Extracted text · highlighting “Liz Maxwell”

www.rockridge.org

VOL. 23  NO. 10  ISSUE NO. 250  November 8, 2008 
 CIRCULATION: 5,100 Residences; 200 Businesses

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

NCPC-RCPC Town Hall Meeting
AGENDA
November 2008
Thursday, November 20, 7:00 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library,
5366 College Avenue at Manila,
Community Room (Upstairs)
Neighborhood quality of life is the theme
of the joint RCPC-NCPC Town Hall Meeting
to be held Thursday, November 20, at 7 p.m.
Oakland City Attorney John Russo
will discuss his plans to prosecute chronic non-
felony crimes affecting the community’s quality of
life. He will also discuss the Neighborhood Law
Corps (NLC), community lawyers for Oakland,
working to improve Oakland neighborhoods by
taking on drug sales, substandard housing, blight
and other public nuisances.
7-7:30 p.m.: Presentations on
■
■
two projects watched by the
RCPC Land Use Committee:
the 102-unit “Creekside” proj-
•
ect on the Global Video site
the proposed expansion of the
•
Rockridge Montessori School
7:30-8 p.m.: NCPC reports and
■
■
discussion of neighborhood
issues with OPD police officers
8-9 p.m.: John Russo
■
■

Cn
ollege Ave
u
e
Halloween Parade

Fourth Bore Challenge Gets Day in Court

In November 2007, six neighborhood and
environmental groups – including the
Rockridge Community Planning Council
(RCPC) and FROG – known collectively
as the Fourth Bore Coalition (FBC), filed
suit against Caltrans based on its failure to
comply with the California Environmental
Quality Act.
The lawsuit argued that Caltrans failed
to adequately address serious noise, health,
and traffic issues that would result from the
proposed Fourth Bore project during and
after its construction. The project would add
a fourth tunnel (bore) to the Caldecott Tunnel
over the course of a year’s construction.
The lawsuit’s filing sparked extended
negotiations between Caltrans and FBC,
and separate negotiations between the
Fourth Bore Suit, page 5
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¤

Aswarm with
goblins, witches, ghosts
and popular action heroes, College
Avenue’s reality merged with fantasy as
groups of costumed kids and
shepherding parents visited
Halloween, page 4
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¤

Council Vote Preserves Oakland Arts Funding
Striving to maintain as many city services as possible while
simultaneously preserving a workable budget, Oakland City
councilmembers debated most of the night of October 21 to deter-
mine elements of the final budget.
Often a loser in late-night budget horse-trading sessions, Art
survived the wrangling. Rejecting a proposal by council President

The
Rockridge
 Muse
by Ortrun Niesar

Ignacio De La Fuente and Councilmember Jean Quan to cut Oak-
land’s Cultural Arts Program, a council majority voted for $1.1
million in arts funding.
As Muse Ortrun Niesar explains below, the decision was likely
influenced by the more than 100 artists and art supporters who
spoke out at the budget hearing. — Ed.
100 Reasons for
Keeping Arts
Funding Alive
On October 21 the arts community
rallied in extraordinary numbers at
City Hall to stave off a disastrous decision
being weighed by the City Council.
To help correct the current budget
Bulletin: Creekside Project
The Creekside project
will be heard by the
Planning Commission on
Wednesday, November 19.
See Land Use Committee
report, page 3, for details.
The Muse: Arts Funding, page 7
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2.

November 8, 2008
SB 375: Potential for Rural
Preservation, Higher Urban Density

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.
by Jason Burke, RCPC boardmember
S
B 375, a bill intended to reduce green-
house gases by encouraging higher
density, transit-oriented development in
California cities has been signed into law
by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
This complex bill implements greenhouse
gas reduction goals set out in AB 32, the
Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. It
directs the California Air Resources Board
(CARB) to target reducing greenhouse gas
emissions from private automobiles by
encouraging higher density, transit-oriented
development and shifting away from low-
density suburban development, often referred
to as urban sprawl.
Regional transportation planning agen-
cies will be required to create sustainable
communities strategies (SCS) that will
synchronize housing, jobs and transpor-
tation planning. Financial incentives are
included to encourage cities to apply these
strategies by reallocating transportation
project funding from highway construc-
tion that has traditionally served suburban
development in favor of increased funding
for public transportation, and increased
urban densities to foster the use of public
transportation.
The Association of Bay Area Gov-
ernments (ABAG) and the Bay Area
Metropolitan Transportation Commission
(MTC) will guide the creation of the new
SCS for the Bay Area.
The new law also includes provisions
for streamlined California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) review for transit-
oriented projects that are consistent with
the SCS. For example, the law specifies
“that any EIR prepared for a [conforming]
project … shall not be required to reference,
describe, or discuss a reduced residential
density alternative to address the effects of
car and light-duty truck trips generated by
the project.” Local governments were able
to lobby lawmakers to soften the require-
ments of the law by allowing local General
Plans (which guide land use decisions) to
be inconsistent with the SCS.
New mixed-use infill development proj-
ects may qualify for exemptions from in-depth
CEQA review, if they are consistent with
the SCS. New development projects within
one-half mile of a BART station or other
transit corridors that meet minimum density
requirements and include at least a one-half
residential component could be exempt from
CEQA. By streamlining the CEQA process,
the State has sought to encourage denser
infill development in order to reduce the time
people spend in their cars and the commute
distance from work to home, major contribu-
tors to greenhouse gas emissions.
Areas within Oakland (and the Bay
Area in general) could see further increases
in infill mixed-use residential density
facilitated by the streamlined development
approval process in order meet the bill’s goals
of providing additional housing closer to
jobs in an effort to reduce suburban sprawl
and greenhouse gases generated by personal
automobile use.
The Law’s Effect on Rockridge
In Rockridge, this law could stream-
line the development approval process for
mixed-use residential projects (with up to
200 dwelling units) by creating a CEQA
exemption and reducing the requirements
for cumulative and traffic related analysis for
projects within one-half mile of the BART
station in order to increase housing around
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
Jason Burke, Annette Floystrup, Jonathan Gabel,
William Kaufner, Don Kinkead, Colby Lavin,
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.
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
Impact: SB 375, page 3
¤
¤
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.
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
Newsletter Advertising/Deadlines
Publication date of the next issue is
 December 6, 2008
 December deadline is November 20.
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.)
WWW.GALVINS.COM


3.
November 8, 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, November 26, 7 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library
Land Use Update
by Stuart Flashman,
RCPC Land Use Committee chair
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.
College Avenue Safeway
■
■
5110 Telegraph Avenue
Proposal: To establish a temporary seasonal
pumpkin and Christmas tree sales lot.
Contact Person/ Thomas Speers
Phone No.: 510/705-2352
Owner: 5110 Telegraph LLC
Planning Permits Required: Minor Conditional
Use permit to allow an open facility with
required off-street parking on adjacent lot with
existing parking spaces
Case Planner: Maurice Brenyah-Addow at
510/238-6342 or mbrenyah@oaklandnet.com
Rebuild (6310 College Avenue
at Claremont)
Stakeholder representatives presented a
“Proposed Program for Safeway on Col-
lege” at a meeting held October 1. (The
document is available at RCPC’s Web site
at www.rockridge.org, as well as on Safe-
way’s Web site at www.safewayoncollege.
com.) The meeting was mainly devoted to
the presentation and discussion of the pro-
posal, which calls for a major renovation
of the store, but emphasizes the need for
the new store to fit well with the surround-
ing neighborhood, eliminate impacts on
the store’s immediate neighbors, and not
worsen the already difficult traffic prob-
lems in the store’s vicinity. Todd Paradis,
Safeway’s representative, agreed to take
the proposal to Safeway’s management for
response at the stakeholder meeting now
set for November 12 at 7 p.m. in the Cla-
remont Middle School gymnasium. In the
meantime, a meeting was held October 22
to gather the greater community’s creative
input about how the store’s redesign might
look. (Story, page 11.)
Design drawings and a revised shadow study
are available at www.rockridge.org.
The Final Environmental Impact Report
(EIR) for the project is complete and sched-
uled for release on or prior to November 7.
Hauser plans to request City approval of
this newly-revised plan and consideration
for approval of the EIR.
The project is expected to go to the
Planning Commission for a formal public
hearing and possible approval on November
19. (See the Planning Commission agenda
at www.oaklandnet.com/government/
ceda/revised/planningzoning/Commission/
docs/111908_pc_agenda.pdf.) Watch for
more details through the RCPC E-news and
on www.rockridge.org.
The RCPC Land Use Committee voted
unanimously to recommend opposing the
project because it fits neither the zoning
nor the neighborhood. The RCPC board
will consider that recommendation at its
November 6 meeting. The final project
plans will be presented at RCPC’s Novem-
ber Town Hall Meeting (agenda, page 1).
Concerned Rockridge residents are urged
to attend that meeting and the Planning
Commission public hearing to have their
say on this large and important project on
the border of Rockridge.
Impact: SB 375
from page 2
established public transit stops. Since much
of the Rockridge area is within a one-half
mile of the BART station and other, local,
transit corridors, this bill could reduce the
ability of the community (and RCPC) to
comment during the CEQA review process
for future infill development projects pro-
posed within Rockridge.
Sponsored by State Senator Darrell Steinberg
(D-Sacramento), Senate Bill 375 was supported
by, among other organizations, the California
League of Conservation Voters (co-sponsor), the
Natural Resources Defense Council (co-sponsor),
the American Farmland Trust, the California
Council of Land Trusts, the American Lung Asso-
ciation of California, and the California Nurses
Association.
Opponents included the Asphalt Pavement
Association of California, the Associated General
Contractors of California, the California Associa-
tion of Realtors, the California Building Industry
Association, Contra Costa Transportation Author-
ity, Orange County Business Council, the Orange
County Transportation Authority, the Regional
Council of Rural Counties, and others.
Hauser/Creekside Residential/
■
■
Mixed-use Project (Global
Video Site – 5132 Telegraph)
Project applicant Hauser Architects
has further redesigned this project, in part
because the most recent proposal did not
pencil out with financing agents. The revi-
sion increases the project’s bulk slightly by
enlarging the size of the recessed fifth story,
but keeps the project height at 55 feet. It also
reduces the project from 103 to 102 units,
while increasing the average size of the units.
Rockridge Montessori
■
■
Expansion Project
(5616 Broadway)
The Rockridge Montessori School,
Land Use Update, page 5
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4.

November 8, 2008

Guarding the goodies
Cuttin’ Up on College
Ladybug with pumpkin
Rest and reorganization

Storytellers Kate Frankel, right,
Elaine Stanley, and Gay Ducey

Halloween Parade Seen
On College Avenue
Photos: Don Kinkead

Music by Mike Taylor
Two princesses
An Incredible(s) kid
Two pirates

participating merchants, hitting them
up for traditional sweets and good
humor. The parade, now in its 17th year, is organized and sponsored by
the Rockridge District Association (RDA), composed of College Avenue
merchants, and the Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC).
After Trick-or-Treating on College Avenue, kids and their escorts sat on
hay bales in front of the College Avenue Presbyterian Church to listen to
storytellers, applaud the “Sparkle Dancers” from New Style Motherlode
dance studio on College, and sing-along to classic Halloween oldies
played on guitar and sung by Rockridge resident Mike Taylor.
Halloween, from page 1
Letters to the Editor
than I did. He described it to the police and even helped me file the
homeowner’s insurance claim. Erik S. was on College when he heard
me scream. He took down the license plate number of the get-away
car. Officer C. took the report, walked me home, and informed me
the get-away car was not stolen. An officer was already waiting at
the registration holder’s home.
Raymond E. also heard my yelp for help. Later, riding BART on
his way home from Barclay’s, he recognized the thief and phoned the
BART police. The passenger from the get-away car was carrying my
computer when she and the thief were arrested at the Powell Street
BART station. BART police then phoned me, using contact informa-
tion from my computer. Less than two hours had passed.
At 8:30 p.m., Chris took me to Oakland Police headquarters where
Officer C. allowed me to meet the perpetrator. He was a young, inno-
cent looking 19-year-old. He apologized when I told him he scared
me. I was scared to think of what would happen to him in jail. I felt
sorry for his mom; she works in Berkeley.
Before I met him at the police station, I had no idea what the
thief looked like. I am a Physician Assistant student. I am trained in
objective observation, but I was not working at my rotation in High-
land Hospital’s Emergency Department. I was sitting in my favorite
seat, in my favorite coffee house. I was enjoying my latte, logging
my patients. My response was, in part, typical. It is what criminals
count on. Chances are a surprised and scared victim will not react
or recognize the perpetrator.
As a student, I spend an inordinate amount of time in College
Avenue coffee houses. The other night at A ’Cuppa Tea, I was work-
ing on a paper. A guy plopped down in the
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.
Spontaneous Harwood Heroes Foil Laptop Snatch
Editor:
It was another sunny day in the Rockridge, and I was happy. I was
sitting on one of the big comfortable window seats at Spasso Coffee
on College when a kid reached through the window and ripped my
laptop off of my lap.
It was 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 2. I had the computer back
within four hours.
Rumors fly in Rockridge. I think it is because we know each
other: the neighbors, and the regulars of the coffee houses, pubs and
restaurants. The rumor Al, who lives across the street, heard from
Kris, who lives down the street, heard from Painter Dave, a Barclay
regular, heard from another Barclay’s regular… is that I tackled the
thief and reclaimed my computer. Although I like that I get to be a
super-hero in that version of the story, the truth is that I did follow my
computer out the window, but fell down just after I jumped. Luckily,
I belted out the primordial yelp, “Stop that thief!” before I hit the
pavement. The real heroes are the College Avenue locals.
As I have come to expect, Chris, my next-door neighbor, was
there. He had helped me purchase the computer and knew it better
Letters, page 12
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5.
November 8, 2008

Who’s That Knocking? NCPC Tells
All About City Permits to Solicit

Land Use Update
from page 3
located on Broadway at Manila Avenue
proposes to convert a previously purchased
residence to further expand the school.
Converting the residence would increase
their maximum enrollment from 132 to
approximately 187 children. The school
currently occupies two buildings, includ-
ing a recently-acquired former church on
Manila Avenue. Past school expansions have
been controversial with nearby neighbors.
This latest proposal could reignite that
controversy.
RCPC has asked the school to provide
a short presentation on its current plans at
the November 20 joint NCPC-RCPC Town
Hall Meeting.
by Annette Floysrup,
RCPC boardmember
D
Dispatch that your NCPC and area Problem
Solving Officer (PSO) have advised you that
they want these reports. Time allowing, OPD
will ask these solicitors for ID. According
to OPD, many have police records and some
have outstanding warrants.
OPD beat and PSOs emphasized that
you should never open the door to a solici-
tor. Often, solicitors use the time talking
to you while looking beyond you into
your house to case it for a later burglary.
According to OPD, many solicitors are poor
people recruited from other states by quasi-
legitimate companies, then forced to work
long hours for little pay and poor lodging
and who are sometimes denied food for not
making large quotas. Many of these are
o you open the door to solicitors?
Should you? Are they doing something
illegal going door-to-door? Who are they,
typically?
October’s Neighborhood Crime Preven-
tion Committee (NCPC) meeting included
a discussion of Oakland’s requirements for
legal door-to-door solicitation: what permits
are required, what people should expect,
and what to do when someone comes to
the door.
About Legal Door-to-Door
Solicitation
OPD recommends that you always call
the non-emergency number, 777-3333,
when there are solicitors on your street. Tell
Red Oak Realty (5915 College
■
■
Avenue – Dreyer’s Building)
The RCPC Land Use Committee unani-
mously recommended, and the RCPC board
unanimously adopted, a position to oppose
Red Oak Realty’s plans to move its Oakland
office from the current location at the corner
of Pleasant Valley Road and Broadway to
the street floor of the Dreyer’s building, a
space currently occupied by Cotton & Co,
which is closing.
While the board appreciated Red Oak
Realty’s local ownership and commitment to
community service, it felt that it was impor-
tant to protect the retail orientation of the
College Avenue ground level street frontage.
This was especially important given the key
location of the Dreyer’s building.
Consistent with this position, the board
also adopted a more general policy of
opposing non-retail uses on the ground
floor along College Avenue.
The board’s position has been conveyed
to Red Oak Realty, as well as to Dreyer’s
and the City.
NCPC Meeting, page 13
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¤
Those impacts include increased noise
during construction and after it is com-
pleted, increased and continuing pollution
at schools and parks located alongside
Highway 24, and increased traffic on city
streets in the area.
Caltrans has been unwilling to address
these remaining serious impacts, so FBC
continued with its lawsuit.
The suit came to trial on October 31
before Judge Roesch, with Tony Rossman
and Stuart Flashman representing the FBC,
including RCPC and FROG.
In the packed courtroom were several
spectators in support of the FBC, and several
Caltrans representatives.
After hearing 3-1/2 hours of spirited
argument, Judge Roesch noted that the case
involved several issues, and continued the
trial to Wednesday, November 5, at 9 a.m.,
before the same court.
Fourth Bore Suit
from page 1
City of Oakland and Caltrans. The nego-
tiations, made at the behest of FBC to
Councilmember Jane Brunner and other
Oakland councilmembers, resulted in a
settlement of Oakland’s threatened lawsuit
against Caltrans.
The settlement between Caltrans and
Oakland contains a promise to fund
$8 million in mitigations of noise and traffic
impacts of the project, most of which were
also requested by FBC from Caltrans.
However, given the immense size of the
project, FBC believes that the Oakland/
Caltrans settlement is woefully inadequate
to address additional substantial negative
and lasting impacts the project will have
on Rockridge and nearby neighborhoods.
Kimberly Lang
Norman H. Burg, DDS
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6.

November 8, 2008

to find, pomegranates are now available in
most produce markets.
Removing Pomegranate seeds
Here is a trick I learned in culinary
school for the easy removal of the tiny
edible seeds:
Rock  ridge
Cornucopia
Cornucopia
Barry A. Kaufman
n	Fill a large bowl with cold water.
Fall Colors
n	Score the pomegranate’s leathery skin
in four places from stem to root.
In	Place the pomegranate in the water.
With your hands, crack open the fruit
and pull the seeds apart from the white
pulp. The seeds will sink to the bottom
of the bowl and the pulp will float to
the top.
am particularly partial to Fujis, which have
a firm, crisp texture and tartish sweetness.
My new favorite is the Ambrosia apple. I
tried it at Market Hall Produce and it is by
far the best apple I’ve ever tasted.
Persimmons
The first of the persimmons have come
to market. The Fuyu and Hachiya are both
Japanese varieties with a full-on autumn
color. Fuyus can be eaten like an apple and
are terrific in salads. Hachiya persimmons
are best used baked and to make persim-
mon pudding. When buying Fuyus, look
for those that are deep orange and firm but
not rock hard. If using Hachiyas for baking
or making pudding, be sure to let them get
very soft before preparing them.
Pomegranates
My other favorite autumn fruit is the
pomegranate. Native to Persia, pomegranates
were brought to Spain by the Moors in the 9th
century. Did you know that the Andalusian
city of Granada was named for them? In the
18th century, pomegranates were brought to
California by Spanish settlers. Once difficult
love the Bay Area, but as a transplanted
East Coaster I miss the colors of the
autumn leaves. As graduate students,
Gail and I lived in Amherst, Massachusetts.
During the fall, we would take long rides
throughout western New England to marvel
at the annual display of the fall colors.
Although I miss the autumn leaves, I find
the beauty of our Bay Area fall season in
the variety of intense colors found in the
produce available at our Rockridge green
grocers and farmers’ market.
An annual ritual I started in my years
living in western Massachusetts is to buy
all types of gourds, Indian corn, and mini
pumpkins to display in my home. I always
hang mini Indian corns on my door to
announce the fall season. I marvel at the
array of colors that proclaim it is autumn.
I’ve been known to buy an abundance of
different types of fall fruits and vegetables to
create my own still-life canvas. Sometimes
I don’t cook or eat them; I just enjoy how
they light up my kitchen. Here are three of
my autumn favorites:
Apples
A is for apple. When Gail and I later left
N.Y. for Amherst, we lived next to Atkins
Farm. Each fall, we would buy baskets of
McIntosh apples to eat out of hand or to
make apple sauce. Today there are literally
hundreds of varieties of apples to choose
from: green Granny Smiths, pink Galas,
red Delicious, and reddish-pink Fujis, to
name a few found in our local markets. I
n	Scoop out the pulp and drain the water
through a fine mesh strainer to capture
the seeds.
By the way, Trader Joe’s carries packed
pomegranate seeds, but it’s much more fun
to get your hands dyed red.
Using Pomegranate seeds
Here are some ideas for using pome-
granate seeds:
n	Scatter over a mix of salad greens, sliced
persimmons, goat cheese and chopped
walnuts
n	Top a fruit salad with yogurt and pome-
granate seeds.
n	Sprinkle seeds over orange slices, drizzle
with orange-flower water (Pasta Shop),
and cinnamon, sugar and lemon juice.
Very Moroccan.
Barry Kaufman is a graduate of the California
Culinary Academy. Barry is available for cooking
classes. His email is kaufman42@earthlink.net
Rockridge
Located on Market Hall’s Lower Level
Entry on Shafter Avenue
510-655-8808
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7.
November 8, 2008

The Muse:
Arts Funding
That is simply not acceptable; Oakland
is home to more artists per capita than any
other city in America with the exception
of New York City. Arts funding is a
low-cost community investment with
consistently high return. Although the
average income per working artist is
about $19,000, artists are an economic
force to be reckoned with, statistically
returning $9 to the community for every
$1 of grant money received.
That evening over 100 speakers from
the arts community took the mike
at City Hall to present what turned out
to be a lesson in Civilization I01.
Speakers included dozens of arts
organization members, artists, home
owners, business operators, neighborhood
leaders, restaurateurs, developers,
vendors, musicians, librarians, youth
counselors, school teachers, children and
seniors. Their message was forceful, clear
and unrelenting: the cultural arts are not
a luxury but a basic human activity. They
are the cornerstone of any civilization.
A city that does not support its arts is
destined for obsolescence.
Following are some keywords I jotted
down as I listened to the speeches. They
describe the targets and outcomes of
creative activity that often represent
our first line of defense and our last
hope against alienation, fear, loneliness,
oppression, ignorance, poverty, violence
and death:
“Access  Adaptability  Architecture
Awareness  Beauty  Caring  Civilization
Commitment  Communication  Community
Confidence  Crafts  Creativity  Culture
Dance  Development  Design  Diversity
Drama  Economics  Education  Entertainment
Entrepreneurship  Equality  Ethnicity  Food
Freedom  Friendship  Giving  Happiness
Healing  Helping  Health  Heritage  History
Hope  Imagination  Income  Jobs  Joy
Justice  Kids  Language  Learning  Listening
Literature  Marketing  Memory  Mental
Health  Money  Music  Neighborhood
Need  Nurturing  Opportunity  Peace
Performance  Philanthropy  Play  Pleasure
Poetry  Preservation  Professional Development
Programming  Reality  Reading  Recreation
Respect  Responsibility  Safe Harbor  Schools
Self-Realization  Self-Reliance  Self-Esteem
Seniors  Sharing  Shelter  Skills  Society  Soul
Storytelling  Survival  Talent  Teaching  Thanks
Tourism  Training  Understanding  Vision
Volunteering  Writing  Wealth  Youth
I
am happy to report that common
sense prevailed. The programs, though
curtailed, will stay intact for the time
being. But what will the future hold?
On Tuesday, November 18, 6:30-8:30
p.m., an Arts Advocacy planning session
will be held at Pro Arts, 550 Second
Street in Jack London Square, to help
stake out a permanent claim for the
cultural arts in Oakland. You are invited
to work alongside arts and community
leaders, parents and educators for this
cause. Go to info@proartsgallery.org,
or call 510/763-4361.
from page 1
shortfall in the City of Oakland, a proposal
was made to suspend funding for the
Cultural Arts Department, thereby putting
Oakland’s cultural funding program into
danger. The money that would be saved
was about $1.4 million. In the alternative,
14 jobs would have to be cut.
The Council seemed prepared to
abandon the arts community and the
enormous constituency it serves. The
number of citizens benefitting from the
cultural arts programs is staggering.
Cultural arts grants currently fund over
10,000 hours of arts instruction in our
underserved public schools. Nevertheless,
after years of cuts, the amount is less than
50% of what it should be. Total elimination
of the Cultural Arts Department and
the end of arts funding in the future is
a very real possibility.
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8.

November 8, 2008
Construction
Project Offers
New Lessons to
Chabot School

 At Chabot School’s Groundbreaking/
Reunion Party last June, current
students got acquainted with those
who had attended the school in past
years. Chiyo Nakamoto, Chabot class
of 1939, is joined by current students
Nicola Schulte, left front, Natalie
Bettendorf, behind, Sara Ikonen,
and Meta Austin. Ms. Nakamoto’s
grandson, Matthew Ching, attended
kindergarten at Chabot in 2006-07,
before his family moved back to
Hawaii.
Photo and caption: Chabot Way to Grow!
by Colby Lavin, RCPC boardmember
‘I
t will be the highest quality building
we’ve done in the [Oakland Unified
School] District in 30 or 40 years!” OUSD
Acting Director of Facilities Tadashi Naka-
degawa told the Chabot PTA and community
this fall about the new additions under con-
struction at Chabot Elementary School.
Three years ago, there were no imminent
plans for such an exciting improvement to
Chabot; a lot has happened and been learned
since then.
Community involvement has proved
instrumental in developing a plan that works
for Chabot students, teachers, and parents,
as well as for the Chabot neighborhood.
“We learned that reaching out to the com-
munity for feedback was extremely valuable.
For example, the placement of the new
buildings has a substantial impact on the
neighborhood feel and safety. As a result,
the new buildings will be set back from the
street to allow for excellent visibility into
the open playground spaces and to create
a more visually appealing landscape,” said
Polly Ikonen, communications liaison for
the Chabot Long Range Planning (LRP)
committee.
Major construction projects can be per-
plexing and even scary for some elementary
students, so Chabot learned how to integrate
student input into the project. In early 2007,
fourth- and fifth-grade students drew render-
ings of what they wanted the new buildings
goal is met, the students will be able to take
pride in how they helped make Chabot a
beautiful school, garden, and park.
The importance of a hands-on liaison
between Chabot, OUSD, contractors, archi-
tects and the community became evident
as the project entered its active phase last
summer. Shelly Fierston, a parent volunteer
and self-professed detail-oriented person,
took on the role of construction liaison.
Shelly acts as an information conduit for the
groups involved in the construction effort,
a role critical to minimizing confusion and
maximizing efficiency.
Another lesson learned is that “these
types of projects take longer than you
expect,” said Melissa Newel, chair of the
LRP. Originally planned to be ready for the
start of the 2009-10 academic year, the new
building’s completion date is now December
4, 2009, due to the project’s complexity.
Given the outstanding facility to be built
for the community, the three month delay
doesn’t dampen enthusiasm for the project;
Chabot Principal Jonathan Mayer says he
is very excited about the new additions to
the campus.
Until the additions are complete, Prin-
cipal Mayer and dedicated volunteers will
work hard to keep Rockridge informed and to
keep the project moving along smoothly.
To learn more, to donate to the Chabot:
Way to Grow! campaign, or to get involved,
go to www.chabotelementary.org or e-mail
construction@chabotelementary.org.
and landscaping to look like. Architects then
incorporated aspects of the most promising
student work and used the students’ names
as the titles for the designs they submitted.
This invlovement helped students feel pride
and ownership in the new addition.
More recently, the PTA’s Chabot: Way
to Grow! fundraising campaign, which
aims to raise over $300,000 to complete
the campus “master plan,” has learned
how to incorporate local businesses into
the project. The campaign recently part-
nered with Dreyer’s Ice Cream Parlor and
Becky’s Chinese Restaurant, who pledged
proceeds to support the school. Further
business and foundation collaborations are
under discussion.
The Way to Grow! campaign is also
developing ways to involve the students in
fundraising, including a “kids’ guide” with
ideas they can implement individually or
within their classrooms. When the classroom
 When completed, Chabot
School’s new campus will
have the original 1927 school
building (refurbished), a
new classroom building
(pictured to the right of the
existing school building),
and a new multi-purpose
building large enough to
accommodate the entire
school for assemblies, as
well as a newly landscaped
playground.
Graphic and caption:
Chabot Way to Grow!
Recruiting and Retaining Teachers
Join Oakland School Board directors Kerry
Hamill and Jody London at the District 1
Town Hall meeting on Monday, November
17, 7-9 p.m. at Piedmont Avenue School, 4314
Piedmont Avenue, Oakland. The topic: “How
Oakland recruits and retains teachers.”


9.
November 8, 2008

Kids Walk and Roll to Chabot
Channel 2 news, KGO Radio, and Mingpao
Daily newspaper.
Our local SRTS program is made pos-
sible by a grant from Measure B, Alameda
County’s half-cent transportation sales tax,
administered by Alameda County Trans-
portation Improvement Authority (ACTIA),
and by support from Kaiser Permanente’s
Community Benefits Program.
by Jennifer Vetter
October was International Walk to School
Month, and the Chabot School com-
munity went all out to celebrate the event on
October 8. Many families left their cars at
home, travelling to school on foot or on bicycles,
skateboards, scooters and roller skates. A big
“walking school bus” gathered at the corner
of Manila and Broadway, and another at the
corner of Chabot and College Avenue.
The Chabot Safety Patrol came out in full
force to manage the always busy Chabot-
Patton intersection and to help distribute
stickers, “Oakland Walks to School” pencils,
and neon-colored reflective backpack tags.
Firefighters from Station 19 on Miles Avenue
brought their truck onto the lower yard and
supported the kids with their star presence.
A Clif Bar crew set up a stand and handed
out lots of free samples.
The final tally posted on the Transpor-
tation Mode wall charts showed that 168
people walked to school, 48 bicycled, 12
took a bus, and 27 drove in cars. There were
50 bicycles in the three bicycle racks. (Not
everyone checked in, so there was some
underreporting in all categories.)
Nora Cody, former Chabot parent and
now director of Safe Routes to Schools
(SRTS) Alameda County, guided the event’s
planning and publicity and visited Chabot
on the big day itself. More than 60 schools
in Alameda County – 40 in Oakland – par-
ticipated in the event; Chabot was pleased
to get so much of her attention. Walk to
School Day also had great coverage from
ABC Channel 7 morning news, KTVU
International Walk to School Month
International Walk to School Month gives
children, parents, school teachers and community
leaders an opportunity to be part of a global event
as they celebrate the many benefits of walking. In
2007, millions of walkers from around the world
walked to school together for various reasons –
all hoping to create communities that are safe
places to walk.
— From the group’s Web site. More information at
http://www.iwalktoschool.org/index.htm
Safe Routes to Schools
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs aim
to make walking and bicycling to school a safe
and appealing form of transportation. Federal
legislation and funding currently exist to support
SRTS efforts, but these funds alone cannot meet
all the needs of communities across the United
States. Most programs can benefit from a mixture
of local, state, federal, and private funding.
— From the SRTS Web site. More information at
http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/index.cfm
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10.

November 8, 2008

Rockridge Kid Task Force and Claremont School Work
Together to Build Positive Climate, Community

by Danica Truchlikova,
RCPC boardmember
Following up on its successful Clare-
mont Community Day when 8th-grade
Claremont Middle School students visited
College Avenue merchants, Rockridge Dis-
trict Association (RDA) executive director
Sarah Lamb announced that her group has
formed the Rockridge Kid Task Force to
work with the school to continue to build
a positive environment in, and outside of,
the school.
Stating the group’s mission statement,
“The Rockridge Kid Task Force is com-
mitted to building a positive climate while
creating a stronger sense of community
between residents, students and merchants
throughout the Rockridge area,” Lamb
described the goals of a recent proposal for
a joint merchant-residents adopt-a-classroom
program:
Build a more cohesive, positive com-
■
■
munity of students, merchants, and
residents
Create real-life educational experi-
■
■
The first task force meeting was held in
June and attended by representatives of the
RDA, the Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council (NCPC), the Rockridge Community
Planning Council (RCPC), the Oakland
Police and Oakland School Police depart-
ments, and several residents who live near
the school.
The meetings, held monthly, are also
attended by Claremont Middle School
principal David Chambliss, and represen-
tatives of the PTA and student council.
Initial meetings were devoted to developing
practical proposals.
The task force meetings are open to
all Rockridge residents. The committee
welcomes new ideas and community input.
To participate in the Adopt-A-Classroom
program, to be a chaperone for the 7th
grade Community Day, or to learn more
about the group, contact Sarah Lamb at
510/604-3125.
ences for students
Provide curriculum that engages
■
■
students and enables merchants and
residents to make meaningful con-
nections with the student body
Encourage dialogue between students
■
■
and adults about issues facing the
community and society as a whole.
Lamb said the group will soon distribute
an Adopt-A-Classroom survey to local mer-
chants and nearby residents. Responses will
help formulate content for student-faculty
advisory groups that work to more fully inte-
grate students into school life. The program
is expected to begin in January 2009.
Also, based on the success of February’s
Community Day, 7th graders will participate
in their own Community Day on Friday,
November 21.

A Farewell to Rockridge: Cotton & Co to Close

It is with deep sadness that I will be clos-
ing my store on December 15. During the
last 19 years I have watched your children
grow and shared your triumphs in raising a
family. This has truly been a wonderful time
in my life and has given me many precious
memories of each of you. Your joys have
been my joys. You have given me a huge
extended family and we have had many
laughs over my being the “bra queen.”
Many of you have heard of my husband’s
passing in July, my efforts to try to keep his
business concerns intact and running – and
now my own health concerns – which has
led me to re-evaluate, to smell the roses and
to focus on taking care of myself.
As a result, I have decided to relocate
to Davis to be near my daughter and my
precious grandchildren Ella, Christopher,
and Patrick.
As with all of us, life changes and
we go with the flow – not always what
we want the most, but eventually what is
best. I have tried to sell my business, but
with the way the economy is today and
the shift to Internet sales, I have not been
successful. As a result, my only feasible
option is to buy out my remaining lease
term and allow the landlord to find a suit-
supporting my store and making me a part
of your family.
Please stop by in the next few months
so we may say goodbye and so you can
take advantage of our closing sale. There
are lots of beautiful things for the holidays
and, of course, we will still be fitting shoes
for your children.
We will be packing boxes on December
16 with the remaining merchandise to be
distributed to the needy in our community.
Let me know if you have an organizaton
that we may have forgotten to include. I
want to make Christmas special for as
many as possible.
— Claudette von Rusten
College Avenue shoppers make a final
trip to Cotton & Co before its closing.
                                     Photo: Don Kinkead
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11.
November 8, 2008

Safeway Design Debated at Brainstorming Meeting

by Annette Floystrup,
RCPC boardmember
The design and amenities of the building
proposed to replace the current Safe-
way supermarket at College and Claremont
avenues were debated in another of a series
of “stakeholder” meetings convened by
Safeway to “harness the neighborhood’s
creativity to generate ideas that Safeway
can use in the new store design.”
Stakeholders are representatives from the
Rockridge Community Planning Council
(RCPC), the Claremont Elmwood Neighbor-
hood Association (CENA), the Rockridge
District Association (RDA), the “Concerned
Neighbors of College Ave Safeway” group,
the store’s Alcatraz Avenue residential neigh-
bors, an independent Rockridge resident,
and local merchants.
The meeting area in the Claremont Middle
School gymnasium was divided into discus-
sion topics agreed upon as of concern by all
stakeholder groups: Exterior of Building/
Store, Interior of Store, Parking, Landscaping,
Landscape (and Parking) wanted a more
attractive parking lot with shade trees and
additional landscaping.
Traffic wanted better bus access and bike
lanes on College Avenue, given preliminary
figures indicating 65% of the shoppers drive
and 35% are non-drivers. The possibility of
a delivery fleet such as at the Walnut Creek
Rossmoor store was also raised.
Store Exterior and Landscaping both
touched on the idea of an outdoor public
gathering space with seating, potentially
tied to a Safeway deli.
Rockridge residents who have shopped
at the South Shore Safeway report that,
although the store is almost three times
larger than the College Avenue store, the
selection of goods is almost identical; there
are just larger quantities of each item on
the shelves.
Neighbors contiguous to Safeway on
upper Alcatraz Avenue (Berkeley) have
had ongoing and specific concerns regard-
ing noise from delivery trucks, the trash
compactor, HVAC and refrigeration units
and a rodent problem. Todd Paradis, real
estate manager for this Safeway project,
made arrangements for a unit at Safeway
to work with the neighbors after two years
of fruitless efforts to engage Safeway to
address these problems.
Forty-five people attended the meeting,
held October 22. Visit Safeway’s site at
www.safewayoncollege.com for further
information. Also visit RCPC’s Web site
at www.rockridge.org for up-to-the-minute
news and information.
The next Stakeholder’s meeting date
is November 12, 7 - 9 p.m., in the
Claremont Middle School gymnasium.
All interested parties are invited to
attend.
Contiguous Neighbor Buffer and Traffic. Par-
ticipants in each topic were asked to elaborate
on their wishes for the new store design.
Comments from all topic groups, except
Landscape and Store Interior, related to the
size and bulk of the store. Interior wanted
wider aisles, but did not want store aisles used
for storage as at the South Shore Alameda
store. (At the October 1 meeting, Safeway
provided plans for the College Avenue
(23,000 sq.ft.), Grand Avenue (26,000 sq.ft.),
Fruitvale (28,000 sq.ft.), Cabrillo (San
Francisco) (28,000 sq.ft.), and South Shore
(Alameda) (64,000 sq.ft.) stores. Plans for
these stores (see Web site addresses at end
of article) revealed no significant differences
in aisle widths regardless of store size.
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12.

November 8, 2008

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Creaky Site
Seeks Support
R
CPC’s web site has grown tired and
tattered over the years. An early entrant
on the Web scene, the site is now hobbled
by dated code and overlayered styles. Time
for a change! We are seeking designers and
coders to work with us on an update now in
progress. Got time? Interested? Jump into
the mix. E-mail chair@rockridge.org to tell
us of your interest and availability.
Welcome,
oaklandnorth.net!
Whoever gleefully announced that
“print is dead” missed the transmi-
gration of print from ink on paper to pixels
on computer screens. The proliferation of
blogs, on-line journals and newsletters, not
to mention e-mail, confirms that print is,
in fact, wildly alive.
A recent local addition to the digital
print world is www.oaklandnorth.net, one
of a group of regional on-line newsletters
produced by students at Cal’s Graduate
School of Journalism in a project funded
by a Ford Foundation grant. The goal is to
provide communities with the news coverage
lost as traditional news sources shrink.
RCPC and The Rockridge News welcome
oaklandnorth.net and anticipate a rewarding,
collaborative relationship in the telling of
Rockridge news and stories.
Letters
from page 4
next seat. Startled, I grabbed my computer. I
looked him straight in the eyes. I was afraid,
but I can describe him. I am determined not to
let fear stop me. I have ordered a cable lock for
my computer. Once it comes, I will be back in
my seat by the open window at Spasso, logging
my patients and enjoying Rockridge.
— Ingrid Zina Pampalone,
Rockridge Resident
Other newsletters published are: El Cerrito Focus;
In Emeryville; East Bay West, covering West
Oakland and West Berkeley; and Mission Local,
covering San Francisco’s Mission district.
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Felted Scarves
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Wirework Jewelry
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Watercolor Landscapes
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13.
November 8, 2008

Solicitation Permits in Oakland

NCPC Meeting
from page 5
by Karen Ivy, NCPC secretary
Oakland issues two kinds of permits
to solicit in the city:
1. Commercial peddler’s permits,
allowing sale of items, issued by
the OPD Records Division.
Very few people actually have these
permits: the list has only 23 names. Ped-
dlers also have to have an Oakland business
license, be fingerprinted, and pay numerous
fees: the Master Fee Schedule for the City
shows that the Peddler-Solicitor Permit
fee is $50, plus $25 for fingerprinting and
$32 for a Department of Justice check. It’s
the impression of OPD records manager
Millie Crossland that almost none of the
people going door-to-door actually have
permits.
If there is a “no solicitors” sign on
the door, people with Peddler’s permits
may not knock. Peddlers are required to
show the permit. Citizens may take the
peddler’s name and complain to the city,
if they have a license and have ignored the
sign. If they don’t have a license, the only
recourse is to send them away or not even
open the door.
2. Charitable solicitation per-
mits, allowing people to ask for
donations, issued by the City
Administrator’s Office.
The charitable solicitation permit costs
$20. The organization must be a registered
501(c)(3), and must give the city a financial
report on what they took in. There are
only five outstanding ongoing permits (one
of which is the group working with people
selling the Street Sheet).
Groups may also get a one-day permit
which will specify where they can go to
solicit; the usual permit is for “store front
solicitation” or “street corner solicitation.”
No door-to-door permit for charitable
solicitation has been issued for at least
the last four years.
General Note:
Door-to-door signature gatherers
who then ask for donations have crossed
the line. The First Amendment does not
include the right to ask for money.
young people who are petty criminals.
Peddler’s/Solicitor’s permits are issued
by the Oakland Police Department. OPD
records manager Millie Crossland stated that
there are only 23 existing permits, none for
the sale of magazine subscriptions. Permits
are obtained through a process that includes
a photo and fingerprinting. The Peddler’s
permit has a complete description of the
door-to-door salesperson. Such permits are
good for one year.
Permits to solicit for charities and reli-
gious organizations are issued through the
city administrator’s office. Barbara Killey,
assistant to the city administrator, stated
that the City has never issued any such
organization a door-to-door permit.
Solicitation permits are typically used
by 501(c)(3) registered non-profit groups
to raise money. RCPC had such a permit
for the donations bucket at the Out and
About street fair.
YOUR FINANCIAL LIFE GOES BEYOND
STOCKS AND BONDS. SHOULDN’T YOUR
FINANCIAL STRATEGY DO THE SAME?
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.
Open 11am - 8pm Everyday
5418 College Ave. (510) 420-1928


14.

November 8, 2008

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.
Elizabeth H/The Art of
Hair Design
Your eco-friendly neighborhood hair salon.
Expert stylists for every cut, color, and tex-
ture. All the hair-care products you need.
Manicures and pedicures, too. 5431 College
Avenue, Oakland. 510/652-5431.
Your Message Could Be Here
Your 36-word message is $22. (Phone number
counts as one word). Mail to: RN Classifieds,
5245 College Avenue, PMB 311, Oakland, CA
94618. December deadline is November 20.
For information: e-mail smontauk@gmail.com
Non-Toxic House Cleaning
Lotus Cleaning Services provides excellent ser-
vice while protecting your health and the planet.
Licensed, bonded and insured. Experienced,
reliable cleaners. Great for households with
allergies, asthma, small children. Reasonable
rates. 510/452-0755, lotusclean@comcast.net.
Patios, Custom Artistic
Tiling $22/hour
Lots of Rockridge references-have worked
in Rockridge the past 2 years. Over 20 years
experience. See our website at: www.Diegode-
signs.com Call Diego: 510/828-9473. “We listen
to your dreams.”
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.
Home Repairs
Carpentry, electrical, kitchen, bath, decks, fences,
drainage, tile, windows, walls, dry rot, termite
damage. Lic#458473. Don 510/812-0310.
Kim Fecteau, at the Right
Angle
Established and client-focused stylist ready to
assist with all your beauty needs from cuts, color,
highlights, lash & brow tints, as well as wardrobe
consulting. Wed-Sat, 510/697-5503.
Gardener
Over 15 years of service to the Rockridge
area. Maintenance and garden restoration.
Reasonable rates and excellent references.
Please call Chris: 510/655-0157.
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.
RockridgeResidents.Org
We’re a non-profit, no-ad based website
intended to increase the sense of community
between Rockridge Residents. Connect with
neighbors on the Online Forums. Read resident-
submitted articles, review local businesses. Visit
www.rockridgeresidents.org today!
Homeopathy – “Green”
Family Medicine
Homeopathy is effective medicine. It is also one
of the “greenest.” I treat many issues: migraines,
menopause, fertility, skin, digestion, etc. All ages.
All natural. Shana Sturm: 510/367-4161.
Psychotherapy for Women
Relational Depth Therapy with older, experi-
enced, interactive, kind psychotherapist. Women
of all ethnicities and sexualities welcomed.
Maggie Rochlin, LCSW. 510/845-6556.
Jazz & Classical Piano Lessons
Jazz and classical piano lessons from Rockridge
jazz pianist with B.A. in music from U.C.
Berkeley, 15 years experience teaching and
performing. Reasonable rates, patient, dedi-
cated. Janet 653-6783.
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.
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.
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.
Weeding and Yard Clean-Ups
Areas below Broadway served. Three and
4-hour jobs welcome. Fred. 510/234-2902.
Holiday Greetings from Namaste
PEACE ON EARTH
Skin Care Salon
Penelope’s Aesthetics, a serene garden setting
in Rockridge 12 years, specializes in professional
beauty needs. Facials, waxing, lash/brow tints,
skin tag/capillary removal, permanent make-
up, reflexology and more! 30% off w/ad. www.
penelopecalef.com 510/594-1552.
Visit our store for
beautiful & luxurious
organic cotton
clothing and hand-
crafted gifts for your
holiday shopping.
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.danmattson.
net or call Dan at 510/658-2819.
Yoga &
Retail Gift
Certificates
Available
Based here in Rockridge,
we specialize in:
INTERIOR-EXTERIOR LEAD
CERTIFIED PAINTERS
Professional preparation. Many local
references. All work Guaranteed
(510) 654-3339
Architectural remodels/additions
Gardens/outdoor spaces
for more info and class schedule, visit
www.namasterockridge.com
    5416 college avenue    5 1 0 . 5 4 7 . YO G A
( n e a r  Ro c k r i d g e  l i b r a r y )
New construction
www.AboutInsideOut.com     510.655.7674


15.
November 8, 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

Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council (NCPC)
Art Exhibits
Calif. College of the Arts (CCA)
Holiday Fair
Gallery: Nov.: Judith Mortensen: Pastel and mixed-
media collage.
      Dec.: Oakland Art Assoc. miniature oil paintings
Lobby Display Case: Nov.: To be announced.
     Dec.: John Baldwin, mixed media finger puppets.
LIBRARY HOURS:
Mon. and Tues, 12:30 to 8pm.
Wed., Thurs. and Sat. 10am to 5:30pm.
Fri., 12 to 5:30pm. Closed 11/11, 11/27 – 28.
Note: call ahead or check Web site for December
hours, as library may closed additional days.
Diesel Book Readings and Events
Residents and business members of NCPC’s 12Y and
13X areas are invited to attend this month’s NCPC meet-
ing, a joint Town Hall meeting with RCPC, on Thursday,
November 20, 7-9 p.m, at the Rockridge Library upstairs
meeting room, 5366 College Ave. info@rockridgencpc.
com or infofordenise@yahoo.com.
Shop for one-of-a-kind, affordable gifts made by students,
alumni and staff: ceramics, blown glass, jewelry, clothing,
photos, textiles, paintings and more. Live jazz music.
Saturday, 12/ 6, 11am to 3pm. 5212 Broadway, main
walkway. Info 594-3678 or www.cca.edu.
Holiday Boutique and Tea Party
Rockridge Branch Library
Handmade gifts for the holidays, baked goods and jams.
Saturday, 11/15 from 10am to 4pm. Tea served from 11am
to 2pm. St. Peter’s Church, 6013 Lawton (at B’way). Info:
Debbie Stanford, stancomm@pacbell.net.
3rd Annual Purr-Casso Art & Craft Sale
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
FOR CHILDREN:
Toddler Story Time: Every Saturday
■
■
, 10:30am.
Pre-School Story Time
■
■
: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays,
10:30am: 11/19, 12/3.
Pajama Story Time:
■
■
 2nd and 4th Tuesdays. 7pm:
(NOTE: Closed 11/11, 11/25, 12/9.)
FOR TEENS:
Rockridge Ninjas (Anime Club): Teens 13 and up
■
■
,
watch and talk about anime (Japanese animation)
with other teens. 5 to 6:30pm in upstairs meeting rm.
NOTE: meet on 11/18 because library closed 11/11
for Veterans’ Day. Info: Susy, 597-5017.
FOR ADULTS:
Writers’ Support /Critique Group
■
■
: ALL writers wel-
come. NOTE: Special date for Nov. mtg., Saturday,
11/22, 1 to 5pm. Bring 12 copies of up to 5 pages of
your prose for on-site reading/discussion. Sponsored
by the California Writers Club, Berkeley branch
(www.berkeleywritersclub.org.) 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,
upstairs meeting room.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: Stacy Malkan
■
■
,
author of Not Just a Pretty Face, will discuss her work
to eliminate hazardous chemicals from personal care
products. Saturday, 11/15, 2 to 4pm. Sponsored by the
local chapters of the AAUW and NOW.
Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice
■
■
. First Tues-
day/month, 6 to 8pm. Advance sign-up at 5pm. Nov. 4
meeting cancelled: Election Day. Info: 597-5017.
All events are FREE and open to the public.
Mondays, 11/10, 7:30pm:
■
■
Amnesty International
Meeting. All welcome.
Congregational Church, 2345 Channing Way,
■
■
Decorative, wearable and functional art pieces celebrat-
ing our feline friends. This year some dog-themed items
are included. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres and beverages and
meet Miss Oakland 2008. Free admission and park-
ing. Sunday, 11/9, noon to 4pm. Hollis Street Project,
5900 Hollis Street, Emeryville. Proceeds benefit the
Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society. Info: 845-7735
x 13 or www.berkeleyhumane.org.
North Oakland Senior Center
Berkeley.
Thursday, 11/13, 7pm: Oakland Art History professor
■
■
Clark V. Poling: Andre Masson and the Surrealist
Self.
Sunday, 11/16, 3pm: Australian surfing champion
■
■
Nat
Young: The Complete History of Surfing.
Thursday, 11/20, 7pm: local author
■
■
Eli Brown: The
Great Days.
Sunday, 12/7, 3pm:
■
■
Poetry Flash! Rick Barot;
Want:Poems and Vicky Chang: Salvinia Molesta.
DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. Info about
other events, book discussion groups and El Grupito,
the Spanish discussion group: 653-9965 or www.
dieselbookstore.com.
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:
New Deal Film Festival
■
■
: Presented by Berkeley-East
Bay Gray Panthers. Free popcorn.
11/14 – Artists at Work: Public Art.
11/21 – The New Deal: Our Hope for the Future.
Lavender Lunch Bunch: free lunch
■
■
, entertainment,
socializing for LGBT elders 55+ and friends. Meets
3rd Friday each month.
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 ($2.25 to $4.). For details about
events, membership, and opportunities to become a
volunteer, call 597-5085.
American Red Cross
Volunteer Orientation
■
■
: Tour the Oakland Blood
center. Learn how to: serve, inform and thank blood
donors; deliver blood; call donors; special projects.
Wednesday, 11/12 and Tuesday, 11/18, 6 to 8pm, and
Wednesday, 12/3 from 10am to noon. 6230 Claremont
Avenue. For more info or to sign up: Anne at 594-5165
or BlackstoneA@usa.redcross.org.
Donate Blood and Enter to Win a $250 Shopping
■
■
An Evening With the Peace Corps
It’s never too late to serve. Volunteers work in 74
countries in education, health, business, environment
and more. No upper age limit to join. Information ses-
sion: Tues., November 25, 6 to 7:30pm, Rockridge
Library, 5366 College Ave. More info: Nick Bosustow,
452-8444, nbosustow@peacecorps.gov, or www.
peacecorps.gov.
Jazz at the Chimes
The Marcus Shelby Trio, Sunday, 11/16, 2pm. Concert
followed by artist’s reception and refreshments. Tickets:
$10-$15. Kids under 12 free. Cash only at the door
starting at 12:30pm.Sponsored by the Lifemark Group
Arts program that features Bay Area talent. Chapel of
the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave. Wheelchair accessible.
228-3218 or www.lifemarkgroup.com/oakland/spe-
cial_events.asp or www.marcusshelby.com/.
Kitchens
• Design
• Remodeling
• Showroom Sales
www.acornkitchens
andbaths.com
Spree: All donors at any Red Cross blood drive
or blood center can enter the drawing for a $250
Safeway gift card until November 21. Drawing will
be held on 11/25.
The Blood Services Center in Rockridge is at 6230
Claremont Avenue (across from College Ave. Safeway).
To make a blood donation or get info about all blood
drive locations, call 800-GIVE LIFE or go to www.
BeADonor.com.
Chabot Space & Science Center
Pacific Boychoir Academy Auditions
Boys and young men ages 5 to 18 invited to audition for
the Grammy award-winning choir’s after-school program
on Wednesday, 11/12 from 4:15 to 6pm. No musical
knowledge or experience required; choir directors will
gauge musical ability and willingness to learn. 410 Alcatraz
Ave. To register for auditions, call 652-4722. More info
at www.pacificboychoiracademy.org.
KITCHENS & BATHS
510
547-6581
4640 TELEGRAPH AVE  •  OAKLAND
HOURS: T-F  10-5  •  SAT. 10-4
Christensen Heller Gallery
Volunteers wanted to assist visitors and share their
wonder of the Universe with others. No science or
astronomy background needed – extensive training
opportunities available. Call the volunteer department
at 336-7414 or visit www.chabotspace.org.
“Tapestries,” featuring the beautiful fiber art of Boisali
Biswas. November through Jan. 15. Gallery hrs: Wed.-
Sat., 11am to 6pm; Sun., noon to 5pm. 5829 College Ave.,
www.christensenheller.com 655-5952.


16.

November 8, 2008

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
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Y
6 0 1 9  C O L L E G E  AV E N U E
30
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aboutface&body
dayspa      oaklandberkeley
serving you since 1981
Specialists in
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3190 college avenue
at alcatraz
berkeley, ca 94705
p 510.428.2600
www.aboutfaceandbody.net
sun-tues 10:30-5:30
wed-sat 10:30-8:00
KEVIN BROWN
Broker
654-8707 or 593-4780
PROVIDING

Professional,

Full Service

Real Estate Brokerage

To Rockridge Clients
 For Over 26 Years.
SPECIALIZING IN

WResidential Sales

WIncome Property

WCommercial

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28
Better Homes
Realty
5353 College Avenue
Oakland

Spacious Home
Rarely does a home with such a flexible floor plan become
available in Rockridge. 3 bedrooms 1-1⁄4 bath, formal dining
room on the main floor. 2 bedrooms, family room and full
bath upstairs. All of this close to BART and College Ave.
$899,950
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
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5255 College Avenue
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510 . 420 . 1412
WHAT’S SO SPECIAL
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ASHBY LUMBER?
www.pilatesoncollege.com
New Rockridge Listing
1,458
years of
Experience,
…as of today.
5336 Locksley Avenue @ $955,000
2++ Bed/ 3 Bath

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www.5336Locksley.com
Upper Rockridge Listing
ASHBY LUMBER
HARDWARE & BUILDING SUPPLIES
5940 Margarido Drive @ $1,565,000
4 Bed/ 2+ Bath w/ Golden Gate View
Stunning Spanish/Mediterranean
By Mark Becker
824 ASHBY AVE    BERKELEY
(510) 843-4832  OPEN 7 DAYS
2295 ARNOLD INDUSTRIAL WAY
CONCORD  (925) 689-8999  Mon-Sat
www.5940Margarido.com
Coming Soon - Rockridge

6120 Hillegass Avenue

2 Bed/ 1 Bath Plus 1 Bed Apartment

Redone Craftsman Bungalow

w/Park-like Yard

And the “Garage-mahal”

Coming Soon - Rockridge
“Photo shy”
5247 Locksley Avenue
3+ Bed/ 2 Bath
Turn-of-the-century Home
Remodeled & Ready to go!
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
“#1 in Rockridge Real Estate”
R E A L   E S T A T E
B R O K E R A G E