Lower Level.
Enter on Shafter, across from the Rockridge BART Station (see notice below)
Sunday, September 12
Hours: 8:30am-noon & 1pm-4:30pm
Bone Density ~ $35
Heart Attack & Stroke risk assessment ~ $35
Cholesterol ~ $35 (no fasting required)
Diabetes ~ $35 (3 hour fast recommended)
Stress Check ~ $ 45
Liver Check ~ $35
Heart Function ~ $75
A licensed MD will be in attendance. Tests will be performed in a mobile unit.
Appointments not required, but are recommended. To schedule an
appointment, or for more information, please call toll-free 1-866-263-2663
We’re celebrating our 1st anniversary.
For a year we’ve been helping women in our community achieve their fitness goals. And there’s
a lot of success to celebrate! So stop in and join us for free blood pressure testing1, prizes, fun,
Children’s Book Project book drive and health talks all day at our Open House. We’ll be there
to answer ALL questions related to Curves. It’s time to start a success story of your own.
12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Sun. Sept. 12th
Market Hall’s Lower Level
Entrance on Shafter, @ BART
(510) 655-8808
All new September memberships will benefit The Oakland Firefighters Random Acts of Kindness.2
Over 8,000 locations worldwide.
1 Blood pressure checks will be free. Other medical diagnostic testing has fees and there are discounts for
Curves members. Both men and women are welcome at the open house and testing. 2 $25 will be donated
from all new 12-month memberships through 9/30/04.
9.
September 5, 2004
YES, I WANT TO
HELP COMPLETE THE
ROCKRIDGE–TEMESCAL
GREENBELT!
We need to raise up to $25,000
from the community to
complete Phase Two of the entire
Greenbelt. City and State bond funds
will pay for most of this phase, but
without community support, we will
have to scale back and even eliminate
some park elements! You can make it
all happen with a general donation or
one dedicated to a specific item like
a swing.
For gifts over $250, your company
or family name will appear on the main
park plaque.
Use the coupon on this page. Below
is a list of special park elements you
may underwrite:
General Dontation Opportunities
Butterfly Garden ....................... $5,000
Adopt-a-foot ($/ft) ....................... $50
Hardy Park and Pathway
Donation Opportunities
Large Basketball Court .......... $50,000
Small Basketball Court ........... $25,000
Public art/creek.........................................
interpretation ........................... $25,000
Native Vegetation at ................................
Clifton/Cavour .......................... $25,000
New Dog Park Fence ................ $15,000
Entire swing set ........................ $15,000
Asphalt Play Area ......................................
under freeway ............................ $3,000
Swings (3) .................................... $2,500
Drinking Fountain ....................... $2,500
Entry Markers ............................. $1,500
Basketball Hoops ........................ $1,200
Large Pavers ................................... $500
Small Pavers .................................... $250
Boulders ............................................ $100
Playground
Donation Opportunities
Hardy Park
Plans
DMV
Greenbelt
Plans
The design renderings above show aspects of the Rockridge Greenbelt Phase Two Renovation
projects. Top: Hardy Park. Above: The Greenbelt area running from Hardy Avenue to the
DMV offices. Volunteers are invited to join the September 18 playground work party. Visit the
FROG website at www.frogpark.org to view the plans and for more project information.
FROGPark Donation Form
I’ll sponsor/contribute toward the following piece of park equipment (from
the list at left): ________________________ for $_____________.
Here’s my general donation to the new Greenbelt Park for $__________.
My check is enclosed.
Charge my credit card (circle one) VISA Mastercard
Name on card: _________________________________________________
Curly Slide .....................................$3,500
Maze .............................................. $2,500
Wheelchair Ramping, Redondo $2,000
Trading Post ................................. $1,500
Ohlone House ............................... $1,500
Vertical Tire Tunnel ................... $1,250
Slide ............................................... $1,200
Spider Web................................... $1,000
Fire Pole ........................................... $700
Rubber Bridge ................................ $650
Climbing Net ................................... $500
Chin-Up Pipe ..................................... $150
Card Number: ____________________________ Exp. Date: _____________
Name: ________________________________ Email: __________________
Company or Family Name (for acknowledgment): ________________________
StreetAddress:________________________________________________
City / Zip code: _________________________ Phone: _________________
Send this form with your check or credit card information payable to: RCPC/
FROGPark, 5245 College Ave PMB #311, Oakland, CA 94618. All donations are
tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Federal tax ID#94-3011284.
For more information, call: 510/644-4228.
10.
September 5, 2004
Shuck and Jive
take the name of the place in which they
are grown. When you go to Pearl, I would
encourage you to try two of each oyster
they offer. When I am in New Orleans,
where oysters are accompanied by a spicy
ketchup sauce, I always have beer. But in
finer restaurants when they are served with a
mignonette sauce it must be Champagne.
Opening or shucking oysters requires
practice. At my first cooking job at the
Hayes Street Grill, I was assigned shuck-
ing oysters. You have to get into the Zen of
the process. You need a very sharp oyster
knife. Insert the tip of the knife into the
hinge that holds the top and bottom of the
shell together and twist to pop the shell.
Slide the knife under the oyster and cut
through the valve. Try to keep the oyster
liquor from spilling out. Plate each oyster
on a bed of crushed ice.
“He was a bold man that first eat an oyster.” — Jonathan Swift (1667-1745)
Iwas raised in a kosher home. Jewish
dietary laws of kosher prohibit eating
all forms of shellfish — shrimp, lobster,
clams, squid, mussels, scallops and oys-
ters. According to Jewish law, shellfish
are considered unclean because they are
scavengers. Therefore, observant Jews can
eat only fish with scales. It was not until
I was an adult that I ate my first clam. It
was Clams Casino, a classic Italian prepa-
ration of chopped clams, bacon, garlic and
breadcrumbs baked in the shell. From the
first taste I was hooked. But it was not until
I tasted my first oyster that I knew that I
would be forever devoted to la reina del
mar — the queen of the sea.
the famous “r” month rule (September to
April). But with advanced methods of farm-
ing — the way the vast majority of oysters
are produced today — we now enjoy a year-
round supply. With modern refrigeration
and jet planes, an oyster connoisseur can
indulge in oysters from all over the world.
Whatever oyster you choose, the key to good
taste is temperature: the oyster should be
ice-cold. Never eat a room temperature
oyster. From the sea to your plate, oysters
must be kept ice-cold.
One of the most sought-after and secret
recipes in the world is for Oysters Rock-
efeller. Created in New Orleans’ Antoine’s,
it is considered the most perfect oyster
celebration.
Oysters Rockefeller (serves 6)
Ingredients
q Two-dozen shucked oysters on the
In Rockridge we can get excellent fresh
oysters from Ver Brugge and Market Hall
Seafood. Buy oysters with shells that are
tightly closed and not damaged. Store oys-
ters as close to 32 degrees as possible but
don’t put them in water or seal them in a
plastic bag. I always ask the fish monger
to double bag the oysters with lots of ice
between both bags. In the case of oysters,
size does matter. Large oysters are best for
barbecuing but only small or medium oysters
should be used when eating them raw. Raw
oysters should be consumed in one gulp.
When eating raw oysters, aficionados say
they should be accompanied only by the
French classic mignonette sauce and never
with the spicy-based ketchup sauces found
in most California seafood restaurants.
half shell (oyster liquor reserved)
q 6 tablespoons of butter
q 6 tablespoons finely minced spinach
q 3 tablespoons minced onions
q 3 tablespoons minced parsely
q 5 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
q Tabasco hot sauce to taste
q 1⁄2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Pearl has come to College Avenue. A
metro-sophisticated oyster bar and seafood
restaurant in the tradition of New York oyster
houses popular in the 19th century among
the best class of people in the City. Although
lacking in the shuck and jive down-home
atmosphere of New Orleans or the inten-
sity of New York’s Grand Central Station
Oyster Bar, Pearl is a welcome addition for
aficionados of the royal bivalve.
Directions
Melt butter in a saucepan and add above
ingredients except for the oysters. Cook for
15 minutes, stirring constantly. Line a large
pie plate with rock salt and set in oysters
in half shells. Cover with topping and broil
until brown.
Whereas some consider lobster or
fresh diver scallops the ultimate succulent
shellfish, for me the oyster reigns supreme.
Slurping ice-cold raw oysters with a glass
of chilled Champagne is pure heaven. It is
no wonder the Oyster Bar at Grand Central
Terminal in New York can sell between four
and five thousand oysters a day. When we
go out to an upscale restaurant in New York
and the waiter appears at our table, it is:
“We’ll start with a dozen oysters.”
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.
Oysters, like fine wine and caviar, are
identified by the areas where they grow
or are farmed. Like French wines, oysters
5800 College Ave.
at Birch Court
655-4442
$ $
I judge an oyster by two factors: plump-
ness and brininess. I want my oysters fat
and juicy, and reeking of the flavor of the
sea.
$
#"
Come by for a free slice
!
It used to be that we had to follow
11.
September 5, 2004
Sunset Bottling
Company,
San Francisco,
c. 1914
The
Rockridge
— Provided by John
Muse
Bosko, Bosko’s
Frame Shop
by Ortrun Niesar
The Changing
Photo Image
As we gear up for the annual Rockridge
Photography exhibition, it’s apparent
that photography is undergoing significant
change.
The New
Conventional photography is finally
succumbing to the pressure of the
digital revolution. This new technique
is being perfected so rapidly that even
the most stalwart devotees of film admit
that counter arguments are weak. Even
the prestigious Berkeley Camera Club
is experiencing the change. The new
PhotoShop classes taught by members
of the BCC attract packed audiences.
Instead of the weekly standard slide shows,
the BCC now schedules exciting print
nights and projected digital image shows.
Go to www.berkeleycameraclub.org. for
more information.
because it is versatile and opens up so
many new areas for even the amateur
photographer. Editing and printing your
own images on all kinds of new papers is
fascinating. But it takes a high-end digital
camera and the best printer and scanner
you can afford if you want top quality
results. If you need professional help,
The LightRoom in Berkeley (649-8111)
is one of the best for LightJet archiving,
Masterprint and Giclee printing (artwork
reproduction via inkjet printing), as well
as classic Ilfochrome printing. AG Photo
on College Avenue (652-6433) also offers
excellent services.
enlarger and darkroom equipment to your
neighborhood school.
The Other
John Bosko of Bosko’s Frame Shop
can’t get enough old negatives which he
buys at antique shows and flea markets.
He develops them using outdated printing
techniques like platinum and palladium
printing. Together with his friends,
photographers John Penn and Rondal
Partridge, he designs and experiments
with unusual cameras made from parts
of discarded equipment. I asked him what
one should do with old cameras. “Hold
on to good ones, forget the rest,” he
said, and added, “Don’t throw out your
lenses yet. Nikon and other companies are
now producing digital cameras that can
be fitted with these wonderful lenses.”
However, even John can’t wait to get a
good Epson printer to do some really
large prints of some of the phenomenal
images he has collected.
The Old
Does all this negate the old ways of
doing things? Agatha Wang, owner of AG
Photo, whose business will soon consist of
80% digital and 20% film work, says classic
film is not disappearing but simply taking
its own unique place. Holding up a large
inkjet reproduction of a monotype, she
says she rues the absence of the “glorious
defect” which can occur in the silk screen
process. Students, she says, should learn
classic methods first because it will ground
them firmly in the basics of photography.
If you do plan to go digital, donate your
The digital process is thrilling
Veiled Head in Window
— Ted Williams
PhotoShop Manipulated; B&W
We hope to see you at the exhibition
October 5-28 at the Rockridge Library. See
if you can tell the difference between film
and digital prints. For more information,
contact Ortrun Niesar at oniesar@aol.com.
or 986-9560.
Rockridge Photography Exhibition
Last Call for Entries
S
eptember 10 is the deadline for submitting entries to the annual Rockridge
Photo Exhibition which will be held October 5-28 in the Rockridge Library.
The non-juried show is open to photographers of all ages and levels of experience.
Parent-child teams are welcome. The subject is: Rockrige, how we live, work and
play. Participants must live, study or work in and around Rockridge to participate.
Film and digital formats welcome. Flyers with details are available at AG Photo
on College. For more information, contact Ortrun Niesar at oniesar@aol.com
or 986-9560.
12.
September 5, 2004
Ilana Wexler
from page 1
praised Kerry, told Vice President Cheney he
deserved “a timeout” for using the F word,
and ended with a fist punched into the air.
News networks and newspapers across
the nation carried images of the spirited
“Orphan Annie,” and family phones rang
with requests for interviews and even a spot
on the Letterman and Leno shows.
Now that the hoopla has quieted down,
Ilana has time to remember other special
moments aside from the thrill of the spot-
light and working with the Kerry-Edwards
team. One was discovering Dianne Fein-
stein sitting “right behind me” and another
when she bumped into Howard Dean and
“shrieked” like any kid would upon seeing a
favorite movie star. She was also surprised
when the audience, which had been talk-
ing noisily during most speeches, fell silent
as she stood at the podium, especially the
“California, North Carolina, Georgia and
Colorado delegations which all listened,
listened, listened” to what she had to say.
“But maybe it’s because I was only 12,”
she added. At first she thought she might
“freak out” to speak to 20,000 live people
and millions on TV, “but I’m kinda proud I
didn’t.” The fact she rehearsed her speech a
thousand times helped, along with a previ-
ous speech she wrote and delivered to 500
women at a Kerry event.
At home: Jonathan, Mori, Ilana, and Heidi Neipris Wexler PHOTOS: CY GULASSA
Kerry will do better.
News. While she might swing a bat once
in awhile, her favorite sport is swimming.
She’s a member of the Oakland Baracudas, a
competitive team that swims throughout the
state and has won its share of trophies.
Whether Cheney gets the timeout she
recommended is uncertain, but there won’t
be one for Ilana, who’s busy sorting options
and opportunities. This fall she’ll be telling
kids why they should join her Kids For a
Change PAC, which has already netted sev-
eral thousand dollars. She’s also polishing a
speech planned for a democratic function in
New York during the Republican convention
and is getting ready for school, where her
favorite subject is social studies. Fame does
have its distractions. It’ll take time to decide
whether she wants to write a book — three
publishers have already shown interest — and
she’s gotten over 3,000 fan letters to answer.
When asked whether she had film offers,
she giggled a modest “no.”
How did she get started in politics? “One
day my parents asked me what I wanted to do
and I said, ‘I want to go to the phone bank
and help John Kerry.’ and there I was talking
to someone in Wisconsin.” Next came Kids
for Kerry and then Teresa Heinz Kerry’s
invitation to the convention. If Kerry wins,
will she speak at the inauguration? Well, she
hasn’t been officially asked, “but if someone
does, I might.”
Does Ilana have a message for Rockridge
kids? You bet! She wants them to please sign
the National No Name Calling Day Petition
on the website at www.kids4achange.com.
“Our goal is to stop negative ads like the
Swift Boat Veterans for Truth by the time
our generation is able to vote!” Over the next
two months she hopes to travel to several
swing states — in between swimming and
school and public appearances — to “get
other kids involved in the petition drive and
help register people to vote.”
To keep abreast of politics, Ilana watches
CSPAN, KTVU, ABC, NBC and CBS, and
reads the Chronicle, Oakland Tribune,
Newsweek and Time. Although she did not
specifically say so, this writer assumes
she intended to include The Rockridge
Her favorite speaker was Bill Clinton, and
next was John Kerry who earns a ten on her
scale of one to ten. When appraising Bush,
she prefers to “talk about his policies rather
than him.” His No Child Left Behind Act,
she says, is too focused on testing, funding
is inadequate, and she thinks he’s too preoc-
cupied with drilling for oil. She’s confident
RH SYSTEMS
510.655.5252
Summer Sales are Sizzling!
• PC Maintenance & Repair
Rockridge Sales — August 2004
Address
Bed/Ba. List Price
Selling Price Close Date
6030 Colby St.
3/1
$699,000
$700,000
8/5/2004
5340 Broadway Ter.
2/2
$435,000
$481,000
8/6/2004
6092 Hillegass Ave.
2/1
$639,000
$629,000
8/6/2004
5307 Boyd Ave.
2/1
$639,000
$650,000
8/12/2004
5940 Taft Ave.
5/2
$895,000
$1.030,000
8/12/2004
484 Pedestrian Wy.
2/1
$569,000
$540,000
8/13/2004
6022 Colby St.
2/1
$595,000
$675,000
8/24/2004
Please contact me if you
are interested in buying or
selling.
For outstanding customer
service, visit me and my
team at my new location
on 2099 Pleasant Valley in
Oakland.
We now have convenient
parking for you!
• Network Setup & Tuning
• Wireless Installation
• DSL/Cable Broadband Help
• Security
• Custom programming
I have 25 years experience
in Rockridge resolving computer
problems for business and home
users. Free phone consultation.
13.
September 5, 2004
Daily Bread
there overnight, and receiving organizations
come by to get it in the morning.
“Joan is really something,” said Julianne
Morris, volunteer food coordinator for Daily
Bread. “We have a lot of good volunteers,
but she’s a standout in the sense that she
was willing to look for new food sources
and volunteers on her own.”
from page 3
also donates food to other groups. “It is
effortless on our part when such generous
people give of their time to pick the foods
up from our store.”
Enlisting The Pasta Shop wasn’t the end
of Joan’s innovations. The pickups at Market
Hall take place late in the evening—8:30 or
9 p.m.—after many of the receiving shelters
have closed their doors for the day. Wouldn’t
it be great, Joan thought, if the food could
be held somewhere overnight and delivered
the next morning?
Or as Joan puts it, “They started with a
little bread, and I parlayed that into more
bread and then the deli.” Joan is always on
the lookout for new food sources and for new
volunteers. “Every time I see people or talk
about this work,” she says, “I always have
the idea that someone might volunteer.”
New Service
Namaste.
Yoga in Rockridge
Not surprisingly, it was Joan who con-
tacted The Rockridge News about doing an
article on the food project. So now she’s
talking to you, and you can imagine what
she’s thinking.
Joan’s neighbor Maria occasionally vol-
unteered space in her refrigerator, but then
Joan “got the idea of going onto Craigslist
and asking if we could get a refrigerator
donated,” she says. Two Oakland women
who were remodeling their kitchen offered a
refrigerator; one of the participating shelters
sent a truck to pick it up, and Maria pro-
vided lodging in her backyard. Now, food
picked up from Market Hall can be left
5416 College Avenue
510-547-YOGA
www.namasterockridge.com
!$*(*"
$& ' "'!&!&%
!"!%' &!&%
$" %% "! "$#"$& "!
+ &)#$#$& "! + %&&# !! !
+ &)# !! !
+ '% !%%( '& "!
" (!'' &
! "$!
! "
!
5295 College Avenue (nr Broadway)
Oakland • 510 601 8828
INCREASING PROPERTY VALUES: EXAMPLE #4
5117 LAWTON — A ROCKRIDGE GEM
BEFORE: MARKET VALUE $490-525,000: This unique
property was in mixed condition with a high termite
report. I was chosen from other agents to take on this
project. The house, cottage and grounds needed exten-
sive work and the house needed total renovation.
I assisted the owner in the design and planning and
brought in my renovation crew who worked alongside the
owner for 3 months. I consulted with the owner 3-4 times
a week to make sure the property would be market-ready
and attract the best price. The end result was one of the
most unique Asian/California designs in Rockridge.
%"#
)
&"((
"& '# $ #
" $ $"(#" $
AFTER: SOLD FOR $775,000.
Call for a consultation: 1-800-805-8827
www.HomesEastBay.info JeffAuen@comcast.net
& %
!
)
&"((
14.
September 5, 2004
TICKET FEES OUTRAGEOUS
Editor and Councilmember Brunner:
Letters to
The Editor
I am a resident of the North Oakland area (65th St. and
Telegraph). I would first like to say that I appreciate all you
have done, and are doing for the area. I do have a concern
that I would like to bring to your attention with regards to
parking, specifically 65th Street street sweeping violations.
The Rockridge News
5245 College Ave., PMB 311
Oakland, CA 94618
or e-mail:
editor@rockridge.org
I just received my second citation (the last one was my
mistake), but this one really got to me, as it was issued while
I was on vacation. This wouldn’t be such a big concern except
that the fine is $48! Certain citations have simply exploded
into the realm of being unreasonably expensive in the City
of Oakland. I understand that keeping the streets clean is a
priority, but I don’t think that it should warrant such a hefty
penalty, should a resident forget. In San Francisco, the fine
is much more reasonable for this offense (about $30).
The Rockridge News welcomes letters to the editor. Please limit to 200 words and
include name, address and a phone number for verification. Only your name will
appear with your letter. Letters may be edited for clarity and brevity.
ACTUALLY, WE’VE BEEN HERE AWHILE
Editor:
I’m sure you’re aware of how expensive it is to live in the
Bay Area in general, and these exorbitant fines do nothing to
strengthen our community. It’s frustrating to feel I am being
gouged by the city I live and work in.
The Peralta Parent Teacher Group (PPTG) and the Lower Rock-
ridge Parents Group (LRPG) would like to thank The Rockridge News
for all the wonderful coverage you have been providing for Peralta
Elementary as well as the other Oakland public schools in the Rock-
ridge area. It is so important that Rockridge families be aware of the
strong educational options that exist within our neighborhood!
It begs the question, is a car-length piece of gutter being
dirty for 30 days worth $48? As a resident, I say no.
Matt Ruhstaller
However, we would like to make one important correction to the
article entitled “Peralta Elementary School, an Oakland Success Story,”
which appeared in your June edition. That article indicated that the
Peralta Parent Teacher Group was formed by LRPG members just two
years ago. In fact, PPTG was formed over 20 years ago by parents want-
ing to create a unique, small public school for their children. Peralta
school has a long history of very active parents, including Alameda
County Schools Superintendent Sheila Jordan, Oakland City Council
Member Jane Brunner, and former School Board Representative Ken
Rice, all of whom have children that graduated from Peralta.
PG&E BUTCHERS TREE
Editor:
I am writing to express my dismay about the street-tree
pruning that PG&E crews are doing in Rockridge and around
the East Bay. I’ve noticed others’ butchered trees for some
time now and thought, “What a shame.” Now the huge, gor-
geous old tree in front of my house has received a haircut
from which it will never recover. The tree is probably about
100 years old, like my house. It once enhanced both the look
and the property value of the entire block. But one day while
I was at work, its soaring, vertical branches were lopped off,
leaving it misshapen and imbalanced. Ironically, the crew cut
only the branches that were well above the electric wires, so
if the tree ever was a fire hazard, that hasn’t changed. My
neighbors and I stand in our front yards and shake our heads.
“What were they thinking? It will never grow back.”
It’s important to recognize that Peralta is not a recent “turn-around”
school. Peralta has a rich tradition of providing quality education, and
has been referred to as “the best kept secret in the Oakland Unified
School District.” Thanks to good publicity from sources such as The
Rockridge News, the secret is finally getting out!
Susan Killebrew
Peralta Parent and
Lower Rockridge Parents’ Group Member
The pruners are clearly not getting the training they need.
Since PG&E made a net profit of $372 million in the last quar-
ter alone, it certainly seems possible for the utility to provide
basic training for its front-line workers, whether they are
PG&E-employed or contractors. It also seems fair for PG&E
to compensate ratepayers
who must pay a profes-
CONTINUED TOP OF NEXT PAGE
#
! "
15.
September 5, 2004
Neighborhood Tails
Betraying Mr. Grey
Letters, from previous page
sional arborist to correct its botched
jobs.
by Claire Wahrhaftig-Isaacs
Mr. Grey
Beautiful street trees are one of the
defining characteristics of Rockridge and
a big reason why our neighborhood is so
highly valued. I encourage the Rockridge
Community Planning Council to work with
PG&E to remedy this situation.
Carol Emert
arrived four years ago in a Novem-
ber drizzle, his hair sticking
to his ribs. His left ear was permanently down-
turned. When he walked, he limped. When he
trotted, he ambled sideways. And he yowled,
“Nyeowl,” nastily, insistently, outside our
kitchen door. I put out a little dry food. He
gorged it down and came back for more. He
knew us for suckers.
INSTEAD OF AN ARCHWAY…
Editor and
Councilmember Brunner:
Neighbors pointed out that no one had
ever caught him. He was a local menace;
he needed fixing. Surely one night the rac-
coons would get him, but he kept turning up,
yowling, howling, meowing. He was so thin. I dribbled canned food juice on the dry
food to satisfy his appetite. Our aging black Mitzi hissed with spite and jealousy. But
Mr. Grey would come around and sun bathe on the patio, snooze on the deck railing, or
squat royally in the hillside gazebo.
I write to express my concerns regarding
the proposal to spend $150,000 to install
archways across College Avenue at both
ends of the Rockridge district. If the final
decision has not been made, I hope that
you will consider these thoughts.
This would be a terrible waste of commu-
nity resources. As beneficial as these symbolic
gestures have been in other neighborhoods
in the past, there are far higher priorities to
consider, such as the following:
When he’d disappear for a few days, I was strangely relieved to see him again. In the
winter I put up a small shelter, but he probably didn’t use it. I added more canned food
to the dry, since he seemed to have trouble eating. When four abandoned kittens showed
up on the patio, he watched over them. We found homes, keeping little striped Leo.
This spring Mr. Grey was scroungier than ever, and clearly in pain. He’d arrive
bleeding and bedraggled. For weeks I accustomed him to getting into a cat carrier, but
I wasn’t fast enough to shut it and catch the wiley guy.
1. Widening the sidewalks near the
BART station and eliminating some of the
parking to create wide sidewalk cafes that
could be used by the public. Italy does this
with wooden platforms during the summer
months, so that the parking spaces can be
readily restored in winter months.
Finally, motivated by a stern letter from East Bay SPCA to “spay and neuter!” I
phoned “Fix our Ferals.” Within twelve hours the local catpeople had ensnared me and
supplied a trap. I read the elaborate directions, practiced with the spring, and shopped
for top quality “human” tuna to bait the trap.
2. Hiring a security guard at the BART
station and arrangeing with BART to encour-
age weekend and nighttime parking for
restaurant patrons. Those of us who live
in the area know that parking is allowed
after hours, but most visitors don’t; therefore
residential streets get clogged.
3. Providing a frequent, free shuttle along
College Avenue, to encourage folks to park at
the BART station and use the shuttle to visit
establishments further along the street.
4. Installing some art at prominent street
corners or under the BART station.
5. Installing a sound barrier (glass enclo-
sure) on BART platforms, so patrons don’t
have to endure thundering traffic noises.
6. Subsidizing AC transit to run more
frequent buses on College Avenue.
7. Encouraging a farmer’s market adja-
cent to Market Hall on weekends.
I’m sure there are even more wonderful
things to do with the funds, but squandering
them on an archway does not seem to be of
much long-term benefit to our area.
Thanks for all your good work,
Frederick Hertz
For several days I placed it outdoors, covered
with towels, good food inside. I tempted Mr.
Grey to go in and get used it. Then came
Wednesday, TrapDay. He went half way
into the set trap, then backed out. He was
very wary.
Suddenly Gravy appeared, a tame
local cat, upsetting
all my plans. I fed
MR. GREY, PAGE 17
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16.
September 5, 2004
Tired of Traffic and a Lack of Parking
In Rockridge? Stop Driving (So Much)!
Sixth Annual
Creek to Bay
Day Cleanup
O
by John Potis
F
acetious title, yes, but seriously, one way to beat the traffic and parking difficulties
in our popular neighborhood is to walk or bike to do your small errands or pick
up that fresh morning bun on Sunday. Do you walk, run or bike for exercise? Why not
combine the pursuit of good health with the pursuit of those last few ingredients for
dinner by taking a quick stroll or bike ride to the grocery? If you are reading this, then
you are likely to be a resident of Rockridge or nearby and well within cycling or even
walking distance to any number of hardware, video, or grocery stores in our greater
neighborhood.
n Saturday, September 18, from 9 to
noon, volunteers will give the Rock-
ridge-Temescal Greenbelt a fall cleanup.
We’ll begin the workday with coffee, juice
and morning snacks in the Claremont DMV
parking lot at Redondo and Cavour. The first
50 volunteers receive 2004 Creek to Bay
Day t-shirts. All ages are welcome, and kids
are encouraged to bring their parents.
Not only are you improving your health and shopping locally, but by walking or
cycling you are suddenly accessible to your neighbors and visitors and — egads — you
might even stop and talk to one of them. Imagine that, interacting with others on the
street instead of cussing at them or honking to remind them the light has been green
for a half-second.
This is the sixth year that the DMV
Neighbors Association and the City of
Oakland have sponsored the cleanup along
Temescal Creek between Clifton and Clarke
Streets. The City of Oakland Public Works
Environmental Services Division supplies
us with rakes, brooms, shovels, litter pickup
sticks, loppers, gloves, and garbage bags.
Things you can bring: a water bottle, your
own gloves, and your favorite gardening
tool. Extra wheelbarrows are always a big
help. Please label any tools you bring with
your name and phone number.
Hmmm, so altogether that’s health, environmental, local business and neighborhood
community benefits — so many unselfish reasons to reconsider driving next time you
need just a few things from the store.
Thanks. I hope to run into you — figuratively speaking — out biking or walking to
the store so we can talk — about what a great neighborhood we live in.
Please join us. For more information:
http://www.oaklandpw.com/creeks, or
contact Margaret Pinter, 655-1767.
General Dentistry
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17.
September 5, 2004
Complete architectural
services since 1970
Betraying Mr. Grey from page 15
him heartily and gently kicked him off the property. Mitzi and Leo I shooed inside. I
moved the trap to the other side of the house, reset it and walked away. A few minutes
later, there was Mr. Grey inside: spitting, thrashing, furious. After nearly four years, I
had betrayed his trust. I felt like a total traitor.
5278 College Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 654-6755 fax 654-3424
With heavy heart, and a very heavy trap filled with a furious feline, I drove gingerly
to the VCA Veterinarian Hospital at 45th and Shattuck. There, Dr. Carl Singer asked
if I wanted him to test Mr. Grey for Feline Leukemia and Cat AIDS. Why wouldn’t I
wish Mr. Grey tested? Well, said the doctor, a positive result would suggest one should
euthanize the cat, to avoid spreading the disease. Stuffing my feelings inside I replied,
responsibly, “Go ahead and test.”*
But, once home I suffered, hurt, and cried. I depleted the supply of low carb ice cream.
I was frantic. Had I condemned my wild little friend to death? I really loved this messy
little fur ball.
The phone rang. Dr. Singer said, “Well, I am amazed; this cat tested negative.” So, I
could release Mr. Grey into the community without guilt. The doctor had neutered the
poor guy, given him the first shots he’s ever had, treated a serious bleeding abcess on his
shoulder, washed his fur, checked his teeth — broken but usable — and noted that he
was blind in one eye. “If he’s managed to survive this long in his condition, I think he
can survive outside.” Whew. Mr. Grey had passed muster.
Back home, groggy, sedated, Mr. Grey meowed softly in his sleep. We were both
exhausted.
Three hours later a hissing, scratching, angry pack of energy lept out, ignored the food
and water set for him, and bounded across the patio to freedom. I whimpered to Kristen
at Fix our Ferals. “I may never see him again.”
"SHOULD YOU
SAVE FOR YOUR
KID'S COLLEGE
OR FOR YOUR
RETIREMENT?
OR BOTH?"
“I wouldn’t count on that, Claire,” she said. “He knows
where the food is. Give him a few days. He’ll be back.”
It’s Friday morning. I just heard a familiar “nyeowl.”
Hello, Mr. Grey! He’s so busy chowing down he doesn’t
shrink (a first) when I pet him. Perhaps, after all, I didn’t
betray Mr. Grey.
* There are free and low cost neutering clinics, but Mr. Grey needed immediate medical help.
My cost was about $200. The deposit on the trap was $40 which I donated to Fix our Ferals,
which holds monthly clinics. Their hotline is 433-9446.
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REALTYADVOCATESCOM
3ERVING 2OCKRIDGE 3INCE
18.
September 5, 2004
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. October deadline is September 16.
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.
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.
Personalized Weight Loss
Healthy Living Solutions. FREE body analysis
and personalized consultation. “Good Health &
Wellness through Good Nutrition.” Gary Sinick
510.597-1129 www.for-a1health.com. Your local
Herbalife Independent Distributor.
Housecleaning
Reasonable rates. Expert & reliable services
from local employment cooperative. Call
534-6766 and we’ll send someone to spiff
up your home. Ask for our references from
Rockridge clients.
English Tutor
Rockridge resident tutors students in reading,
writing, grammar, college application essays. 20
years of experience as a professional writer,
editor and journalist; experience tutoring
English, math, ESL. Harvard M.A. Susan 510/
466-5502
Nanny Available
…for evening work after 6 pm. Also available
for weekend work. Looking for something
permanent. Excellent references. CPR Certi-
fied. Infant and child care. Safety first aid. Alice
510.547-1463.
Database/Excel Consultant
Get out that mailing, take inventory, keep track
of things! Rockridge-based Access programmer
and Excel expert working with individuals, small
business and non-profits. Excellent references.
Datamajig: 510.852-4218.
Cleaning Out Closets to Clean
Out the Whitehouse
Multi-family garage & bake sale & register to
vote! All proceeds donated to MoveOnPac.
Sunday, September 12, 10am-3pm, 5400 block
Lawton. Furniture, children’s clothes, books
and more.
$ #
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YOU MAY LIVE 30 YEARS
PAST RETIREMENT.
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19.
September 5, 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
Writer’s Support/Critique Group
Creek To Bay Day Cleanup
Saturday, 9/18, 9am to noon. Potluck follows
at 12:15pm. Meet at Temescal Creek where
it runs through the Claremont DMV parking
lot, at Redondo and Cavour. Tools provided.
Sponsored by the DMV Neighbors Association and
the City of Oakland.
Activities and Events for Seniors
Rockridge Branch Library, every third Saturday, 1:30
to 5pm. ALL writers welcome. Bring 8 copies of up to
5 pages of your prose for on-site reading/discussion.
Sponsored by the California Writers Club, Berkeley
branch (www.berkeleywritersclub.org/) For more
information, call 482-0265 or Writefox@aol.com
Diesel Book/Poetry Readings
10am to noon: Peralta Elementary School: 460 63rd
St. (parking on Alcatraz Ave., just east of Telegraph).
No Sept. meeting. Next meeting on Saturday, October
9. Meeting topic: The November Ballot, including
Oakland’s Violence Prevention Measure with OPD
Chief Richard Word. For more information: 238-7001
or www.oaklandnet.com.
Oakland City Council Meeting
• COLLEGE AVENUE ADULT CENTER, College Ave.
5433 College Ave. All events are FREE and open to
the public.
• Tuesday, 9/7, 7pm. Book Group #1 will discuss Jose
Presbyterian Church, 5955 College Ave. Every
Wednesday, from 9:30am to 1:30pm. Light exer-
cise, socializing, travel programs and music. Hot
lunch available at noon for $2. For details about
upcoming field trips and special programs, call
Kathy at 531-6724.
• NORTH OAKLAND MULTI-PURPOSE SENIOR CENTER
5714 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Center Hours:
Monday–Friday, 8:45am to 4:45pm. Variety of
classes, workshops, educational/social events,
walking groups and field trips. Free health insur-
ance counseling and Health Clinic. 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 + $2.00 and $4.00 for those under age 60).
Call 597- 5085 to get details about member-
ship, newsletter, class or appointment times,
and opportunities to become a volunteer.
Elder Care Support Group
Every Tuesday, 7pm, City Hall.
Oakland Planning Commission
Saramago’s novel Blindness.
• Wednesday , 9/8, 7:30pm. Vendela Vida: And Now
1st and 3rd Wednesday each month, 6:30pm, City Hall.
Agendas and details at www.oaklandnet.com.
The Greater Rockridge N’hood
Crime Prevention Council
You Can Go.
• Sunday, 9/12, 2pm. David Schickler: Sweet and
Vicious.
• Monday, 9/13, 7:30pm. Amnesty International
monthly meeting. All welcome.
• Tuesday, 9/14, 7/30pm. Book Group #3 will discuss
Steering Committee meets 3rd Tuesday each month,
7 to 8:30pm. Note new address: Temescal Library,
5205 Telegraph Ave. Residents and business mem-
bers of NCPC’s 12Y and 13X areas are invited to voice
their concerns about crime and public safety.
Rockridge Branch Library
More Like Wrestling by Danyel Smith.
• Monday, 9/20, 7:30pm. Maura Conlon-McIvor: FBI
Girl: How I Learned to Crack My Father’s Code.
• Tuesday, 9/21, 7:30pm. Arthur Blaustein: Make
a Difference: America’s Guide to Volunteering and
Community Service.
• Thursday, 9/23, 7:30pm. Melissa Lion: Swollen.
• Sunday, 9/26, 2pm. UC Poetry Event. The New
5366 College Avenue, (510)597-5017
FOR CHILDREN:
• Toddler Story Time: 1st and 2nd Saturday,
10:30am: 9/4, 9/11, 10/2, 10/9.
• Pre-School Story Time: 1st and 3rd Wednesday,
California Poetry Series presents readings by
their most recently published poets.
• Wednesday, 9/29, 7:30pm. Chris Baty: No Plot? No
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 869-4569, or e-mail Monicalcsw@
alum.calberkeley.org.
Volunteers Needed
10:30 & 11am: 9/15, 10/6.
• Pajama Story Time: 2nd and 4th Tuesday, 7pm:
Problem!: A High Velocity, Low-Stress Way to Write
a Novel in 30 Days.
For more inf. about readings, book/discussion groups and
classes: 653-9965 or www.dieselbookstore.com.
Curves Rockridge First Anniversary
Open House
9/14, 9/28.
GENERAL REMINDER: Children who are 5 years old or
have started Kindergarten (whichever comes first)
can get their own library card. Come in anytime to
get your first card, and receive a gift paperback.
FOR ADULTS:
• Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice.
• ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK. All wel-
come, 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 ser-
vice. Hotline shifts Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm and 1-4pm.
Call Volunteer Mgr. Mary Schoen: 834-FOOD(3663)
or www.accfb.org.
• BAMBINO THRIFT SHOP: All Volunteer Shop benefit-
ing 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
(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
Avenue Presbyterian Church, (next to Dryers ice
cream). Contact Jennifer Bloom, Director: 655-0540
or teachers@noccs.org.
• SECOND START ADULT LITERACY PROGRAM OF THE
OAKLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY. Volunteer tutors to meet
regularly with adults learning to read. Some meeting
at the Rockridge Branch Library. Free training. Nine
month minimum commitment. Call 238-3432 or
www.oaklandlibrary.org/services/SecondStart/
index.html.
Market Hall lower level on Shafter, across from BART,
Sunday, 9/12, 12:30 to 4:30pm.
• Free talks and door prizes.
• Free blood pressure tests and physician consultation
First Tuesday of each month: 9/7, 10/5, 6 to 8pm.
Advance sign-up 5pm.
• Writing Workshop: Writing for Creative Expres-
sion and Spiritual Growth, with Suzanne West.
Registration required. Please call 597-5017.
• Saturday, 9/25, 2:00-4:30.
from 9am to 4:30pm.
• Book drive to benefit Children’s Book Project. Drop off
new or used children’s books through September.
• Fundraiser in honor of 9-11 to benefit the Oakland
Library Hours: See box, top of page 2
Story Reader Training for Head
Start Volunteers
Firefighters Random Acts of Kindness.
For more information call Anne at 655-8808.
Photographs of Seabiscuit
ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY. Sign up for the Story Reader
Training, if you are interested in being a Volunteer
Story Reader at an Oakland Head Start Center. Vol-
unteers are asked to commit to 8 training sessions
and a six-month weekly assignment at a local Head
Start Center. Each volunteer is then assigned to a
Head Start Center. For more info, or to sign up,
please call Marta Rodriguez at: 238-7453.
College Avenue Street Fair
Rockridge Café, 5492 College Avenue. Wonderful origi-
nal photos, on loan from Bosko’s Framing on College
Ave., are on display through October. Mon- Sat, 7:30am
to 3pm. Sunday, 8am to 3pm. For more information
about the photos call John Bosko: 655-3966.
Frog Park Semi-Annual Work Party
Saturday, 9/18, 8am to 5pm. Improve the parks and
landscaping. Volunteers sign in at the registration
tables in Hardy Park and near the Redondo Park play
structures. We’ll provide morning bagels and coffee
and lunch in Hardy Park. Sponsored by The Friends
of Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt.
Sunday, 9/26, 11am to 5pm. Among the many festiv-
ites: live music, Market Hall “Picnic in the Street,” free
cable car trolley between B’way and Alcatraz Ave. For
more information contact Rockridge District Assoc.
at 604-3125 or info@rockridgedistrict.com.
20.
September 5, 2004
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Proven Results in Selling Rockridge Homes.
Providing top quality service to buyers and sellers
of fine homes for 18 years.
A proud supporter of Chabot Elementary School.
Jan Fougner
OWNER – BROKER
BUYING OR SELLING IN
ROCKRIDGE? IF YOU
NEED THE SERVICES
OF A REALTOR, CALL
ME. I HAVE 27 YEARS
OF ROCKRIDGE SALES
EXPERIENCE AND THE
EXPERTISE YOU NEED.
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