Extracted text · highlighting “Elisabeth Jewel”

www.rockridge.org

!
No
Newsletter
!   In August   !

VOL. 23    NO. 7    ISSUE NO. 247    July 7, 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-NCPC Joint
Town Hall Meeting– July
Thursday, July 24, 7 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library,
5366 College Avenue at Manila,
Community Room (Upstairs)
Personal Safety is the theme of the
joint RCPC-NCPC Town Hall Meeting
to be held Thursday, July 24.
Oakland Police Department
representatives will discuss the
role and structure of Rockridge’s
police beats (12Y and 13X) and
explain how residents can enhance
their personal safety.
Captain Anthony Toribio, Oak-
■
■

Plans Dismay Community

Citing the “ne w
urbanism” as the
i n s p i r a t i o n  f o r
a  re v i s e d  s t o re
d e s i g n ,  S a f e wa y
representative Todd
Paradis presented
the rendering at
left as one view of
the corporation’s
response to neigh-
b o r h o o d  d e s i g n
concerns.
Courtesy Safeway
community website

Safeway Presents Revised Plans for
College Avenue Store Rebuilding

land Police Department Area 1
Commander, will speak about
how OPD is responding to crime
in North Oakland. A question-
and-answer period will follow.
OPD Officers Eddie Simlin and
■
■
Titus Taylor, Police Service Tech-
nicians from the Neighborhood
Services Division, will give a pre-
sentation on personal safety.
There will be a brief update on RCPC
Land Use Committee activities
following these presentations.
Meeting Note:
This meeting takes the place of
the RCPC Town Hall Meeting
held the third Thursday of each
month. The Neighborhood Crime
Prevention Committee (NCPC)
normally meets on the fourth
Thursday.

by Carol and Ray Craun
Revised development plans for the Cla-
remont and College Safeway store were
presented publicly at a standing-room-only
meeting co-hosted by City Councilmember
Jane Brunner, the Rockridge Community
Planning Council (RCPC), and the Clare-
mont-Elmwood Neighborhood Association
(CENA) at Peralta Elementary School.
Jane Brunner welcomed almost 300
people to the meeting held June 19, and
introduced RCPC chair Stuart Flashman
and CENA president Dean Metzger. In their
introductory remarks, both neighborhood
representatives indicated that their orga-
nizations had significant concerns about
the size of the development, the potential
increase in traffic, and the proposed project’s
incompatibility with the intent of the Col-
lege Avenue C-31 special retail commercial
zone regulations. (See Oakland Municipal
Codes, http://municipalcodes.lexisnexis.
com/codes/oakland/ Click on Title 17:
Planning.) Concerned Neighbors of College
Ave Safeway, represented by founders and
Rockridge residents Susan Shawl and Nancy
McKay, also made an introductory state-
ment, noting their group’s concern about the
proposed project’s design and troublesome
traffic patterns it could introduce.
Safeway presenters Elisabeth Jewel and
Todd Paradis then described the revised
design proposal after which the meeting was
opened to comments from the audience.
The revised design, which includes the
development of the adjacent Union 76 sta-
Safeway Plans, page 10
¤
¤

EBMUD Advances Plans for Supply, Drought Relief

by Stuart Flashman, RCPC chair and
East Bay MUD Community Liaison
Committee member
On June 24, the East Bay MUD board
of directors reached a milestone in the
district’s planning for future water supply.
The board approved a “preferred alternative”
to focus study of future water supply plan-
ning. Preliminary to that decision, the board
made several important pre-decisions. First,
and perhaps foremost, the board decided
to eliminate Buckhorn Reservoir, a large
and controversial proposed water storage
facility in the East Bay hills southwest of
Moraga, from the preferred alternative. The
board also decided to ramp up future water
conservation and recycling programs to high
levels, but decided to limit future rationing
to a maximum of 10%. (EBMUD’s current
rationing stands at 15% for this drought
year – more on this below.)
Having made those decisions, the board
chose what the District’s planning consul-
tants, EDAW, called a “robust” alternative,
or what might also be called a smorgasbord
of supplemental water supply options.
EBMUD Plans, page 5
¤
¤


2.

July 7, 2008

Oakland Settles with Caltrans; Local
Groups Press Ahead with Tunnel Suit

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.
by Ellen Peterson, RCPC boardmember
As discussed in the May 2008 issue of
The Rockridge News, the Rockridge
Community Planning Council (RCPC) has
joined the Fourth Bore Coalition (FBC),
a group of local civic and neighborhood
organizations that have banded together to
improve the Caldecott Improvement Proj-
ect (the fourth bore) by protecting nearby
communities from the increased noise,
pollution, and traffic problems expected
to result from the project, both during and
after construction.
The FBC has filed suit against Caltrans
based on the inadequacy of Caltrans’
environmental documents. While the City
of Oakland also notified Caltrans that it
intended to file suit challenging the approval
of the project, the lawsuit was never filed.
Instead, Oakland and Caltrans agreed to
extend the deadline for filing suit and to
engage in settlement discussions. (Caltrans
refused to offer this option to the Fourth
Bore Coalition.)
In mid-June, the City Council voted to
accept a Caltrans settlement offer. Council-
person Nancy Nadel abstained, stating that
the project was flawed and would encour-
age the use of private vehicles rather than
supporting public transportation.
Under the terms of the settlement,
Caltrans agreed to assist Oakland in
obtaining up to $8 million in Alameda
County Congestion Management Agency
funds to reduce noise and pollution
occurring during the construction of
the new tunnel. In addition, no trucks
will haul construction debris between
9 p.m. and 7 a.m. Caltrans also agreed to
add some traffic signals on adjacent roads,
and to enclose the area where cement will be
manufactured for the project. In exchange
for these items, Oakland agreed not to carry
through with legal action.
The Fourth Bore Coalition, including
RCPC, is moving forward with its lawsuit.
The Coalition feels the items accepted
by Oakland in mitigation are woefully
inadequate to protect the surrounding neigh-
borhoods – and particularly local schools,
parks, and recreational facilities – from
substantial injury by the project’s noise,
pollution, and other damaging impacts, both
during construction and after completion,
as well as traffic problems created during
construction.
What is a typical amount sought for
mitigating project impacts? While no fixed
percentage of a given project’s cost is set
aside for mitigations or enhancements, 10%
12:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
12 – 5:30 p.m.
CLOSED
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.......................Editor
Ortrun Niesar.....................The Muse
Barry Kaufman...................Food
Jo Ellis...................................Advertising &
Community Calendar
Theresa Nelson.....................Neighborhood Merchant
Susan Montauk...................Business Manager
Don Kinkead.......................Graphics & Layout
RCPC Board of Directors, 2008-2009
Stuart Flashman..................Chair
Ronnie Spitzer..................... Vice-Chair
Katy Taylor...........................Secretary
Joan Martin..........................Treasurer
Annette Floystrup, Jonathan Gabel,
Don Kinkead, Doug Patton, Ellen Peterson,
Danica Truchlikova
Contact the Board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
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.
Fourth Bore Suit, page 3
¤
¤
Contacting The Rockridge News
 Are there community issues you’d like to see
covered in The Rockridge News?
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distribution?
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block captain?
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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
Donation Coupon: Fourth Bore Coalition

In support of the important work being done by the Caldecott Tunnel Fourth
Bore Coalition, I enclose a check for the following amount:
o $500      o $250      o $100      o $50       o $25        o $_________

Checks may be made payable to:
And mailed to:
o	 The Sierra Club Foundation. (The SCF is a
501(c)3 organization; your gift will be tax
deductible to the full extent allowed by law.)

Fourth Bore Coalition
2930 Domingo Ave., #139
Berkeley, CA 94705
o	 OR to the Fourth Bore Coalition
(not currently tax deductible)
Acknowledgement and Communications Choices:
o	 Please recognize the individual(s) named below:

Name ____________________________

Address _ _________________________

City _ ________________________ State _ ______  Zip_________
o	 Please include additional acknowledgement (e.g., citing memory of loved one)
o	 I/we o do or o do not want our name(s) published as a donor in any print
or electronic media associated with this campaign.

Thank
You!

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.
Newsletter Advertising/Deadlines
Publication date of the next issue is
 September 6, 2008
 September deadline is August 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.)


3.
July 7, 2008

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.
Land Use Committee Meeting: Wednesday,
July 23, 7 p.m., Rockridge Branch Library
Committee Notes
by Stuart Flashman,
RCPC Land Use Committee chair
Telegraph Avenue Business Association,
and Roy Alper, owner of the neighboring
and as-yet unbuilt CIVIQ project facing
onto 51st Street.
RCPC’s position in the negotiations is
that, despite the inclusion of affordable
housing and the greenway, the project
needs to be reduced in height and bulk,
and the project’s traffic, parking, visual,
and shadowing impacts on the surround-
ing community need to be reduced or
mitigated.
College Avenue Safeway
■
■
5343 Broadway
Proposal: To convert two residential dwelling
units into condominiums.
Contact Persons: Edgar & Eliza Lantz
Phone: 510/428-9111
Owners:  Edgar & Eliza Lantz
Permits Required: Tentative Parcel Map for
condominium purposes
Case Planner: Mike Rivera, 510/238-6417 or
mrivera@oaklandnet.com.
rebuild (6310 College/
Claremont)
The Land Use Committee heard public
input and discussed the project at its June 25
meeting. The committee recommended that
RCPC oppose the project in its present form
as being both too large and incompatible
with the surrounding neighborhood. That
recommendation will be considered by the
RCPC Board at its meeting July 10.
Safeway presented its revised plans on
June 19 at a community meeting sponsored
jointly by RCPC, the Claremont-Elmwood
Neighborhood Association, and Council-
woman Jane Brunner. See front page story
for details on this project revision.
5175 Broadway residential/
■
■
mixed-use project
This project was heard and approved
by the Planning Commission on June 4th.
RCPC acknowledged improvements to
the plans, but expressed concerns about
some of the units’ layouts, which included
“phantom bedrooms” – rooms that didn’t
qualify as bedrooms, but would probably
be used as such – and the potential impacts
on neighborhood traffic. Given that the
City’s traffic study showed no significant
impacts, the Commission felt it could not
impose any traffic conditions on the project.
RCPC’s traffic committee will be following
the project once it has been constructed
and occupied. If traffic problems develop,
the traffic committee will work with the
neighborhood, the developer, and the City
to resolve them.
Fourth Bore Suit
from page 2
is normal; in some projects the percentage
can go much higher. Ten percent of the cost
of the current project, now totaling $420
million, would be $42 million, considerably
more than the possible $6 to $8 million
offered to the City.
Although the Coalition and Caltrans
continue settlement discussions, the Coali-
tion is preparing for trial. Volunteers for
the Fourth Bore Coalition have almost
finished preparing the Record, a necessary
precursor to trial, and a court date is set
for October 24.
Pre-trial and trial costs are expensive. The
Coalition is seeking community support
in this effort. Please consider contributing
to the Fourth Bore Coalition to obtain a
better project. A coupon is provided on page
2 to send along with your tax-deductible
contribution.
Hauser/Creekside residential/
■
■
mixed-use project (Global
Video Site – 5132 Telegraph)
This large project is currently proposed to
include 115 residential units in a 65-foot-tall
(over 70 feet, when the height of the rooftop
mechanical room structures is included)
building. Developer Hauser Architects of
San Francisco also plans to include five
very-low-income units and a semi-public
greenway extension to Telegraph Avenue.
RCPC and other community groups includ-
ing STAND, FROG, ULTRA, and Friends
of Temescal Creek, and the owner of the
adjoining Claremont Towers apartment
building are participating in negotiations
with the developer over changes to the proj-
ect. Also involved in negotiations are the
Telegraph Avenue Merchants’ Association,
Land Use Committee Meetings
The RCPC Land Use Committee meets the
fourth Wednesday of each month, 7 p.m., at
the Rockridge Branch Library. Contact Stu
Flashman at 652-5373 or stuflash@aol.com
for copies of the agenda.
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4.

July 7, 2008

Letters to the Editor
There seems to be a real sense of entitlement in these riders. And
they are, I believe, breaking the law.
I wrote to Jane Brunner and asked that she get involved with
this. I would really like RCPC to be involved too, and lend its clout
to a campaign to stop this very dangerous practice.
— Christine O’Connor
The Rockridge News welcomes letters to the editor. Your
name, address, phone number, 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.
Editor’s Note:
This month’s Rockridge News presents bicycle riding regulations
and safety information provided by the East Bay Bicycle Coali-
tion (EBBC). The responsibility for bicycle safety falls equally
on bicyclists, automobile drivers and pedestrians. Each must be
attentive to the safety of those around them. Interested residents
can also attend an RCPC Traffic, Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety
(TPBS) Committee meeting and help work on this issue. E-mail
info@rockridge.org for more information.
Trader Joe’s Policy on Solicitaton is Offensive
Editor:
Shame on Trader Joe’s for their mean-spirited sign declaring
the “right to distraction free shopping,” banning “any solicitation”
in front of the store. [See photo below.] I’m offended that their
management comes into the neighborhood with the attitude that
people here have to be shielded from anything that would interfere
with their drive to spend money in this upscale store. I’m curious,
too, why the sign is up some days while on other days they have
given permission to some solicitors to be out in front.
In the twenty years I’ve lived – and shopped – in the neighbor-
hood, I’ve never seen anyone being “distracted” by people passing
out flyers soliciting help for good causes in front of Safeway or by
Oscar or the other vendors who sell the Street Spirit newspaper
in front of Yasai Market. And, I’m intensely annoyed to see that
they charge higher prices for some items here than for the same
items sold in their Emeryville store. What does that say about
their attitude toward the people in Rockridge?
— Lydia Gans
“Horrific” Train/Track Noise from BART Rockridge
(A copy of this letter to BART Director Bob Franklin was
forwarded to The Rockridge News for publication. Director
Franklin’s reply follows. – Editor)
Dear Bob: When we met about a year ago at an RCPC board
meeting, I mentioned to you that the track noise at the Rockridge
BART station was horrific! You said the remedy was track
sanding and that the assigned work crew was busy all over the
system. When the problem was addressed, the result was a vast
improvement.
However, one section of track escaped treatment; it is the last
two structural spans over Forest Street. It is also, unfortunately,
one of the loudest sections. I live 1,500 ft. from this track area and
find it quite loud, especially at night. I can only imagine how bad
it must be for residents living closer to the station.
— Richard W. Smith
Editor’s Note:
Asked about Trader Joe’s solicitation policy, a store management
representative referred inquiries to the firm’s headquarters office.
The representative did say that the number of customers opposed
to the policy was about equal to the number who support it.
The representative also denied that prices for the same items
varied in different Trader Joe’s stores.
Bob Franklin Replies: Thanks for the e-mail. We are mea-
suring that part of the track now to see if grinding can solve this
problem, as someone else also recently e-mailed me about this.
When I hear from our maintenance department, I will update
you. In the meantime, please feel free to check in on the status
of this problem.
Sorry for the disruption.
— Bob Franklin
A Rockridge resident
and Trader Joe’s shopper
found the store’s policy on
solicitation at the entrance to
be offensive and inconsistent.
Store management said
community sentiment about
the sign seemed to be equally
divided.
Photo: Lydia Gans
A Dangerous Increase of Bicyclists on Sidewalks
Editor:
There has been a huge increase in bicyclists – usually young
men in their twenties – cycling on the sidewalks on College Avenue.
I saw at least half-a-dozen when I was having lunch at a cafe one
recent Saturday. Increasingly, they also ride on the sidewalks of
side streets. I have seen several on Chabot Road, for example.
I realize in the big crime picture this is insignificant, but not
insignificant is the real possibility of injury to children, dogs,
seniors, and yes – other pedestrian young men in their twenties.


5.
July 7, 2008

BART and Rockridge: A Report
from BART Director Bob Franklin

EBMUD Plans
from page 1
Those options include everything from new
or enlarged reservoirs to water transfers to
groundwater storage to a regional desalina-
tion plant. The thought is to begin pursuing a
wide variety of supply options, many of them
somewhat risky, but bring to fruition only
those that turn out to be most feasible.
With this decision behind it, EBMUD is
now moving forward on the environmental
studies needed before a final decision. The
District is still accepting comments on the
scope of the environmental studies until
July 31. (See the District’s website: http://
www.ebmud.com for more details.)
Meanwhile, as mentioned, EBMUD
has approved 15% mandatory rationing to
address this year’s water shortage. That
means a 19% cutback for single family resi-
dents and 10% for apartment dwellers and
commercial users. While some restrictions
and prohibitions have already been imple-
mented – e.g., no washing down sidewalks
to clean them – the main decision, still to
be made, is the rate structure to implement
the rationing. The current proposal calls for
surcharges for customers who don’t meet
rationing goals, plus an across-the-board
rate increase to compensate the District for
loss of revenue due to reduced water use.
The District is proposing to exempt from
any increase those accounts using less than
100 gallons per day.
The rationing rates and restrictions will
affect most Rockridge residents. Those
interested can voice their opinions to the
Board at a public hearing at the District’s
headquarters, 375 11th Street in downtown
Oakland, on July 8, starting some time after
1:15 p.m. Responses may also be made in
writing.
If a majority of the District’s ratepay-
ers were to object to the new rates, the
District would be forced to reject them.
The drought, however, would still remain
to be dealt with.
As gas prices continue to rise, commuters, shoppers and
casual travellers are turning to public transit to fulfill
their travel needs. According to recent figures from BART,
ridership has increased dramatically. To smooth the passenger
surge, BART has introduced system-wide and station-specific
initiatives. In the following report, Bob Franklin, BART Direc-
tor for District 3, which includes Rockridge, discusses BART
service initiatives, Rockridge BART station improvements
and the status of Rockridge-area projects with which BART
has been involved.
Bob Franklin
Photo: B. Franklin
Parkers will just tap their card at a reader
and go – without entering a stall number.
BART is also measuring rail corrugation
west of the Rockridge station in response to
recent reports of increased noise.
Seismic Update
The seismic safety program at BART
is expected to occur in Rockridge from
late 2008 through early 2011. BART will
provide advance notification when dates
become firm. The biggest impact will be
in areas 15-20 feet around the columns that
support BART’s aerial trackway. Work on an
individual column can last up to 6 months.
Some Rockridge areas adjacent to the BART
trackway will be directly affected:
Real Time Schedule Information
There are now computer monitors at
three businesses (Café Lyon, Peaberry’s,
and Maison D’Être) that show actual
departure times for the next BART trains
leaving Rockridge. This information is also
available on www.BART.gov, where you can
also sign up for e-mail alerts that provide
notification of train delays.
Passenger Drop-off Zones
BART, the City of Oakland and AC
Transit have reconfigured the BART station
drop-off zones on both sides of College
Avenue. Use the new passenger loading zone
on the east side of College Avenue (where
taxis usually wait) to avoid a $271 fine for
stopping in a bus zone.
Rockridge Plaza
BART is finalizing the bid documents for
the redesign of Rockridge Plaza – the vision
created by the RCPC, the RDA and the com-
mittee “UnderBART.” The ivy at the base of
the escalator will be replaced with additional
seating, a new pathway and native plants.
New Initiatives at BART
BART now runs trains every 15 minutes on
evenings and Sundays. This, along with high
gas prices, has caused ridership to soar to an
all-time high of 365,000 daily passengers.
Also, starting this fall, passengers will
be able to pay for parking with the EZ Rider
Smart Card, which is now used to pay fares.
Frog Park:
■
■
 A portion of the basket-
ball court by Hudson Street and the adjacent
ball toss structure will be disrupted by the
retrofit, but will be restored to their original
condition. BART will also strengthen the
two columns bordering the Dog Park, but
at least a portion of this area will always
remain open.
Revegetation at Locksley Gar-
■
■
dens: The Locksley Gardens will also be
impacted. At the request of the neighbors,
the ivy along Forest Street by the west
BART parking lot will be replaced with a
combination of native aspidistra, mahonia,
and rubus.
Other temporary impacts
■
■
: The
Hudson Street casual carpool pickup location
will temporarily move farther east. BART
also will mitigate for the other impacts that
include noise and dust, traffic lane and
sidewalk closures, street parking closures,
and bus stop relocations.
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Bob Franklin is the BART Director for District 3,
which includes Rockridge. Phone: 510/684-0026;
E-mail: BobFranklinBART@aol.com; Website:
www.BobforBART.com.


6.

July 7, 2008

economy plane with local travelers going
west for school or work, we were in a totally
different world where Chinese stewardesses
greeted us in Chinese. After the passengers
settled in, noodle dishes wrapped in foil were
served. Everybody pulled out chopsticks
and ate with gusto.
A snowstorm in Lanzhou forced our
plane to divert to a closed airport 100 miles
away, with no food or drink in sight. There
we came to the attention of a young Chinese
man with spiked and colored hair, yellow
leather jacket, and cool boots. He knew only
a few words of English but used his cell
phone to call his English-speaking wife in
married on Sunday!” Surprise, surprise!
“Congratulations, Mom and Dad. Sorry for
not telling you earlier. We wanted it to be a
surprise.” And, of course, we were surprised.
And we had nothing to wear.
The Wedding
It turns out it is customary in the Chinese
provinces not to dress up for a wedding.
That’s reserved for the wedding party only.
He Ling wore a lovely flowing gown with
a veil and flowers in her hair. Christopher
had to fetch the bride, steal her away from
her friends, find her shoes, and carry her
down to the waiting cars where friends were
setting off a barrage of firecrackers. This
was a perfect send-off for a guy who used
to sneak to San Francisco’s Chinatown to
buy Fourth of July firecrackers.
The ceremony took place in a fancy
hotel. Christopher dutifully carried his
bride up the escalator. At the entrance of
the hall, the guests were lined up waiting to
pay tribute—yes, in money—and have their
names inscribed into the wedding book
showing the amount they paid. Guests ranged
from elderly relatives coming from villages,
some sporting Mao caps and jackets, to the
young whose restlessness finds expression
in the latest fashions and hairstyles. Gerry
and I were seated with the foreigners, of
course, and we must have met almost all
of them. Baijo, the favorite Chinese strong
drink, flowed like water.
The happy couple received their docu-
ments, and then the fun began, filled with
reenactment of vows, the traditional bowing
to the parents, the exchange of children,
and more traditional bowing, something
Gerry thought was a good idea, until they
were literally begging for a merciful release
from this uncomfortable position. Finally,
a big layered wedding cake, of which only
the top layers were meant to be eaten, was
served after innumerable dishes of local
delicacies.
In July, Christopher and his new bride
will visit with us here in Rockridge. We
can’t wait.
The
Rockridge
 Muse: Abroad
China, As We
Got to Know Her
by Ortrun and Gerry Niesar
Some readers may remember our son
Christopher selling wrought iron bed
stands and lamps at Brass and Glass on Col-
lege Avenue in 2003-4. When Christopher
had a chance to flee his oasis of leisurely
comfort – read: free room and board in the
family home – he didn’t hesitate. Finding an
opportunity to teach English in China, he
flew like a bat out of hell toward a totally
new life. That was three years ago.
Christopher went to Lanzhou in North
Central China, situated on a high plateau just
below the tip of Inner Mongolia on the edge
of the Gobi Desert. Here, China was still the
old China, part ancient, part Communist,
part western, all of it covered with fine
desert sand. When he arrived, Christopher
became one of about 650 foreigners living
in a city of 2.5 million inhabitants that is
a university, trade, military and mining
center of the west. It was also Jackie Chan’s
hometown.
In Lanzhou, Christopher became an
instant celebrity. As a North American
English speaker he was in great demand.
He plunged eagerly into his new work, fell
in love with China, wrote eloquent let-
ters home about his adventures and met a
lovely young lady. At that point the letters
stopped. It was time for Gerry and me to
visit China.
Getting There
Using all the flight miles we had accu-
mulated for this purpose, we flew first class,
flying east on United, then Lufthansa. First
class turned out to be the life of Riley, with
beds, pajamas, and gourmet meals.
The moment we arrived in Beijing,
however, luxury vanished when we trans-
ferred to a local flight. Crammed into an
Christopher and He Ling Niesar in
wedding regalia at Jijaghoa National
Park.                          Photo: Ortrun Niesar
New York City to translate. We learned we
would be stuck in this airport until the storm
over Lanzhou subsided. There was nothing
to do but trust the flow of things.
Surprising News
Christopher and his girlfriend He Ling
met us when we finally got to Lanzhou.
Petite, big smile, sporty leather jacket and
fashionable shoulder bag, she had lovely long
curly tresses and greeted us in charming,
halting, English.
A short ride to their apartment and we
found ourselves lugging our baggage up four
flights of a cold stone staircase. Single light
bulbs dangled from the ceiling. Garbage is
left on the stairwells for pickup and there
are security doors on each apartment entry.
Christopher’s door opened into a comfort-
able little apartment, freshly painted, with
pictures on the walls and TV and computer
in sight. The kitchen is not what we would
think of as a kitchen – a hot plate serves as
the stove and who needs an oven anyway
– and neither is the bath, but, after all, this
is not Rockridge.
Hot tea was served, and then came the
announcement: “Be prepared, we are getting


7.
July 7, 2008

Chabot Elementary
Construction Underway
by Shelly Fierston and Polly Winograd Ikonen
The final bell of the 2007-08 school year had barely stopped ringing
when movers swarmed over the Chabot Elementary School campus,
whisking packing boxes into storage containers, moving vans and
classrooms, signaling the start of the Chabot construction project.
Construction activity began with the demolition of two play struc-
tures and the tot lot, removal of asphalt surfacing on the upper and
lower yards, and relocation of two portables on the lower yard.
The contractor has 55 days to complete the project’s first phase,
which includes resurfacing the lower yard, scrapping the 1940s
portables, and relocating 17 other portables on the upper yard for
the 2008-09 school year, which begins Monday, August 25.
With $17.5 million in bond funding from 2006 Measure B, the
Chabot construction project will continue until Fall 2009, when
the school will have more  permanent classrooms, a new multi-
purpose room for lunches, physical education and assemblies, and
a new library and media center.
While the project includes re-grading and re-paving Chabot’s
two play yards, there is no funding to replace play structures or
Photo: Chabot: Way to Grow!
to rebuild the school’s garden and landscaping. To implement the
landscape master plan developed by landscape architects MIG
(known locally for our own Frog Park), the Chabot PTA launched
the Chabot: Way To Grow! campaign to raise up to $500,000 over
the next two years. The result will be a delightful park-like setting
for the entire community to enjoy.
Further details on Chabot: Way To Grow! and the construction
project are available at www.chabotelementary.org. Construction
questions can be directed to construction@chabotelementary.org.
Essays on matters of local interest are invited for consideration
as Op-Ed pieces for The Rockridge News. Please limit length to
450 words and submit to editor@rockridge.org.

Help the Schools, Help the Community: A Perspective

maintenance, and security services, have
been stripped as the schools focus on the
fundamental needs of students and their
teachers.
In spite of this, schools like Chabot,
Hillcrest and others have flourished due to
an outpouring of community involvement.
At Claremont, huge changes have occurred
as a long-time Rockridge neighbor and
parent of a Claremont 6th and 8th grader,
to add a different perspective.
As most of us know, California is 46th
in the nation in per student spending. In the
Oakland Unified School District (OUSD),
the money for anything but the most rudi-
mentary basics are simply not there. Support
systems such as janitorial services, grounds
Change has begun; you are
invited to join in
by Tony Mills, Claremont Middle School
parent and PTA member
After reading many articles about the
abuses, real and projected, suffered by
Rockridge neighbors at the hands of some
Claremont Middle School students, I want,
Claremont School, page 11
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Close Date
BR
Bth
ADDRESS
Orig Price
DOM
Sale Pr
6/13/2008
2
2
5340 Broadway Terrace
$495,000
6
$500,000
6/12/2008
3
2
5244 Locksley Avenue
$560,000
5
$650,000
6/19/2008
2
1
6330 Colby Street
$699,000
32
$652,000
6/6/2008
3
1
6212 Hillegass Avenue
$829,000
14
$905,000
6/2/2008
3
2
5700 Glenbrook Drive
$949,000
8
$952,000
6/16/2008
2
1
5315 James Avenue
$879,000
8
$971,000
6/10/2008
3
2
6144 S. Rockridge Blvd.
$1,395,000
9
$1,450,000
• The average List/Sell price in Rockridge for June is 105%, compared to only 100% last year.  • 6 out of
the 7 properties listed in Rockridge sold for OVER asking price, in comparison to last year, less than 1/2.
• The average days on the market in June was only 11 days compared to 37 days a year ago!

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8.

July 7, 2008

Rules of the Road = Safety & Courtesy for Motorists and Cyclists

Rockridge attracts a medley of commut-
ing bicyclists who congregate at the
Rockridge BART station and frequent the
Webster-Shafter-Forest-Colby designated
bike route. Other commuters join students
and shoppers on College Avenue. Many of
them are driving cars.
Since most Rockridge-area streets do
not include bike lanes, motorists and bicy-
clists must share the roads, paying special
attention to traffic rules. Being aware of the
following list of traffic rules and courtesies
can help keep Rockridge streets inviting
and safe for everyone.
Same Roads; Same Rules
Bicycle riders have the same rights and
responsibilities as other drivers on public
thoroughfares, according to the California
Vehicle Code (CVC). Cycles and motor
vehicles alike must move in the same direc-
tion as traffic and abide by traffic laws.
Traffic Signs and Signals
■
■
into the lane. On one-way streets with two
or more lanes, cyclists may ride as close as
practicable to the left-hand curb or edge of
roadway.
Position Like a Car for “Right Turn
•
Only.” A bicyclist intending to go straight at
an intersection that has a “right turn only”
lane should be positioned in the lane next
to the right turn lane.
Narrow Streets
•
. Riding in the road
is really the safest place to be.
Don’t Weave
•
. Cyclists should ride in a
straight line to be predictable. Curb-huggers
are hidden from motorists and are vulner-
able when they merge into traffic.
Avoid the “Door Zone.”
•
 Riding in the
door zone is one of the most frequent causes
of crashes on busy downtown streets. Cyclists
should ride at least 4 feet from parked cars.
Nevertheless, CVC §22517 directs motorists
opening a car door into moving traffic to
do so only when safe.
Other Useful Rules
■
■
right turn with the right hand extended
horizontally to the right.
Some Tips for Friendly Roads
■
■
Give pedestrians the right-of-way
•
.
Walk bikes on sidewalks and in crosswalks.
It’s considerate, and it’s the law. (Police
bicycle details are specifically allowed to
ride on sidewalks.) Whether on a bicycle or
behind the wheel, assume that pedestrians
don’t see or hear your vehicle.
Cyclists should watch their speed
•
,
especially on residential streets and downhill
stretches. 20 mph looks like 40 mph to a
person in the road or exiting a car.
Ding Ding!
•
 Try never to scare any-
body. Slow down, yield, and call out or ring a
bell. Passing a person or bicyclist is not like
passing a traffic cone. Give a wide berth to
people on foot to avoid any surprises.
Riding Motorist-Friendly
■
■
Bicyclists should always clearly signal
•
their intentions using standard arm signals.
When it’s your turn to yield, do it. Brake to a
stop and maintain eye contact with the other
driver or rider. If others hesitate, wave them
through. Acknowledge courtesy with a wave,
or a smile, or a “thank you,” or all three!
Vehicles must stop at all stop signs and
red lights, and so must bicycle riders.
Lane Position; Ride on the Right
■
■
Use Lights at Night
•
. CVC requires a
bicyclist to display a white headlamp and a
red rear reflector, as well as reflectors on
pedals or shoes.
Be Visible.
•
 Cyclists can increase their
visibility at night by wearing a lightweight
reflective triangle and adding a flashing
red LED (Light Emitting Diode) taillamp.
Light-colored clothes and helmet also
enhance visibility—day or night.
Signal before turning or changing
•
lanes. At each turn or lane change, a cyclist
should signal and check that the lane is free
of traffic. CVC allows cyclists to signal a
Cyclists should ride in the right one-third
of the road to give motorists room to safely
pass, except when approaching a place where
a right turn is authorized.
Cyclists may legally ride away from
■
■
the right-hand curb or roadway edge under
any of the following circumstances:
When overtaking a slower bicycle or
•
motor vehicle.
When preparing to make a left turn.
•
When parked cars, road debris, or
•
other obstacles are in the way.
When the right lane is too narrow for
•
a bicycle and a car to safely travel side by
side, a cyclist may “take the lane” by riding
in the middle of it. When taking the lane,
signal and check for traffic, then merge
Bicycles & Autos, page 9
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9.
July 7, 2008

Bicycles & Autos
from page 8
Be a Bicycle Ambassador
■
■
Whe
•
ther you are lycra-clad or wear-
ing jeans on a cruiser bike, your behavior
reflects on all bicyclists.
Build Your Knowledge
■
■
The East Bay Bicycle Coalition offers
free bicycle safety classes taught by certi-
fied instructors. Visit www.ebbc.org and
click on “safety.”
Material for this article was obtained from the East
Bay Bicycle Coalition, which has been “promoting
bicycling as an everyday means of transportation
and recreation since 1972.” Vehicle Code references
(CVC) are intended for illustration only. For the
full text of the Vehcile Code and its application to
bicycles, visit the California Department of Motor
Vehicles’ web site: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/
about/bicycle.htm
Susan Bernosky LUTCF
Insurance Agent
(510) 450-9050
5940 COLLEGE AVE #A
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when you combine your auto policies.
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National Night Out
When neighbors know each other,
neighborhoods are safer!
WHAT: An invitation to individuals, families and groups
in all Oakland neighborhoods to organize a block party, ice cream social,
barbeque or other outdoor event that brings neighbors together
and builds community.
WHEN: Tuesday, August 5, 2008 — 7 PM – 9 PM
How To Get Involved:
Register on-line by visiting: http://www.oaklandnet.com/nno2007.html
For any questions or for assistance in registering, call:
Brenda Ivey 510/238-3091 – English
Edith Guillen 510/238-7159 – Spanish
Sun-Kwong 510/238-7957 – Chinese
HIGHLIGHTS:
n	 300 parties were held in Oakland in 2007. City Officials, firefight-
ers, police officers and media personalities will visit block parties
and acknowledge the hosting families.
n	 National Night Out has been held across the country every year
since 1983.
n	 National Night Out in Oakland is organized by the Neighborhood
Services Division, Oakland Police Department, City of Oakland.
6
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realtyadvocates.com
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10.

July 7, 2008

Safeway Plans
City of Oakland Planning and Zoning
Division staff member Pete Vollman, the
planner assigned to the project, explained
the steps the City will follow to process
the application.
The initial submittal will include appli-
cations for Design Review and Conditional
Use Permits. City staff will prepare an Initial
Study for Environmental Review which
will determine whether or not an Environ-
mental Impact Report (EIR) is required.
Assuming an EIR is required, a series of
EIR-related Planning Commission hearings,
public review periods, and Design Review
Committee hearings will follow—all of
which must be completed before Planning
Commission hearings on the certification of
the EIR and a final decision on the project
can be made.
Vollman indicated that individuals
wanting to be notified of public hearings
on the project could e-mail pvollman@
oaklandnet.com.
Additional information for those wishing
to follow the project can be found on the
RCPC website at www.rockridge.org, the
Claremont-Elmwood Neighborhood Asso-
ciation website at www.claremontelmwood.
org, and the Safeway website at www.safe-
wayoncollege.com. Those interested may
e-mail Concerned Neighbors of College Ave
Safeway at safewayneighbors@sbcglobal.
net to be added to their mailing list.
Plans follow Safeway “lifestyle
store” concept
The Safeway plans follow the template of
the corporation’s “lifestyle stores” which, in
addition to interior design changes, include
larger produce sections, an in-store bakery,
pharmacy, service butcher and fish markets,
expanded floral shop and delicatessen.
As a prelude to opening the meeting
for comments from the floor, Jane Brun-
ner re-introduced Nancy McKay and Susan
Shawl, organizers of one of the groups most
actively following the project, to speak for
the balance of their allotted time. They
reviewed the history of their involvement
in the process, and expressed their con-
cerns regarding Safeway’s apparent lack of
response to previously expressed concerns
about the size of the project. They noted that
current development proposals are 20,000
square feet larger than plans presented in
previous community meetings.
A total of 80 attendees signed speaker
cards and about 60 addressed the gathering.
All but four opposed the project as presented.
Almost all of the concerns can be related to
the scale of the proposed development and
associated impacts on traffic, incompatibility
with the scale of the existing shopping street
and surrounding residential neighborhoods,
and the intent of the C-31 special retail
commercial zone.
Next Steps
Safeway representatives indicated that
they intend to submit a development appli-
cation to the City by the end of July. This
will be the first step in what will likely
be a one- to two-year planning approval
process.
from page 1
tion site, differs from earlier plans in several
significant ways.
The Safeway store is situated on a
■
■
second level above the ground-floor College
Avenue frontage.
The total square footage of retail
■
■
including the proposed Safeway store and
16,000 square feet of ground level retail
shops along College Avenue has increased
to 75,000 square feet.
The majority of the 212 parking spaces
■
■
are below the 59,000 square foot Safeway
store and behind the proposed College
Avenue-facing retail shops.
Two elevator entrance lobbies on the
■
■
College Avenue frontage provide access to
the store from College Avenue and from
the lower level parking.
There are two vehicular entrances to
■
■
the below-store parking level, one at the
northwest corner of the site directly off
College Avenue and another at the existing
entrance at the top of the site off Claremont
Avenue via an access ramp down to the
below-store parking level.
All service deliveries to the store are
■
■
from two entrances off Claremont Avenue—
which provide access to a staff parking lot
and the primary service bays.
There is no public entrance to the store
■
■
from this upper level of parking.
There is also a proposed professional
■
■
building fronting on Claremont Avenue near
the eastern-most end of the site.
The proposed new store, retail shops
and professional building will be three
times the area of the existing 24,483 square
foot store. There will be 200 Safeway
employees—twice the current total. On-site
parking—including both the below grade
and second level parking—will increase
from 100 to 212 spaces.
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11.
July 7, 2008

Claremont School
This is the new face of successful public
schools in Oakland. We, as a community,
must accept some responsibility for school
improvements, just as we have taken some
responsibility for some area parks and
other civic benefits the City can’t afford.
For Claremont Middle School, the solution
is simple, and the rewards are great. And,
more than the reward of an improved prop-
erty value is the pride of having a healthy
school system in the heart of one of the best
neighborhoods in the Bay Area.
There is a movement afoot to create this
all-important component of our neighbor-
hood. Help us make it happen sooner.
Visit the Claremont Middle School
website for school information: http://
www.claremontms.org/Claremontms/
home.html. Click on PTA for information
on how you can help.
You may also call Principal David
Chambliss at 510/879-2010 for more
information.
funding the educational needs at Claremont
that OUSD simply cannot. For example,
if we were all to skip just one restaurant
dinner a year and donate that $50 or so to
the Claremont Improvement Fund (part of
the Claremont PTA), there would be money
enough to solve or diminish virtually every
school-site need.
There are personal benefits, as well. If
our community truly embraces this school
and creates – in conjunction with Chabot and
Peralta elementary schools – a K-8 system
on par with what has already been achieved
at the elementary level, Rockridge property
values could increase dramatically.
As most any local realtor will agree,
Rockridge’s biggest deficit is its lack of a
proper K-8 system. Albany’s solution was
a $3,000 tax per house. In Piedmont, it’s
closer to $5,000 per household. But we can
get it done here if each of us just chips in
$50-75 a year. Want it to happen faster?
Chip in a little more. It is, after all, tax
deductible.
from page 7
over the last two years. The PTA, which
as little as three years ago had about 15
members, now numbers 150. Programs like
music, art, garden, sports, web design and
the new Media and Technology Center have
been established and are succeeding.
Few Rockridge residents know or see
these changes because they are happening
inside where the children are. Outside, the
school still looks the same, and that has never
been great. The lack of adequate after-school
security affects one of the most prosperous
retail areas in the East Bay. We all want
the school to be painted and made more
beautiful. We all want increased security,
especially after school. The list is long.
The solution is simple and compelling:
it simply requires taking responsibility
for helping solve the problems facing our
neighborhood school.
We parents and neighbors can begin by
Tony Mills is a 30-year Rockridge resident with
a daughter entering 8th grade and a son entering
6th grade at Claremont Middle School. Both are
Chabot Elementary School graduates.
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12.

July 7, 2008

Rockridge:  5400 College Avenue
 Elmwood:  2930 College Avenue
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13.
July 7, 2008

Recapture for
One-of-a-Kind
Weddings

The Neighborhood Merchant
Photo: Don Kinkead
by Theresa Nelson
I
Recapture Vintage Bridal
f you are looking for a bridal gown
or special occasion dress that is truly
a one-of-a-kind, look no further than
Recapture Vintage Bridal, on Col-
lege near the Library. The store carries an
impressive variety of vintage bridal gowns
and special occasion dresses from the Vic-
torian era through recent times, all ready to
wear, or better yet, ready to be made into
the dress of your dreams.
While some brides seek the latest
designer fashions, others prefer to wear
something unique. Owner Robin Densten
and Recapture provide that unique dress,
made from precious beaded materials and
lace (almost impossible to find today), a
dress that speaks of a different time and
place when handwork was a treasure handed
down from generation to generation.
Robin, who lives in Oakland, opened
Recapture Vintage Bridal after several years
owning a store on San Pablo which offered
both vintage fashion and furnishings. Robin
started her career in accessories: she always
collected textiles, trims and lace, and made
her own wedding dress.
On the day I visited, several brides were
in for fittings. One had a dress made of
two different vintage dresses: a Victorian
underdress of complex embroidery, and a
’30s overdress of openwork lace and cutwork,
both drawn from the Recapture collection.
The bride had collaborated with Robin on
the design and how to incorporate the two
dresses into her personal vision.
Many vintage dresses are high-necked and
long-sleeved, in contrast to the modern strap-
less and tank-top styles. Vintage dresses can be
cut down, necklines changed, sleeves removed
or altered. In the ’50s, for example, dresses
Owner: Robin Densten
5405 College Avenue, Oakland
510/530-5828
Wednesday – Saturday
noon – 6:00pm
Bridal consultation
by appointment only
www.recapturedesigns.com
Photo: Theresa Nelson
with sweetheart necklines were common, but
they were overlaid with layers of illusion lace
on the neckline and arms for modesty. Modern
brides can remove some or all of that illusion
lace or add something new.
Where does she find these one-of-a-kind
dresses? “Dresses find me now,” Robin says,
as resale shops refer those with wedding
dresses to her. A nonprofit called Making
Memories also receives donated dresses
which she buys, and the resulting fees are
donated to the Breast Cancer Foundation.
The oldest dresses in the shop are Vic-
torian day dresses (as Victorian women
rarely wore white dresses for weddings),
though most women would not want the
elaborate hoops required for such dresses.
The day dresses in thin cotton lawn that
feels beautiful feature gorgeous cutwork
and irreplaceable handmade lace.
“Each bridal consultation takes about
one to two hours,” noted Robin, “because
we look through the dresses to find exactly
the right dress or dresses that speak to the
bride, and then determine how to suit her
particular taste.” A vintage dress can be as
little as $500 plus alterations, with re-styled
or combined dresses running in the $1,000
range – much less than designer dresses and
one-of-a-kind as well.
In addition to bridal gowns and special
occasion dresses, Recapture Vintage Bridal
offers vintage smaller dresses suitable for
flower girls, even Victorian christening
dresses.
Robin also offers an amazing array of
vintage hats from the ’20s through the ’50s,
in various colors, which can be customized.
Her collection includes vintage jackets and
shrugs in white, black and colors, along with
modern versions in silk and other fabrics,
which are made locally.
Bridal accessories are a specialty of the
store as well. Robin makes headpieces from
vintage crowns, “birdcage” headpieces and
headbands. Brides can choose a headband
or crown and she can customize it with a
veil, pearls, or other ornaments to complete
the look.
For a one-of-a-kind wedding, contact
Recapture Vintage Bridal. You’ll have the
chance to recapture the beauty and elegance
of the days of handmade lace and beading,
and make something that is new and old
for your special day.
New Market Strategies
 ■ 7 steps to buying or selling in
the down market
 ■ Renovation consultation for
rehabs and REOS
 ■ Over 200 Vendor references
from ReMax Agents
 ■ What Sellers need to know in
the new market
 ■ Over 30 articles at
JLAhomes.com and
REOs-BestDeals.com
Jeff Auen, Realtor
Norman H. Burg, DDS
Residential/Income
1-800-805-8827
Straight Talk
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
Listings and Info@
Creative
Solutions
www.JLAHomes.com
3,000 REOs @:
Results
www.REOs-bestdeals.com
A Prevention Oriented Practice


14.

July 7, 2008

Woman to Woman
Psychotherapy
Relational Depth Therapy with older, experi-
enced, interactive, kind therapist. Women of
all ethnicities and sexualities welcomed. Maggie
Rochlin, LCSW. 510/845-6556.
Home Interiors Decorative
Painting
I specialize in faux finish, murals, stenciling,
marbleizing, refinishing and color consulta-
tion. Local artist. Visit www.carolinestern.
com. 510/652-0683.
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. September deadline is August 21.
For information: e-mail smontauk@gmail.com
Women’s Self Defense
Workshop
4 hours. You will learn avoidance strategies
and brutally effective physical techniques.
For women 12 years and older. Danspace,
473 Hudson Street, off College. Saturday
10-2. $95. Registration or more information:
practicalselfdefenseproject@yahoo.com.
415/990-9230.
Grand Opening
Authentic Japanese restaurant Rikyu is now
open at 5335 College Avenue. Full service
Japanese cuisine and a variety of premium
sake. Please join us for a taste of Japan.
510/595-7388.
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.
Supportive, Interactive,
Spiritual Space for Change
Fifteen years’ experience. Sessions incorpo-
rate the best modality for your journey. My
practice is open to women of all ages, cultures
and orientations. Valeria Veza, MSW, ACSW,
CHT. 510/464-1288.
Why Pay 6% (or even 5%)
to Sell your Home?
Realty Advocates charges only 4% for the
same full service including MLS, brokers tours,
open houses, internet exposure, and much
more. www.realtyadvocates.com or call
510/428-0757.
Unexpected Guests?
Short-term rental, lovely room 2 blocks from
Rockridge BART in owner’s flat. Wi-fi, cable,
TV. Suitable for one person. Photos available.
Barbird@aol.com 510/652-7044.
Construction Manager
I will help you organize your project. Licensed
General Contractor #835724; BSCM Cal Poly
CAED. Full construction services available.
Paul Penepinto. 925/408-7035.
Beat the Heat & Glare at
Summer Blowout Sale!
25% of all sunglass orders, July 1-31 (private,
non-insurance orders only). Brands include
BCBG, Gucci, Fendi and many more. Rockridge
Optometry. 5321 College Ave, 510/655-3797.
Quality Gardening
Skilled monthly or bimonthly maintenance; prun-
ing, planting, design, irrigation, outdoor lighting,
ecological practices. 15 years in East Bay, local
refs. Green’s Gardens: 510/593-3490.
Girl With a Truck
Professional home & office organizing. Packing
& unpacking. Furniture delivery & assembly.
Removal & recycling of unwanted items.
Read our YELP reviews! 510/229-7321. www.
girlwithatruck.com.
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,
pines, conifers, fruit trees, focal points and detail
work. Bruce Thompson, 510/428-4964.
Handyman
Carpentry, electrical, kitchen, bath, decks,
fence, drainage, tile, windows, walls, dry
rot, termite damage. Lic#458473. Don;
510/812-0310.
Container Gardens/
Outdoor Staging
Lila Prins Horticultural services specializing in
potted plant arrangements for decks, patios,
entryways, etc. Installation/maintenance.
Outdoor plant/furniture staging, small-scale
landscaping for real estate or other occasions.
Excellent references. 510/219-9361. lila.prins@
gmail.com.
Cat Sitting
Experienced cat rescue person offers peace
of mind for you and your cats. I offer visits,
overnights and boarding at reasonable rates.
catsbyanne@gmail.com; 510/420-1227.
Home Services
I offer carpentry, electrical work and electro-
magnetic field consultation. For information
about EMF and my 34 years of home service
experience in the East Bay visit www.danmatt-
son.net or call Dan at 510/658-2819.
Low Stress Carmel Getaway
Comfortable, cheery 3BR+2BA family home
available for short-term rental. Fully fur-
nished from piano to ping pong, sunny patio.
Quiet, peaceful; pines, oaks, birds. Only two
hours away. Reasonable weekly rates. E-mail:
lowstress-getaway@yahoo.com.
Office Space Needed!
Must relocate communications company by
10/01. Would love to stay in Rockridge but
can be elsewhere in Oakland. Lease/sub-lease
approximately <1,000 sq. ft. of ground-floor
space, with storage. Contact Julie, 510/655-1193
or Julie@hcccom.net.
Manicure & Pedicure
20% off first visit. We use Zoya polish which
does not contain formaldehyde or toluene or
DBT. Call Halina, Milagro Salon, 5269 Broadway
at College. 510/593-5080.
Custom Sewing for the Home
Window Coverings: curtains, Roman shades.
Top Treatments: slipcovers, pillows and cush-
ions; duvet covers, bed skirts, pillow shams &
bolsters. Special projects. Decorator fabrics &
drapery hardware. Holly, 510/531-1177.
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.
Rockridge
Located on Market Hall’s Lower Level
Entry on Shafter Avenue
510-655-8808
www.curvesrockridge.com
Free Parking!
Across from BART
Open 7 Days
Mon- Fri  6:00 -7:30
Sat & Sun 8:00 - Noon

$PMMFHF
"WF
	




15.
July 7, 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

FOR ADULTS:
Writer’s Support /Critique Group:
■
■
 ALL writers
welcome. Third Saturday each month, 1 to 5pm. Bring
10 copies of up to 3 pages of your prose for on-site
reading/discussion. Sponsored by the California Writers
Club, Berkeley branch (www.berkeleywritersclub.
org.) Info: 420-8775 or Writefox@aol.com.
Knitting Classes for Seniors
■
■
 (50+): instructor Teri
Barr. All levels welcome. Beginners bring light color
yarn and a pair of size 8 needles. If experienced, bring
projects to work on. Every Tuesday, 12:30-2:30pm.
Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice
■
■
. First
Tuesday each month from 6 to 8pm. Advance sign-up
starts 5pm. More information: 597-5017.
ART EXHIBITS
Gallery: July: Cliff Dunning: portraits of Rockridge
Firefighters.
 Aug.: Irving Wiltshire: photos and watercolors.
 Sept.: Oparna Ewing, Quilt Group.
Lobby Display Case: July: Lila Wahrhaftig: prints,
paper objects.
Aug.: Marcia Weisbrot: paper and textile sculptures
Sept.: Barry Paul: china marker and pen drawings.
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 Mon., 9/1
(Labor Day) and Tues., 9/9 (Admissions Day).
An Evening with the Peace Corps
Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council (NCPC)
door, (based on availability). Jazz Choir info: http://www.
oaklandjazzchoir.com. Sponsored by the Lifemark Group
Arts program that features Bay Area talent. Chapel of
the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave. Wheelchair accessible.
More info at 228-3218 or www.lifemarkgroup.com/
oakland/special_events.asp.
Joint RCPC-NCPC Town Hall Meeting will be about
personal safety. Thursday, July 24, 7pm. See details,
page 1. Rockridge Library, upstairs meeting room, 5366
College Avenue info@rockridgencpc.com.
Wisteria Ways Concert Series
Rockridge Branch Library
Jeff and Vidya: bluegrass, blues, ballads and original
songs. Sunday, 7/27. House opens at 2:30pm. Inside
venue (not wheelchair accessible). 383 61st Street.
$15-20 suggested donation for musicians (cash only at
the door). For reservations (highly recommended), RSVP
to info@WisteriaWays.org or 655-2771.
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
FOR CHILDREN:
Toddler Story Time: Every Saturday
■
■
, 10:30am.
Pre-School Story Time
■
■
: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays,
10:30am: 7/16, 8/6, 8/20. Note: no story time 9/3.
Pajama Story Time
■
■
: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays. 7pm:
extra story time, July only, on 7/29. See special
events.
   Special Events for Kids and Families:
Fam
■
■
ily Reading Fun Workshop: hands-on events
that each includes a story time and literacy activity.
Ages 2 to 5 and their parents/caregivers invited.
Saturday, 7/26, 8/9, 10:30am. (coincides with Toddler
Story Time).
Book Buddies
■
■
: kids 3 to 10 will team up with teen
volunteers who will read with them. Sign up at Chil-
dren’s Reference desk for one-on-one time with your
own book buddy. Spaces available for both readers
and listeners. Wednesdays, 2 to 4pm: through 8/6.
Info: 597-5017.
Summer Reading Program:
■
■
 through Aug.9. Kids of
all ages can sign up and earn prizes for reading.
Magic by Andrew Chang
■
■
: classic magic show, Tues.
7/15, 7pm.
Local Storyteller Joel Ben Izzy
■
■
: Tues. 7/22, 7pm.
Insect Discovery Lab
■
■
: a quick peek at some creepy
crawlies for pre-school age kids. Wed. 7/30, 11am.
Book Making
■
■
 with East Bay Depot: hands-on fun for
all ages. Tues., 8/5, 7pm.
Opera Piccola
■
■
: Mirrors of Mumbai. Live theater for
all ages. Tues. 8/12, 7pm.
FOR TEENS:
Anime Club: Teens 13 and up
■
■
, watch and talk about
anime (Japanese animation) with other teens. 2nd
Tuesday of each month, 6/10, 7/8. 5 to 6:30pm in
upstairs meeting rm.
Guitar Hero III Video Game Tournament (GH III)
■
■
:
1st and 2nd place winners will be declared .They will
compete at a final tournament at the TeenZone at the
Main Library. Saturday, 7/12, 2 - 4:30pm.
End of Summer party for Book Buddy Volunteers
■
■
:
call Susy, 597-5017, for date and time.
Photo Exhibits
Show by Rockridge photographer
■
■
Paula Li: Frozen
Warmth. Photos of polar bears. Also photos of Greece.
Now through August 11. Sahaira, 5510 College Ave.
Info: 653-6466.
Winners of the Oakbook Photography Competition.
■
■
Photos by Emmanuel Canteras, Russ Osterweil
and Christian Ericksen. Now through 8/31. Chris-
tensen Heller Gallery, 5829 College Ave. For hrs.
call 655-5952.
North Oakland Senior Center
Program Highlights: computer classes; health insurance
counseling and advocacy program; exercise classes;
trips, tours and theater outings; Alzheimer’s caregivers
support groups and more. Special Events:
BIG Flea Market
■
■
: Saturday, Aug. 2, 8am – 4:30pm.
Clean out your closets and garage; vendor spaces
now available; $10 (cash only). Sign up at reception
desk in office.
National Night Out Block Party
■
■
: join us to fight crime
with an ice cream social, refreshments, fun and visits
from the Police and Fire Depts. Tuesday, Aug. 5, 6:30pm.
Call the Center for updates on this event.
Hours: Mon. – Fri., 8:45am to 4:45pm. 5714 Martin Luther
King, Jr. Way. Subscribe to “The North Oakland Senior
Times,” for a full schedule of classes/events and a monthly
lunch menu. For other details, call 597- 5085.
Volunteers work in 74 countries in education, health,
business, environment and more. No upper age limit to
join. Information sessions Monday, 7/21 and 8/18, 6 to
7:30pm, Rockridge Library, 5366 College Ave. More info:
Nick Bosustow, 452-8444, nbosustow@peacecorps.
gov, or www.peacecorps.gov.
Diesel Readings and Events
All events are FREE and open to the public.
Thursday, 7/10, 6:30pm. Students from
■
■
UC Berke-
ley Young Writers Camp reading from their final
project.
Monday, 7/14 & 8/11, 7:30pm.
■
■
Amnesty Int’l meeting.
Sunday, 7/20, 3pm:
■
■
Ethan Canin: America America.
5433 College Ave. For more information about other
events, Book Discussion Groups and El Grupito, the
Spanish discussion group: 653-9965 or www.die-
selbookstore.com.
Give Blood and Get Gas
Support the American Red Cross Blood Drives. Call
1-800-GIVE-LIFE or go to www.BeADonor.com
to schedule a donation appointment. Every week, July
through September, there will be a drawing for a $100
Gas Gift Card. Grand Prize in September is a $1,000
Gas Gift Card. More information from American Red
Cross No. Calif. Blood Services Region, 6230 Claremont
Ave., 594-5205.
Pasta Shop: Book Signing and Tasting
Saturday, 7/19, 2- 4pm.
■
■
Dana Jacobi: Essential Best
Foods Cookbook: 225 Irresistible Recipes Featuring
the Healthiest and Most Delicious Foods.
Saturday, 8/23, 1 - 3pm. Local celebrated chef
■
■
Joyce
Goldstein: Mediterranean Fresh: A Compendium of One-
Plate Salad Meals and Mix-and-Match Dressings.
At each event, free recipe samples and ingredients will
be offered to taste. The Pasta Shop, Rockridge Market
Hall, 5655 College Ave. Info: 250-6005.
11th Annual Bay to Barkers
Dog Walk/Run and Festival
Rebecca Lueck, LCSW
Individual and
Family Counseling
(415) 235-1071
Located at College and Alcatraz
Join hundreds of dog lovers for a 1.3 mile Dog Walk
or 5K Fun Run. Activities for canines including Doggy
Olympiad games, the world’s longest doggy line dance
and a “Do You Look Like Your Dog?” contest. Come
with or without a canine companion. Sunday, July 20,
8:30am to 1pm. Registration begins 8:30am; dog walk/run
starts 10am. Cesar Chavez Park a the Berkeley Marina;
11 Spinnaker Way (N end of University Ave). Advance
registration, $25 per dog (or $30 day of event). Register
at www.berkeleyhumane.org. Proceeds benefit
homeless animals at Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society.
More info: C. Shelby, 845-7735 x13 or cshelby@
berkeleyhumane.org.
Jazz at the Chimes
Treating relationship issues,
anxiety, depression, panic disorders,
childhood trauma, grief, infertility
and adoption, and addictions.
The Oakland Jazz Choir Fundraiser Concert, Recep-
tion and Silent Auction. Silent Auction bidding starts at
1pm; Concert at 2pm, followed by a reception to meet the
Choir, enjoy refreshments and finish the silent auction.
Sunday, July 20. Tickets: $28 general/$20 students &
seniors in advance available through http://www.
brownpapertickets.com or $33 general/$25 at the
Sliding scale : Insurance accepted


16.

July 7, 2008

Jan Fougner
OWNER – BROKER
BUYING OR SELLING IN
ROCKRIDGE? IF YOU
NEED THE SERVICES
OF A REALTOR, CALL
ME. I HAVE 28 YEARS
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ROCKRIDGE
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A
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at alcatraz
berkeley, ca 94705
p 510.428.2600
www.aboutfaceandbody.net
sun-tues 10:30-5:30
wed-sat 10:30-8:00
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654-8707 or 593-4780
PROVIDING

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To Rockridge Clients
 For Over 26 Years.
SPECIALIZING IN

WResidential Sales

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28
Better Homes
Realty
5353 College Avenue
Oakland

Work With a True Professional
Terry has again been named a member of Coldwell
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honor bestowed upon the top 3% of Coldwell Banker Sales
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as a top producing full time realtor.
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 –
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