Extracted text · highlighting “Polly Winograd Ikonen”

www.rockridge.org

VOL. 24    NO. 11    ISSUE NO. 262    December 5, 2009                    CIRCULATION: 5,100 Residences; 200 Businesses

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

Narrowed EIR Scope for Safeway Center
RCPC is Looking for a Few
Good People: R U Ready?
If you read each month’s Rockridge News and feel like
you’d like to be doing something more for Rockridge
than just reading about it, here’s your chance. The
Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC) will
be holding its annual election for seats on the board of
directors in April. Six board seats (out of a total of 13)
will be up for election.
The RCPC board meets once a month and makes
decisions on RCPC’s policies and its stance on current
issues, ranging from development projects (like the Col-
lege Avenue Safeway Shopping Center) to parking policy.
Board members also sit on several RCPC committees,
including land use, transportation, schools, parks, and
public safety. Board members can expect to spend an
average of 2-3 hours a week on RCPC business.
Opportunity knocks! To respond to the call, send
your letter of interest to the RCPC, 5245 College
Avenue, PMB 311, Oakland 94618, or by e-mail to
chair@rockridge.org.
The deadline for applications is February 15, 2010.
After listening to comments from more than 20 speakers who
asked that topics beyond traffic, air quality, and noise be studied in
the EIR for Safeway’s proposed College Avenue Shopping Center,
planning commissioners told staff to add… almost nothing.
Proposed corner roof garden, College & Claremont: Web site, Lowney Architecture.
Residents Flood Planning
Commission with Concerns About
College Ave Safeway Center Plans
by Stuart Flashman, Chair,
RCPC board of directors
Over 60 residents of the
Rockridge, Temescal, and
Elmwood neighborhoods recently
squeezed into a City Hall hearing
room to tell the Planning Commis-
sion their concerns about Safeway’s
proposed College Avenue shopping
center.
The center, plans for which Safe-
way unveiled last spring, consists of
a 50,000 square foot Safeway store
and eight small shops totaling an
additional 11,000 square feet. The
complex would replace the current
22,500 square foot Safeway store,
which dates back to the mid-1960s.
Held early in November, the
hearing was called to hear about
what environmental effects should
be studied in the Environmental
Impact Report (EIR) that the city
will prepare for the project. The city
had prepared an Initial Study of the
project’s effects that concluded only
traffic, air quality, and noise needed
to be considered. Hearing attendees,
however, were nearly unanimous in
their view that there were additional
impacts that ought to be studied.
Friends and Neighbors of Col-
lege Avenue (FANS), served as
the organizing force for the public
comments. FANS grew out of the
group of “stakeholders” that Safeway
convened more than a year ago to
discuss plans for replacing its Col-
lege Avenue store. In addition to
RCPC, the stakeholders included
Concerned Neighbors of the College
Avenue Safeway, the Rockridge Dis-
trict Association (RDA), Berkeley’s
At the November Town Hall
Speaking at the RCPC November Town Hall meeting,
Chair Stuart Flashman describes the review timeline
for the College Avenue Safeway Shopping Center EIR
process. See Safeway report, page 7.   Photo: Don Kinkead
¤
¤ Planning Commission, page 3
Oakland Holds a Holiday Open House
On Friday, Dec. 18, many Oakland stores will stay open until 8 p.m., offering
food, music and fun and an opportunity for seasonal shopping close to home.
Check to see if your favorite store will be participating in this event sponsored
by the Oakland Merchants Leadership Forum (OMLF). Info: 510/663-0653.
RCPC Town Hall Meeting
NO MEETING
December 2009


2.

December 5, 2009

In My Opinion

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.

12:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
12 – 5:30 p.m.
CLOSED
Sunday and Monday:
Rezoning Process Off the Rails?

by Robert Brokl
Oakland’s flawed zoning update process
lurches ahead, but it’s now clear the
Planning Commission and City Council
will have their final say without much help
from the general public. Citizen participa-
tion has been, at the least, misused, and has
sometimes been frankly unwelcome.
That the process has been so problematic
and opaque says a lot about the lingering
damage inflicted (some deliberate, some
perhaps inadvertent) by two celebrity
mayors in a row upon the planning process
in Oakland. The disregard by planning staff
so far to community input and buy-in is so
blatant that one sometimes forgets there was
a time when Oakland, while never Camelot,
actually experienced small “d” democracy.
The zoning process began with the cre-
ation of technical advisory groups (TAGs)
for commercial and residential areas. It’s
something of a mystery how participants
were initially selected for these groups. In
any case, after several rounds of meetings,
attendance is way down. And, there is a
growing suspicion in some quarters that
key wheeler-dealers have gone off to negoti-
ate the outcome in private, away from the
common rabble.
Another suspicion: the revisions are being
revealed in stages so as to not raise alarm.
New classifications for commercial and
residential categories have been divulged, but
the existing permitted uses haven’t changed
much. Simplification and updating are the
justification provided for the changes; but,
combined with the continuance of overlays,
conditional use permits, variances, permit-
ted nonconforming uses and so on, the new
classifications only make zoning more
confusing and open-ended. Yet one more
hurdle for unpaid community organizers
and citizens to master.
The confusion does, however, have its
uses: it’s difficult and unlikely for even
the City Council to get a handle on it. It
took years and an overheated development
climate for citizens to learn the hard way
what Oakland’s general plan update allowed
for density on transit corridors.
Far more contentious pending deci-
sions relate to height limits, solar access,
open-space requirements (do roof tops and
balconies REALLY qualify?). Existing
uses – residential and/or low-rise commer-
cial buildings on transit corridors – could
become “grandfathered in” if ground-floor
commercial or three-story minimums for
new construction are mandated. Three-
story residences may be allowed in R-40
low-density neighborhoods.
This isn’t scary upzoning, “just” upscal-
ing.
The recent emergence of transferable
development rights (TDRs) is baffling. This
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
Andrew Charman	���������������Vice-Chair
To be appointed	�����������������Secretary
Joan Martin	��������������������������Treasurer
Cesar Angobaldo, Annette Floystrup, Jonathan Gabel,
Michael Kan, Jennifer Kaplan, William Kaufner,
Don Kinkead, Doug Patton, Ronnie Spitzer,
Katy Taylor, Ann Winterman
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.
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Contact us at one of the following:
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www.rockridge.org
The Rockridge News, 5245 College Avenue,
PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618
RCPC Voicemail: 510/869-4200
¤
¤ Rezoning Off the Rails?, page 12
Mon – Fri  9:30 – 6:00
Sat  9:30 – 5:00
CHIMES
PHARMACY
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3210 College Avenue
Near Alcatraz
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Articles submitted for publication may be e-mailed
to the above address. Submissions are limited to
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of residence; and are subject to editing. To reprint a
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Newsletter Advertising/Deadlines
Publication date of the next issue is
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 January deadline is December 17, 2009.
Advertising rates are $26/column inch. Six-
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refuse any display or classified ad that it deems
inappropriate. (Classified ad contact, page 14.)


3.
December 5, 2009

Group (TAG) will be on Tuesday, December
15 from 6 to 8 p.m. in hearing room number
3 at Oakland City Hall. The meeting will
review citywide height limit and development
intensity maps. There will be one more TAG
meeting in January or February, followed by
two more community workshops to review
the full set of zoning proposals. Check the
city Web site at http://oaklandnet.com/
zoningupdate for further details.
NOTE: Fall Land Use Committee meeting dates
are revised, due to new library schedules:
Next meeting: December 23 (4th Wed)
Meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.
will be heard before the Oakland Planning
Commission on December 16. Commission
meetings begin at 6 p.m.
Those wishing to comment on the appeal,
either for or against, may appear to testify in
person or send their comment to the assigned
case planner Leigh McCullen (510/238-4977,
e-mail lmccullen@oaklandnet.com).
Land Use Update
by Stuart Flashman,
RCPC Land Use Committee chair
■
■College Preparatory School Facili-
ties Master Plan (6100 Broadway)
A group of neighbors on the streets sur-
rounding the school have appealed the City’s
decision amending the school’s use permit
to increase enrollment and allow some addi-
tional buildings on the campus. The appeal
■
■College Avenue Safeway Project
See article, page 1.
■
■Citywide Zoning Update
The next meeting of the zoning update
commercial corridor Technical Advisory
Land Use Meeting Agendas
Contact Stu Flashman at 652-5373 or chair@
rockridge.org for a copy of the current Land Use
Committee meeting agenda.
In the end, faced with more than an hour
of testimony even with speakers being limited
to a minute each, Huntsman relented and
accepted a compromise. Thirty-nine speak-
ers agreed to relinquish their speaking time.
In return, six FANS speakers were given a
total of 20 minutes, and 15 other speakers
(including one speaker supporting Safeway)
were given two minutes each.
After the speakers had all finished,
commissioners had the opportunity to give
direction to staff about topics the commission
felt should be added to the EIR. Commis-
sioner Boxer stated that he wanted study
of pedestrian and bicycle safety impacts
and consideration of ULTRA’s mixed use
alternative. He also asked staff to study an
alternative that would remove all the parking
structure entrances from College Avenue,
putting all garage access points on Claremont
Avenue. None of the other commissioners
added other impacts.
Peterson Vollman, the city planner
handling the project, pointedly asked the
commissioners whether they wanted to add
land-use or aesthetics to the EIR topics,
pointing out that while staff had screened
these topics out, the audience comments
appeared to support their inclusion. Com-
missioner Boxer’s response was that the
commissioners had already provided their
opinion on what topics needed study.
The scoping period ended December 1.
Once scoping has ended, city staff will give
the EIR consultant direction on preparing
the draft EIR. Depending on the final scope
of the EIR, it will likely be between three to
six months before the draft is released for a
45-day public comment period.
RCPC submitted a nine-page scoping
comment letter to the City. That letter, and
additional information on the project, is
available on RCPC’s Web site at http://www.
rockridge.org.
Planning
Commission
from page 1
neighboring Claremont Elmwood Neighbor-
hood Association (CENA), the contiguous
merchants across College Avenue from the
store, and the contiguous neighbors along
Alcatraz Avenue behind the store. In addition,
a group of local architects and planners came
together to look at alternatives to Safeway’s
plans. While the stakeholder meetings col-
lapsed over the groups’ disagreement with
Safeway’s proposal, the stakeholders decided
to stick together to unite the community
around alternative proposals.
FANS had mounted an organized presen-
tation involving 16 speakers to identify the
environmental issues needing study. Those
issues included, in addition to the traffic,
noise, and air quality concerns raised by the
city, impacts on land-use, aesthetics, cultural
and historic resources, pedestrian and bicycle
safety, sustainability, blight, shadowing,
and cumulative impacts. The groups also
proposed three alternative projects designed
to be more consistent with the site’s current
C-31 zoning. Local group Urbanists for a
Livable Temescal Rockridge Area (ULTRA)
added a mixed-use alternative that would
include senior housing.
Unfortunately, commission Chair Blake
Huntsman initially would hear none of it.
Prior to the meeting, he indicated he would
limit FANS speakers to a total of 10 min-
utes. Safeway was given 15 minutes for its
presentation. He also pointedly said that he
didn’t want to hear about any land-use issues,
opining that he felt the project was totally
consistent with the C-31 zoning.

Comments on the Initial Study of the EIR for
the College Avenue Safeway Center Proposal

Following is the text of a statement entered into the record by architect and Rockridge resident Richard
Smith at the Planning Commission’s recent EIR scoping hearing concerning Safeway’s proposal to
expand its College Avenue store. Smith is a former RCPC boardmember and a former chair of RCPC’s
Planning and Project Review Committee, now known as the Land Use Committee. The statement is
Smith’s assessment of the conformance of the proposal with zoning and permit requirements; it does
not necessarily reflect the views of the RCPC or its board of directors.

by Richard Smith
Re: Case File ER09-0006
Good evening Chair Huntsman
and Planning Commissioners:
Each of the four Conditional Use Permit
(CUP) applications and both Zoning Vari-
ance applications for the proposed project,
identified in the Initial Study, will require
extensive and rigorous Findings. In addi-
tion, the Planning Commission will have
to make several other Findings ([Planning
Code §] 17.134.050) including:
1) that the proposed project will be com-
¤
¤ Comments: Safeway EIR, page 13


4.

December 5, 2009

Letters to the Editor
Group Cycling: Safety in Numbers
Editor:
The Rockridge Muse (Ortrun Niesar)
had an excellent column on cycling in the
November issue of The Rockridge News.
I’m one who avoids “steep hills and long
inclines” such as Tunnel Road, where I
watch bicyclers in their multi-hued Spandex
outfits peddling past my car.
Are there local groups of cyclists who
gather periodically? Years ago I was in
such a group and it somehow seemed like
safety in numbers, especially when parked
car drivers blindly flung open their doors.
I had not seen The Rockridge News in
some time. It’s very professionally done.
Valerie Knight deserves an award for her
graphics and design.
— Burt Dragin
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.
Biking Around Rockridge
Editor:
Bicycling Grows in Oakland
Editor:
Thank you for the biking piece in The
Rockridge News (November, 2009). I am
an avid bicyclist and greenie, and a member
of the East Bay Bicycle Coalition (EBBC).
I am heartened by the growth in bicycling,
especially among young people, that Oak-
land has experienced over the years, albeit
part of this phenomenon is economic (I
know my stepson would prefer to have a
car). When I first moved to Oakland in
1976, via bicycle from Los Angeles, I was
one of the rare bikers riding up in the hills,
and only the bike racks near campus were
filled. Perhaps your article will coax more
folks to join the ranks for both their daily
needs and for recreation. We have only just
begun to ride!
The EBBC is an effective organization
promoting local and regional bicycling. Its
Web address is: http://www.ebbc.org/
— Jim Thornton
In follow-up to Ortrun Niesar’s excellent
article about bicycling in Rockridge and
Oakland, there is a relatively safe way to get
to downtown Oakland on a bike. You take
Shafter Avenue, which is two-way once you
get away from the Rockridge BART station.
This continues all the way to MacArthur
Boulevard. At that point you notch over a
couple of blocks to the left, to Broadway.
There is a good bike lane all along Auto
Row on Broadway. (Careful!: There are
some places where there’s no bike lane and
heavy traffic.)
A helmet could be a lifesaver in the event
of an accident, but to prevent an accident,
there’s nothing better than a yellow cycling
jacket to maximize your visibility.
— Lawrence Kolb
Editor’s Reply:
As noted in an accompanying letter, an
excellent bicycling resource is the East Bay
Bicycle Coalition (EBBC). Be sure to visit:
http://www.ebbc.org/
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5.
December 5, 2009

Chabot Elementary Construction
Projects Now in the Home Stretch
by Polly Winograd Ikonen, communica-
tions consultant and Chabot parent
With almost a year and a half of con-
struction behind them, the families
and neighbors of Chabot Elementary School
can finally see the light at the end of the
proverbial tunnel. The new two-story K-2
classroom building, the second of two new
structures paid for by Measure B of 2006, is
slated for completion in early 2010, possibly
in time for occupancy during the current
school year.
The other new structure, a “multi-pur-
pose” building which serves as auditorium,
lunch room, and indoor play space for the
school’s 500 students, opened in early
October and is already a favorite: soaring
ceilings, exposed wood beams, cheerful
yellow walls and high-tech collapsible
tables and garage doors offer the 82-year-
old campus an accommodating space for
its myriad group activities.
In addition to the new structures, Chabot’s
1932 auditorium building has been beauti-
fully renovated to serve as
the school’s library, with the
former stage now a glass-
enclosed media lab with
32 brand new computer
terminals. Students in all
grades visit the library
weekly, and students in
grades four and five began
receiving weekly technol-
ogy instruction in the media
lab in mid-October.
“This is such an exciting time for our
school,” says Chabot Principal Jonathan
Mayer. “We are also very aware that this
project has an impact on the Rockridge com-
munity at large. Our neighbors have been
patient through the construction process;
soon they will reap the many benefits our
new campus has to offer.”
Chabot Elementary grounds are divided
into two areas—a lower play yard along
Patton, which received some landscap-
ing last summer, and an upper play yard,
Chabot School’s existing auditorium has been
reconfigured as a library and media lab. This view
is of the library area.              Photo: Chabot Way to Grow!
adjacent to the public baseball fields. The
upper yard has housed a dozen temporary
portable classrooms, which will be removed
once the new K-2 classroom building on the
lower yard is occupied in early 2010. Six
brand new portables were given permanent
footings along the upper stretch of Chabot
Road, and will remain to house the fourth
and fifth grades.
Further details on the Chabot campus
construction project are available at www.
chabotelementary.org.
Chabot: Way to
Grow! Fundraising
Starts Final Push
Special Capital Campaign aims to
restore outdoor play areas
 The new K-2 classroom
building is expected to be
occupied in early 2010.
Photo: Don Kinkead
■
■Ball walls, basketball hoops
and tether ball poles;
■
■A climbing structure with
appropriate safety surfacing
beneath.
Phase Three – summer/fall 2010:
Restoring the garden. Chabot’s
beloved garden was dismantled to
make room for construction equipment. The
new garden will provide space for multiple
plantings, irrigation, pathways, and seating
areas, so that the garden may resume its role
as a centerpiece of Chabot’s science cur-
riculum, with a full-time garden specialist
to hold weekly classes for all grade levels.
As of November 2009, the Chabot: Way
to Grow! campaign has passed the halfway
mark—around $180,000 has been donated
by generous members of the Chabot com-
munity. But still more funding needs to be
raised by June if the school is to implement
all of the elements in its campus master plan.
“We are deeply grateful to those in our
school community who have supported the
by Polly Winograd Ikonen
While substantial Measure B funds
have funded the construction of
Chabot Elementary’s soon-to-be-completed
new buildings, they do not extend enough
to fully restore and upgrade the campus
grounds, or to fully outfit the new facilities,
once completed. To meet this anticipated
shortfall, the school’s PTA launched the
capital campaign named Chabot: Way to
Grow! in 2007.
With an ambitious goal of raising
$300,000 by the end of the 2009-10 school
year, the mission of Chabot: Way to Grow!
is to bridge that funding gap in three phases:
workstations and ergonomic computer
chairs for the media lab; soundproofing
carpet for the new music room.
■
■Phase Two – spring/summer 2010:
Completing the upper yard. Measure B
funds will re-grade and re-pave the upper
yard, but will not replace playground
equipment removed during the renovations.
Chabot: Way to Grow! seeks funding to
complete the playground with fixtures
appropriate to the needs and interests of
the upper-grade students who use this yard.
These features may include:
■
■Amphitheater seating for socializing
and for use as an outdoor classroom;
■
■Phase One (now completed): Furnishing
and equipping the new multipurpose room,
library, media and music room. Specifically,
funds from Chabot: Way to Grow! paid for
tables and chairs for the library; 32 Apple
■
■An area of artificial turf (rather
than grass, which deteriorates quickly in
playgrounds);
¤
¤ Chabot: Way to Go, page 10


6.

September 5, 2009

Barry’s Recipe
Rock  ridge
This month’s recipe is my favorite panini
combination. For each sandwich you
will need:
3-4 slices of prosciutto
2 slices of provolone cheese
1 roasted red pepper (jarred is fine)
1 marinated artichoke heart, thinly sliced
Dijon mustard
Ciabatta roll or focaccia bread.
Prepare the bread with a smear of Dijon
mustard on both slices.
Place the ham, cheese, pepper, and
artichoke slices on the bread.
If you don’t have a panini press, a ridged
cast-iron pan makes a great substitue. Grill the
sandwich on the buttered pan. Place a weight
(such as a brick wrapped in aluminum foil)
on the sandwich. Grill for about 3 minutes;
turn sandwich over and grill for another 3
minutes. Cut sandwich into a triangle and
serve with lightly dressed, tossed greens or
French fries.
Cornucopia
Cornucopia
Barry A. Kaufman
Sandwiched In
A
recent N.Y. Times article reports that
bahn mi (pronounced “bun mee”),
the classic Vietnamese-French street food
sandwich, has taken New York by storm.
Bahn mi sandwich shops are springing
up in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.
Introduced by the French, a typical Saigon
style bahn mi consists of grilled pork, thinly
julienned carrots, cucumber, diakon, sliced
chili peppers, and a smear of liver paté
served on a slim, crunchy baguette. Will the
bahn mi ever replace New York’s favorite
bagel, cream cheese and lox combination?
Although always popular with Ameri-
cans, the traditional sandwich has been
transformed in recent decades by the influx
of ethnically diverse immigrants. And in
cities like New York, Los Angeles, and
Chicago, with their long histories of street
food and cart stands, ethnic sandwiches are
making their mark on America’s culinary
landscape. Classic American sandwiches
like the Reuben, Monte Cristo, and BLT
are now joined by the Mexican torte, Greek
gyro, and Italian panini as new American
favorites.
School-children learn that the Earl
of Sandwich “invented” the sandwich to
avoid having to leave the gaming table to
eat dinner. The Earl was probably not the
first person to place food between two
slices of bread, but in doing so, he launched
a culinary revolution. By the mid-18th
century, sandwiches had become the most
popular food item in London. The British
introduced sandwiches to early America as
a handy food for people on the move. After
the Civil War, sandwiches became standard
fare at neighborhood taverns and bars. In
the early 20th century, tavern owners and
cooks began to name sandwiches after a
particular style, such as the multilayered
club sandwich, or after the chef-inventor,
such as the Reuben.
As the popularity of the sandwich spread,
regional and ethnic sandwiches began to
appear. The po’boy and muffuletta were
created in New Orleans and until recently
were seldom available outside the Crescent
City. The classic po’boy consists of French
rolls stuffed with deep-fried shrimp or
oysters and various condiments. The muf-
fuletta was invented at the Central Grocery
in the French Quarter. Still going strong,
the Central turns out hundreds of muf-
fulettas a day.
The muffuletta is composed of a round
loaf of crusty Italian bread stuffed with
layers of mortadella, salami, ham, provo-
lone cheese, and a secret recipe olive salad.
Although muffulettas are offered throughout
this country, you can only get the real deal
at the Central Grocery in New Orleans.
Perhaps the most regionalized sand-
wich is the classic Italian deli sandwich.
Depending on where you live, the sandwich
is alternatively known as a hero, sub (for
submarine), hoagie, or grinder. Any com-
bination of meats and cheese on an Italian
roll is a hero. I am particularly partial to a
meatball, cheese, and marinara sauce hero.
A regional favorite from Philadelphia is the
Philly cheesesteak sandwich. Have you ever
had beef on wick? This sandwich is found
only in Buffalo.
New ethnic sandwiches include the
Mexican torte. Similar to a hero, a torte
consists of traditional Mexican meats (beef,
pork, tongue, or goat) and salsa served on
a crunchy Mexican roll known as a bolero.
The Greek gyro is now found in many
sandwich shops. Gryos consist of thinly
sliced spiced lamb and yogurt sauce stuffed
in a traditional middle-Eastern pita pocket.
Recently, paninis, Italian grilled sand-
wiches, have become the rage. Paninis are
layered, but not over-stuffed like heros, with
flavorful combinations of cheeses, meats,
or roasted vegetables on Italian breads like
focaccia or ciabatta. The sandwich is lightly
grilled on a panini press. We once had a
make-your-own panini party. We put out an
assortment of cured Italian meats, cheeses,
roasted vegetables and condiments. Guests
chose their combinations and grilled their
sandwiches on our panini press.
Me. I’ve been an Allstate Agent for 10
years. And riding bikes for 17. That means
I can talk all day about insurance features
and discounted rates, but I’d just as soon
talk about a new route you’ve found.
Let’s talk today.
Susan Bernosky, LUTCF
(510) 450 9050
5940 College Ave, #A
Oakland
susanbernosky@allstate.com
The Cupped Hands logo is a registered service mark of Allstate Insurance
Company. Life insurance and annuities issued by Allstate Life Insurance
Company, Northbrook, IL and Lincoln Benefit Life Company, Lincoln, NE.
In New York, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York, Hauppauge,
NY.  Property-casualty insurance products issued  by Allstate Fire and
Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate
Insurance Company, Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company:
Northbrook, IL. © 2007 Allstate Insurance Company

Barry Kaufman is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. Barry is available for cooking classes
or answering your culinary questions. His email is kaufman42@earthlink.net.


7.
December 5, 2009

cerns about the proposed College Avenue
Safeway project, a perplexed but feisty
group of Rockridge residents gathered at
the RCPC November Town Hall meeting
to discuss a response.
Among the possibilities considered
by the group was to begin fundraising for
a possible legal challenge to the current
EIR process. Since legal action is not a
certainty, the group agreed that donations
might go to a litigation reserve, refundable
to contributors if litigation is not pursued.
— Don Kinkead
Safeway EIR
Hearing Unsettling
from page 1
In the wake of the Planning Commission’s
meagre response to the public’s con-
りきゅう
After 25 years of preparing
authentic Japanese cuisine
for exceptional restaurants
such as Kiku of Tokyo,
Mikaku San Francisco,
Kirala, and We Be Sushi,
Chef Tatsuya Koyake
decides to have his own
space to share his passion
for cooking. Come join
him for a taste of Japan.
510-658-2599
Authentic Japanese Cuisine
ADDRESS 5335 College Avenue,

 Oakland, CA  94618
Hourly consultation
to fit the size
of your interior or exterior
home projects.
www.angelissekarolcolor.com
Rikyu
TEL 510 595 7388
JAPANESE RESTAURANT
For the week of 11/30/09:
Median List Price: $795,000
Avg. Days on Market: 162


8.

December 5, 2009

Partnering to Bring Light to College Avenue and Birch Court
Helping to make Rockridge a safer, brighter and better place for all takes a combined effort

by Chris Jackson, Operations Manager,
RDA
Last spring, one of the managers from
Zachary’s Pizza asked this writer,
operations manager of the Rockridge District
Association (RDA), for help in placing a
street light at the intersection of Birch Court
and College Avenue, across the street from
Zachary’s and next to Great Harvest Bread
Company. This was one of the darker cor-
ners on College Avenue; a new light would
make the sidewalk and crosswalk safer at
this busy intersection.
Now, as a result of the efforts of a number
of Rockridge businesses, RDA staff, and
RCPC representatives, a light has been
installed.
Here is the back story of how our com-
munity made this happen. To begin, the
RDA worked with the electrical services
division of the Public Works Agency to
learn what would be required for a new
street lamp installation.
First was the approval process which
required a lighting study. From the results
of the study, public works determined that
College Avenue at Birch Court would,
indeed, benefit from increased illumination.
Next came the petitioning of the neigh-
bors who would be directly affected by the
new light. RDA surveyed the affected resi-
dents, and the majority gave their approval
to the installation.
The approval process completed, money
needed to be raised for materials and instal-
 An electrician installs the
new 200 watt Cobra lamp
fixture. In right foreground
is one of two brick pillars
at the entrance to Birch
Court. Plans are being
made to restore their
historic lighting, as well.
Photo: Chris Jackson
illumination. The following
organizations and business
worked together on the project
and are to be thanked for their
support. Because of their time
and effort, College Avenue is a
little safer as a neighborhood
both for pedestrians and for
drivers.
Thank you to:
lation: $1,900 would pay for a 200-watt
Cobra lamp fixture, the installation costs
and, most interestingly, for 10 years of power.
End of story? Not quite. After the fixture
had been installed on the lamp post, PG&E
discovered that the transformer connected to
the fixture would need either to be upgraded
or replaced in order to handle the increased
power requirements. This will take a few
more weeks to complete.
For now, College Avenue has a new lamp
but no new light. (Please do not report this
light as being broken....)
Those of us who worked on this project
think pedestrians on College Avenue and
the residents of Birch Court will be pleased
during the dark winter months with the new
■
■Rockridge District Association (RDA)
■
■Zachary’s Pizza
■
■Trader Joe’s
■
■Pharmaca
■
■Rockridge Community
Planning Council (RCPC)
■
■Rockridge Cafe
■
■Great Harvest Bread Co.

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Warmest thoughts and
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holiday and a very
Happy New Year.
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510-655-3797
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a
cross-cultural congregation
striving to partner with
         the Rockridge community
   in lifestyle and service.
College Avenue Presbyterian Church
5951 College Avenue, Oakland  510 658-3665
Sunday worShip 10:30 aM • ViSit: capcchurch.org
our wonderful coMMunity Meal, fridayS, 6-7pM
a great opportunity to SerVe


9.
December 5, 2009

Gas Station
Closing a
Harbinger of
Rockridge’s
Future?
I

crossing the street and baby-sitters
pushing enormous strollers.
There is a dog loose and a kid just got
tangled in a leash. All traffic comes to
a halt until we sort this out. Musicians
strum away while college students are
begging passers-by to support yet another
initiative to save the planet.
There are flowers to take home for
a loved one, medicines to be picked up
at Chimes Pharmacy, a cup of espresso
to be sipped at Cole Coffee and diners
to view through open windows at Wood
Tavern. Everywhere you look, people are
happily going about their daily chores
or just hanging out in this familiar place.
It is an economically viable, healthy
neighborhood cherished by its inhabitants
and often touted as an example of
perfect balance between commercial
and residential interests.
The
Rockridge
 Muse
t is a gorgeous clear fall day today in
Rockridge. I walk down Claremont
to the corner of College. A fence
has gone up warning trespassers to
stay out of the Union 76 gas station
lot that now belongs to Safeway. The
fence is bland beige, but the message
is not bland at all.
by Ortrun Niesar
City Hall
The first hearing to consider the
proposed Safeway expansion was held at
City Hall before the Planning Commission
on November 18. The question before
the commission was what issues should
be included in the EIR (Environmental
Impact Report) study on the project. The
answer was cut and dried: the study will
be limited to evaluation of air quality,
noise and traffic. Surprising to many
neighborhood residents attending the
hearing, aesthetics, community design
ordinances, and cultural and social impact,
all crucial issues affecting our quality
of life in Rockridge, were not to be
considered. I suspect that the disregard
of these other qualities may be due to
the fact that they are hard to define
and quantify. Terms like “aesthetics” are
difficult to understand. But, aren’t they
at the heart of what our real concerns
are? How do we get our civic leaders to
engage in dialogue with us on this level?
Our Future
Things have not changed much here
in a couple of decades. There are indeed
some features that we need here, like
senior housing and open space and a
community center. We could also use
a bit of a facelift on the Safeway side
of the street where the signage and
the fake stone wall still reflect a ’60s
sensibility. But 60,000 plus square feet
of new mega-store? A huge underground
garage to hold two to three times as
many cars as there are currently in the
Safeway parking lot? Eleven new stores?
Isn’t this project a bit large to squeeze
into our existing neighborhood?
This is no place for a regional
shopping mall. The City’s general plan
rating classifies Rockridge as a “maintain
and enhance” zone; there are planning
ordinances in place to assure that this
happens. The development plan, if adopted
as proposed by Safeway, will certainly
reclassify Rockridge zoning status to
“change and develop,” far beyond what
is appropriate for our community.
Wishing you and yours a warm
and happy holiday season. Do support
everything that’s local and don’t give
up the fight.
The orange “76” ball — so often
sporting pumpkin garb at Halloween —
is gone and the corner service station
closed up and fenced off. According
to proposed plans Safeway has filed
with the Planning Department for its
enlarged store, this wedge-shaped
part of the property will have an
open garden area above ground-floor
commercial space.
College Avenue
I’m trying to imagine how the proposed
plan for development will fit into this
Photo: Don Kinkead
corner of our community that straddles
Berkeley to the north and Oakland to
the south. The parking meters switch
loyalty in the middle of the block between
Claremont and Alcatraz Avenues. Despite
city boundaries, this area functions as one
continuous residential neighborhood. Tree
lined streets with historic 100-year-old
Craftsman homes and large lush gardens
extend in all directions from here.
At any time of the day you can see
kids running to dance class, joggers and
bicyclists cruising by, old ladies carefully
Ortrun Niesar offers her views on art, culture
and quality-of-life questions in this monthly
column. She can be reached at
oniesar@sbcglobal.net
Welcoming boys & girls ages 5 and up
(510) 547-4441 www.piedmontchoirs.org
p j j p j j p j j p j j
PIEDMONT EAST BAY CHILDREN’S CHOIR


10.

December 5, 2009

Chabot: Way to Go!
from page 5
school so generously,” says Way to Grow!
co-chair Danielle Bluey. “The momentum
is building, but it is time to reach beyond
the school walls for support. It is only as
a larger community that we will be able to
achieve our goals and provide a welcoming
campus for all.”
The Chabot campus serves as a neigh-
borhood park and gathering place for many
families. The landscaping enhancements
on Chabot’s lower yard—basketball hoops,
seating walls, trees and even painted asphalt,
have been enthusiastically received. With
the community’s support for the project,
the larger upper yard can also provide a
park-like atmosphere for neighbors, with a
new play structure, refurbished garden, and
other amenities.
Visit www.chabotelementary.org/
waytogrow for more details on the Chabot
campus master plan and the Chabot: Way
to Grow! campaign.

 The Greater Rockridge Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council’s ²
ÂTips For Vacation and Holidays! ¼
Planning a Holiday Vacation?
-
~ Think About Safety & Security ~ Take All Possible Precautions ~
Remember:  Most crime in North Oakland is Crime of Opportunity!  It is going
to increase in these dismal economic times.  Protect Yourself Now!
LIGHTING – Leave Front Porch & Back Yard Lights On
Get Timers for Lamps
~   Increase Bulb Wattage
Install Motion Detectors between Houses, in the Back Yard and Driveways near Vehicles.
Call in Street Lights that are Flickering or Out –510-615-5566.
AUTO SECURITY – Use The Club and/or an Alarm
North Oakland has High Incidence of Stolen or Vandalized Cars –
Leave Nothing Visible – No Packages, No Groceries, No Change, No Clothing,
No CDs or Tapes, No Laptops, No Diaper or Gym Bags, No Cell Phones or their Accessories.
Never put anything in your trunk and then walk away from your car.  Drive away!
MAIL – Don’t Be Vulnerable to Identity Theft
It is so easy for someone to get your mail and to use your identity fraudulently.
Deposit Mail in Postal Boxes rather than leaving it in your box for pick-up.
Get a Locking Mailbox or have a Mail Slot in your Front Door.
If you are away, ask a Neighbor to Retrieve Your Mail just after delivery and
Put Newspaper Deliveries on Hold.

RECYCLING – Recycling Thieves Are Not Simply That
Police reports show that recycling thieves are often on probation, have warrants, and support their
drug/alcohol addictions with crimes of opportunity while canvassing neighborhoods for recyclables,
they have also been seen checking door handles and going into back yards.
Make It Look Like You Are Home – Even When You Are Not.
Destroy credit card applications/receipts, banking and personal information.
When possible - put bins out just before pick-up.
City Ordinance: Store Bins Out of View, In Garages, Backyards or Behind Secure Enclosures

Polly Winograd Ikonen is a communications
consultant in the nonprofit arts sector, a Chabot
parent and a member of the Chabot: Way to Grow!
committee.
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v+ Neighborhood Watch (formerly known as Home Alert)
1 1 Be the Eyes and Ears on Your Block 22
To start a new Neighborhood Watch Group, call OPD    238-3091
Join your NCPC – RockridgeNCPC.com  Tel: 510-373-NCPC (6272)
Emergency:  9-1-1     From a Cell: 510-777-3211     Non Emergency 510-777-3333


11.
December 5, 2009

RDA Brings Holiday Security to College Avenue for the Season

by Chris Jackson, RDA operations
manager
The Rockridge District Association
(RDA) is happy to bring ambassadors
to College Avenue for the holiday season.
RDA has contracted with V.M.A.
Security Services, an Oakland company,
to provide two security personnel to be
ambassadors during the holidays, helping to
make an enjoyable time on the Avenue this
season. They will not only help keep us safe
but will be able to provide directions and
information to assist visitors and shoppers.
We are also very pleased to have Officer
A.J.Frye back once again as our walking
officer. He will bring much to our com-
munity. Officer Frye worked on College
Avenue in years past and is respected by
many here in the Rockridge community. A
big thank you to OPD Captain Toribio &
Councilmember Jane Brunner for making
this a reality.
We all will be working together. V.M.A.
Security Services, Oakland Police Depart-
ment, Market Hall security personnel as
well as Chris Jackson, the RDA Operations
Director to make this a trouble free holiday
season. Our goal is to have as much cover-
age on College Ave as possible, seven days
a week and into the evening hours during
the month of December.

Staff of V.M.A. Security Services stand ready to help shoppers and to keep
College Avenue safe during the holiday season. From left to right are: Officer
Melody W., Officer John M., Owner Vince Mackey, Officer Elizabeth C, and Chad.

p e a c e  o n
e a r t h
give the gift of
yoga with a
namaste gift
certificate –
good for yoga
classes or
shopping in our
luxurious boutique

Photo: Chris Jackson
There will be no December NCPC meeting. Your NCPC wishes everyone a
safe and happy holiday season. Please visit at our Web site for important
safety tips.    The new 2010 NCPC meeting schedule is the 2nd Thursday of
each month, 7 p.m., at the Rockridge Library, starting on Thursday, January
14.    Check it out: http://www.rockridgencpc.com/
A great New Year’s Resolution would be to attend your NCPC meetings!
NCPC: 2010
NCPC: 2010
Holiday Home Sales in Rockridge
Closing Date BR/Bth  Address
Orig. Price
LP
SP
DOM
	 11/4/2009
3/1
5238 Miles Avenue
$399,900
$399,900
$508,000
12
	 11/5/2009
2/2
5862 Virmar
$799,000
$799,000
$856,000
13
	 11/6/2009
4/3
5615 Masonic Ave.
$940,000
$835,000
$805,000
108
	11/17/2009
5/1
5825 Colby Street
$825,000
$750,000
$750,000
41

• There is currently a 1.4 month supply of inventory in Rockridge. • The average market time
in Rockridge is double what it was in 2008. • 50% of the properties Listed in Rockridge, Sold
for OVER the asking price this November, compared to only 33% last year. • The average
List to Sell price was 99% in November of last year and 98% in November of this year.

www.namasterockridge.com
5416 college avenue  510.547.YOGA
(near Rockridge library)


12.

December 5, 2009

Rezoning Off the Rails?
COLLINS ROOFING
Family Owned & Operated
from page 2
concept has been lifted from San Francisco’s
Downtown use, where, given the scarcity
of the most desirable high-rise parcels,
developers have a clear incentive to pay the
owners of low-rise or historical buildings
for transferable rights that will facilitate
higher-rise construction at the receiving
location. But, in Oakland, with ample
development opportunities and compliant
planners, “harvesting” unused heights for
taller buildings elsewhere, in someone else’s
backyard, seems fraught with controversy;
neighbors pitted against preservationists,
too-tall buildings shoehorned in, etc. How
did this concept, seemingly vague to Oakland
planners, get introduced at the 11th hour,
anyway? The concept went over like a lead
balloon when presented to the most recent
meeting of the  Landmarks Preservation
Advisory Board.
In addition to the sporadic TAG meetings,
six public meeting have been held. The
Saturday, November 7, meeting at Peralta
Elementary School was an eye-opener to
the crowd of about 70 (along with the small
army of planners) who attended. Colorful
zoning maps decked the room, Deputy
Planning Director Eric Angstadt and others
made opening remarks and participants were
told to study the maps and submit written
comments. Angstadt, who earlier said the
zoning would be finished next year, indicated
that public questions and comments would
be allowed at some future meeting. This
did not go over well with the crowd, used
to Councilmember Jane Brunner’s Q-and-
A format at her community meetings, but
Angstadt was unmoved by the complaints.
Later, after many participants (including
this writer) had left, some questions were
allowed to be asked of the planners.
Despite complaints to, and interventions
by, Council staff, planning staff stubbornly
adhered to the same format, with similar
reactions, at another meeting held in the
Fruitvale District on November 12.
These meetings resembled an earlier,
frustrating meeting in West Oakland, where
all the groups met in the same room, and
where, given the lack of time, the general
din, and an impractical format of rotation
from group to group, meaningful participa-
tion was impossible.
But Angstadt’s (and others) sullen
authoritarianism is symptomatic. Former
mayor Jerry Brown fired a pro-development
but nuanced Planning Director, Leslie Gould,
and hand-picked a planning commission
that marched in lockstep, approving every
project that came its way. (Turning Oakland
into Perugia meant not having much use for
what was already here.)
In the not-so-distant past, Oakland
mayors – for example, Elihu Harris and even
the autocratic Lionel Wilson – appointed
many commissioners with meaningful
ties to the community. RCPC member
and architect Glen Jarvis and King Estate
community activist Jean Blacksher come
to mind. Beginning with Brown, only mid-
level planners and City attorneys attend
planning commission meetings, but rarely
participate in the discussions. Community
input has been marginalized, seen almost as
an annoyance, and appeal fees approaching
$1200 are purposely set beyond the reach
of most groups. The new normal.
Ron Dellums is yet another mayor with a
national reputation and little experience with
the grass roots. He started out boldly with
citizen task forces, but with the selection of
administrators like Angstadt and planning
commissioners, forgot about inclusion and
consensus building. The rezoning process
is par for the course. And planning staff
certainly remember the contentious Temescal
rezoning process initiated by Brunner. To
her credit, she apparently wanted to hear
from the community. Planning staff, bless
their hearts, have apparently decided they
know what’s best for us.
The Planning Commissioners and City
Council members must already be dreading
the zoning battles that will land on their
doorstep, once this flawed process thuds to
its inevitable and disappointing conclusion.
482-2227  Seamus
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A New Year
and a
NEW DAY
 to help
those in need.
Throughout 2009, I will donate 10% of
my net proceeds to the charity of your
choice whenever I represent you (or a
friend) in the purchase or sale of a home.
You pick the charity and I will promptly
send a check after the close of escrow. So
pass the news along and please send your
referrals my way.
Together, we can truly impact some
very worthy causes.
Julie Gardner
510.339.0400/245
jgardner@grubbco.com
JulieGardner.com
G
Robert Brokl is a long-time North Oakland resident,
artist, and community activist.


13.
December 5, 2009

hood Center Mixed Use.” Given the scale
of the project and the inclusion of massive
amounts of parking, the proposed develop-
ment would be a sub-regional rather than
a neighborhood oriented project.
The General Plan’s operational policy
for this area is “Maintain and Enhance.”
The obvious questions are: Maintain what?
Enhance what? The answer to both questions
is to maintain the purpose and provisions
of the governing zoning, and to enhance
it by furthering its desirable effects. The
proposed project does neither. Further, it
will be retarding rather than maintaining,
and destructive rather than enhancing. The
proposal, at 67,701 sq. ft., is over nine times
the size of facilities permitted in C-31 and
will be more than 13 times larger than
what will be permitted in CN-1, the City’s
proposed zoning that will replace C-31.
The proposed project is in fundamental
conflict with the purpose of the governing
zone ([Planning Code §] C-31 17.48.010).
A proposed project requiring four CUPs
and two Variances begs the question: At
what point should a proposed project that
is so out of step with the governing zoning
and General Plan require a Zone Change
application? The Planning Commission
should reject the project permit applica-
tions. The applicant should be required
to submit a Zone Change application, or
submit a proposal that is compatible with
zoning and conforms to the General Plan.
The EIR Initial Study is based on an
inappropriate permit application. This Ini-
tial Study should be abandoned and a new
one should be prepared based on a proper
planning permit application.
Richard W. Smith
Comments:
Safeway EIR
from page 3
patible with, and will not adversely affect
the desirable character of abutting properties
and the surrounding neighborhood:
2) that the development will enhance
the successful operation of the surround-
ing area; and
3) that the proposed development con-
forms in all significant aspects to the
General Plan.
I believe that these Findings will be
impossible to make.
The General Plan land use designation for
the College Avenue C-31 area is “Neighbor-
Jeff Auen
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14.

December 5, 2009

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For your home or mid-sized business. With over
15 years of experience I’ll help you solve all of
your technological needs: websites, servers,
work stations, laptops, smartphones. Please call:
415/717-2082 or visit: www.technolica.com
Home Repair Expert
Carpentry, remodeling. Doors and windows,
glass and locks, small electrical, plumbing jobs,
drywall, painting, fences, decks and other odd
jobs. Good rates. Rick 510/761-7168.
Electrical Repairs &
Remodels
From doorbell repair to whole-house rewiring,
we’ve been doing electrical work in Oakland and
Berkeley for over 30 years. Sutorik & Company,
www.sutorikandco.com, lic. #397149. 510/655-3677.
Repairs
Carpentry, electrical, kitchen, bath, decks,
fences, drainage, tile, windows, walls, dry rot,
termite damage, foundation. Lic# 458473.
Contact 510/812-0310.
Notary Public
Need a Notary? Will travel within several
miles (small location fee charged). Located in
Rockridge. 510/658-7872.
Affordable Home Cook
30 years experience creating healthy delicious
meals. Expert in many cuisines. You choose
the menu, I shop and prepare meals from my
Rockridge kitchen. Excellent references. $25/
hr. Call 557-5947.
Quality Gardening
Skilled monthly or bimonthly maintenance,
aesthetic pruning, planning, design, irrigation,
consultations, ecological practices. 15 years of
horticultural experience in the East Bay. Local
references. Green’s Gardens, 510/593-3490.
Rockridge Bungalow
Vacation Rental
Fully outfitted with style! Best location. Steps
to College Avenue shopping, restaurants &
cafes. Home away from home. www.rockridge-
bungalow.com
Car Cosmetologist
I can fix the paint chip and scratches on your
car using a patented process. Call for a free
estimate. Ed 510/282-2731.
TAI CHI and QIGONG
Class in Rockridge
Thursday, 10:00 am and Saturday, 9:00 am.
BKU Methodist Church, 303 Hudson (Col-
lege/Manila). Check our Schedule online for
holiday break. www.harmonytaiji.com or e-mail
gail@harmonytaiji.com
Rockridge Artist Holiday
Open Studio
Artist Liz Maxwell will host an open studio at
5808 Chabot Road, December 12-13, 11 a.m.
to 5 p.m. As at her last open studio, free art
can be won by doing a puzzle.
Holiday Sale at Pearl
Lounge Jewelry Design
Gift Certificates to Rockridge News readers!
Great price and discount on Pearl Jewelry,
Precious & Semi Precious stones. Call 510/282-
3276. Printable Gift Cert. on; www.yelp.com/
biz/pearl-lounge-jewelry-design-oakland
Reduced Commissions!
Why pay 6% to sell your home when Hal Feiger
with Realty Advocates offers the same full
service as other companies for 4%? Call me
today. 510/428-0757 or check us out on the
Web: www.realtyadvocates.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
Join Santa in 2010
Learn to fly with one of East Bay’s most qualified
flight instructors. Train locally at an FAA-
approved flight school. $99 Discovery Flight
makes a great gift. Call Matt at 415/412-9011
http://flymatt.com
My neighborhood gym!
Gardener
Over 15 years of service to the Rockridge area.
Maintenance and garden restoration. Reason-
able rates and excellent references. Please call
Chris: 510/655-0157.
“After working out here for years,
I bought the place!
Check out our new
equipment & classes.
Bring in this ad &
get a *FREE
WORKOUT*”
-Lisa
Gartland,
gym owner










 
­
Inside
Outside
Fitness
* New members only *
(510) 655-8308
4444 Piedmont Ave
Oakland, CA 94611
www.InsideOutsideFitness.com


 
	


15.
December 5, 2009

Little League Baseball

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.

Compiled by Jo Ellis

Registration now open. North Oakland and South
Oakland Little League (NOLL/SOLL) provides baseball
to girls and boys ages 5 through 18. Teams are formed
in Jan. or Feb. Season runs thru early June. 100% vol-
unteer: families handle everything incl. coaching, field
prep, umpiring. Scholarships available. Details, on-line
reg: www.nollsoll.com or e-mail info@nollsoll.com.
North Oakland Senior Center

Community Calendar

Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
FOR CHILDREN:
Toddler Story Time: Every Saturday, 10:30am.
LIBRARY HOURS
Tues, 12:30 to 8pm.
Wed., Thurs. and Sat. 10am to 5:30pm.
Fri., 12 to 5:30pm. Closed Sundays and Mondays
(Library branches no longer open on Mondays).
Also closed: Dec. 24 through Jan. 1st.
Diesel Book/Poetry Readings
All events are FREE and open to the public.
Sun., 12/13, 10am to 4pm. Amnesty International
information table outside Diesel.
DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. Info about
other events, book discussion groups and El Grupito,
the Spanish discussion group: 653-9965 or events@
dieselbookstore.com.
Calif. College of the Arts (CCA)
Program Highlights: Computer classes; health Insurance
counseling and advocacy program; exercise; trips, tours
and theater outings; Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support
Groups and more.
■
■Pre-School Story Time: 1st and 3rd Wed., 10:30am.
■
■Baby and Toddler Story Time: 1st and 3rd Wed.,
10:30am, upstairs.
■
■Memory Camp: Free class with fun challenges to
strengthen your mind, memory and body. Pre-register
on Thursday, 12/10, at 12 noon.  Classes will meet
for 12 Thursdays, from 10am to noon, starting 1/7.
■
■Pajama Time : 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 7pm. Kids
invited to come in pajamas.
Winter Lights Stories and Crafts: making
popsicle-stick frames; 12/8.
 
  (No meeting on 12/22.)
FOR TEENS:
■
■Brain Fitness program: train your brain using a
computer (no computer experience required). Learn
what current research is teaching about memory, brain
plasticity and staying cognitively fit. Pre-register on
Thursday, 10/10, at 3pm.  Classes will be held on
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, beginning
Monday, January 4, 2010, 2:45 - 4:45pm. $35 lab fee.
Hrs: Mon. – Fri., 8:45am to 4:45pm. Center closed
12/24 through 1/3, 2010. 5714 Martin Luther King, Jr.
Way. Subscribe to “The North Oakland Senior Times,”
for a full schedule of classes/events and monthly lunch
menu ($2.25 to $4.). Info about events, membership,
and opportunities to become a volunteer: 597- 5085.
American Red Cross
■
■Rockridge Ninjas (Anime Club): Teens 13 and up,
watch and talk about anime (Japanese animation).
Second Tues. each month, 5 to 6:30pm, upstairs
meeting rm. Susy: 597-5017.
Holiday Fair: 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/ 5, 11am to 3pm.
CCA campus, 5212 B’way, main walkway. Info 594-3678
or www.cca.edu/.
Interface Exhibition: Interactive, kinetic, robotic,
generative, and computer-based artworks. Hosted by
the Media Arts Program. Friday, 12/11, 7-10pm. Oliver
Art Center 5212 B’way. Info 594-3656.
Concert at St. Albert Priory
■
■Soap Making: Make a gift for the holidays or for
yourself. 12/10, 4 to 5:30pm. Space limited: sign
up in advance at 597-5017.
FOR ADULTS
■
■Writers’ Support/Critique Group: All writ-
ers welcome. Bring 15 copies of up to 5
double-spaced pages of any prose for on-site
reading/discussion (you’re also welcome to come
empty-handed). Meets 3rd Saturday each month,
1 to 5pm. Sponsored by the California Writers Club,
Berkeley branch (www.berkeleywritersclub.org.)
Info: 420-8775 or Writefox@aol.com.
Mobile Blood Drives: In Dec., donors can enter a
drawing for a Winter Getaway (not available at high
school or college blood drives). Call 800-GIVE-LIFE
(800-448-3543) or visit HelpSaveALife.org/NC to find
a location near you. Volunteer Orientations: Tour the
Oakland Blood Center. Learn to assist blood donors,
deliver blood, help with special projects. 6230 Claremont
Avenue (across from College Ave. Safeway). To get
training schedules and to sign up call Anne at 594-5165
or BlackstoneA@usa.redcross.org.
The Schola Cantorum of St. Albert Priory is joined by
the Women’s Antique Vocal Ensemble in a concert
for the Christmas season. Will include early music and
Gregorian chant, newer works and traditional carols.
Saturday, 12/19, 8pm. Tickets at door only: $20/ $10
(students and srs). Wheelchair accessible. St. Albert
Priory Chapel, 6172 Chabot Rd. Info; Fr. Chris Renz,
596-1800.
Holiday Musical Offering
■
■Cognitive Fitness: Teri Barr from OUSD Older Adult
program will discuss what science is telling us about
staying sharp. Tues., 12/8, 2-4pm.
■
■Mindfit Brain Power Software: designed to exercise
your brain at home. Attend an OUSD Adult Education
orientation and demonstration to see if it is right for
you. Tues.,12/15, 6;30 -8pm.
Peralta Elementary
School Tours
Peralta (K-5) is a small, diverse, arts
anchor school within the Oakland
Unified School District. Peralta is best
known for its long-standing commitment
to arts integration, abundant gardens, and
history of family involvement. Tours offer
prospective families a unique opportunity
to learn more about the school, get ques-
tions answered by current parents, and to
visit classrooms. OUSD’s registration period
for the 2010-2001 school year will run from
December 7 though January 15.
Peralta Tours will be held from 9 a.m.
to 10 a.m. on the following dates:
■
■Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice. First
Tuesday each month from 6 to 8pm (call to confirm).
Advance sign-up starts 5pm. More info: 597-5017.
ART EXHIBITS: (Call to confirm dates).
Gallery:
The St. Augustine Choir and soloists will be accompa-
nied by the Laudate Orchestra. Selections will include
the Vivaldi “Gloria,” “Ave Maria” from the Rachmaninoff
Vespers, and a new composition by local composer Todd
Minson. Also, Christmas favorites with community
sing-along. Sunday, 12/20, 4pm. Free event but dona-
tions gratefully accepted. Wheelchair accessible and
free parking. St. Augustine Church, 400 Alcatraz Ave.
More details at 653-8631.
Singers Wanted
■
■Dec.: Joanne Hashitani: recent works.
■
■Jan.: Oakland Art Assoc.: group show.
Lobby Display Case:
■
■Dec.: Great teen and children’s books for adults.
■
■Jan.: TBA (Call for info).
The Distaff Singers, the Bay Area’s longest-running
women’s choral group, is seeking new members. No
auditions necessary, just ability to match pitch. Practice
Tuesdays, 7:15 to 9pm at Bishop O’Dowd HS, 9500
Stearns Ave. A benefit concert in the fall supports local
K-12 music programs. Info: Carola Ingram, 547-1191 or
carolaingram@mac.com.
Norman H. Burg, DDS
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
Tuesday, Dec. 8, ’09
Thursday, Dec. 10, ’09
Monday, Dec. 14, ’09
Wednesday, Dec. 16, ’09
Wednesday, Jan 6, ’10
Friday, Jan. 8, ’10
Tuesday, Jan. 12, ’10
Thursday, Jan. 14, ’10
To sign up for a school tour at Peralta
Elementary School, 460 63rd St., please
call the Peralta office at 879-1450.
$8 per month burglar
alarm monitoring.
Email: alarms@
safetydynamics.org
ALARM
A Prevention Oriented Practice


16.

December 5, 2009

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29
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