Extracted text · highlighting “North Oakland”

www.rockridge.org

VOL. 21      NO. 2      ISSUE NO. 220    February 4, 2006
 CIRCULATION: 5,100 Residences; 200 Businesses

Sponsored by The Rockridge Community Planning Council • 5245 College Ave. PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94618 • 869-4200

De La Fuente Donates $100K to FROG Park
Residents
Want
Zoning Laws
Preserved

Message loud and clear
at Town Hall Meeting
by Jessica Pitt, RCPC Vice Chair
On January 19, RCPC held a Town
Hall meeting to gather input
from community members on issues
they would like RCPC to focus on in
the coming year. The discussion was
lively and informative. Several themes
emerged:
Preserving Local Zoning
Ignacio De La Fuente, President of the Oak-
land City Council and declared mayoral
candidate, presents FROG Park stalwarts
(from left) Ronnie Spitzer, Jennifer Cooper,
and Theresa Nelson at the January RCPC Town
Hall meeting with a $100,000 check drawn on
his share of a community project fund. Sixty
community members at the meeting enthusias-
tically welcomed the contribution, which will
help finance the final phase of the Rockridge
Greenbelt, the linear park extending from
Hardy Park to Redondo Woods at Redondo
Community members are very con-
cerned about preserving existing zoning,
and would like RCPC to make this a
top priority. Oakland’s zoning laws dic-
tate both the
density and
use of build-
ings. For
ex a m p l e ,
Rockridge
has a spe-
cial zoning designation for College
Avenue, called C-31, which was created
by Rockridge residents to preserve
and enhance retail within the com-
mercial corridor. It restricts retail
use to the ground floor, with office
and residential use allowed on upper
floors. Zoning also limits the height of
Ignacio signs the check.
“Preserve
existing
zoning”
— Community
and Clarke Streets. In a related matter (story,
page 7), developers of the recently-aproved
CiviQ project at 51st Street and Telegraph
Avenue have agreed to an RCPC condition to
set aside a deeded strip of land that will extend
the Greenbelt to 51st and Telegraph.
n Rockridge Traffic and Pedestrian/
Bicycle S afety C
ommittee
Traffic a Priority
for RCPC
Committee
RCPC Seeks
Board Candidates
for April Election
Looking for a way to help promote
community projects that enhance
the quality of life in Rockridge? Serving
on the Rockridge Community Planning
Council Board of Directors offers you
the perfect opportunity.
Town Hall, page 12
¬
by Steve Meyer, Chair, RCPC Traffic and
Pedestrian Safety Committee
S
Notice
peeding cars… lack of crosswalks…
no bicycle lanes…. Do you live on, use,
or know of a street that has chronic traffic
and/or pedestrian/bicycle safety issues? If so,
please get involved with the Rockridge Traffic
and Pedestrian/
RCPC Has a
 New Phone Number
 You Can Now Reach Us at:
Six Board vacancies will be filled by
an election to be held April 20. Prospec-
tive candidates must submit a written
510/869-4200
RCPC Call for Candidates, page 15
¬
Traffic Priority, page 12
¬


2.

February 4, 2006

In My Opinion
ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY

5366 College Avenue

A Word Problem: Playing Culinary Tug of War

by Natasha Ravnik
T

597-5017
HOURS:
Mon,Tues:
Weds,Thurs, Sat:
12:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
12 – 5:30 p.m.
CLOSED

he food writer’s dilemma is a Greek myth in food’s clothing: The nature of the beast
is one part food and the other part writing. Imagine a snakehead on a giraffe’s body.
Fantastical, yes, practical, no. The problem with food is that you always want to eat what
you try to write about. There is a gentle tug of war between the sweet aroma of that delicious
next meal and the pull of the ink to your paper. “Put the red bean bun down right now and
write about it. Don’t sip that coffee–look at it, stare into its frothy white oasis, capture the
essence of ‘X’ food” you are trying to get to know. Well, by this time that dumpling you
were eating is cold, the coffee beyond lukewarm, and the soup has lost its steaming. What’s
a food writer to do? To eat or to write about it — that is the question.

Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.
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.

The perfect creme brulee or warm goat cheese tart is placed before your eyes and
nose and you have to say, “Uh, hold that while I jot down a few notes.” How insulting.
But really, how else is one to do the proper job of savoring? We are faced with a word
problem: a word problem about food. Conflicted, torn between the opportunity to write
about food, and the nagging cries of our inner gastro-gnomes who want us to just sit
down and eat!
The Gastro-Gnomical Me

Rockridge News Production
Cy Gulassa...........................Editor
Ortrun Niesar.....................The Muse
Claire Wahrhaftig-Isaacs.... Writer
Barry Kaufman...................Food
Jo Ellis...................................Advertising &

My inner gastro-gnome is essentially my compass: he sits about waist high and decides
what and how I like to eat. Most times I’m not even in charge. I do all his bidding. When
I go to restaurants he chooses what I like to eat. My eyes make contact with the menu
and voila, a decision is made. My inner gastro-gnome is part French and part Slovenian;
how to satisfy such a disparate little gourmet? Not easy.

Community Calendar
Theresa Nelson.....................Neighborhood Merchant
Lydia Gans...........................Photography
Susan Montauk...................Business Manager
Don Kinkead.......................Graphics & Layout
RCPC Board of Directors, 2005-2006

The French like their meals sitting down. There will be no rushing, if you please. In
Slovenia, where my family is from, meals are also slow. We take our time to eat, like
taking a stroll on a summer Sunday. There is no rush, no hurry. The meal is destination,
process and purpose. Not something to get through. It is not fuel.

Deborah Weinstein...........Chair
Jessica Pitt............................Vice-Chair
Adrienne DeAngelo..........Secretary
Susan Montauk...................Treasurer
Kent Deverell, Jennifer Edmister, Cy Gulassa,
Al Hussian, Hiroko Kurihara, Mike McDonald,
Steve Meyer, Mike Taylor, Stephanie Upp, Robert Wiles

A Slovenian meal recharges. As in classic French cuisine, Slovenian food comes in a
series of courses. Usually a soup is served first, followed by meat dishes, vegetables, a
communal salad, and perhaps dessert or fruit. More than likely there will be coffee too,
or tea, depending on the family who serves. My inner gnome really likes this — he’s a
gourmet. He says, “Do not rush me, I’m savoring. Get out of my way, I’m getting in touch
with my inner hedonistic sensibility.” A gastro-gnome is not for sport or play — eating
is serious business, and he (or she) does not want distractions.
The Decibel Factor
T

Newsletter Subscriptions
For annual subscriptions to The Rockridge
News, send your check for $20, payable to Rockridge
News Subscriptions, to: Rockridge News Subscriptions
at the address below.
Contacting The Rockridge News
	 Are there community issues you’d like to see

his fall, I perused a copy of the San Francisco Chronicle’s Insider’s Guide to the Top
100 Bay Area Restaurants for 2005. In it I came across a funny phenomenon I call
the decibel factor. Each restaurant has a category listing how loud, or how many decibels,
it got. The rating also considered how easily you could speak to the other people at your
table. I have thought about this on many occasions when deciding whether or not to go to
a particular restaurant, but this category struck me. I wondered: What kind of ambiance
do we choose to eat in? Are we under stress when we sit down to table? Does this affect
our digestion? Does it reflect how we view the dining experience or the complex, dance-
like relationship between patron and server, server and chef, chef and location?

covered in The Rockridge News?
	 Do you have questions about newsletter
distribution?
	 Would you like to volunteer to be a Rockridge
News block captain?
	 Would you like to write a letter to the Editor?
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: 510/869-4200

As a rosebud of a writer in the food and cooking industry, I think a lot about such
topics. I contemplate so much that my theoretical interests almost eclipse the spontane-
ity of eating.

Articles published in The Rockridge News may be
reprinted only with the permission of the Editor.

So my response to my inner gastro-gnome and anyone out there listening: Take time,
go to quiet places. Be with your food. Enjoy the consumption — let it consume you. Share
the meal. Pay attention to your plate. See the healthy bond between artichoke and fig,
rosemary and lamb, tangerine and jelly bean. Did they marry? Are they split up? Wine
pairing gone awry? Whatever the case, savor, don’t speak, write or analyze about the
shrimp or apple. At least not on the first bite. Take your time, find your pleasure. Dine a
lot and alone. Lower your decibels.

Sit down. Be quiet. Eat.

Newsletter Advertising/Deadlines
Publication date of the next issue is
 March 4, 2006
 March deadline is February 16.
Advertising rates are $22/column inch. Six-
month pre-pay rate available. For display ads,
call Jo Ellis at 653-3210 (after noon), or e-mail
joellis1@hotmail.com. (RCPC reserves the right
to refuse any display or classified ad that it deems
inappropriate.)


3.
February 4, 2006

Dogs on Public Streets Must be Leashed

The Zoning Counter
by Adrienne DeAngelo
Hleash areas. Hardy Park, in
Rockridge, is a fenced, off
leash dog park spanning 2.16
acres along Hardy Street and
Claremont Avenue.
Twenty-one-acre Point
Isabel Regional Shore-
line, in Richmond, is
one of the largest and
most beautiful off leash
parks in the country.
ave you ever strolled down the block
and seen an unleashed dog round the
corner ahead? Perhaps you hesitated: Is this
dog alone? A stray?
451-457 51st Street
Proposal: Convert an existing 4-residential
apartment building into 4 condominium units.
Applicant/Owner: Michael Pitler
Contact No: 510/368-1499
Permits Required: Tentative Parcel Map to
create 4 residential condominium units.
Case Planner: Jason Madani, 238-4790 or
jsmadani@oaklandnet.com
Then, a moment later, maybe you were
relieved to see a conscientious neighbor,
waste bag in hand, just a few paces behind
his pet.
If you live in Rockridge, this is not
an uncommon sight. Even if the dog and
neighbor are friendly, it can be an uncom-
fortable situation.
5775 Broadway
Proposal: Construct an approximately 800 sq.
ft., two-story addition and attached one-car
garage and deck to an existing two-story, single-
family dwelling.
Applicant/Owner: Henry Gutman
Contact No.: Henry Gutman 510/205-6592
Permits Required: Regular Design Review to
construct a new two-story addition to an exist-
ing two-story, single-family dwelling.
Case Planner: Mike Rivera, 238-6417 or
mrivera@oaklandnet.com
To learn more about dogs in the East
Bay Regional Parks, go to www.ebparks.
org and click on “dogs.”
Off leash dog walkers often believe they
have their animals under control. “My dog
would never hurt anyone,” they say. But
they could be wrong. “When I was living
in Michigan,” said Heidi Joshi, a former
Rockridge resident who is legally blind,
“my guide dog was attacked by a dog off
leash, so I am very fearful of all dogs off
leash. They can be unpredictable, especially
when encountering something unusual, like
a dog with a harness. Rockridge is a difficult
place to walk with a guide dog due to the
number of dogs off leash.”
East Bay SPCA Director of Communica-
tions Kirsten Park agrees. “Even if your dog
is in control,” she says, “you can’t always
control other people’s dogs.” Park, a dog
owner herself, doesn’t take her dog off leash
unless she’s in a designated area. “I’m not
willing to risk my dog running out in traffic
or approaching other dogs.”
Important Oakland
Ordinances All Dog Owners
Should Know:
Dog License
All dogs four months or older must be
licensed and wear a current license tag.
Three Dog Limit
5617 Ocean View Drive
Proposal: Replace existing front porch and stairs
at existing single family dwelling.
Owner: Leonard & Mary Ann Benson
Contact No.: Graff Architects 510/653-4500
Permits Required: Design Review and Minor
Variance to allow a 7' setback where 9' minimum
is required for porches.
Historic Status: Potential Designated Historic
Property (PDHP);
Survey rating: C2+
Case Planner: Maurice Brenyah-Addow,
238-6342 or mbrenyah@oaklandnet.com
Three dogs are allowed per household. It
is unlawful for any person to keep on any one
premise more than three dogs if the dogs are
more than 4 months old. Exemptions: House-
holds that have more than three dogs that are
licensed by January 1, 2006 are exempt. Licensed
dog kennels, etc., are exempt.
Dogs Required To Be Microchipped
All dogs over 4 months of age must be
microchipped. All dogs 4 months of age and
older must have a current rabies vaccination,
an implanted microchip with the number reg-
istered with Oakland Animal Services, and a
current license with Oakland Animal Services.
Dogs that are licensed by January 1, 2006 are
exempt from the microchip requirement for
one year. Every stray dog that is brought to
the Oakland Animal Shelter is scanned for a
microchip. Dogs that have microchips can be
reunited easily with their owners.
Dogs At Large
5432 Bryant Avenue
Proposal: Raise an existing single-family dwelling
2'-6" in height and create 850 s.f. of new floor
area at the new ground floor level, rebuild exte-
rior stairs, plus misc. window replacements and
cosmetic upgrades to exterior.
Applicant: Erin Shoot, Jason Kaldis Architects, Inc.
Contact No.: 510/549-3584
Owner: Debra Lobel and Pauline Moreno
Permits Required: Residential Design Review
per Section 17.136 for additions and alterations
to an existing single-family dwelling, and Minor
Variances to: (a), locate the rebuilt/taller front
stair 2.75' from the front lot line (10.29' min.
required; 6.58' existing nonconforming stair
setback, and 2.75' proposed), and (b), to locate
the rebuilt/taller north side stair at the north
side lot line (5' min. required; 0' existing noncon-
forming stair setback, and 0' proposed).
Case Planner: Ann Clevenger, 238-6980 or
aclevenger@oaklandnet.com
T
While some pet owners think that a
leash is detrimental to a dog’s well being,
Park says: “There are dogs that are on leash
all their lives except when they’re in their
homes, and they’re perfectly fine. We think
it’s safer for a dog to be on leash.”
That said, finding ways to exercise a
dog can be challenging in urban areas.
Fortunately, some communities in Oak-
land and Berkeley have dog parks and off
Dogs are not permitted to run at large
except in designated off leash areas. They must
Leash Laws, page 12
¬
he Zoning Counter is a compilation of re-
cent applications filed with the Oakland
Planning Department. Individuals may contact
the case planner or the Planning Department
for additional information by phone or on-line
at www.oaklandnet.com.


.

February 4, 2006

The Nuts and Bolts of Purchasing an Alarm System

by Houston Gray
Wby a professional.
In all my research,
I cannot find a pro-
fessionally installed
system that has as
many options or is
as expandable as
the DIY systems.
Due to space con-
straints, the topic
of DIY systems will have to be explored
at a later date.
windows (which is a cheap alternative to
most window-screen issues)?
ith the recent spate of neighborhood
burglaries, muggings and home inva-
sions, our fears concerning personal and
home security have surfaced. An alarm
system is an effective layer to your home’s
security; but making a wise choice among
the many products on the market is diffi-
cult. It can be managed if you follow some
simple guidelines.
I have three final warnings when con-
sidering an alarm system:
A simple system that you use is
infinitely better than a complex one that
you don’t.

Baseline systems are just your
starting point (two door/window and one
motion sensor are not going to adequately
protect your family), so expect to pay for
additional sensors.

The first three things to do are research,
research, research:
You should do your own research;
don’t rely others for your security needs.
It’s your family.
Spend an hour surfing the Internet
educating yourself on “home security tips.”
Take as many “security quizzes” as you
can. Here are some helpful sites:
If you have decided to go with a PAS,
here is a short alphabetical list of compa-
nies in the area that not only install alarm
systems but also provide monitoring: ADT,
Allen, Bay Alarm, Brinks, Reed Brothers
and Sentry. I wish I could tell you which
company is best, but every situation is unique
and requires your personal input.


But don’t think that that an alarm system
is a final solution. Your personal and home
security should be layered so that even if
one layer is breached, there are several
more to protect you. Be sure to assess and
address all the easy-to-fix and inexpensive
security breaches first. If you don’t have
a good Neighborhood Watch, if your yard
gives good concealment and is not well lit,
if your windows, doors and locks are easy
to bypass, if you aren’t locking your doors,
windows, and vehicles, and your valuables
aren’t logged and secured, then no alarm
system will protect you. It is relatively easy
to bypass an alarm system, but it is even
easier to make your property unattractive
to burglars before you even consider which
alarm system to use.
• http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/
ittakesathief/about/about.html
• www.allaroundyourhouse.org/
home_security/systems
• www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/
Before ordering an alarm, you need to
take several steps to ensure you will be get-
ting what you expect: talk with your family,
friends and neighbors about their experiences
with their alarm companies and check your
insurance company for discounts. Visit each
company’s website; they often have helpful
security tips, pricing sheets and answers
to most of your queries. Some questions to
ask: Is the system easy to use? Does it come
with a maintenance plan? Does the system
have a rechargeable backup battery? Is the
monitoring center a UL-Listed, 24-hour
monitoring center? Can the system protect
against things other than burglaries, such
as fire, carbon monoxide and flooding,
and does it offer medical emergency and
“latch key” monitoring? Do they offer a
cellular back-up? How long is the monitor-
ing contract? (I cannot confirm it, but have
been told that in California the maximum
is two years.) Do they offer “venting” for
heomsecurity.html
• www3.sympatico.ca/rh.campbell
Invest in a book like Better Homes
and Gardens’ Home Security – Your Guide
To Protecting Your Family. The informa-
tion is easy to understand and even easier
to implement, and most of the tips can be
accomplished by the average homeowner.

Watch “It Takes A Thief” on the
Discovery Channel, and visit their website
for “tips and quizzes.” I am not a fan of TV
but this is an invaluable education on how
a thug’s mind works.

Once you have assessed your threat
level, you are ready to decide between a
professionally installed alarm system (PAS)
and a do it yourself model (DIY). There are
many viable DIY systems available that are
easy to install, program and use. If you are
concerned with your installation ability, you
can always have the DIY system installed
Complete architectural
services since 1970
5278 College Avenue
Oakland, CA  94618
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5.
February 4, 2006

North Oakland Bids Farewell to
Police Lieutenant Lawrence Green

the truth, regardless of how it may fall,” said
Captain Cy Vierra, Green’s supervisor for
the past five years.
The popular cop, who created what
may be the country’s first citizen/
police internet newsgroup, now
heads OPD’s traffic division
His philosophy of free speech perme-
ated and facilitated communication on his
newsgroup, whose current approximately
350 members include residents, cops, city
officials and reporters.
by Janet Somers
Oakland Police Lt. Lawrence Green, who
three and a half years ago started an
innovative Yahoo group allowing police and
citizens of North Oakland to talk to each
other, has left his post as North Oakland
commander to head the department’s traffic
division and serve as one of four lieutenants
on the tactical squad.
“People who did not know each other,
from San Pablo-Golden Gate to the Shat-
tuck corridor to Piedmont Avenue and
Rockridge, started
communicating in
a way they’d never
connected before,”
said North Oak-
land resident Don
Link, chair of the
city’s Community
Policing Advisory
Committee. “Law-
rence did not squelch
stuff that came on
the site.” Green was
comfortable with the
kind of “extremes”
shunned by many
Yahoo-group mod-
erators, Link said. “It exposed officers
participating on the site to how the people
they’re serving think. That’s really unusual;
it probably couldn’t have been done any
other way. A cocktail party couldn’t have
done it.”
G
In an interview, Green said he made the
job switch, widely regarded as an upward
move, because he wanted a change and a
new challenge. He is replaced by Lt. Jim
Meeks.
Lt. Lawrence Green
outside police
headquarters,
above; with his
wife, Monica, left:
behind every great
man there’s a
woman.
Photography courtesy
Green, 45, is a 20-year OPD veteran who
started as a cop on the Sonoma police force at
age 19. His father, Phil Green, is Twin Cities
(Larkspur/Corte Madera) police chief and his
younger brother, Phil, is an OPD homicide
sergeant. Green lives in Antioch with his
wife, Monica, an OPD dispatcher.
During his five years in North Oakland,
Green became known for re-vamping police
culture here, vastly improving communica-
tion between police and residents.
of Jonathan Sprague and
Kate Powers
community is thanking her and appreciating
her. And so it’s sort of like this natural kind
of buy-in. I think over time, the citizens
of North Oakland became more and more
supportive of police in general.”
Sgt Darren Allison worked for Green
for three years on the Crime Reduction
Team, focusing on crimes like narcotics and
prostitution. “He wasn’t afraid to go out on
the street and work with us,” Allison said,
adding that Green would also frequently
give patrol officers a break by working
their beats for them.
“Lawrence Green did something I had
never experienced with law-enforcement
personnel,” said Susan Montauk, chair of
the Greater Rockridge Neighborhood Crime
Prevention Council. “He opened up the lines of
communication between the police and us, and
entrusted us with information that had always
been the exclusive property of police.”
reen said the most satisfying aspect of
the job was creating a real relationship
with the community. “Law enforcement
traditionally says, ‘Police work is our
business, not yours,’” he said. “‘We’re the
experts,’ bla bla bla. Whereas I want more
of a real partnership and a real exchange
of information.
“He was really committed to taking care
of us,” City Councilmember Jane Brunner
said. “He’s creative, he’s smart, and he does
not mind rolling up his sleeves and telling
the truth and getting the job done.”
Green has already sent an e-mail to the
Yahoo group he created, asking for neigh-
borhood traffic priorities.
“I tried to make big-city cops interact
with people like smalltown cops. I’d say (to
officers), ‘I don’t like officious cops. You
need to be concerned about the issues, you
need to be personable and real with people
you deal with.’ The ones who didn’t get it,
I would try to discourage from re-applying
to North Oakland.”
Green’s cop/citizen newsgroup may have
been the first of its kind in the country (after
its success, then-Chief Richard Word called
for nine more groups to cover the city).
Calls three years ago by this reporter to
police departments in a dozen major cities
throughout the U.S. found that some had
websites with crime information, but none
had anything like the Yahoo group.
“I’m following in the footsteps of one
of the best commanders of OPD, (former
traffic) Lt. Dave Kozicki,” he said during
the interview. “So I’m coming into an opera-
tion that’s running pretty well. But I’d still
like to make it even more responsive, more
community-based.”
Community response provided reinforce-
ment, he said. “When, say, (Officer) Robyn
Clark is doing all this extra stuff and being
this real approachable kind of a beat cop, the
For information on a farewell party
for Lawrence Green, e-mail Don Link at
donlink@jps.net.
Green’s outspokenness is legendary. “He
has the ability to speak to you and tell you


.

February 4, 2006

Brunner Says, “Have a Seat, Rockridge!”

Bart to Charge
$1 Parking Fee at
Rockridge Station
Bby Justin Horner, Chief of Staff for
Councilmember Jane Brunner,
and Dan Ferdelman, Former RCPC
Boardrmember
I
IGR Design, which completed a design for
the bench and built a prototype. The design,
according to Ferdelman, “is unique, versatile,
easy to install in varying sidewalk conditions,
and built for the urban environment; in other
words, it’s beautiful AND tough!”
eginning January 30, 2006, BART
will charge a $1 daily parking fee at
the Rockridge BART station, according
to information from the transit agency.
The program will also be implemented at
BART’s 10 busiest East Bay stations over a
six-month period. Payment will be required
on weekdays between 4 a.m. and 3 p.m.
n 2003, then-Vice Mayor Jane Brunner
launched her “Livable Communities”
initiative. Visiting the leaders of each
North Oakland neighborhood, she asked
them to prioritize
improvements that
would enhance
the livability and
walkability of their
communities.
The benches, inspired by those installed
along Market Hall frontage on Shafter
Av e n u e ,  a r e
made of beefy,
powder-coated
steel and sustain-
ably-harvested
IPÊ, a Brazilian
hardwood (pro-
nounced ee-pay).
Built locally and
designed for instal-
lation near and
around street trees,
they will serve
simultaneously as
sitting “perches”
for pedestrians and
as tree protective barriers.
Signs have been installed designating
Permit Parking and Fee Parking areas at
the Rockridge station. The permit area
is restricted to customers with monthly
reserved, single-day reserved or airport/
long-term reserved permits until 10 a.m.
After 10 a.m., any available space becomes
a daily paid space.
W h e n  s h e
visited RCPC,
Brunner focused
on making College
Avenue even better
by providing places
for people to sit and
rest and by “green-
ing” the street with
more trees.
For awhile, BART staff will be at the
Rockridge BART station to make customers
aware of the parking charges. BART police
will issue warnings for a limited time after
charges begin. Following this grace period,
violators will be subject to a $25 fine.
Call BART Parking Division Manager
Kevin Hagerty at 510/464-6196 with ques-
tions. Also, check BART’s website at www.
bart.gov for more complete information.
Street bench set for installation on
College Avenue.          Photo: Dan Ferdelman
Over the past 12 months, RCPC and the
Rockridge District Association (RDA) have
worked with Brunner to create a capital-
improvements plan for College Avenue that
calls for 50 new street trees and 100 new
custom benches, all paid for by Brunner’s
special development fund.
Tree planting and bench installation
are scheduled to begin in the early part of
this year.
Other BART Parking O
ptions
Single Day Reserved: The cost is $4.50 per day.
As many as 10 single day reserved permits may
be purchased at one time.
Monthly Reserved: Purchase a monthly permit
online at www.bart.gov.
Parking Policies: There is a 24-hour time limit at
all BART lots unless a long-term parking permit
is purchased. Violators of this or any other BART
parking policy will be fined $25.
City Tree Supervisor Dan Gallagher has
approved the new tree locations and recom-
mends planting flowering apricot pear trees.
Former RCPC Boardmember Dan Fer-
delman and current Boardmember Mike
McDonald spearheaded the bench project in
2005 when they began working with Oakland’s
Rockridge:  5400 College Avenue
Elmwood:  2930 College Avenue
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7.
February 4, 2006

Planners Approve CiviQ Project at
51st Street and Telegraph Avenue

by Hiroko Kurihara, Chair,
RCPC Land Use Committee
O
FROG Park Ü
Telegraph Avenue
n January 18, the Oakland Planning
Commission voted unanimously to
approve the 67-unit, mixed-use market
rate development proposed for the former
Pussycat Theater site at the corner of 51st
Street and Telegraph Avenue.
Clarke Street
Two site plan versions
for the CiviQ project.
Top: Existing site plan.
Left: Proposed alternate.
Images courtesy of
Several RCPC representatives attended
the hearing to present the Board’s position
(a copy of our letter to the Commission is
posted on www.rockridge.org under “Land
Use”). A considerable number of Temescal
and Rockridge neighbors also attended,
many of whom were opposed to the project,
and, in particular, to the proposed height
of an architectural element (65 feet) at the
corner of 51st and Telegraph.
RCPC’s Board of Directors had voted to
“not oppose” the project if certain conditions
were met. Although the project is largely
outside the RCPC boundary, the Board chose
to comment on this project for several rea-
sons: 1) one side of the project, along Clarke
Street, abuts the RCPC boundary; 2) the
community’s vision included an extension
of the FROG Park Greenbelt; 3) the same
developers plan additional projects along
Claremont Avenue and around the Kingfish
Pub; and 4) a project of this scope, in this
gateway location, affects Rockridge. RCPC
registered its disagreement with the prac-
tice of granting variances from the zoning
ordinances’ height and other restrictions, in
cases of non-necessity, but did not take any
further position on the appropriate height of
the element at 51st and Telegraph.
the developers
the site be deeded to the City
to guarantee public access
through the site in perpetuity;
2) that the monies from liens
on the property be redirected and specifi-
cally targeted to public improvements in
and around the site; 3) that the developers
meet their self-imposed, community driven,
affordable housing goal of making 25% of
the units available to households or fami-
lies earning 80% of the median income (in
Oakland that would be $32,044 or $35,507,
respectively); and 4) that the final landscap-
ing and design of the greenbelt extension
walkway be brought to the FROG Park
Committee for review prior to submittal
to the City.
51st Street
RCPC’s approach on this project was
evolved through a series of community meet-
ings, partly facilitated by Councilmember
Jane Brunner, and through discussions with
the developers of the project, Roy Alper
and Ron Kriss.
RCPC’s non-opposition was conditional
and required that several community
benefits be incorporated. They include:
1) the creation of a direct path through
the site as an extension of the FROG Park
greenbelt, with guaranteed public access;
2) the lowering and redesign of the Clarke
Street buildings; and 3) that the developers
solve certain traffic impact and pedestrian
safety issues.
The project stands as an example of how
developers working together with groups
and individuals from the community, can
Improve the quality of development pro-
posals within neighborhood commercial
districts. The process that was followed in
this case provides an important model for
future Oakland development projects.
The Planning Commission Incorporated
the above RCPC conditions, and added
further conditions, on the motion of Com-
missioner Michael Lighty, including: 1) that
the pathway along the northwest portion of
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8.

February 4, 2006

Letters to The Editor
Community Benefits of 51st Street Project
Editor:
A letter to the editor criticizing the 51st street project in the January
issue of The Rockridge News contained misstatements about the project
and the development group. Here are a few of the project benefits,
several of which are the direct result of community input.
•	 Extension of FROG Park Greenbelt: The greenbelt will be
extended directly to 51st Street from its current terminus at Redondo
and Clarke.
•	 Affordable Housing: The developers are negotiating with
three non-profit agencies to arrange mortgage packages to meet a
target of 25% of the units at the project being affordable to people
earning 80% or less of the median income.
•	 Gathering Place: The project contains open space in excess
of City requirements, including a central courtyard area and 2
public plazas.
•	 Temescal Creek: The new plaza at the corner of 51st and Telegraph
will be designed to recognize that Temescal Creek flows below it.
•	 Bicycle and Pedestrian Friendly: The garage will contain
secure bicycle parking and the entire design of the project is
intended to encourage walking.
•	 City CarShare: A Memorandum of Understanding has been executed
with City CarShare to create space for 2 CarShare vehicles at the site.
•	 Underground parking: The project meets all City parking
requirements and has placed all spaces underground.
•	 Abundant landscaping: The entire perimeter of the project
along Clarke and 51st Streets will be extensively landscaped and
lit with pedestrian level lighting. The project’s landscaping plan
includes twice as many trees as the City would require.
•	 Environmental responsibility: The project will set a new stan-
dard for sustainable development in multi-family projects in the Bay
Area. It will have the highest contribution from solar thermal and
electric sources; initial engineering estimates exceed 70%.
•	 Economic development:
The project will provide a large
Letters Continued page 13
¬
The Rockridge News welcomes letters to the editor. Include
your name, address and a phone number for verification.
Only your name will appear with your letter. Letters may be
edited for clarity and brevity.
Hang Up and Drive!
Editor:
“Who knows how it happened?” said a witness to an auto
accident that crippled two elders as they walked across Claremont
Avenue, according to “The High Cost of Crossing Claremont,”
Rockridge News, January. The witness said that the driver of the
BMW was “distracted” and he speculated that the driver might
have been “on a cell phone.”
Reading this I felt my blood boil again about the self-cen-
teredness and insensitivity of cell phone drivers. Driving a car
is the most dangerous thing most of us do. Over 40,000 people
are killed annually on the roads of this country and the number
increases yearly.
Harvard University published a study estimating 2,600 traffic
deaths annually are caused by cell phone drivers, and another study
by Utah University “concluded that talking on a cell phone is more
dangerous than driving with a blood-alcohol level at the legally
intoxicated threshold” (Italics mine). The article also pointed out
that “hands free” devices do not make any difference.
I just wish people, if they need to make a phone call and drive
somewhere, would just choose one and forgo the other. Otherwise
they could find themselves “hysterical and screaming” like the
driver of the BMW did after her car scooped both of the pedes-
trians up, “slammed them into the windshield and punted them
into the air 20 feet ahead.”
Hang up and drive. Please.
Andy Couturier
Noise Pollution
Editor:
Everyone Makes Resolutions.
So now all of us property owners are millionaires or close
to it. What good is that if the quality of our lives is “el stinko”
from dogs yelping while their owners are gone and unrelenting
construction noise?
Diane Latko
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9.
February 4, 2006

big right now, and in fact you’ll see denim
on each rack of similar-colored fashions.
Viva Diva offers a very select group of
denims, including: Seven for All Mankind,
True Religion, Paige Premium (her per-
sonal favorite, created by a former fitting
model), Joe’s Jeans, Peoples Liberation
(with signature star buttons and pockets),
and the new Robins jeans, a rock-and-roll
style. There are many options, and Laurie
said she and Amy ask customers a lot of
questions to find the exact jeans for each
individual.
T
The Neighborhood Merchant
Photo: Don Kinkead
by Theresa Nelson
Viva la Diva!
Viva Diva is the kind of place where a
girl can enjoy being a girl. Surrounded
by smart feminine wear and accessories,
she can have a great time exploring on her
own or with a group of friends. The pale
walls and sleek wood floors form the perfect
setting for a grand shopping experience.
for the store.”
For clothing stores, this time of year
is a time of transition to the next season.
Coming in for spring is a new wave of
dresses, which Laurie sees as really coming
back very strongly. There are dressy silk
chiffon dresses from BCBG for events like
weddings and garden parties in luscious
colors – a blue and brown flower print
halter dress is one stunning example. New
for spring are lines from Velvet and Anna
Paul in modal cotton, a softer, slinkier fabric
that’s stretchy like a synthetic but has the
comfort of cotton and the luxurious feel
of silk. Modal cotton is very versatile, and
works in many office settings or at casual
social events. Then there’s a pima cotton
Velvet-tees strapless sheathed with ruched
sides and an asymmetrical skirt, just waiting
for a night on the town. And for more casual
wear, Splendid offers some lovely simple
dresses and pairings of tops and pants to
go with your favorite sandals.
ops for spring will bring new styles
as well, like colorful kimono styles in
silk and chiffon by Single and Anna Paul.
A Godis sparkly-orange wrap sweater-vest
looks stunning over a simple white tank
dress. They also carry casual t-shirts “with
a twist,” made of very soft Pima cotton,
from Velvet and Splendid. Sworn Virgin is
a new line of feminine, drapy cotton tops
from a partnership between a female fashion
designer and a male textile designer. The firm
has an environmental focus, so everything
can be washed (no dry cleaning involved),
and 10% of the firm’s profits go to animal
rights charities. Laurie said, “It’s not easy to
find clothing that does something positive
for the world while offering a product that is
beautiful and exciting. This firm does it.”
Viva Diva also offers lovely accessories
including belts, bracelets and jewelry from
designers in Los Angeles, New York and
Oregon.
Co-owner Laurie Lion said that the
concept of Viva Diva is “a very girly kind
of women’s contemporary clothing store,
with a lot of emphasis on fit and showing
off how unique and terrific each woman
is.” The shop focuses on moderately priced
clothing and great customer service, which
is what Laurie feels sets them apart. “We
like to make women feel at home. With a
girlfriendly vibe, we take time to work with
each customer to learn how she sees herself,
what makes her feel good, what she likes.
We want to help her feel as wonderful as
she truly is,” she said.
Viva Diva opened in May 2005, and
it’s actually Laurie’s first and partner Amy
Anderson’s second boutique. Laurie, who
lives nearby, graduated from the Fashion
Institute of Design and Merchandising San
Francisco campus, which is what brought
her out from the Midwest eight years ago.
She joined Amy at the San Rafael store
four years ago as a buyer, and since Laurie
always wanted to open her own store, they
decided to open a second store together in
2003. “We researched for a long time to
find a location where what we do would
be unique. I always loved Oakland, and the
first time we came to Rockridge we fell in
love with it and discovered this great place
Laurie said that denim remains very
Viva Diva
Owners: Laurie Lion and
Laurie is “heads over heels in love with
Rockridge. I’ve met the most wonderful
people here; there’s so much community
involvement and support here, which we
felt from the first day we opened. My
appreciation for Rockridge grows every
day, and we are so happy to be here.” So
stop by Viva Diva, say hello to Laurie, and
enjoy beautiful clothes and great service in
a friendly environment.
Amy Anderson
5854 College Avenue,
Oakland   594-8380
www.vivadivaboutique.com
Monday – Saturday
11 am – 6 pm
Sunday 12 – 5 pm
Small Office Specialists
Small Office Specialists
For a kitchen,
consult a kitchen expert.
For a closet,
find a closet designer.
For your office,
come to us.
5933 College Ave. (off Claremont) Oakland, 510-654-9500
WWW.GALVINS.COM
1265 Veterans Blvd., Redwood City, 650-365-7800


10.

February 4, 2006

Weeks may be rented separately. Pool, hot tub,
BBQ, playground, pier. Call 510/658-9530.
How Much is Your Home Worth?
Do you want to know how much your home
or property is worth? Visit: www.eastbay-
homeworth.com.
Ergonomic Workstation &
Movement Analysis
We work on site in your business or home office
to solve equipment and body usage problems
with easy, cost-effective solutions. Bodies that
feel better get more done! The Body at Work:
415/820-1410, www.thebodyatwork.com.
Socially Progressive
History Book Club
In Rockridge/North Oakland: anyone interested
in joining this club to read/discuss books such
as Bellesiles’ Arming of America, Starr’s Creation
of the Media, and Phillip’s Wealth and Democracy,
contact Bill Tilden, 428-0628.
Your Message Could Be Here
Your 36-word message is $20. (Phone number
counts as one word). Mail to: RN Classifieds,
5245 College Avenue, PMB 311, Oakland, CA
Workout at Home or Outdoors
Rockridge based certified personal trainer/
yoga teacher for individuals, couples or small
groups. Improve cardiovascular fitness, strength,
flexibility, trouble spots. Deconditioned/fit,
pre/post natal: all welcome. Initial consultation
free. 510/759-1110. fitn@mac.com.
94618. March deadline is February 16.
For information: e-mail smontauk@juno.com
Aesthetic Pruning and
Garden Maintenance
Combining art and science in the care of your
garden. Complete garden maintenance or sea-
sonal pruning of trees and shrubs under 20 feet.
Specialties: Japanese maples, pines, camellias.
Bruce Thompson 510/428-4964.
Housecleaning Cooperative
Reasonable rates. Expert & reliable services
from local employment cooperative. Call
499-5836 and we’ll send someone to spiff
up your home. Ask for our references from
Rockridge clients.
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.
Antique Refinishing & Repairs
Experienced and knowledgeable. New finishes,
repairs, waxing, house calls, p/u & delivery avail.
All types of furniture. We buy fine antiques and
estates. E-mail or call for estimates or questions.
Bruce@bayareaantiques.com 534-0603.
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.
"SHOULD YOU
SAVE FOR YOUR
Home Visits by Personal
Fitness Trainer
Issa certified. Bally Total Fitness Personal
trainer, San Francisco. Physical therapy aide.
376 certified hours massage therapy. Masters
of art-dance Mills College. Rockridge resident.
Call irving 510.653-1364 or e-mail iswirving@
earthlink.net.
Carmel Family Home
Furnished 3br+2ba available for short-term
rental. Peaceful setting, 15 minute walk to
town. Great patio, reasonable rates (1 week
minimum). Not cute, quaint or upscale, but
has character. Call 510/547-1856.
KID'S COLLEGE
OR FOR YOUR
RETIREMENT?
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.
Custom Furniture & Hardware
We build custom tables for homes and restau-
rants. Also cabinets, store fixtures, custom
hardware and industrial prototypes. We work
with wood, aluminum and stainless steel.
522-2719, or www.frankbdesign.com.
OR BOTH?"
Girls Love Math…
when I help them use their individual strengths
to excel in arithmetic, pre-algebra, algebra and
geometry. I’m a UC Berkeley graduate with
20 years’ teaching experience. References
gladly provided! Contact 510/845-6441 or
dbuckwald@hotmail.com.
ANNUITIES,
MUTUAL FUNDS,
Tahoe Condo Rental
Nicely furnished 2 br + 2b condo on beach.
Available weeks of June 4-11 and June 11-18.
LIFE INSURANCE
AND A PLAN.
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At the Jazzschool in Berkeley. Beginning adults
and children. Ages 6 and up. Contact Marina
Garza. 415/269-7607. Over 10 years of teach-
ing experience.
VINITA GOKHALE
ROCKRIDGE REALTOR AND HOMEOWNER
Susan Bernosky
Anthony Rutz
510  450  9050
510  450  9050
Happy
Pride Chiropractic
15 years experience, same location. Quality,
affordable, friendly healthcare in comfortable,
no-rush office. Evening appointments. Dr.
Mark Heltemes, 6245 College Avenue, near
Claremont Avenue. 652-2059. www.pridechi-
ropractic.com.
Reduced
Commissions:
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Year!
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Today!
FINANCIAL
Individual and Family Counseling
Treating relationship issues, anxiety, depres-
sion, panic disorders, childhood trauma, grief,
infertility and adoption, and addictions. Sliding
scale. Located at College/Alcatraz. Call Rebecca
Lueck, LCSW 415/235-1071.
510-428-0757
Email: Vinita@realtyadvocates.com
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11.
February 4, 2006

r
go out with penmanship class? It’s slow
and laborious, not exactly easy if you
are not used to doing it. But, for the
words that matter most, there really is no
substitute for sending them in your own
handwriting on a well chosen paper, in a
lovely envelope, by the slow moving U.S.
mail. There is a lovely little book written
by Margaret Shepherd entitled The Art of
the Handwritten Note, a Guide to Reclaiming
Civilized Communication. In it you will find
help and motivation for getting back into
the practice of expressing your deepest
thoughts and feelings in this personal way.
Discover the joy of holding a beautiful
pen, feeling the texture of gorgeous paper,
crafting lines of true meaning for those
who matter most in your life. If all of this
is too much to take on at the spur of the
moment, Ms. Shepherd absolutely insists
that you add at least a sentence or two in
your own handwriting to a printed card.
Also, seek out unique handmade cards
available from many of our local artists.
That would be a nice alternative.
text, etc. Note: In conjunction with the
exhibit there is an open FREE call for
entry for “Project: Catch 22.” This is
an invitation to all artists of any age to
contribute their own visual war histories
and attitudes toward military conflict.
Works are to be submitted on paper,
flat, unframed and measuring 8.5" by 11".
For complete details, please go online
to www.proartsgallery.com. Deadline for
submissions is February 18.
The
Rockridge
   Muse
by Ortrun Niesar
East Bay Open Studios
2006 (EBOS)
The registration deadline
is February 12. You can register
online for a reduced fee. Go to www.
proartsgallery.com for entry information
and a complete list of related arts events.
Open Studios takes place the first and
second weekends in June.
Rockridge Photography
Love
It’s February and love is in the air. Per
the centuries old St. Valentine tradition,
you are free to say “I love you” or “I
like you” to total strangers and get away
with it. The shops are full of smooches
packed in greeting cards, chocolates, and
flowers galore, and certainly millions of
e-kisses will be sent around the world.
Worried that you might not get noticed
by that special someone amidst this
flurry of Valentine sentiment? How about
this novel idea: go retro, young man,
send your love a handwritten note! I
guarantee that your letter will rise to
the top of the heap.
Show 2006?
The annual Rockridge Photography
show is in limbo at the moment.
Unfortunately, the Rockridge Library
exhibition space will not be available to
our photographers this year. If you can
think of a suitable exhibition space, please
contact me (510/652-6664, oniesar@aol.
com.) We haven’t given up by any means.
Interested photographers: Please do get
in touch with us as soon as possible.
Traditionally, the exhibit takes place in
October. Thank you.
Call for Entry
Love is never far removed from war,
it seems (witness the history of St.
Valentine’s Day, which dates back to
third-century Roman wars), and war
is equally hard to forget. The Korean
War occurred half a century ago, but it
still lives on in the hearts and minds of
those who survived this fiasco. Beginning
March 9, an exhibition entitled “Still
Present Pasts,” exploring the legacies
of the Korean War through the works
of Korean-American artists, will take
place at Oakland’s Pro Arts Gallery
(510/763-4361). This will be an interactive
exhibition evolving through audience
participation, oral histories, written
Does anybody really still write notes
with pen and ink? Didn’t that practice
COLLINS ROOFING
Family Owned & Operated
Arts Learning
In Our Schools
For those who inquired last month
about the arts learning program in our
schools, please contact Alameda County
Teaching and Coaching Exchange for Arts
Educators, Liz Lindsley 510/452-0990 or
Lindsley@cruzio.com. The next meeting
of the exchange will be held February
16 at the Museum of Children’s Art
(MOCHA).
663-6674  Mike
Rockridge resident over 10 years
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12.

February 4, 2006

from page 
Traffic Priority
Town Hall
Leash Laws
from page 
from page 
Bicycle Safety Committee to help to promote
and enhance the safety of pedestrians and
bicycle riders in our community.
buildings in different areas throughout the
neighborhood. Attendees were concerned
that increasingly, the City’s General Plan
(a policy statement that lays out desired
land uses neighborhood-by-neighborhood)
has conflicted with zoning laws and taken
precedence over them.
Traffic & Pedestrian Safety
be kept confined to an owner’s yard or under
leash control. Except in the case of a “seeing
eye dog,” a “signal dog,” a “service dog,” or a
police dog, it is unlawful for any person owning
or having in charge, care, control, or custody
any dog, to cause, allow or permit such dog,
whether licensed or unlicensed, on or upon
any public street, alley or other public place,
unless such dog be kept securely confined by
a rope, chain or other leash not over six feet
in length securely and continuously held by
a competent person, or to permit whether
willfully or through failure to exercise due
care or control, any such dogs to commit any
nuisance on any property other than the street
gutters outside of pedestrian ways or on any
improved private property other than that
of the owner or persons having charge, care,
control or custody of such dog.
Dogs at Large in Parks
This committee addresses concerns
related to pedestrian safety and bicycle/
vehicle traffic in Rockridge by facilitating
communication and planning between the
Rockridge residents and the City of Oak-
land, and ensures that the resulting plans
are implemented. Monthly meetings begin
on March 8, 7 pm at the Rockridge Library
community meeting room.
Community members are very concerned
about how to make Rockridge a more pedes-
trian-friendly neighborhood. In particular,
they identified a number of dangerous streets
and intersections throughout the neighbor-
hood, including: 1) Colby Street; 2) Patton
Street by Chabot School; 3) several spots
along Claremont Avenue; 4) Hudson Street
at Shafter; and 5) the intersection of College
and Broadway.
Community Center
A Yahoo Group has been created as a
forum for residents to identify problems, share
ideas and concerns, and facilitate commu-
nication with the City of Oakland and other
resources. To join this group, send an e-mail
to Rockridge_Traffic_and_Pedestrian_Bicy-
cle_Safety-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Include your name and address, and note
specific areas of concern.
Dogs are not permitted in City of Oakland
Parks, schoolyards, or playgrounds except a
working “seeing eye dog,” “service dog,” “signal
dog,” or police dog.
Attendees noted that Rockridge lacks
an easily accessible community gathering
space where meetings, events, and celebra-
tions could be held.
The RCPC Board of Directors will meet
in early March to develop our strategic
plan for 2006. We greatly value the input
of the community and will incorporate
these suggestions into our priorities for
the coming year. If you have ideas to share
with us, please call 510/869-4200 (the new
RCPC phone number).
A sub-project of this committee, the
Upper Broadway project, is meeting on
February 8 at 7 pm at the Rockridge Library.
Jason Patton, from the Oakland Planning
and Zoning Division, will present Bicycle
Master Plan updates and discuss possible
ways to combine efforts with the traffic and
pedestrian/bicycle safety planning already
underway for Upper Broadway.
SIMPLIFY!
Clutter Control
Paper/Filing Systems
Kitchens/Closets
Space Planning
If you have any questions or comments,
please contact Steve Meyer, Chair, RCPC
Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Committee,
at meyer770@sbcglobal.net.
Packing/Unpacking
Solutions for the critical mess
Non-Judgmental & Confidential
Rockridge United
Methodist Church
www.SummersOrganizing.com
Barbara ✔ 415-381-0707
Invites Everyone to attend
Mon – Fri 9:30 – 6:00
Sat 9:30 – 5:00
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13.
February 4, 2006

Chabot Elementary Plans Spring Auction Fundraiser

Join the Anthony Chabot Elementary School Parent-Teacher
Association for our annual Spring Auction fund-raiser on
Saturday, March 25, from 6 to 11 p.m.
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 a curriculum that
rivals any private school’s. Because the city and state have cut
education spending drastically, we rely on our local community
more than ever.
To be held at U.C. Berkeley’s Pauley Ballroom, this year’s
“Brazilian Carnaval” promises a wonderful evening of fine
food, drinks, good company, live music, a live auction and, of
course, the silent auction. Wonderful prizes await those who
attend, including donations from local merchants and custom
events such as dinners and parties.
Contact Susie Poncelet to donate (e.g., auction items, a gift
certificate or a cash contribution), or to purchase advertising
space in our catalogue. Donors will be highlighted in our auction
program and on our website (www.chabotelementary.org).
The auction is Chabot’s biggest fundraiser; all proceeds
support the school’s enrichment programs, including music, art,
library resources, a computer-education program and an on-site
garden curriculum. The PTA also contributes to improvements
in the physical plant.
Tickets are $26 in advance and $30 at the door. Purchase
advance tickets online at www.chabotelementary.org. For more
information, contact Susie Poncelet, 510/985-1246, or email at
sponcelet@earthlink.net.
Letters to
The Editor
Appalled by Development Size
Editor:
Police Trap at BART Bus Stops
Editor:
This is a reminder to residents not to
pick up or drop off BART passengers on
College Avenue in the area reserved for
busses. An Alameda County Sheriff’s car
will pounce on you and write a ticket with
a $250 fine. There is a “No stopping” sign
posted, but it’s not very visible and it’s not
clear where the proper place for dropping
off passengers is. I saw it happen again last
week when I came home on BART and
was leaving the Rockridge station. Several
folks, including myself, talked at length to
the cop after he gave the ticket, to no avail.
It’s going to keep happening unless folks
are made aware of the trap. Also the signs
should be more prominent with the amount
of the fine posted on them.
Joan Sautter
We are appalled at the dimensions of
the proposed development at Telegraph
Avenue and 51st Street. This is a historic
corner, important to the fabric and life of
our city, and to impose such a monstrous,
post-modern project on our neighborhood is
to rend that fabric and do a disservice to us.
The project is unaesthetic and out of scale,
would exponentially increase automobile
traffic and suck up parking spaces, and will
cause irreparable harm to the character and
quality of life for those of us who live in
and use this neighborhood.
Continued from page 13
new property tax base for the County and
transfer tax base for the City. Approximately
125 new residents at the project will provide
an enhanced economic base for Temescal
and Rockridge small businesses.
Bill Lambert, Shasta Productions;
Project Management, CiviQ
As our public servants, please do not
inflict this upon us.
Bill and Cynthia Tilden
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14.

February 4, 2006

Lillian Wamalwa
Injured
by Dawn Hall
My store manager, Lillian Wamalwa,
was in an auto accident recently in
Kenya. She will be in the hospital for at
least four weeks recovering from a fractured
pelvis and a dislocated shoulder, but she
is expected to fully recover. Lillian, well-
known and loved by many, was the owner
of Lillian’s children’s store and has been
in the community for 30 years. I’m sure a
lot of people would like to know what hap-
pened and that she will be all right and is
being well cared for in a private hospital.
She could use the well wishes and prayers
of the community. For more information,
call Dawn Hall at Child’s Play, 510/653-3989
or email shaina@mac.com.
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our wonderful coMMunity Meal, fridayS, 6-7pM
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M/W 5:30pm T/TH/F 6:15 SAT 9:00am
AJ Benham 510-654-7078


February 4, 2006

15.

E-mail Rockridge News Community Calendar items to: joellis1@hotmail.com, phone 653-3210 (after noon), 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.

Community Calendar
Compiled by Jo Ellis

Councilmember Brunner’s
Community Advisory Meeting
Diesel Book/Poetry Events
Activities and Events for Seniors
College Avenue Adult Center

Light exercise, socializing, travel programs and music.
Hot lunch at noon for $2. Every Wednesday, from
9:30am to 1:30pm. College Ave. Presbyterian Church,
5955 College Ave. For details about upcoming field
trips, call Kathy at 531-6724.
North Oakland Multi-Purpose Senior Center

Program Highlights: Computer classes; Health
Insurance counseling and advocacy program; driver
safety; trips, tours and theater outings. Center Hours:
Monday – Friday, 8:45am to 4:45pm. 5714 Martin
Luther King, Jr. Way
The newsletter, “North Oakland Senior Times” provides
a full schedule of classes and a monthly lunch menu:
(suggested donation: seniors age 60 + $2.25; $4 for
those under age 60). Call 597-5085 for details about
membership, newsletter, classes/events and opportuni-
ties to become a volunteer.
ó
All events are FREE and open to the public
Sunday, 2/5, 3pm. writing class presented by Renee
Swindle. All welcome.
Sunday, 2/12, 3pm. David Hoobler: Zonk the Dream-
ing Tortoise.
Tuesday, 2/14, 7:30pm. Book Group #3: Discussion of
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. All welcome.
Tuesday, 2/21, 7pm. Book Club #1: Discussion of the 1st
half of Moby Dick by Herman Melville. All welcome.
5433 College Ave. For more information about read-
ó
First Saturday every other month, 10am to noon. Peralta
Elementary School: 460 63rd St. (parking on Alcatraz
Ave., just east of Telegraph). No March meeting. For
meeting changes, or information on all District One issues
or events, call 238-7001 or www.oaklandnet.com
(the site for all City-related information).
ó
ó
ó
ó
The Greater Rockridge N’hood
Crime Prevention Council
ings, book discussion groups and El Grupito, the
Residents and business members of NCPC’s 12Y and
13X areas are invited to voice their concerns about crime
and public safety. Meets 3rd Tuesday each month, 7 to
8:30pm at California College of the Arts (CCA), 5212
B’way (at College Ave.), Bldg. B-4. Directions and more
information: www.rockridgencpc.com.
Spanish discussion group: 510/653-9965 or
www.dieselbookstore.com.
Writers Support/Critique Group
ALL writers welcome. Bring at least 10 copies of 5 pages
of your prose for on-site reading/discussion. Sponsored
by the California Writers Club, Berkeley branch (www.
berkeleywritersclub.org/) Rockridge Branch Library,
third Saturday of the month from 1 to 5pm. For more
information: 420-8775 or Writefox@aol.com.
Rockridge Branch Library
Volunteers Needed
For Children:
Second Start Adult Literacy Program: Teach an
adult to read. Free training. Nine month minimum
commitment. Volunteers can meet with their students
at the Rockridge Branch Library. For more information:
238-3432 or www.oaklandlibrary.org/services/
SecondStart.
North Oakland Community Charter School
(NOCCS): Tutors to work with 1st to 5th graders,
one-on-one or in small groups, on math, reading and
writing skills; time commitment of at least one hour
per week. Located at 410 Alcatraz Ave. (cross St.
Colby). Contact Julia Kassissieh, Director: 655-0540
or director@noccs.org.
Friends of Temescal Creek: Monitor water quality by
collecting water samples at Temescal Lake for analysis.
Important for Rockridge residents because Temescal
Creek runs above ground near Frog Park. Volunteers
meet on the third Saturday of each month from 10am
to noon. Regular commitment preferred. For more
information and for where to meet, contact Friends of
Temescal Creek at fotc2005@yahoo.com.
HEROES: is the volunteer placement program for
the Oakland Unified School District which helps to
enhance the quality of educational experiences for
students in the Oakland public schools. To volunteer,
call 879-2908 or www.oaklandheroes.org.
Toddler Story Time: 1st and 2nd Saturdays, 10:30am:
2/4, 2/11.
Pre-School Story Time: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays,
10:30am: 2/15, 3/1.
Pajama Story Time: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 7pm:
2/14, 2/28 (see special event below on 2/28).
Special Event for Kids and Families:
ó
ó
Chabot Elementary School
Annual Spring Auction
ó
ó
The fundraiser for enrichment programs will be held at
Pauley Ballroom on the UC Campus on Saturday, March
25, from 6 to 11pm. Donations are needed now: e.g.,
items to be auctioned, gift certificates, cash contribu-
tions or purchasing of advertising space in the Auction
Catalogue. Donors will be highlighted in the program and
on our website. To make donations, purchase advance
tickets, or for more information, contact Susie Poncelet
at 985-1246, or sponcelet@earthlink.net or www.
chabotelementary.org.
ó
Make Hand-made Valentines: free, unique and more
fun than store-bought. All supplies provided, but feel
free to bring any patterned paper you want to recycle.
Friday, February 10, from 3:30 to 5pm.
Kalimba Music: In celebration of African-American
History Month, Carl Winters, “the Kalimba King,” will
perform African and American music on the African
thumb-piano. Learn the history of the kalimba and
join in with dancing, singing and chanting. Free, for
all ages. Tuesday, February 28, at 7pm.
For Teens:
ó
ó
ó
Sick Plant Clinic
Bring your ailing plants to the University of California
Botanical Garden and get a free diagnosis by UC plant
pathologist Dr. Robert Raabe, UC entomologist Dr. Nick
Mills and their team of experts. First Saturday of every
month from 9am to noon. No registration necessary. UC
Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive, Berkeley (above
Cal Memorial Stadium in Strawberry Canyon). For more
information: 643-2755 or http://botanicalgarden.
berkeley.edu.
Bookwormz (Teen-Led Book Club): third Saturday of
each month (2/18) from 1 to 2pm. For more information
and to confirm date, call Susy: 597-5017.
New Anime Book Club: discussion of Eyre Affair
by Jasper Fforde. Tuesday, February 14, from 5:30
to 6:30pm, in the upstairs meeting room.
For Adults:
ó
ó
ó
Knitting Classes for Seniors (50+): All levels welcome.
If you are a beginner, bring light color yarn and a pair
of size 8 needles. If experienced, bring projects to
work on. Tuesdays from February 7 through March
28, 12:30 to 2:30pm. Instructor is Teri Barr. Register
at first class.
Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice. First
Tuesday of each month: 6pm to 8pm. Advance sign-
up starts 5pm.
Art Exhibits:
ó
RCPC Call for Candidates
from page 
statement of 125 words explaining
their interest in being on the Board,
be a citizen 18 years or older, and live
in Rockridge within RCPC boundaries
(see www.rockridge.org for boundaries).
Statements must include your full name
and address. E-mail statements and a
photo (head shot, please) to RCPC
Chair Deborah Weinstein at deborahl-
weinstein@yahoo.com or mail them to
RCPC, 5245 College Avenue PMB 311,
Oakland, CA 94618 by March 23.
ó
Statements will be published in
the April issue of The Rockridge News.
Candidates will be introduced at the
April 20 RCPC Town Hall meeting, 7
pm at the Rockridge Library and will
have two minutes to speak about their
candidacy.
For information on Gallery and Display Case exhibits,
call the Library at 597-5017.
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
ó
Library Hours:
Monday and Tuesday, 12:30 to 8pm.
Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 10am to 5:30pm
Friday, 12 to 5:30pm
Closed Sundays.
Note: Closed Mondays, 2/13 and 2/20.


16.

February 4, 2006

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