← HomeAll issuesFebruary 2008Issue 2008_02 · 16 ppShowing matches for “Ken Rice”‹ PrevNext ›Download PDF
‹Page 2 / 16›
Extracted text · highlighting “Ken Rice”
www.rockridge.org
VOL. 23 NO. 2 ISSUE NO. 242 February 2, 2008
CIRCULATION: 5,100 Residences; 200 Businesses
Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council • 5245 College Ave. PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94618 • 869-4200
Agenda: RCPC February
Town Hall Meeting
Thursday, February 21, 7:30 p.m.,
Rockridge Branch Library,
5366 College Avenue at Manila,
Community Room (Upstairs)
RCPC Annual Town Hall
Planning Meeting
n Become informed on current
RCPC board projects
n Help set the RCPC board
priorities for 2008
n Hear ideas and concerns from
the community and RCPC’s board
☛
Calendar: Town Hall Meetings
21
Feb
n RCPC Annual Town Hall Planning Meeting
RCPC invites the community to help select issues and set priori-
ties for the organization’s board to tackle in 2008. See meeting details in
box at left.
Feb
28
n NCPC Crime Prevention Panel and
n Call for Executive Officer Candidates
NCPC Crime Panel Considers Youth
Services and Reentry Programs
by Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson
Over the last year, Rockridge neighborhood town halls have drawn strong
interest in the safety of Oakland and the future of our community. Part of
a comprehensive approach to crime prevention is addressing the fundamental
challenges facing our communities – particularly our young people and people
re-entering the community from prison.
The February 28 town hall for the Rockridge
n Vote on proposed RCPC bylaw
change. See page 4.
Each month, the RCPC has a community-
wide meeting on the third Thursday.
February’s meeting is another not-to-
be-missed event: In addition to providing
updates on current pending projects such
as under-BART improvements, the Fourth
Bore project, the new RCPC Website, and
various commercial developments, RCPC
invites the community to prioritize the issues
that the organization’s board will tackle in
2008. Previous such meetings have led to
fulfilled visions such as the Rockridge Branch
Library and FROG Park.
If you have not attended a Rockridge com-
munity meeting before, this will be a perfect
opportunity to join friends and neighbors to
learn what is happening in your neighbor-
hood and to help the board set its goals for
this coming year.
NCPC Panel, page 7
¤
¤
n RCPC Board Elections: You Can Do It
Find the perfect volunteer opportunity to work on community
issues. Get the process started now. See page 3.
Apr
17
Caltrans Sweep of
Homeless Camps
In Rockridge
by Nila Kim, Assistant to
Councilwoman Jane Brunner
City Councilwoman Jane Brunner has
announced that the city of Oakland
and Caltrans have recently stepped up their
efforts to clean up homeless encampments
in the Rockridge neighborhood. Responding
to complaints from community members,
Caltrans has begun
regularly scheduled
Caltrans, page 8
¤
¤
The Scoop on Dreyer’s
Ice Cream Parlor...
Design graphics courtesy of Tesser-SF
Dreyer’s Ice Cream Parlor on the Way
by Jeff Small, RCPC boardmember
When Dreyer’s closed its retail ice cream
parlor on College Avenue more than
a year ago, the community responded pas-
sionately. The RCPC received letters and
phone calls from kids and parents alike, with
a number of
questions:
Dreyer’s Parlor, page 9
¤
¤
2.
February 2, 2008
Patrick Daughton Named RCPC Champion
ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.
by Ken Rice
At its January Town Hall meeting,
the RCPC honored one of its most
respected and beloved Rockridge residents,
Patrick Daughton, for his years of selfless
service to the Rockridge community when
he was presented the 2008 Rockridge
Champion Award by RCPC vice chair-
woman Annette Floystrup. This is one
of the many well-deserved community
awards that Patrick has received over the
last several years.
Patrick was born in Oakland and has
lived here his entire adult life. He and his
wife, Barbara Havenar-Daughton, have lived
in Rockridge for almost 30 years. They have
two sons, Colin, 30, and Brendan, 25.
Patrick has been an activist for nearly
25 years in community and city-wide issues
with a focus on Oakland public schools and
the youth of Oakland. In addition to being
a PTA board member for most of the 17
years that his sons attended Oakland public
schools, Patrick was also PTA president in
all of his son’s schools: Skytown Parent
Cooperative Nursery School, Peralta
Elementary, Claremont Middle School and
Oakland Technical High.
But Patrick’s involvement did not end
with his support for Oakland’s schools. He
was also responsible for the development
of youth soccer in North Oakland. He has
12:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
12 – 5:30 p.m.
CLOSED
See Calendar, page 15, for February hours.
The Rockridge News, founded in 1986 by Don Kinkead,
is published monthly in Oakland and is sponsored by
the Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC),
a nonprofit 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.
Rockridge News Production
Don Kinkead.......................Interim Editor
Ortrun Niesar.....................The Muse
Barry Kaufman...................Food
Anna Marks.........................Writer
Jo Ellis...................................Advertising &
Community Calendar
Theresa Nelson.....................Neighborhood Merchant
Susan Montauk...................Business Manager
Don Kinkead.......................Graphics & Layout
RCPC Board of Directors, 2007-2008
Ronnie Spitzer....................Chair
Annette Floystrup ............ Vice-Chair
Gloria Bruce.......................Secretary
Susan Montauk...................Treasurer
Jennifer Edmister, Stuart Flashman,
Don Kinkead, Ellen Peterson, Peter St. John,
Jeff Small, Richard W. Smith,
Danica Truchlikova, Margaret Wahlberg
Contact the Board: rcpcchair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
Newly-acclaimed Rockridge Champion
Patrick Daughton, with his wife Barbara
Havenar, displays the plaque presented
to him by RCPC Vice Chair Annette
Floystrup at the January RCPC Town
Hall meeting. Photo: Ken Rice
RCPC Board Thanks Retiring Board
Member Stephanie Upp for Her Service
Patrick Daughton, page 10
¤
¤
Newsletter Subscriptions
To subscribe to The Rockridge News, send
your check for $20, payable to Rockridge News
Subscriptions, to: Rockridge News Subscriptions at
the address below.
by Gloria Bruce, RCPC secretary
The RCPC Board of Directors would
like to acknowledge and thank former
member Stephanie Upp, who recently
stepped down to devote more time to her
family and her work. During Stephanie’s two
years on the board, she was an active and
engaged member, contributing leadership to
the Halloween parade and communicating
with neighbors about proposed changes to
the “underBART” plaza.
Stephanie is Vice President at EARN
and EARN’s policy arm: the Asset Policy
Initiative of California (APIC), which aims
to break the cycle of poverty by matching
the savings of low-wage workers and help-
ing them invest in assets that build wealth.
As the organization expanded, Stephanie
wanted to devote as much energy as possible
to EARN’s mission. And, as if she weren’t
busy enough, in October 2007 Stephanie,
husband Ben, and daughter Clare welcomed
baby Calder into the family.
Stephanie has remained involved in
Rockridge goings-on and we send her our
best wishes and thanks.
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?
Want 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:
Editor: editor@rockridge.org
www.rockridge.org
The Rockridge News, 5245 College Avenue,
PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618
RCPC Voicemail: 510/869-4200
Articles submitted for publication may be e-mailed
to the above address. Submissions are limited to
600 words; must include the author’s name, phone
number, e-mail address, and city or neighborhood
of residence; and are subject to editing. To reprint a
Rockridge News article, please contact the editor.
$5 FREE DRYCLEANING with garment orders over $28
or $3 OFF orders over $15
Dry Cleaning only Present with incoming order
Garden Cleaners
5808 College Avenue, Oakland
601-1188
Mon – Fri 7 – 7 • Sat 8 – 6
Across from Zachary’s Pizza
Newsletter Advertising/Deadlines
Publication date of the next issue is
March 8, 2008
March deadline is February 21.
Advertising rates are $26/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. (Classified ad contact, page 14.)
EXPERT
SHIRT
LAUNDERING!
3.
February 2, 2008
Green Rockridge
Initiative —
RCPC Dreams a
Green Future
by Annette R. Floystrup
RCPC vice-chair
My sense of belonging in Rockridge is
rooted in my many years of living
here, but collective action with my neighbors
near and far has connected me to the fabric
of the community in ways that passively
sitting in my house never could.
Led by RCPC, Rockridge residents have
often rallied to collective action over the
past decades. The two most visible efforts
resulted in construction of the Rockridge
Branch Library in September 1996 and the
creation of FROG Park, the Rockridge-
Temescal Greenbelt, a multi-phased project
begun in 2001 and still being developed.
Neighbors have also teamed up for
College Avenue clean-up days to remove
weeds from gutters and tree wells and
to clean graffiti tags from wherever they
turn up.
Through RCPC, the neighborhood has
supported good developments and helped
change bad ones. Strong challenges from
RCPC enforced the C-31 zoning require-
ment of pedestrian-oriented retail on the
Dreyer’s corporate headquarters building.
The resultant retail shops in Dreyer’s ground
floor, on the College Avenue side of the
building, add life to the street and business
tax revenue to Oakland’s coffers.
Having accomplished great things, we
know that we are capable of tackling new
challenges.
RCPC would like to facilitate the
formation of knowledge and purchasing
RCPC Seeks Candidates
For Board Election in April
tion for six board directors, each to serve
a two-year term. The board consists of 12
elected directors, one appointed director and
the editor of The Rockridge News, who serves
ex officio as a nonvoting board member.
Prospective candidates must be at least
18 years of age, must reside within RCPC
boundaries as shown at www.rockridge.org,
and must inform the RCPC of their intention
to run by February 27, 2008. Prospective
candidates who meet the February 27
deadline are invited to submit a photo and
a written statement of 125 words explain-
ing their interest in running for the board.
Statements and photos must be received by
March 20 and will be published in the April
issue of The Rockridge News.
At the April 17 RCPC Town Hall meet-
ing, candidates will explain to the audience
their interest in serving on the board, and
voting will take place. Neighbors unable
to attend the April 17 meeting may vote at
the Rockridge Branch Library on Saturday,
April 19. Further details will be published in
the April issue of The Rockridge News.
E-mail your letter of intent by February
27 and a written statement with photo by
March 20 to: rcpcchair@rockridge.org,
or send your letter, postmarked by the
applicable deadline, to: RCPC Elections,
5245 College Ave., PMB 311, Oakland,
CA 94618. Include your address, phone
number and an e-mail address.
Past board members may be subject to
terms limits.
Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed people can
change the world. Indeed, it is the
only thing that ever has.
— Margaret Mead
by Ronnie Spitzer, RCPC chair
Are you looking to help promote com-
munity projects that enhance the quality
of life in Rockridge? Are you concerned
about crime, schools, traffic, development
issues, or parks? Well, Rockridge needs
people like you. Serving on the Rockridge
Community Planning Council (RCPC)
board of directors provides you with the
perfect volunteer opportunity to work on
these issues and more.
RCPC, a nonprofit, public benefit cor-
poration, represents Rockridge to the city
of Oakland on such matters as zoning,
development and crime. It acts as a com-
munity steward on a variety of issues,
ranging from land use to traffic and schools.
RCPC has also spearheaded neighborhood
improvement projects such as the Rockridge
Branch Library, Hardy Dog Park, and the
Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt (FROG
Park). The Rockridge News is published
by the RCPC and serves as an important
vehicle for neighborhood communication.
Recent RCPC Town Hall meeting topics have
included discussion of the Claremont Avenue
Safeway store rebuilding project, Rockridge
crime and what needs to be done about it,
and current ballot initiative analysis.
In April, RCPC will hold its annual elec-
Green Rockridge, page 8
¤
¤
SIMPLIFY!
Clutter Control
Paper/Filing Systems
Kitchens/Closets
Space Planning
Packing/Unpacking
Solutions for the critical mess
Non-Judgmental & Confidential
www.SummersOrganizing.com
Barbara ✔ 415-381-0707
4.
February 2, 2008
Letters to the Editor
RCPC Bylaw Amendment
Vote at February Meeting
At the Town Hall meeting to be held on February 21, the
members of the Rockridge Community Planning Council
(RCPC) — including all interested persons age 18 or above, with
evidence of residence in Rockridge — will be asked to vote on
an amendment to Section 8.3 of the RCPC Bylaws.
The February 21 meeting will be held at the Rockridge Branch
Library, at 7:30 p.m.
At the meeting, the Board of Directors will propose an amend-
ment to modify the existing term limits for Board members. The
existing provision, which was adopted by the members, on the
Board’s recommendation, in July 2003, provides that no person
may be elected to more than three elected terms on the Board –
consecutive or non-consecutive – unless: (1) at least one annual
election has already been held since the end of the person’s last
elected term; and (2) the person’s candidacy for an additional
term has been approved or endorsed by at least two-thirds of the
Board of Directors.
Based on actual experience with the term limits clause since
2003, the Board feels that term limits may be helpful in encouraging
a flow of new talents and perspectives onto the Board. However,
the Board views the existing clause as overly restrictive – espe-
cially with respect to persons who have been elected to three or
more non-consecutive terms on the Board.
Accordingly, the Board is proposing to amend the existing term
limits clause (Bylaws Section 8.3, subsection (d)), by removing
the restrictions on a person’s eligibility to serve any number of
elected terms, provided only, that if the person has already been
elected to three consecutive terms, there must have been a break
of a specific period in the person’s service on the board in an
elected capacity (either within or after the consecutive terms to
which the person was elected).
Like the existing bylaw, the proposed amendment would
not affect a person’s eligibility to serve as an appointee on the
Board.
The Rockridge News welcomes letters to the editor. Your
name, address, phone number and e-mail address and
city/neighborhood must be included for verification. Only
your name will appear with your letter. Letters may be
edited for clarity and brevity.
Where’s the Rockridge News Crime Report?
Editor:
Can you tell me why the crime blotter stopped running in The
Rockridge News? Especially at a time when it seems more relevant
than ever?
— N. Reyes
Editor’s reply: The Rockridge News and the RCPC are of course
concerned about crime in Oakland and in our neighborhood. The
crime report was a labor-intensive volunteer work of love by a
Rockridge resident until demands on his time compelled him to
give it up. Now, local blogs and community forums are available
on-line and are more immediate than a monthly crime column. For
example, the Oakland Police Department publishes crime statistics
on its Web site at http://www.oaklandpolice.com/. Also, Yahoo! has
many Oakland-based groups reporting on crime and discussing its
impact: visit http://groups.yahoo.com and search “Oakland crime”
in the Find a Yahoo! Group box. For general crime reporting, the
newsletter covers meetings such as Councilwoman Jane Brunner’s
community meeting with Mayor Ron Dellums where crime was a
major topic, and Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council (NCPC)
meetings that are often attended by Oakland Police officers and
staff who discuss crime fighting issues.
Continued from first column
operation. “This is a great way to open a positive discourse between
our eighth graders and the entrepreneurs who make their living on
College Avenue,” says David Chambliss, principal of Claremont
Middle School. “We are all looking forward to it.” In the spirit of
community building, the students and merchants have jumped at
this opportunity to take the classroom into the real world.
To open your business to a school tour, or to volunteer your time
between 9 and 11:45 a.m. on Community Day, call the Rockridge
District Association at 510/604-3125.
Community Day Moves
The Classroom Outside
by Jennifer Edmister, RCPC boardmember
The Rockridge Community Planning Council and the Greater
Rockridge Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council, Claremont
Middle School and the Rockridge District Association are proud
to announce the first Claremont Middle School Rockridge Com-
munity Day. On the morning of Friday, February 22, participating
business owners along College Avenue will open their doors and
volunteer their time to host tour groups of eager middle schoolers
as they examine Rockridge’s thriving thoroughfare.
Partnered with a merchant leader and a community volunteer,
groups of students will complete a quiz on the history of Rockridge
as they canvass the Avenue, gathering perspective and insight into
the social and economic factors that shape our shared neighborhood.
The groups will then visit businesses whose owners have offered an
inside look at the workings of their
restaurant, retail or service-oriented
Continued at right
¤
¤
5.
February 2, 2008
RCPC’s Planning and Project
Review Committee (PPRC)
PROJECT
The Zoning Counter
The 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.
UPDATES
by Richard Smith, PPRC chair
Hauser Creekside (Global Video
■
■
driveway at the Berkeley/Oakland border.
Other features of the design include an
arcade along College Avenue. Safeway’s
architect, Kirk Peterson, intends to make
a public presentation in the near future.
An appointment to review the preliminary
application may be made by calling the case
planner at 238-6167.
Mixed Use Project —
■
■
site) — 5132 Telegraph
The planning staff presented its Initial
Study at a Planning Commission public
hearing on January 16. The Initial Study
defines the scope of the Environmental
Impact Report (EIR) that will assess the
project’s likely influence on the environment.
Written comments were presented to the
Commission and a large number of residents
gave spoken commentary. Commissioners
agreed with a number of concerns including
the shadowing of Redondo Park, the cumu-
lative effects of traffic, assuring pedestrian
safety and the relative density of the project.
The comment period on the Initial Study
ended January 21. Based on the comments
and the Commission’s directives, staff will
revise the scope of the EIR. A Draft EIR is
expected to be issued in March.
Safeway Rebuild — 6310 College
■
■
6426 Benvenue Avenue
Proposal: To convert 4 residential units into
condominium units at an existing 4-unit
building.
Contact: Morteza Javaheri
Phone: 510/910-4000
Owner: Morteza Javaheri
Planning Permits Required: Tentative
Parcel Map to convert 4 existing units into
condominium units.
Historic Status: Potential Designated His-
toric Property (PDHP) Survey
Case Planner: Ann Clevenger, 510/238-6980
or aclevenger@oaklandnet.com
5175 Broadway
The project public hearing before the
Planning Commission was rescheduled to
Wednesday, February 13, 2008, at 6pm,
Hearing Room One, City Hall, One Frank
Ogawa Plaza. All interested residents are
encouraged to attend, and/or to submit a
comment to Oakland planner Peterson
Vollman (pvollman@oaklandnet.com),
238-6167, prior to February 13.
Project environmental documentation
states that no significant environmental
impacts were found that could not be
alleviated. Residual toxics left on the
site from the previous gas station will be
mitigated by the applicant. Traffic and
parking impacts with potential mitigations
are discussed both in the documentation
and at the public hearing. Contact case
planner Peterson Vollman for more project
information. The environmental documenta-
tion can be viewed on-line at http://www.
oaklandnet.com/government/ceda/revised/
planningzoning/MajorProjectsSection/
environmentaldocuments.html. Scroll down
to item no. 42: 5175 Broadway Project and
Traffic Appendix (Case number ER07-004)
to open and read the Initial Study and the
Traffic Study Appendix.
The public comment period closed
January 9, 2008.
361 60th Street
Proposal: Replace existing horizontal siding
with new wood shingles, demolish an exist-
ing detached garage and replace with a new
attached garage, reconstruct an existing 585
square foot outdoor rear deck, enclose an
upper level deck for a new sunroom, and an
upper level room expansion adding a net 132
square feet to an existing 1,952 square foot
two-story single family dwelling.
Contact: Ross Fernandez, Jarvis Architects
Phone Number: 510/654-6755
Owner: Janet Winter and Michael Sloan
Planning Permits Required: Design Review
for residential facilities.
Variances for west side yard setback (5 feet
required, 4 feet 6 inches proposed) and
east side yard setback (5 feet required, 4
feet proposed).
Historic Status: Potential Designated His-
toric Property (PDHP) Survey
Case Planner: Ann Clevenger, 510/238-6980
or aclevenger@oaklandnet.com
Avenue (College & Claremont)
A preliminary application, defining the
scope and intent of the project, has been filed
with the city. Peterson Vollman, the city’s
case planner, said the document shows a total
store area of 62,000 sq. ft., nearly three times
as large as the current store. The application
also showed 219 parking spaces on the roof
of the new store. The current Safeway store
has a 23,000 sq. ft. floor area; there are 106
parking spaces.
The preliminary application shows both
truck and automobile traffic will enter the
site from Claremont Avenue at the north end
of the property where the automobiles will
also exit. The current driveways on College
Avenue will be eliminated. Safeway trucks
will exit onto College via a new truck-only
401-403 63rd Street
Proposal: To convert two residential dwell-
ing units into two residential condominium
units.
Contact: John Gutierrez, Esq.
Phone: 510/647-0600
Owner: David Baehrend
Planning Permits Required: Tentative Parcel
Map for a condominium conversion.
Historic Status: Potential Designated His-
toric Property (PDHP)
Case Planner: Jason Madani, 510/238-4790
or jsmadani@oaklandnet.com
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
1265 Veterans Blvd., Redwood City, 650-365-7800
WWW.GALVINS.COM
6.
February 2, 2008
cover the pot. Cook 10 to 12 minutes for
smaller crabs and up to 20 minutes for
large ones.
While the crab is boiling, make:
Drawn butter with garlic:
Rock ridge
Cornucopia
Cornucopia
n Place one or two sticks of butter
(depending on how many are being
served) in a small saucepan and bring
to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil
for 1 minute.
n Set the saucepan aside and let the
butter settle, undisturbed. The milk
solids will come to the top of the
butter and the watery whey will collect
on the bottom.
n Skim off the milk solids with a spoon
and pour the butter into a bowl, taking
care not to include the watery liquid
from the bottom of the pan.
n Crush or finely mince a few cloves of
garlic and add to the warm drawn butter.
n To serve, pour the butter into indi-
vidual dipping bowls.
It takes a few simple steps to get the
succulent meat out of the shell. It’s fun but
can be messy, so a bib or apron is highly
recommended. Break off the belly flap on
the underside of the shell. Then, starting
from the rear, pull the shell off the back.
Twist the claws and legs off the body. Crack
the shell and claws using a nutcracker or
small hammer. Pick out the crabmeat using
a metal pick, small fork, or the pointed tip
at the end of the crab’s leg.
Enjoy each bite with a dip in the butter
and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Barry A. Kaufman
Crab Feed
I
Dungeness crab began to appear in San Fran-
cisco restaurants as crab Louis, cioppino,
crab cakes, and crab in Chinese black bean
sauce. Although today’s Fisherman’s Wharf
is only a shadow of its golden years, our love
for Dungeness crab continues to part of the
true Bay Area culinary tradition.
Cooking crab at home
You can create the old San Francisco
feeling by cooking live crab at home.
In addition to costing much less than
pre-cooked crab, the flavor is simply
outstanding. I suggest buying live crab in
Oakland Chinatown or at Ranch 99 in El
Cerrito. An hour before cooking, place
the crabs in the freezer to slow down their
movement.
The succulent sweet and fatty meat with
rich juices makes the perfect meal when eaten
directly out of the shell of a freshly cooked
crab. What could be better with crab than a
chilled glass of Chardonnay or Riesling, a
simple green salad, drawn butter with garlic
and Semifreddi’s sourdough bread?
Your pot should be big enough to com-
pletely submerge the crab, with an additional
4 or 5 inches of water on top. Plunge the
crab in boiling, salted water, using about
a half cup of salt per gallon of water, and
t was tough going for crab lovers this
year. The Northern California Dunge-
ness crab season was effectively shut
down because of the Bay oil spill. Bay
Area crab season generally begins in early
November. This year, crab lovers waited until
mid-December for local Dungeness crab. I
was in continuous contact with Jerry Ver
Brugge, proprietor of VerBrugge Meat-Fish
Poultry on College Avenue, as we waited for
the first catch. Even on the Mendocino Coast
where our family celebrates Thanksgiving,
there was not a crab to be had. Finally, by
Christmas, the cherished beast came in.
Dungeness crab is one of the true trea-
sures of San Francisco Bay. Did you know
that the crab is named after the town of
Dungeness located on the Northern coast
of Washington State? Dungeness crab is a
winter catch. To ensure the sustainability of
this delicacy, only male crabs are trapped: the
females are returned to the sea to reproduce
for years to come.
Around San Francisco, cracked crab has
become a first course Thanksgiving tradi-
tion for many families. Further north along
the California coast, crab season opens in
December and peaks in January. Although
you can get Dungeness crab all year, the best
and sweetest crab comes during the very short
window from November through January.
Crabs purchased in other months are trucked
in from Canada, Oregon or Washington.
The history of the Dungeness crab
industry and old San Francisco are deeply
intertwined. At the turn of the 20th century,
Sicilian fisherman began crabbing the
waters outside San Francisco Bay. By the
1920s fishermen began to sell their catch
directly to the public from their boats. In
1925, the wharf area was set aside by the
state legislature for the sole use of the city’s
fishermen and became what is now called
Fisherman’s Wharf. Wood-fired crab boilers
were set up in small stalls on Taylor Street.
By 1940 Dungeness crab became the new
San Francisco gold. Freshly boiled crabs
pulled from steaming cauldrons became the
City’s number-one attraction. By the 1950s,
Barry Kaufman is a graduate of the California
Culinary Academy. Barry is available for cooking
classes. His email is kaufman42@earthlink.net
Mon – Fri 9:30 – 6:00
Sat 9:30 – 5:00
CHIMES
PHARMACY
Serving Rockridge Since 1909
3210 College Avenue
Near Alcatraz
652-1990
Rockridge
Located on Market Hall’s Lower Level
Entry on Shafter Avenue
510-655-8808
Open 7 Days
Mon- Fri 6:00 -7:30
Sat & Sun 8:00 - Noon
Free Parking!
Across from BART
7.
February 2, 2008
clients is about one-third lower than those
not receiving assistance.
The annual per capita cost of incarcera-
tion in a State prison is more than $43,000.
Providing access to the resources needed by
those who have served their time is good
economic sense, and helps prevent crime.
Please join these experts in the panel
discussion about a comprehensive approach
to crime prevention.
Rockridge NCPC Sets Elections!
Candidates: Step Forward, Please
by Susan Montauk, NCPC chair
The Greater Rockridge Neighborhood Crime Prevention Coun-
cil (NCPC), police beats 12Y/13X, will hold elections for
executive officers at its February 28 Town Hall at the Rockridge
Branch Library. Candidates are needed for the positions of Chair,
Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. A description of officers’
duties as well as NCPC boundaries, bylaws, and local crime
statistics can be found at the NCPC website at www.rockridgencpc.com.
Funded by the Oakland Police Department (OPD), the NCPC addresses crime and
safety needs in the greater Rockridge area. Meetings are held the 4th Thursday each
month, 7 p.m., at the Rockridge Branch Library. The steering committee consists of the
executive board, the assigned OPD Problem Solving Officer and other patrol officers,
the Neighborhood Service Coordinator and interested local community members.
NCPC members believe community policing is the best way to find local solu-
tions to city-wide crime and a short-handed police department. Please step forward,
pick up the mantle and let us know that you are interested in running for office at the
February meeting. Contact info@rockridgencpc.com for further information.
Measure Y Money
Helps Fight Crime
Programs designated to receive Measure Y
Funds featured at February NCPC panel
by SusanMontauk, NCPC chair
In 2004, Oakland voters passed Measure
Y which now generates approximately
$20 million annually from a parcel tax
and parking tax. The income provides $4
million for fire prevention services; of the
remaining revenues, at least 40 percent is
for violence prevention programs and the
balance for new police officers, especially
for community policing. However, none of
the funds collected to date for new officers
have been spent because of a clause in the
measure which states:
No tax authorized by this Ordinance may be
collected in any year that the appropriation
for staffing of sworn uniformed police officers
is at a level lower than the amount neces-
sary to maintain the number of uniformed
officers employed by the City of Oakland
for the fiscal year 2003-2004 (739).
Following passage of Measure Y, the
number of OPD officers dipped sharply
and only recently has it inched upward, to
about 734.
However, about $9 million annually has
been paid for violence prevention programs
since January 2006, the effective date of
the measure. Grants have been made to 27
nonprofit and public agencies focussing
on intervention with high-risk youth and
young adults. Among these are programs
providing re-entry services to newly-
released prisoners, mental health services
to families that experience violence and
gang intervention and school based crime
prevention services.
As described on page 1, the February
NCPC Town Hall will host a panel of Measure
Y funded program providers. Attend the panel
on February 28 to hear how their programs
are designed to help prevent crime.
NCPC Panel
Youth Employment
The panel will also include Michelle
Clark-Clough of The Youth Employment
Partnership. This organization provides
after-school training and employment to
over 800 high-risk youth through “Career
Try-Out,” a paid internship or training pro-
gram that is offered during the school year.
In conjunction with the Mayor’s Summer
Jobs Program, YEP also enrolls high-risk
youth — and some who are on probation
or parole — in paid summer internships in
construction and paid “soft skills” work-
shops that offer youth training in important
skills needed in today’s workplace.
Formerly Incarcerated
Individuals and Job Training
Most recently released prisoners lack
stable employment, a place to live or access to
services that can address the causes of their
previous criminal activity. According to the
Department of Corrections and Rehabilita-
tion, over 50,000 incarcerated people will
be released to California’s communities over
the next year, and more than 60 percent will
return to prison within three years. The panel
will include Tony Creer from the Alameda
County Probation Department, a key county
agency promoting successful re-entry, and
Charles Turner of the Oakland Private Indus-
try Council (PIC). PIC is a one-stop shop for
formerly incarcerated individuals and others
in need of job training and placement. Over
500 individuals benefit from employment
assistance, and the recidivism rate for PIC
from page 1
Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council
(NCPC), to be held at 7 p.m. in the Rockridge
Branch Library, will focus on youth and re-
entry services. A panel, organized by the
office of Alameda County Supervisor Keith
Carson, will include experienced service
providers who are part of the solution to
making Oakland safer. Panel members and
their organizations include:
Conflict Intervention
Peacemakers is a new project of Youth
Uprising working to intervene in conflicts
before they escalate. Utilizing social services
counselors and job development services,
the goal is to transform individuals and
neighborhoods plagued by violence. Peace-
makers director Demetria Huntsman will
be represented on the panel.
Youth Development
The Mentoring Center works with
young people in the state juvenile detention
system and with those at risk of trouble.
The staff meet with young people who are
still incarcerated and encourages them to
think about how and why they should do
things differently upon release. Once the
youth are released, the organization works
with them to help them become positive
contributors to our communities. Celsa
Senad, Executive Director of the Mentor-
ing Center, will join the panel.
8.
February 2, 2008
from page 3
Rockridge News Welcomes
Volunteers... and Calls for More!
Green Rockridge
collectives in Rockridge to achieve utility
savings, water conservation and eco-friendly
building renovations. Information gathered
will be posted on the RCPC website. The
dream is to get a commitment from at least
10 percent of Rockridge households to do
all the things big and small that are physi-
cally and financially possible to conserve
our natural resources.
Household items like energy-saving light
bulbs such as Compact Fluorescent Lights
(CFLs) and the pricier but efficient Light
Emitting diodes (LEds), high-efficiency
toilets (HETs), drip watering systems,
permeable paving to replace concrete,
energy-wise window films or design sen-
sitive replacement thermal windows could
all be bought in quantity. For example, ten
neighbors may want to replace a toilet with
a HET under the EBMUd rebate program,
and could negotiate fees with a plumbing
company for this block of guaranteed work
in a small geographic area.
Let’s dream big… how about replacing
outmoded tank water heaters with tank-
less water heaters, saving precious natural
gas, and allowing our existing resources
to stretch for the new neighbors added in
Oakland’s most recent building boom. Or
how about adding solar panels to reduce our
dependence on the electrical grid?
This neighborhood has creative, experi-
enced and enthusiastic residents in all areas
of green tech for the home. Let’s pool that
expertise and create Green Rockridge, a
new committee of the RCPC, and launch
the Green Rockridge Initiative.
Are you interested? Will you join us?
E-mail your interest to RCPC at Green-
Rockridge@rockridge.org or phone RCPC
at 510/869-4200.
by Susan Montauk, RCPC boardmember
Thanks to new volunteers — Eric Talley,
Stephanie Forbes, Fatima Ali and Elisa
Uribe — we are able to cover some recently
vacated Rockridge News delivery routes
and to add new ones.
District Captain Position Open
Beginning in March, we need to fill a
district captain position. The district captain
delivers bundles to houses on his/her route;
this particular route has seven drops along
Broadway and its side streets. If you can
help out please let us know and refer to the
job as “district captain for route 07.”
Newslettter Bundler Needed
If you have about an hour on the first
Friday of each month, we could use help
bundling the
n e w s l e t t e r
into the route
delivery sets.
You’ll be in
good com-
pany and will
enjoy the dis-
cussions and
the refresh-
ments!
Contact
us to volun-
teer to deliver or to bundle The Rockridge
News: smontauk@gmail.com.
www.rockridge.org
VOL. 23 ■ NO. 2 ■ ISSUE NO. 242 ■ February 2, 2008 ■
CIRCULATION: 5,100 RESIDENCES; 200 BUSINESSES
Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council • 5245 College Ave. PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94618 • 869-4200
Agenda: RCPC February
Town Hall Meeting
☛
Calendar: Town Hall Meetings
21
Feb
Thursday, February 21, 7:30 p.m.,
Rockridge Branch Library,
5366 College Avenue at Manila,
Community Room (Upstairs)
■ RCPC Annual Town Hall Planning Meeting
RCPC invites the community to help select issues and set priori-
ties for the organization’s board to tackle in 2008. See meeting details in
box at left.
RCPC Annual Town Hall
Planning Meeting
■ BECOME INFORMED on current
RCPC board projects
■ HELP SET the RCPC board
priorities for 2008
Feb
28
■ NCPC Crime Prevention Panel and
■ Call for Executive Officer Candidates
NCPC Crime Panel Considers Youth
Services and Reentry Programs
■ HEAR IDEAS AND CONCERNS from
the community and RCPC’s board
■ VOTE ON PROPOSED RCPC BYLAW
change. See page 4.
Each month, the RCPC has a community-
wide meeting on the third Thursday.
February’s meeting is another not-to-
be-missed event: In addition to providing
updates on current pending projects such
as under-BART improvements, the Fourth
Bore project, the new RCPC Website, and
various commercial developments, RCPC
invites the community to prioritize the issues
that the organization’s board will tackle in
2008. Previous such meetings have led to
fulfilled visions such as the Rockridge Branch
Library and FROG Park.
If you have not attended a Rockridge com-
munity meeting before, this will be a perfect
opportunity to join friends and neighbors to
learn what is happening in your neighbor-
hood and to help the board set its goals for
this coming year.
by Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson
Over the last year, Rockridge neighborhood town halls have drawn strong
interest in the safety of Oakland and the future of our community. Part of
a comprehensive approach to crime prevention is addressing the fundamental
challenges facing our communities – particularly our young people and people
re-entering the community from prison.
The February 28 town hall for the Rockridge
NCPC Panel, page 7
¬
■ RCPC Board Elections: You Can Do It
Find the perfect volunteer opportunity to work on community
issues. Get the process started now. See page 3.
Apr
17
The Scoop on Dreyer’s
Ice Cream Parlor...
Caltrans Sweep of
Homeless Camps
In Rockridge
by Nila Kim, Assistant to
Councilwoman Jane Brunner
City Councilwoman Jane Brunner has
announced that the city of Oakland
and Caltrans have recently stepped up their
efforts to clean up homeless encampments
in the Rockridge neighborhood. Responding
to complaints from community members,
Caltrans has begun
regularly scheduled
Caltrans, page 8
¬
Dreyer’s Ice Cream Parlor on the Way
DESIGN GRAPHICS COURTESY OF TESSER-SF
by Jeff Small, RCPC boardmember
When Dreyer’s closed its retail ice cream
parlor on College Avenue more than
a year ago, the community responded pas-
sionately. The RCPC received letters and
phone calls from kids and parents alike,
Dreyer’s Parlor, page 9
¬
particular encampment location warrant
action, HMOP joins with Public Works and/
or Caltrans to facilitate cleanup activities, to
provide humanitarian and survival assistance,
and to refer homeless persons to emergency
housing and other resources.
To report a homeless encampment located
on Caltrans property (for instance under an
overpass or along the freeway) contact Cal-
trans at 510/614-5942. To report a homeless
encampment in the city of Oakland, please
call 510/986-2721.
Caltrans Sweeps
from page 1
sweeps of reported homeless encampments
throughout Oakland, every third week of
the month. A number of locations to be
cleaned include homeless encampments
below Highway 24.
Recognizing that homeless persons
sleeping outside need assistance in accessing
services and housing resources, Oakland
established the Homeless Mobile Outreach
Program (HMOP). When conditions at a
COLLINS ROOFING
Family Owned & Operated
482-2227 Seamus
www.collinsroofing.com
Quality Work • Free Estimates
Lic # 695711
Pilates Plus
ates Plus
Pil
®
Pilates
Gyrotonic
Strength and Flexibility Training
Pilates
Gyrotonic
Strength and Flexibility Training
Based here in Rockridge,
we specialize in:
®
Architectural remodels/additions
5255 College Avenue
Oakland CA 94618
5255 College Avenue
Gardens/outdoor spaces
Oakland CA 94618
New construction
510 . 420 . 1412
www.pilatesoncollege.com
www.pilatesoncollege.com
www.AboutInsideOut.com 510.655.7674
9.
February 2, 2008
Design graphics courtesy of tesser-sf
Dreyer’s Parlor
from page 1
Would the parlor reopen? Would it still
be dreyer’s? Would it still offer the same
items?
Worry no longer. Construction has
begun and the exterior façade and interior
design will be getting much-anticipated
improvements. Craig Whitney, dreyer’s
director of Marketing, apologized for the
yearlong delay and said he was thrilled
that the community thinks of the retail
establishment as a major meeting place. He
expects the refurbished ice cream parlor
to open in about three months – just in
time for the summer months.
The new design will be clean and
modern with a retro twist, Whitney said,
while maintaining the dreyer’s classic
branding. The parlor will include a full-
service custom-made ice cream counter,
an expanded booth-seating area, and new
freezers featuring packaged ice cream
and frozen novelties “to go.”
As the ice cream parlor design moves from concept to construction, Dreyer’s
has supplied the above representation of how the entry could look, as well as
a view of the proposed interior, shown on page 1.
Susan Bernosky LUTCF
Insurance Agent
(510) 450-9050
5940 COLLEGE AVE #A
OAKLAND
susanbernosky@allstate.com
CA Lic: 0738807,0D34069
Call me today to see how you can save
when you combine your auto policies.
(Spend more on your honeymoon).
YOUR FINANCIAL LIFE GOES BEYOND
STOCKS AND BONDS. SHOULDN’T YOUR
FINANCIAL STRATEGY DO THE SAME?
Regency Antique Restoration
Professional and Experienced
ALL Furniture Repairs
In-Home Services
New finishes & waxing
FREE ESTIMATES
Pickup & Delivery
534-0603
Bruce Wagg
bruce@bayareaantiques.com
HALLIE HART, CFP®, FINANCIAL ADVISOR
510-208-3823
MERRILL LYNCH
1111 BROADWAY, 22ND FLOOR
OAKLAND, CA 94607
CFP® is a certification mark owned by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
Total Merrill (design/words) is a registered service mark/service mark of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
© 2007 Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated. Member, SIPC.
Rockridge Proves To Be One Of The Strongest Markets In The Bay Area
Close date BR Bth
AddRESS
Orig Price
dOM
LP
SP
1/3/2008
3
2
5455 Shafter Ave
$800,000
58
$700,000
$683,000
1/4/2008
3
2
6031 Chabolyn Ter
$899,000
13
$899,000
$967,000
1/3/2008
4
4
5760 Margarido dr
$1,495,000
11 $1,495,000 $1,545,000
1/11/2008
3
2
16 Sheridan Rd
$1,650,000
94 $1,585,000 $1,575,000
Single family home median prices rose 3% from 2006 to 2007 from $875,000 to $901,000. Sales
volume for SFR dropped less than 1% from 85 units selling in 2006 vs 83 in 2007. The condo market
was extremely strong in 2007 due to the condo projects on Broadway Terrace that became available. 30
sold in 2007 versus only 11 in 2006. That is a 272% increase in sold inventory. Median prices rose over
13% from 579,000 to $656,000. 2006. Average Days On Market 23 vs 2007 average at 22 dOM
Notary Public available
Insurance and savings subject to availability and qualifications.
Savings applies to most major coverages. Allstate Indemnity
Company: Northbrook, IL.
©2004 Allstate Insurance Company.
10.
February 2, 2008
Patrick Daughton
cilmember Brunner’s appointee
in this volunteer position for the
last 10 years. A leading voice on
this committee, he is the glue and
institutional memory bonding
this important advisory body. He
has also been heavily involved in
numerous citywide and District 1
election campaigns as well as city-
wide parcel tax and bond measures
over the last 20 years.
Patrick’s record of selfless
community activism speaks for
itself. Equally impressive is the
manner in which he works with
others. Patrick is one of those rare individu-
als who can keep focused on a group’s goals
and remain above narrow political differ-
ences. He is a skilled listener, communicator
and mediator; he has consistently been able
to bridge the political agendas of different
factions for the greater good of Oakland’s
children, youth and families.
Professionally, Patrick worked as
Operations Manager of Toot Sweets Bakery/
Intermountain Trading Company in Berke-
ley for 25 years.
from page 2
Patrick is one of those
rare individuals who can
keep focused on a group’s
goals and remain above
narrow political differences...
he has been able to bridge
the political agendas of
different factions for the
greater good of Oakland’s
children, youth and families.
served as a board member for 20 years as well
as president of the Rockridge Soccer Club,
the Jack London Youth Soccer League, and
the Temescal/Golden Gate Neighborhoods
Youth Soccer outreach program. He has also
served on city-wide committees advocating
for public schools, youth programs, and
open space issues and was involved with
the seismic upgrading/rebuilding of Studio
One Arts Center.
Patrick was one of the original group of
Oakland residents that put the Kids First
measure (Measure K) on the ballot in 1996.
The measure, which passed, called for ear-
marking 2.5 percent of city funds for youth
programs. For the past 10 years, almost $10
million annually has been allocated to 80
organizations serving children and youth.
In 1997, Councilwoman Jane Brunner
appointed Patrick to the Planning and Over-
sight Committee (POC) for the Oakland
Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY)—the
organization created by Kids First to oversee
the fund. While no other original mayoral
and city council appointee still serves on
the POC, Patrick has remained as Coun-
Kitchens
• Design
• Remodeling
• Showroom Sales
www.acornkitchens
andbaths.com
KITCHENS & BATHS
510
547-6581
4640 TELEGRAPH AVE • OAKLAND
HOURS: T-F 10-5 • SAT. 10-4
Sadly, Patrick’s health has been declining
over the last few years, but he remains active
in local and city-wide issues. Our heartiest
congratulations to him on receiving the 2008
Rockridge Champion Award.
Ken Rice benefited from Patrick Daughton’s
political wisdom when Daughton was his primary
political adviser and campaign organizer during
Rice’s successful District 1 school board campaign
in 1996. Rice credits Daughton as also being an
invaluable advisor during his four-year term on
the school board.
In Rockridge, There’s Only One #1
Listings SOLD in 2007 by Ron Kriss
List Price $1,300,000
Sale Price $1,300,000
www.5377Locksley.com
SOLD
List Price $849,000
Sale Price $960,000
www.5533Taft.com
SOLD
List Price $1,049,000
Sale Price $1,000,000
www.409Hudson.com
SOLD
List Price $1,150,000
Sale Price $1,250,000
www.5577Taft.com
SOLD
List Price $1,189,000
Sale Price $1,256,000
www.5404Lawton.com
SOLD
List Price $849,000
Sale Price $960,000
www.5849Virmar.com
SOLD
List Price $859,000
Sale Price $812,000
www.5137Miles.com
SOLD
List Price $774,000
Sale Price $825,000
www.442-60thSt.com
SOLD
List Price $1,149,000
Sale Price $1,325,000
www.5455Lawton.com
SOLD
Find Out
Why!
L A W T O N
Ron Kriss, Broker Lawton Associates
510-547-5970 Ext. 55 ronkriss@jps.net
A S S O C I A T E S
R E A L E S T A T E
B R O K E R A G E
11.
February 2, 2008
Rebecca Lueck, LCSW
Individual and
Family Counseling
(415) 235-1071
Located at College and Alcatraz
Treating relationship issues,
anxiety, depression, panic disorders,
childhood trauma, grief, infertility
and adoption, and addictions.
Sliding scale : Insurance accepted
a
cross-cultural congregation
striving to partner with
the Rockridge community
in lifestyle and service.
College Avenue Presbyterian Church
5951 College Avenue, Oakland 510 658-3665
SUNDAY WORSHIP 10:30 AM • VISIT: CAPCCHURCH.ORG
OUR WONDERFUL COMMUNITY MEAL, FRIDAYS, 6-7PM
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE
Fine Arts Classes for Children, Teens and Adults
0QFO)PVTF
4VOEBZ
'FCSVBSZ
¬QN
Meet Mona Brookes,
acclaimed art educator
Enjoy refreshments
Try a free drawing lesson
Call or register online at
oakland.monart.com/openhouse
Try a
FREE
Class!
5427 Telegraph Ave., Oakland
510.654.3729
www.eastbaymonart.com
Tahoe Condo for Rent
Our lovely 3br/2+ba condo in Incline Vil-
lage is available for rent! Sleeps eight, is
fully equipped! Close to everything! Call
652-6664 for more information.
‘Gateway’ Signs for Temescal
by Darlene Rios Drapkin,
Temescal/ Telegraph BID
You may have noticed the recently
installed Temescal Telegraph District
“Gateway”marking entry points to the local
Business Improvement District (BID). The
signs welcome travelers to the district, add
to the sense of community and place, and
contribute to security.
A recent security report commissioned
by the BID emphasizes “Crime Prevention
Through Environmental Design” (CPTED).
The idea is that when people have more of
a stake and pride in their community, they
also tend to look out more for one another,
and generally are more aware of their sur-
roundings, which enhances security. Signage
is recommended as a way to assist awareness
of community.
Gateway signs have been installed on
Telegraph, southbound at Woolsey, and
northbound at 40th; westbound on 51st
Street and Claremont Avenue, both near
Telegraph; and both east and westbound
on 52nd Street at the freeway ramp.
Photo: Don Kinkead
YOU MAY LIVE 30 YEARS
PAST RETIREMENT.
ARE YOU PREPARED?
Rockridge Resident
[24778-v1-0668]RP-260-0805
Leila S. Gough, Associate Vice President-Investments
1999 Harrison, Suite 2050 • Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 452-8060
www.agedwards.com/fc/leila.gough
2004 A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. • Member SIPC
12.
February 2, 2008
Time to Do Yourself
The Neighborhood Merchant
Photo: Don Kinkead
a Favor…
by Theresa Nelson
Time to visit one of College Avenue’s
most enticing stores: Favor. In this
bright, red and white shop across
from Garibaldi’s Restaurant, you will
find one of the most unusual collec-
tions of jewelry anywhere – because
virtually everything you see is designed
and made in the atelier in the rear of the
store. Owner Caramina Visick opened
Favor on College Avenue when she moved
her Hotcakes Design studio from the West
Berkeley warehouse where she sold directly
to stores. The store’s name was inspired
by a vintage French poster of a motorbike
manufacturer she first saw at age 12; she
keeps a copy of the poster in the store.
Caramina Visick started designing
jewelry about seven years ago, while work-
ing in restaurants after studying fine art in
college. People liked her jewelry so much
she would literally sell it off her arm to
restaurant customers. She did a few shows,
and things snowballed. She’s maintained
and expanded the wholesale part of the
business (the full catalog is online at www.
shopatfavor.com), and her designs are avail-
able in over 200 museums and 300 stores
around the world. For example, her bird
earrings are now available in New York at
an exhibit of Audubon paintings of birds,
and her line featuring Frida Kahlo imagery
will be in the gift shop at the upcoming
New York MOMA show. Her jewelry is
sold in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden,
Greece, Japan, and every state in the US.
More outlets are added as buyers spot her
jewelry on someone and inquire where to
find it. Luckily for those of us in the Bay
Area, her full line is available in the Col-
lege Avenue store.
The signature style of
jewelry presented in Favor
is of carved black resin and
onyx beads with art images,
often with sterling silver
fittings. Caramina studied
Bakelite for some time,
and in her current process,
she “sketches the designs,
carves a metal sample to
create a mold, and then
casts each one – very labor-
intensive,” but creating
a truly unique look. The
pieces have a vintage look
but the art images range
from the 19th century to
the present. Most images
are available in earrings,
bracelets, necklaces, rings,
pins and cufflinks. The cast
resin beads are tumbled for
five days to polish them, and
the two-tone beads are cast
in ivory, soaked in a darker
tone (black, brown, purple), and tumbled to
polish, to a stunning effect. Most earrings
and necklaces include some gem drops of
citrine, coral, onyx, and smoky quartz,
Iolite or Amethyst. The jewelry ranges from
dramatic, chunky necklaces and rings to
delicate rounds on thin silver chains.
There are also themed panels of jewelry
, with birds, insects, cuisine, paintings,
eyes and mouths, flowers, valentines, and
individual words. Travel pieces feature color
and black & white scenes of New York,
San Francisco, Paris, London, Casablanca,
Caramina Visick amidst sales displays of her
handmade jewelry. Photo: D. Kinkead
Favor
Handmade Jewelry & Atelier
5337 College Avenue, Oakland 94618
Owner: Caramina Visick
Open Tuesday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.,
Sunday 12-5 p.m.
Phone 510/653-2741
Fax 510/653-2742
www.shopatfavor.com
and icons like the Eiffel Tower and the
Golden Gate Bridge. Artwork includes
scenes of Venetian canals, folk art, Louis
XIV, and Frida Kahlo. A series of smiles
decorates a bracelet, while another sports
images of eyes. Mexican lotteria images are
popular: the heart, mermaid, skull, devil.
Travel road signs from across the US and
Paris are available, along with planes and
trains, girls at the beach, art from old LPs,
architecture, antique fruit and vegetable
Favor, page 13
¤
¤
Order New Market
Jeff Auen, Realtor
Residential and
Income Properties
Jaoffice@comcast.net
Norman H. Burg, DDS
Handbook for
Buyers and Sellers at
www.JLAHomes.com
Straight Talk
• Renovation Consultation for
Resale and Purchase
• Over 200 Vendor References
from floors to kitchens
• 60-Step Marketing and
Pre-Sale Plan for Owners
• Over 30 articles free at:
www.JLAHomes.com
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
Creative
Solutions
www.JLAHomes.com
1-800-805-8827
Results
Jeff Auen
A Prevention Oriented Practice
13.
February 2, 2008
And many are customized for weddings,
including cufflinks as groomsmen’s gifts,
with tiny maps of the bride and groom’s
hometowns. Favor also shows Loveshine
purses and totes, handmade in New York,
with playful prints in small and large bags,
wristlets and makeup bags, which can also
function as nice “boxes” for the jewelry.
Most of all, Caramina focuses on design-
ing the jewelry and working directly with
customers to get feedback. She personally
sets all the silver used in the jewelry,
working with her manufacturing staff in
the rear. Her husband, a former chef at
high-end restaurants, serves as finance
and business manager. Caramina says she
enjoys “working directly with customers,
seeing how they react to certain pieces or
designs” to inspire her work.
On February 9 and 10, Favor will host
a pre-Valentine’s Day sale with 10 percent
off almost everything in the store. An
email list will keep you informed of future
events. The sale is just in time to catch the
favor of someone special for Valentine’s
Day, birthdays or any other event. Enjoy
Favor today!
Favor
from page 12
prints, shoes, French words, and, as the
saying goes, much, much more. She also
carries solid-color necklaces in modern
and vintage beads, in black (of course)
and also in yellow jade, amazonite, shell
pearl, ruby quartz, green apple jade and
other unusual colors. A new line includes
silver filigree earrings with gem drops,
and laser cut medallions of images such
as trees inside a circle.
Caramina can also create a custom piece
from your own images. After a one-time
set-up fee, you can have a necklace with
Grandmother’s old photos, a favorite cat or
dog, children or grandchildren, maps, or
almost anything you can find in the form
of artwork. These custom pieces make an
exceptionally personal and unique gift.
Photo: Don Kinkead
End of an Era for
College Ave Atty’s
by Don Kinkead
Catapult a resident of Rockridge 2008
back in time to Rockridge 1974, and he
or she would have a tough time recognizing
the place. Its commercial life decimated by
construction of the Grove-Shafter Freeway
(I-980), College Avenue was strewn with
boarded-up storefronts and desultory shop-
pers. Market Hall? An unpaved vacant lot.
The library? A home and sales office for
the cement statuary piled next door. Yasai
Market? Non-descript stores in transition
to specialty food shops. Ben ’n Nick’s? A
seedy storefront wine bar rarely frequented
by unescorted women.
Our time traveler would recognize some
places: Safeway was on its corner with
the gas station; Eddie’s Liquors marketed
respectable wines; and the Rockridge Café
was selling hamburgers like hotcakes.
This was the scene when law partners
Harvey Kletz and Larry Moll opened their
first office, renting space in a storefront that
today houses Sahaira Salon. They hung out
their shingle and practiced law together,
Harvey handling personal injury cases and
Larry doing estates and trusts.
In 1978, the partners purchased the
gingerbread gem of a house then being used
as an antique store at 5315 College. Built
in 1886, the building was sound and intact.
Harvey and Larry restored the interior, built
a couple of office spaces and a reception
area, and settled in for the long term.
Fast-forward to 2008 and we find that
College Avenue and Rockridge have evolved
into the bustling area that many now know
and love. Harvey and Larry have changed,
too, and are dissolving their partnership:
Larry will retire to the active life; Harvey
will continue his practice. The little house?
It’s on the market for a price unimaginable
to even the most optimistic real estate agent
operating in Rockridge in 1978.
14.
February 2, 2008
Plumbing, Heating,
Electrical Contracting
Skilled professional contractor team in business
locally for 28 years. Small and large referral
projects. Remodels, additions, sewer replace-
ment, water heaters, storm drainage, heating
systems. Erin Gaffey, lic:537739, Winston
Washington, lic:554406. 510/652-8014.
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 94618. March deadline is February 21.
For information: e-mail smontauk@gmail.com
Join the Sole Sisters Team
…and walk the 3-Day 60 mile walk for Breast
Cancer Sept. 5-7. Stay in shape while supporting
a good cause. Complete details can be found
under My Blog at www.rockridgedigs.com.
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 510/761-7168.
Custom Sewing for the Home
Window coverings: curtains, Roman shades,
top treatments; slipcovers: pillows and cush-
ions; bed accessories: duvet covers, bed skirts,
pillow shams & bolsters. Special projects.
Decorator fabrics & drapery hardware. Holly.
510/531-1177.
Housecleaning Cooperative
We clean homes, apartments, offices, and help
you clean up for moves, in and out. Careful
professional attention to detail and reasonable
rates. Ask for our excellent references. Please
call: 510/499-5836.
Elegant Nail in Rockridge
and Claremont Area
Complete nail care for men and women: waxing,
reflexology, foot massage. Walk-ins welcome.
5406 College Avenue. 510/654-2983.
Unexpected Guests?
Short-term rental, lovely room 2 blocks from
Rockridge BART in owner’s flat. Wi-fi, cable,
t.v. Suitable for one person. Photos available.
Barbird@aol.com 510/652-7044.
Non-Toxic House Cleaning
Lotus Cleaning Services provides excellent
service while protecting your health and the
planet. Licensed, bonded and insured. Experi-
enced, reliable cleaners. Great for households
with allergies, asthma, small children. Rea-
sonable rates. 510/452-0755, lotusclean@
comcast.net.
Handyman
Carpentry, electrical, kitchen, bath, decks,
fence, drainage, foundation repair, windows,
walls, dry rot, termite damage. Lic#458473
Don 510/812-0310.
Lake Tahoe Summer Rental
Lovely 2-BD condo: pool, hot tub, BBQ, kid’s
playground, on beach. Available July 13-20
& August 22-29. Reasonable. Also available
condo in Puerto Vallarta, on beach. Special
deal. 510/658-9530.
Manicure & Pedicure
We use Zoya polish which does not contain
formaldehyde or toluene or DBT. Call Halina
@ Milagro Salon, 5269 Broadway @ College.
510/593-5080. Mention this ad and receive a
10% discount.
Sunny, Garden-view Office
400 sq.ft., near Rockridge BART, on-site park-
ing, wired, restroom, includes utilities. Great
space for: writer, architect, graphic designer,
artist, etc. Space is NOT suitable for seeing
clients. 510/653-1905.
Quality Gardening
Skilled monthly or bimonthly maintenance—
pruning, planting, design, irrigation, outdoor
lighting, ecological practices. 15 years in East Bay,
local refs. Green’s Gardens: 510/593-3490.
Gardella Gardening Services
Garden maintenance, yard cleanup, new lawn,
pruning, trimming, weeding, sprinkler installa-
tion, fencework, hauling and dumping. All work
guaranteed. Excellent references. Luis Gardella,
lgardella20@hotmail.com 510/847-0411.
Pacific Boychoir Auditions
The Boychoir is auditioning boys ages 5-10.
No experience necessary for this once-in-a-
lifetime opportunity for boys, concerts with
orchestras, at sporting events, and around
the world. Convenient rehearsals at Alcatraz/
Colby. 510/652-4722.
Movi-Ritmo Dance
At Jeffrey Bihr Studio resumes in February!
An eclectic alternative stretch-exercise-dance
workout! Great Caribbean, Brazilian & world
music, personalized instruction, fun moves &
loving ambience. Saturdays 10:30-12 pm. Call
Lina @ (510) 658-3423.
Aesthetic Pruning
I specialize in pruning trees and shrubs under
20 feet tall. I work with trees to enhance
their natural beauty. Specialties: maples,
camellias, conifers, fruit trees, focal points,
hands-on pruning instruction. Bruce Thompson
510/428-4964.
G
R E A L T O R S
The GRUBB Co.
510.339.0400
1960 Mountain Boulevard •Oakland
510.652.2133
3070 Claremont Avenue • Berkeley
Feel like
a kid again...
Group Classes
Cardio & Weights
Personal Training
Child Care
4444 PIEDMONT AVE, OAKLAND (510) 655-8308
WWW.INSIDEOUTSIDEFITNESS.COM
ÀVÀ`}iÊ
i
$PMMFHF"WF
f h k f v k p
15.
February 2, 2008
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
LiveTalk@CPS
bring projects to work on. Tuesdays, 12:30-2:30pm,
upstairs meeting room. NOTE: no class 2/5 (Election
Day) and 2/12 (City of Oakland holiday).
The Science of Breath Workshop:
■
■
focuses on how
breath can be an effective tool to deal with everyday
stress. Presented by The Art of Living Foundation;
workshop leaders Timiza Wagner and Sriram
Raghavendran. Monday 3/10, 6:30 – 7:30pm.
Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice. NOTE:
■
■
College Preparatory School (CPS) Lecture Series:
open to all. Academy Awards Preview Night with Dr.
Harry Chotiner: NYU film professor (and former CPS
teacher) makes his picks for the best films of the year,
talks about industry trends, and invites the audience
to share their opinions. An annual CPS tradition. Live
music, popcorn, candy, and soft drinks included with
admission. Thursday, 2/21, 7:30 to 9pm. Doors open at
7pm for complimentary refreshments. Tickets: $12.50
in advance or $15 (students$5) at the door, cash only.
Proceeds support the CPS endowment fund and financial
aid program. CPS Buttner Auditorium, 6100 B’way (at
Brookside). Wheelchair accessible; free parking. Info:
420-2351 or www.college-prep.org/livetalk.
Saturday February 9, 10am to noon. Peralta Elementary
School: 460 63rd St. (parking on Alcatraz Ave., just
east of Telegraph). February meeting topic: Crime in
Oakland, with police Chief Wayne Tucker and others.
For info on all District One issues, call 238-7001, or view
Brunner Report at www.oaklandnet.com (the site for all
City-related information).
Cancelled February (Election Day). Will resume first
Tuesdays of each month, Mar 4, from 6 to 8pm. Advance
sign-up starts 5pm. More information: 597-5017.
Art Exhibits
Gallery: February: Damon Guthrie: pen-and-ink
drawings and watercolors.
March: Artwork by Oakland Public Library
Staff Members.
Lobby Display Case:
February: Paul Robeson Centennial Committee
display and Season of Non-Violence display
March: Artwork by Oakland Public Library Staff
Members.
Library Hours:
Mon. and Tues, 12:30 to 8pm.
Wed., Thurs. and Sat. 10am to 5:30pm.
Fri., 12 to 5:30pm.
Closed Sundays, also Tues., 2/12 and Mon., 2/18.
Diesel Readings and Events
Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council (NCPC)
Residents and business members of NCPC’s 12Y and
13X areas are invited to voice their concerns about crime
and public safety. Note new time and place: Meets 4th
Thursday each month, 7pm, at Rockridge Library, upstairs
meeting room. February 28 meeting: NCPC Elections
and Measure Y Panel Rockridge Library, 5366 College
Ave. info@rockridgencpc.com.
Jazz at the Chimes
Concert and Artist Reception featuring vocalist and song-
writer Jacqui Naylor and her band. Sunday, 2/17, 2pm.
Ticket sales at the door begin at 12:30pm: $10-15 (cash
only) for concert, reception and refreshments. Kids under
12 free. Sponsored by the Lifemark Group Arts program
that features Bay Area talent. Chapel of the Chimes,
4499 Piedmont Ave. Wheelchair accessible. Info/Res-
ervations: 228-3218. www.lifemarkgroup.com/oakland/
special_events.asp and www.jacquinaylor.com.
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
FOR CHILDREN:
Toddler Story Time: Note new days: now every
■
■
Saturday, 10:30am.
Pre-School Story Time:
■
■
1st and 3rd Wednesdays,
10:30am: 2/6, 2/20, 3/5.
Pajama Story Time:
■
■
2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 7pm: 2/26
(see closed days at end of library section), 3/11.
Special Events for Kids and Families:
Valentine Making Workshop
■
■
: All ages welcome;
kids 7 and under please bring a grown-up. Thursday,
2/7, 4 - 5pm.
FOR TEENS:
Anime Club: Teens 13 and up,
■
■
watch and talk about
anime (Japanese animation) with other teens. Note
special date for February meeting: Tuesday, 2/19,
to watch the movie “Bleach.” Subsequent meetings:
2nd Tuesday of each month, from 5 to 6:30pm,
upstairs meeting room. More info: Susy Moorhead,
597-5017.
FOR ADULTS:
Writers’ Support /Critique Group:
■
■
ALL writers
welcome. Third Saturday of each month (2/16) from
1 to 5pm. Bring 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 info: 420-8775 or Writefox@aol.com.
Knitting Classes for Seniors (50+):
■
■
with instructor
Teri Barr. All levels welcome. Beginners bring light
color yarn and a pair of size 8 needles. If experienced,
Wisteria Ways Concert Series
Grannar
■
■
: Trio plays traditional Swedish with a jazz/
world twist. Thursday, 2/21, 8pm (house opens 7:30).
Download sound samples at http://www.evolvingtradi-
tions.se/default.asp?pid=52&sub=37&sub2=45
The Muses
■
■
: group sings and plays traditional Celtic
music and original material on a variety of exotic
instruments. Sunday, 3/9 at 3pm.
383 61st St. Simple refreshments provided and you can
also bring something to share. $15-20 suggested donation
for musicians (cash please at the door). For reservations,
RSVP to info@WisteriaWays.org or 655-2771.
All events are FREE and open to the public.
Mondays, 2/11 and 3/10:
■
■
Amnesty International
Meeting: exchange information and ideas on action.
All welcome.
Sunday, 2/17, 3pm: local author
■
■
Clare Langley-Haw-
thorne reads from her mystery novel, Consequences
of Sin.
Sunday, 3/2, 3pm:
■
■
Dan Kennedy: Rock On: An Office
Power Ballad.
5433 College Ave. For more information about other
events, Book Discussion Groups and El Grupito, the
Spanish discussion group: 653-9965 or www.diesel-
bookstore.com.
California College of the Arts (CCA)
International Exchange Exhibition: Celebrating
the art and experience of CCA’s fall and spring 2007
international exchange students. February 18 – 23.
Opening reception: Wednesday, 2/20, 5:30 – 7:30pm.
Gallery hours: Mon.,-Fri., 8am to 4:40pm (also Wed.,
5:30 -7:30pm). Oakland Campus, Irwin Student Center
Gallery. Info: 415/551-9284 or www.cca.edu/students/
undergradexhibitions.
Launch: The First Year Exhibition:
■
■
A curated show of
works by first-year CCA undergraduates. March 3 -14.
Opening reception: Wed., 3/5, 5:30 – 7:30pm. Preview
day: Sat., 3/8, 10am – 1pm. Gallery hours: Mon.,-Fri.,
8am to 4:40pm. CCA Oliver Art Center, 5212 B’way.
Info: 594-3642 or www.cca.edu/calendar.
Peace Corps Information Session
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers will share stories.
Volunteers work in 74 countries in education, health,
business, environment and more. No upper age limit to
join. Learn more Tuesday, 2/26, 6 to 7:30pm, Rockridge
Library, 5366 College Ave. More info: Nick Bosustow,
452-8444, nbosustow@peacecorps.gov, or www.
peacecorps.gov.
WINSTON’S PLUMBING
North Oakland Senior Center
HEATING & ELECTRICAL
Program Highlights: Computer classes; Health Insur-
ance counseling and advocacy program; trips, tours
and theater outings; Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support
Group; AARP driver Safety classes; Farmers Market
every Wednesday from 10:30am to 2:30pm.
Make reservations and pay deposit now for special
■
■
lic.# 537739/554406
Since 1979
• Trenchless Sewers
• Earthquake Protection
• Tankless Water Heaters
trip to Yosemite on Amtrak: May 13 – 15.
Hours: Mon. – Fri., 8:45am to 4:45pm. 5714 Martin Luther
King, Jr. Way. “The North Oakland Senior Times,” provides
a schedule of classes and a monthly lunch menu ($2.25
to $4.). For details about events, membership, and oppor-
tunities to become a volunteer, call 597- 5085.
• Remodel & Repair
510-652-8014
www.winstonsplumbing.com
“”May your toilet never runneth over!”
16.
February 2, 2008
ROBERTS ELECTRIC
VINITA GOKHALE
ROCKRIDGE REALTOR AND HOMEOWNER
Happy
New
Year!
RECO
COMMERCIAL
RESIDENTIAL
INSTALLATION • REPAIR • 220 WIRING
Visit my new
interactive Website for
Rockridge Neighbors:
NEW CONSTRUCTION • REMODEL
FREE ESTIMATES
2408 Webster St. 834-6161 Oakland
SERVING THE EAST BAY SINCE 1932 CA. LIC# 728215
www.myrockridgeneighbors.com
510-717-0630
510-428-0757
Email: Vinita@realtyadvocates.com
510-717-0630
SPY
PI PE
™
• Trenchless Sewer Pipe
Replacement
• TV Pipe Inspections
• Drain & Sewer Service
Free Estimates
Over 25 Years Experience
Coming in Rockridge
In February
365 61st Street
3+ Bedrooms/
2 Baths
IMMEDIATE RESPONSE
(510) 465-3000
License #754966
www.365-61st.com
371 Hudson Street
2+ Bedrooms/
1+ Baths
aboutface&body
dayspa oaklandberkeley
serving you since 1981
Specialists in
Brazilian waxing
Perfect Starter Home
Close to everything
www.371Hudson.com
3190 college avenue
at alcatraz
berkeley, ca 94705
Ron Kriss, Broker
Lawton Associates
510-547-5970 Ext. 55
L A W T O N
p 510.428.2600
www.aboutfaceandbody.net
ronkriss@jps.net
sun-tues 10:30-5:30
wed-sat 10:30-8:00
A S S O C I A T E S
“#1 in Rockridge Real Estate”
R E A L E S T A T E
B R O K E R A G E
Is there a move in your future?
Talk to me about featuring your home
For Sale in this ad space as well as other
creative marketing ideas
Terry Kulka 510/339-4789
terrykulka@att.net
http://www.terrykulka.com
With over 300 homes sold –
Experience Counts
Jan Fougner
OWNER – BROKER
BUYING OR SELLING IN
ROCKRIDGE? IF YOU
NEED THE SERVICES
OF A REALTOR, CALL
ME. I HAVE 28 YEARS
OF ROCKRIDGE SALES
EXPERIENCE AND THE
EXPERTISE YOU NEED.
6 5 5 - 2 3 3 0
ROCKRIDGE
R
E
A
L T
Y
6 0 1 9 C O L L E G E AV E N U E
30
30
WHAT’S SO SPECIAL
ABOUT
ASHBY LUMBER?
1,458
years of
Experience,
…as of today.
ASHBY LUMBER
HARDWARE & BUILDING SUPPLIES
824 ASHBY AVE BERKELEY
(510) 843-4832 OPEN 7 DAYS
2295 ARNOLD INDUSTRIAL WAY
CONCORD (925) 689-8999 Mon-Sat
KEVIN BROWN
Broker
654-8707 or 593-4780
PROVIDING
Professional,
Full Service
Real Estate Brokerage
To Rockridge Clients
For Over 26 Years.
SPECIALIZING IN
W Residential Sales
W Income Property
W Commercial
W Property Management
28
Better Homes
Realty
5353 College Avenue
Oakland