Extracted text · highlighting “Susan Montauk”

www.rockridge.org

VOL. 25     NO.  2      ISSUE NO. 264     February 6, 2010                  CIRCULATION: 5,100 Residences; 200 Businesses

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

Special Program
Rescheduled from January

RCPC Town Hall Meeting ☛ AGENDA February 2010

Presentation and discussion of RCPC projects and their status was incomplete by the end of the January
meeting. RCPC has scheduled a recap and completion of the presentation and set aside additional time for
audience discussion at the February 18 meeting. Mark your calendar now and plan to attend!

Thursday, February 18,
7:30 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library,
5366 College Avenue
at Manila,
Community Room
(Upstairs)

■
■RCPC Reports to the Community… and seeks feedback at the February meeting
■
■A yearly Town Hall Meeting is traditionally the

community on the past year’s actions. In turn, it’s an
opportunity for you to comment on the committee
reports and to suggest topics for attention in 2010.
opportunity for RCPC, FROG Park, and Friends of
the Rockridge Library to report to the Rockridge

RCPC Seeks Applicants to Fill Board of Directors Positions
If you read The Rockridge News and want
to work with others to help Rockridge,
here’s your chance.
The Rockridge Community Planning
Council (RCPC) will be holding its annual
election for seats on the board of directors
on Thursday, April 15. Six board seats (out
of a total of 13) will be up for election. One

of them could be yours.
What would you work on as a board-
member? Among the projects currently
facing Rockridge are the two major Safeway
proposals, stimulating the College Avenue
retail environment, improving Rockridge
public schools, and confronting Rock-
ridge’s continuing problems with traffic
and crime. RCPC is involved in all these
issues and more.
Opportunity knocks! Send your letter
of interest to the RCPC, 5245 College
Avenue, PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618, or
by e-mail to chair@rockridge.org.
The deadline for applications has been
extended to Wednesday, February 24, 2010.

OPD Asks Public’s Help to End a String of Local Robberies

As a service to the Rockridge community,
The Rockridge News is reproducing
the following message from Oakland Police
Captain Anthony Toribio, patrol commander
for Patrol Area 1, which includes Rockridge.
The subject is a recent series of armed rob-
beries, some committed in Rockridge, for
which Captain Toribio seeks witnesses and
people with useful information. For more
information on this robbery string, look on
the Greater Rockridge NCPC Web site at:
http://www.rockridgencpc.com/ (click on
the link: North Oakland Crime - Area 1).
From Captain Toribio: We have a series
of robberies occurring in Area One, mostly
on beats 7, 9, and 12. A majority of the rob-
beries have been in Area Two.
Here are the particulars:
Two suspects:
1. Male, black, 20s-30s, 6', 180-200
pounds, black mask or hoodie covering
face, blue jeans;
2. Male, black, late teens-early 20s, 5'7",
150 pounds, black mask or hoodie covering
face, blue jeans;
WOOLSEY ST.
238-3326. His email is elewis@oaklandnet.
com. I am asking citizens to report all
suspicious and criminal activity. We need
witnesses to help us solve these crimes.
TELEGRAPH AVENUE
Patrol Map: OPD’s Patrol Division uses a geographic,
area command system to serve the City:
¬¬ Area 1 includes West and North Oakland and is
bordered by the Berkeley Hills on the north, Lake
Merritt on the east, the Oakland Estuary on the
south, and the Bay on the west.
¬¬ Area 2 is located in Central Oakland between
Areas 1 and 3 and is bordered by the city of
Piedmont on the north, the Oakland Estuary on
the south, Lake Merritt on the west and Redwood
Regional Park to the East.
¬¬ Area 3 covers High Street to the San Leandro
border, from the Estuary to the Oakland Hills.
51ST STREET
Each Area is comprised of beats. Rockridge is
in Area 1, Beat 12Y and a portion of Beat 13X.
Together, 12Y and 13X form the Greater Rockridge
Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council, or
GRNCPC. Temescal is generally covered by Beats
12X and 09X.
Time of occurrence is late afternoon/
evening. The suspects approach and flee
on foot. The victim is either entering or
exiting their residence or vehicle. The loss
is money, cell phones, purses. We [police]
believe the suspects are either lying in wait
or following the victims to their residence.
Anyone with information related to
these robberies is encouraged to contact the
lead investigator, Sergeant Eric Lewis, at
Note: The patrol map portion and first section of text
above is from the city of Oakland’s redesigned Web site,
http://www2.oaklandnet.com/. The full map is at http://
www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca/groups/police/documents/
agenda/dowd005013.pdf. Other text is by the Editor.
Weapon: Silver handgun.


2.

February 6, 2010

Telegraph Bus Lane Plans to be Heard by
Planning Commission, Public, Council

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.
by Andrew Charman, RCPC
Transportation Committee chair
The latest details of AC Transit’s proposed
East Bay Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) proj-
ect were presented by Oakland City staff at
a recent informational meeting held in the
Temescal District. According to presenters,
the BRT will replace the current 1 and 1R
bus lines. Like those lines, it would start
in San Leandro, run through downtown
Oakland, and then travel the length of Tele-
graph Avenue into Berkeley. The new line
would have a number of features intended to
provide greater transit efficiency, reliability,
and convenience:
12:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
12 – 5:30 p.m.
CLOSED
Closed Friday, 2/12, Monday 2/15, and Tuesday. 2/16
Meetings, BRT Proposal
1.	AC Transit’s BRT line proposal
will be discussed at RCPC’s
Transportation Committee meeting,
February 16, 7:30 p.m., at CrepeVine
Restaurant, 5600 College Avenue.
2.	The Planning Commission will
discuss BRT at a public meeting February
17, Hearing Room 1, City Hall, One Frank
H. Ogawa Plaza, 14th and Broadway.
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 &
■
■Buses would be outfitted with
Advanced Signal Priority (ASP) technol-
ogy that would allow buses to delay
yellow lights and hasten green lights
when approaching a signalized intersec-
tion.
■
■Buses would run in dedicated lanes,
one in each direction;
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
Michael Kan	������������������������Secretary
Joan Martin	��������������������������Treasurer
Cesar Angobaldo, Annette Floystrup, Jonathan Gabel,
■
■Stops/stations would likely be sepa-
rated by distances longer than those for
the current 1 line, but shorter than for the
1R line.
AC transit circulated a Draft Environ-
mental Impact Report (DEIR) on the BRT
project in 2007. RCPC submitted a comment
■
■Bus stops/stations would be on
raised platforms;
■
■Passengers would purchase tickets
at the stop/station platform, rather than
paying on the bus;
■
■Left-turns along Telegraph would be
limited to intersections with optimally
phased signals;
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
¤
¤ BRT Proposal, page 10

Brunner Proposes Changes to RDA/BID Rules

Newsletter Subscriptions
To subscribe to The Rockridge News, send
your check for $20, payable to Rockridge News
Subscriptions, to: Rockridge News Subscriptions at the
address below.
by Annette Floystrup
Changes are being required of the
Rockridge District Association (RDA)
before its contract with the city of Oakland is
renewed. The Rockridge Business Improve-
ment District (BID), administered by the
RDA, may become democratic and more
transparent with the addition of by-law and
reporting changes submitted by Council
President Jane Brunner to the Community
Economic Development Committee (CED)
January 26.
Brunner’s prepared memorandum,
handed out at the start of the meeting, sup-
ported the renewal with changes as follows:
I propose that before Council approves
the Resolution to Levy the Annual Assess-
ment at the Public Hearing on February
16th, the Rockridge BID must provide
evidence that the following changes to their
by-laws and/or the agreement between the
BID and the City have been made:
	Allow any BID member to make a
nomination to the BID board
	Allow BID members to vote for
board members by mail
	Require the submission of an annual
CPA-reviewed financial statement to the
City
	Require that quarterly financial
statements be made available online
	Require that City of Oakland contact
information be included on the annual
notification postcard
Lacking a quorum, no vote was taken at
the committee meeting. The BID renewal
vote is scheduled for the February 16 City
Council meeting.
Purpose of Proposed Changes
The purpose for the proposed changes
is to allow assessed business owners in the
BID to both nominate and vote for RDA
board members, to provide more financial
transparency, and to assist assessed business
owners in exercising their rights. The RDA
has a notice soliciting nominations in this
issue of The Rockridge News.
In the original bylaws, the RDA board
chose delegates from among the assessed and
Contacting The Rockridge News
	 Are there community issues you’d like to see
covered in The Rockridge News?
	 Do you have questions about newsletter
distribution?
	 Want to volunteer to be a Rockridge News
block captain?
	 Would you like to write a letter to the Editor?
Contact us at one of the following:
Editor: editor@rockridge.org
www.rockridge.org
The Rockridge News, 5245 College Avenue,
PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618
RCPC Voicemail: 510/869-4200
Articles submitted for publication may be e-mailed
to the above address. Submissions are limited to
600 words; must include the author’s name, phone
number, e-mail address, and city or neighborhood
of residence; and are subject to editing. To reprint
a Rockridge News article, please contact the editor.
Newsletter Advertising/Deadlines
Publication date of the next issue is
 March 6, 2010
 March deadline is February 18, 2010.
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.)
¤
¤ BID Changes, page 12


3.
February 6, 2010

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.
The RCPC Land Use Committee meets on the
4th Wednesday of the month.
Next meeting: Febuary 24. Rockridge Branch
Library, Upstairs Meeting Room: 7:30 p.m.
the DEIR is released for a 45 day public
review and comment period. Expect that
to happen sometime around April. Traffic
will be a huge issue. Mr. Vollman would
not disclose whether the EIR will discuss
land use impacts.
lawsuit has been filed, so the case appears
to be closed. RCPC will continue to moni-
tor the school’s compliance with the many
conditions attached to the approval.
Land Use Update
by Stuart Flashman, RCPC Land Use
Committee chair
Perhaps the appropriate analogy for
Rockridge land use activity this month
is a frozen stream, but with water flowing
underneath the ice. In a few months, the
ice will crack and break, revealing a lot of
activity.
■
■Dreyer’s Building
5915 College Avenue
According to the real estate firm handling
this property, a lease has been signed for the
retail storefront formerly occupied by Cotton
& Co. The agent would not disclose the new
tenant, but did indicate that it will be a retail
use. Thus, no use permit will be required.
The smaller vacant storefront formerly
occupied by Galvin’s Workspace Furniture
remains vacant. (Powell’s Sweet Shoppe was
apparently unable to reach agreement with
Dreyer’s over improvements to the space.)
■
■Rockridge Montessori School
6516 Broadway
This school’s expansion (by taking over
and remodeling an adjoining residence)
would bring total school enrollment to over
200 students. RCPC had expressed concerns
about traffic and parking impacts. While
there has been no visible progress, Oakland
planner Ulla Britt-Jonsson (238-3322, ujons-
son@oaklandnet.com) says the application
is still active and the applicant has been
revising its traffic analysis to take RCPC’s
concerns into account. The City has not yet
decided what level of environmental review
will be involved. Expect this application to
resurface in the next month or two.
■
■Citywide Zoning Update
As reported last month, the citywide
rezoning effort is continuing. You can check
out the latest updates at: http://oaklandnet.
com/zoningupdate. The commercial cor-
ridor technical advisory group (TAG) is
meeting Friday, February 5, to review staff
responses to community input, including
input from RCPC and other groups in the
Rockridge/Temescal area. TAG meetings
are open to the public. There will be one
final TAG meeting, probably some time in
mid-March, before a final zoning proposal is
brought to the planning commission and City
Council for formal review and enactment.
■
■6000 College Avenue,
Corner of Harwood
As previously reported, an application
had been filed to put in an Italian winebar/
restaurant at this site. That application has
been abandoned and a new application
was submitted for a coffee shop coupled to
retail sales of coffee-themed merchandise.
The good news is both that a long-vacant
storefront gets filled and that the business,
unlike many restaurants, will be open during
daytime hours. Hopefully this will help
restore the vitality of this part of College
Avenue. Nevertheless, the continued shift
toward restaurant uses reinforces RCPC’s
concern about maintaining College Avenue
as a retail venue.
■
■The College
Preparatory School
6100 Broadway
City staff’s approval of the school’s
facilities master plans had been appealed
to the planning commission by a group
of neighboring residents. The appeal was
heard in mid-December and unanimously
denied. RCPC took no position on the
appeal, although it had been involved in
trying to mediate this dispute. At this point,
according to case planner Leigh McCullen
(238-4977, lmccullen@oaklandnet.com), no
■
■College Avenue Safeway
Shopping Center Project
6310 College Avenue at
Claremont Avenue
According to Oakland planner Peterson
Vollman (238-6167, pvollman@oakland-
net.com), work on the Draft EIR for this
61,000 sq.ft. project is well underway. An
administrative draft of the EIR will be
completed and reviewed by city staff before
T
6000 College Avenue
Proposal: To establish a limited-service
restaurant with a minimum of 20 seats in an
approximately 1,300 square-foot ground floor
commercial space. (sale of alcoholic beverages
are not proposed under this application)
Applicant: Shawn Allison, 510/520-0236
Owner: Alan Pricco Et Al. Trust
Planning Permits Required: Minor
Conditional Use Permit for Limited Service
Restaurant Commercial Activity in C-31 Zoning
District
Historic Status: Potential Designated
Historic Property; Survey rating: Dc3 (minor
importance)
Case Planner: David Valeska at 510/238-2075
or dvaleska@oaklandnet.com
6225 Brookside Avenue
Proposal: To construct a 720-square-foot
two-story residential rear addition.
Applicant: Andrea Sessa / Ash Design,
510/295-9261
Owner: Sandre Skatter
Planning Permits Required: 1) Regular
Design Review for an attached addition to a
single-family residence located in the R-30
Zone; 2) Minor Variances to provide a westerly
building wall length of 71 feet where 35 feet
is the maximum; and to reduce the rear yard
setback where to [sic] 29-feet where 32'-6"
is required for lots with depth greater than
100 feet
Case Planner: Mike Rivera at 510/238-6417
or mrivera@oaklandnet.com
he Zoning Counter is a com-
pilation of recent applications
The Zoning Counter
filed with the Oakland Planning
Department. Individuals may con-
tact the case planner or the Plan-
ning Department for additional
information by phone or on-line
at http://www.oaklandnet.com/govern-
ment/ceda/revised/planning.html.


4.

February 6, 2010
Peralta Elementary
School Auction Fun:
March 6

Residential Parking Fees Hiked Prior to Final Audit

by Jon Gabel, boardmember, RCPC
The Oakland City Council voted
unanimously on January 5 to raise
Residential Permit Parking (RPP) renewal
fees from $20 to $35 per year. The vote
was calendared as a consent item, defined
as “any action item that a subject matter
Committee has forwarded to the full
Council with unanimous recommendation
for approval and is not controversial, and
does not have a high level of public interest
as determined by the Rules Committee.”
The fee hike was opposed by RCPC but
only after the first affirmative vote on
the ordinance at the December 8 Council
meeting.
Because public notice of the proposal
was provided just three days prior to that
meeting, RCPC had no time to take a posi-
tion. Additionally, the final vote on January
5 coincided with the publication date of
The Rockridge News, so that the Council
meeting could not be well publicized.
RCPC Chair Stu Flashman wrote to the
Council that “RCPC opposes approving
this fee increase ordinance on procedural
grounds: specifically, that the present costs
of the RPP program are unknown and
therefore cannot justify the fee increase.
RCPC asks that any decision on raising
fees for the RPP program be put over
until the final Performance Audit Report
is issued, actual program costs have been
fully disclosed, and proposed changes to
the RPP program’s administration have
been released to the public.”
No written reply to this letter was
received from any councilmember. At the
January 5 Council meeting, in response to
a statement read by RCPC boardmember
Jon Gabel, Council President Jane Brunner,
who represents Rockridge, commented that
the RPP program costs $188,000 per year;
that there are more than 4,000 permits;
and that the fee increase is intended to
cover some of those costs. This cost esti-
mate is not contained in the interim RPP
Program Performance Audit Report issued
in May, 2009 (http://www.oaklandaudi-
tor.com/images/oakland/auditreports/
rpp_interim_report.pdf). The final report
has not been issued, more than one year
after it was mandated by the Council.
RCPC has requested that the city of
Oakland provide all documents related to
the RPP program costs and revenues, as
well as plans for changes to the program
that were briefly mentioned by City staff
at the December 5 Council meeting.
by Jenny Summers
Mark your calendars for March 6, 2010,
5-9 p.m., for the Peralta Elementary
School Auction.
This year, the Peralta Auction will be held
at one of Oakland’s coolest, most unusual
venues: Uptown Body & Fender, 401 26th
Street in Oakland. Yes, it’s an auto shop
— but wait until you see it! View photos
of the stylish Uptown at http://tinyurl.com/
yl4h829. This event is for adults only, so
take advantage of this opportunity to enjoy
a night Uptown.
Featured will be delicious food and
entertainment, as well as silent and
live auctions. Browse a huge selection of
handmade crafts and jewelry, date-night
packages and even weekend getaways. Feel
good spending money, since it all goes back
to Peralta’s kids.
We hope to encourage everyone to join
us, as the tickets are being sold for the low
price of $10/person advance purchase, $15
at the door. Alcohol will be sold separately.
If you can’t make it, please visit www.
peraltaschool.org to find out how you can
bid on fabulous auction items online.
In addition to attendees, we’re looking
for donations (goods and services). If you’re
a Rockridge business and interested in
donating to benefit our wonderful school,
please let us know. Visit Peralta’s website
at www.peraltaschool.org, or contact Erin
McDevitt (erin_mcdevitt@yahoo.com) for
more details on attending or donating.
Rockridge
Optometry
Your neighborhood 
family eyecare providers
since 1947
Dr. Donald Sarver
Dr. Larry Sarver
Dr. Scott Yokoi
Dr. Cindy Sakai
5321 College Avenue, Oakland
510-655-3797
www.rockridgeoptometry.com


5.
February 6, 2010

Rockridge District Association Announces
Annual Election, Calls for Nominees
Rockridge Library
Friends Set Board
Elections: Sign Up!

The Rockridge Dis-
trict Association
(RDA) will hold its
annual board of direc-
tors election at the
Rockridge Library on
March 18, beginnning at 8 a.m. and ending
at 10 a.m. Nominations are being accepted
now for business tenants (RDA members),
business property owners and representa-
tives for the community at large.
The RDA board meets once a month.
Our committees, Executive, Marketing &
Promotion and Streetscape & Security, also
meet once a month. Our board member terms
are for two years. All
board members are
encouraged to be
involved with at least
one of our commit-
tees.
For more information, or if you wish to
nominate someone or yourself, please send
your name, address and contact information
to: Susan Bernosky c/o Allstate Insurance,
5940 College Avenue, Suite A, Oakland,
CA 94618, or email to: info@rockridge-
district.com
— Susan Bernosky, Secretary,
Rockridge District Association
by FORL board of directors
Your library needs you to make a dif-
ference. The Friends of the Rockridge
Library (FORL) will hold elections for new
members of the governing board this April.
The board, a subcommittee of the Rockridge
Community Planning Council, meets four
times a year and oversees FORL’s support
of the Rockridge branch of the Oakland
Public Library by helping to raise funds
and by organizing special projects.
Members of the board, whose number
varies from eight to 11, serve for a two-year
term. We hope to recruit at least one new
member of the local community to the board
this spring. No speeches or campaigning are
required, and no prior experience: only a
willingness to aid your local library.
Please join us. For further information,
contact co-chair of the board Carol Bieri at
cbieri@pacbell.net.

The RDA is a 501(C)3 community based
organization, organized as a Business
Improvement District with the City of
Oakland. — From the RDA Web site

Jeff Auen
REMAX ACCORD
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• Tankless Water Heaters
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• Remodel & Repair
510-652-8014
www.winstonsplumbing.com
JeffAuen@comcast.net
800-805-8827
“”May your toilet never runneth over!”
a
cross-cultural congregation
striving to partner with
         the Rockridge community
   in lifestyle and service.
Design, Installation and Maintenance
Native Plant Gardens & Stonework
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
Andrea Hurd, Horticulturist and Stonemason
License #883905 h tel. 510.558.8429
www.mariposagardening.com
Regency Antique Restoration
Professional and Experienced
ALL Furniture Repairs
In-Home Services
New finishes & waxing
FREE ESTIMATES
Pickup & Delivery
517-6280
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bruce@bayareaantiques.com
$5 FREE DRYCLEANING with garment orders over $28
or $3 OFF orders over $15
Dry Cleaning only  Present with incoming order
Garden Cleaners
5808 College Avenue, Oakland
601-1188
Mon – Fri  7 – 7 • Sat  8 – 6
Across from Trader Joe’s and Zachary’s Pizza
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6.

February 6, 2010

Letters to the Editor
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.

Welcoming boys & girls ages 5 and up
We Are a Community. Are Neighbors Aware of Others in Distress?
Editor:

(510) 547-4441 www.piedmontchoirs.org
PIEDMONT EAST BAY CHILDREN’S CHOIR
Several weeks ago my granddaughter,
who lives with me, was accosted by two
men as she was walking home from class
one evening. They threatened her and told
her not to run. She ran as fast as she could,
screaming, and got home safely.
I spoke with some of the neighbors
afterwards. Several recalled hearing some-
one screaming. But no-one, no-one came
out to check!
What does that say about our neighbor-
hood? Are people scared? Or don’t they care?
This is not an isolated incident. It’s
happening all over. With the current state
of the economy, there are more and more
people out there who are desperate and they
are preying on whoever appears vulnerable.
We can’t just depend on the police to
chase them away. There are things we can
do: carry whistles and carry mace, for two
examples.
Basically, we need to think of ourselves
as a community, stay in touch with our
neighbors, stay alert to what is going on
around us and be ready to respond to a
call for help.
I’d like to think we really do care.
— Lydia Gans
Praying - Serving - Growing
St. Augustine
Roman Catholic
Church
400 Alcatraz Ave.
Oakland
(between Telegraph
and College
Avenues)
510-653-8631
Mass Schedule
 Saturday: 5 p.m.
 Sunday: 8 a.m.
  & 10:30 a.m.
 Weekdays: 8:30 a.m.
rockridge home
Reconciliation
 Saturday, 4 p.m.
5418 College Ave. (510) 420-1928
www.staugustineoakland.com
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6097 Claremont Ave., Oakland
www.peaceofmindbodywork.com
510-461-6431
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CST: 2070359-40  WA SOT: 602-549-382


7.
February 6, 2010

About the Photos
Coincident with Black History Month, Patricia
Polacco, far left, , tells parents and children
at Ms. Dalloway’s of her book involving the
Underground Railway, “January’s Sparrow.”
Middle, , the wall-to-wall crowd at the
bookstore. Bottom left, , Patricia autographs
books for Bobbie Kinkead and granddaughter
Julia, and, , Cole and Sophie Foster of Lafayette.
The
Rockridge
 Muse

Photos: Don Kinkead
by Ortrun Niesar
Celebrating Our
Artists
Patricia Polacco
Over the past decades, Rockridge has
produced an impressive number of
successful artists, film makers, writers,
musicians, scholars and more. But Rockridge
is small, and inevitably our luminaries leave
to seek wider horizons. Nevertheless,
like homing pigeons, some of our best
loved Rockridge graduates fly back into
our coop now and then to say hello and
remind us that this place and those of us
who stayed behind still matter.
Patricia Polacco
Last week one of my favorites, Patricia
Polacco, award-winning children’s book
writer and illustrator, fluttered into town.
She first met a storefull of fans for a
talk and book signing at Mrs. Dalloway’s
Bookstore in Berkeley’s Elmwood District,
then spent the week visiting neighborhood
schools. I followed her to Redwood Day
School where she spent a day speaking
to children aged 5 to 14 years.
A vivacious, mature woman, not too
tall, with her hair knotted high on top of
her head and an intense, engaging gaze,
Patricia conjured up a compelling figure
as she stood in front of an auditorium
full of middle-school students and began
her afternoon talk tailored to teens.
They listened spellbound as she deftly
turned painful personal stories into one
powerful lesson after another about family,
husband Enzo, and children Steve and
Tracy, resided on Thomas Avenue. Her
day job had to do with art restoration
– she had studied iconography – but I
remember her always telling stories and
making beautiful illustrations.
One day she joined a workshop for
writers of children’s books in Berkeley,
and the rest is history. In the 25 years that
followed she has published 47 books, and
there are more to come, I am sure. She
specializes in personal narrative, drawing
on a rich heritage of storytelling in her
family and on personal experience, giving
equal value, it seems, to illustration and
text as she develops tales that appeal to
young children, teenagers as well as adults.
She has probably won every writer’s award
for her category there is. And many of you
probably have at least one of her books
in your collection. Tell me you haven’t
heard of “Chicken Sunday,” a beloved
Easter story set in North Oakland that
is presented every year or so as a play by
Stage Bridge senior actors and Oakland
school children. Or, what about “Pink
and Say,” the story of Patricia’s great-
great-great grandfather who shook the
hand that shook the hand of Abraham
Lincoln? Or “Rechenka’s Eggs,” or “The
Keeping Quilt ,” or “I Can Hear the Sun”,
or, one of my favorites, “Meteor!” and
so many more.
If we ever decide, as Berkeley has, to
grace College Avenue with banners or
plaques acknowledging the achievements
of our brilliant residents, Patricia Polacco
should most certainly be among those
honored.
Perhaps we should begin making a list
of honorees and get such a project under
way. What do you think? Let me know. My
e-mail is oniesar@sbcglobal.net. And go
to www. PatriciaPolacco.com for more
information about our famous children’s
book author.

friends, hope, loneliness and growing up
disadvantaged right here in Oakland.
In the guise of marvelous narrative and
visual imagery, she was able to discuss
tough topics like racial prejudice, inequality,
disabilities, fear of failure, not fitting in
and bullying. The crowd was so quiet you
could hear a pin drop. When she finished,
the questions flowed freely. The kids,
clearly trusting her to speak the truth,
couldn’t get enough of her.
Patricia doesn’t mind telling people
that, while she could draw well, she could
not read until age 14. A sympathetic
teacher by the name of George Falker
at Willard Junior High finally discovered
her dilemma and likely saved her life.
In her eyes, this teacher is a saint and,
of course, she eventually wrote a book
about him (“Thank You, Mr. Falker”). Still,
a writing career seems an unlikely move
for someone who struggled with severe
dyslexia as a child. In fact, Patricia did
not become a published writer until age
41. When I first met her, she and then-
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





8.

February 6, 2010

Claremont School Class Offerings Continue to Expand Opportunity

by Shona Armstrong
Shona Armstrong is a parent at Chabot Elementary with
three children headed to Claremont Middle School one day. She
is active on the Chabot PTA and the Claremont PTA and lives
around the corner from Claremont School. Armstrong believes
Claremont (and most Oakland schools) is better than most people
realize. The problems get the publicity, she believes; improvements
and positive change are less widely noticed. Armstong hopes to
change that. In this interview, she talks with Vice-Principal Kevin
Taylor, focussing on classes and electives.
I am especially glad that you asked me
about our math program, because it gives
me a chance to congratulate our math
teacher extraordinaire, Ruth Nagash, who
not only taught the highest scoring math
academy (a program offered for struggling
students) this past summer, but whose class
this fall also had the highest scores on
the first overall district wide benchmark
assessment. Congratulations, Ms. Nagash!
[The first school-wide benchmark test
results, just published, were not as strong
as the school had hoped. The school is
taking steps to identify and remedy prob-
lems so future student performance will
improve. — S. A.]
SA: What kinds of electives are
available to students at Claremont
Middle School?
KT: During the regular school day, students
can choose from Physical Education, Art,
Computer Animation, Study Skills, and
Music (Band, Orchestra, etc.).
Our Computer Animation program
is unique among middle schools in Oak-
land. It is supported by a PTA program
called “Project Seven.” The mission of
Project Seven is to develop and facilitate
a professional digital media program for
Oakland middle school and high school
students. (The “seven” in the title refers
to the whole seven-year period of training
from middle school through high school.)
The program aims to prepare students so
that, upon graduation, they will be quali-
fied to embark on careers in the digital
media and technology industry. You can
learn more about the program at www.
projectseven.org.
Our band, led by the dedicated Ms.
Briggs, has blossomed over the past
few years into an award-winning group
of dedicated students. They perform at
numerous events both locally and around
the state. We recently had the opportunity
to congratulate musicians Akiro Duey,
Sirmorian Johnson and Reva Sweidler
who participated in the California Music
Educators Association (CMEA) Bay Sec-
tion All Region Honor Band & Orchestra
Shona Alexander: Can you talk a
little bit about the math programs
offered at Claremont?
Vice-Principal Kevin Taylor: Clare-
mont offers the standard array of middle
school math classes. One unique thing
about our school is that the math classes
are currently divided by gender. Numer-
ous studies have shown that students in
single sex classes outperform students
in mixed-gender classes, and we believe
we are seeing some of those benefits at
Claremont. (See, e.g., http://www.single-
sexschools.org/evidence.html.) After one
full year of running this pilot program,
we will assess its success and determine
whether to continue.
In addition to the standard middle
school menu of math classes, Claremont
offers advanced Geometry during the 0
period (before regular classes begin) at
Oakland Tech. The students that attend
Tech are achieving beyond middle school
standards. Studying geometry in 8th grade
is a year ahead of the normal college track.
Using nearby Oakland Tech to incorporate
high school geometry into the middle
school curriculum has been a practical way
for our small community middle school to
offer additional electives despite our size.
For the very, very, very enthusiastic
math students, Rick Prime, the parent of
a Claremont student, is heading a program
called Math Counts, in which a group
of students meet weekly to prepare for
math competitions and to tackle even
more rigorous math material. (See www.
mathcounts.org.)
¤
¤ Claremont Classes, page 9
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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
510-658-2599
Hourly consultation
to fit the size
of your interior or exterior
home projects.
www.angelissekarolcolor.com
The Cupped Hands logo is a registered service mark of Allstate Insurance
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Northbrook, IL. © 2007 Allstate Insurance Company


9.
February 6, 2010

participation on this project. Volunteers are
needed to increase the hours of operation
during the second half of this year. If you
are interested, I invite you to contact our
PTA Vice President, Mike Napolitano at
510/655-4725.
SA: Any final message for the
community?
KT: Our school seeks to be a vibrant part
of the community. Check us out at www.
claremont.org and keep your eyes on the
school bulletin board by our front entrance
on College Avenue. We hope you’ll enjoy
our many exhibitions, performances, and
events, and you may also find some fun
and rewarding opportunities to support
the school. If you’re especially interested
in staying abreast of events, you can sign
up for the Claremont KnightLine e-mail
newsletter at www.claremontms.org/
Claremontms/Broadcast.html
dedicated, taking the kids to tournaments
on weekends, making sandwiches with
their own money, and never asking parents
for donations.
Although Claremont has a smaller
wrestling program than most other teams,
we have been able to place in every
tournament we have entered and we have
produced numerous individual champions.
The students’ work in the after-school
and electives programs was on display at an
exhibition before the winter break, and we
will hold another open house in the spring.
SA: What is the status of the
Claremont Library?
KT: With the help of our wonderful PTA,
we have been able to re-hire Debbie Hughes
part time to assist us in re-launching our
successful library with all of its compo-
nents. She began work on January 13. 
We could definitely use some community
Claremont
Classes
from page 8
in early January.
During the after-school program, stu-
dents can participate in Spanish, wrestling,
basketball, flag football, tennis, computer
animation and 3D modeling, music engi-
neering, fashion design, student leadership,
poetry, hip hop composition, hip hop dance,
and school newsletter (via our blog at www.
claremontknighttime.blogspot.com).
The after-school wrestling program is
new to Claremont. It is run by a non-profit
called Wan-Tu-Wazuri. Wan-Tu-Waziri
operates a year-round wrestling club at
Claremont Middle School, Oakland Tech,
and a few other Oakland schools. The
coaches use wrestling training to instill in
their students self-confidence in all aspects
of their lives. The Director of Claremont’s
after-school program, Sylvestor Gaskin,
says that he sees a direct correlation
between students’ participation in this
wrestling program and improved aca-
demics and social skills. Wan-Tu-Wazuri
has given many Oakland kids a positive
outlet. One of their best-known alumni is
Stephen Abas, who went on to receive a
wrestling scholarship at Cal Sate Fresno,
and eventually earned a silver medal in
the Olympics. The coaches are extremely
•  School Board Director Jody London invites you to a  •
COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
Parent Empowerment: Building Mutually Satisfying
Home-School Partnerships
Saturday, February 27, 2010, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Emerson Elementary School
4803 Lawton Avenue, Oakland
Recent State and Federal initiatives give parents new power
to shape and move their schools. Yet devastating budget cuts
mean schools have increasingly less to work with.
How can parents and guardians partner work with schools
to provide the education they want for their children?
How can engaged parents and guardians recruit others
to join in their efforts?
How can the constituents of District 1 create efforts
for all children to succeed? Are we all in this together?
• Refreshments and childcare provided •
Please RSVP if you require childcare
For more information and to RSVP:
Jody London       Jody.London@ousd.k12.ca.us       510/459-0667
For the week of 11/30/09:
Median List Price: $795,000
Avg. Days on Market: 162


10.

February 6, 2010
Here’s Your Chance
to Join The Rockridge
News Team

BRT Proposal
government/CEDA/revised/planningzoning/
commission/docs/021710_Planning-Com-
mission-Agenda.pdf. Confirm meeting and
time: 510/238-3941). The Planning Com-
mission’s recommendations will then go to
the City Council’s public works committee
on March 23, and finally to the full City
Council for a public hearing and council
vote on April 6.
More details of AC Transit’s BRT pro-
posal can be found on the AC Transit
website at: http://www.actransit.org/plan-
ning_focus/brt/, while preliminary plans
for Oakland’s preferred local alternative
can be viewed at: http://www.oaklandnet.
com/government/ceda/dcsd_ts_brt.asp.
AC hopes to begin construction of BRT
in 2012 or 2013, but many “decision points”
remain, as do opportunities for public
comment. Concerned Rockridge residents
can share their concerns through RCPC
via letter to RCPC, 5245 College Avenue,
PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618, or by e-mail
to andrew@rockridge.org, or by attending
the next meeting of RCPC’s Transportation
Committee. See box, page 2, for details.
Join the committee’s Yahoo! group at
RCPC_Traffic_Pedestrian_and_Bicycle_
Safety_Committee to stay up to date on
transportation committee news.
from page 2
letter that did not oppose the project, but
raised concerns about potential impacts on
traffic, parking, transit, local businesses, and
increased “cut-through” traffic on nearby
residential streets by drivers frustrated by
congestion on Telegraph Avenue. The DEIR
also provoked strong comments from the
affected cities. AC agreed that each of the
cities through which the BRT would run –
Berkeley, Oakland, and San Leandro – could
identify “Locally Preferred Alternatives”
to the draft plan analyzed in the DEIR. AC
would, in turn, incorporate aspects of these
alternatives into BRT “build alternatives”
that would be analyzed in the Final EIR.
At the meeting, Oakland staff showed a
preliminary Oakland preferred alter-
native and highlighted its differences from
AC’s draft plan. Oakland’s plan adds bicycle
lanes throughout the Temescal/North Oak-
land corridor, as well as additional left turn
lanes. Some bus stops are added, to better
serve pedestrians, drivers, and transit-riders
in the area, while other stops are moved to
improve traffic flow at certain congested
intersections, notably Alcatraz and Telegraph.
Oakland staff also intends to propose an
intermediate “Rapid Bus Plus” alternative,
which would include some BRT features,
but not dedicated bus lanes.
The Oakland Planning Commission will
hear about BRT and the City’s proposed alter-
natives in a director’s report at its February 3
meeting, followed by a full public hearing on
February 17 (http://www.oaklandnet.com/
Thanks to Jeff Rabb for his many years
of service as The Rockridge News Block
Captain for two routes on Keith and Ocean
View Avenues.
Jeff is moving so we need one or two
www.rockridge.org
VOL. 25     NO.  2      ISSUE NO. 264     February 6, 2010                  CIRCULATION: 5,100 RESIdENCES; 200 BUSINESSES
Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council • 5245 College Ave. PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94618 • 869-4200
RCPC Town Hall Meeting ☛ AGENDA February 2010
Presentation and discussion of RCPC projects and their status was incomplete by the end of the January
meeting. RCPC has scheduled a recap and completion of the presentation and set aside additional time for
audience discussion at the February 18 meeting. Mark your calendar now and plan to attend!
Special Program
Rescheduled from January
■
■RCPC■RePoRts■to■the■Community… and seeks feedback at the February meeting
■
A■yearly■Town■Hall■Meeting■is■traditionally■the■
opportunity■for■RCPC,■FROG■Park,■and■Friends■of■
the■Rockridge■Library■to■report■to■the■Rockridge■
Thursday, February 18,
7:30 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library,
5366 College Avenue
at Manila,
Community Room
(Upstairs)
community■on■the■past■year’s■actions.■In■turn,■it’s■an■
opportunity■for■you■to■comment■on■the■committee■
reports■and■to■suggest■topics■for■attention■in■2010.
RCPC Seeks Applicants to Fill Board of Directors Positions
If you read The Rockridge News and want
to work with others to help Rockridge,
here’s your chance.
The Rockridge Community Planning
Council (RCPC) will be holding its annual
election for seats on the board of directors
on Thursday, April 15. Six board seats (out
of a total of 13) will be up for election. One
and crime. RCPC is involved in all these
issues and more.
Opportunity knocks! Send your letter
of interest to the RCPC, 5245 College
Avenue, PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618, or
by e-mail to chair@rockridge.org.
The deadline for applications has been
extended to Wednesday, February 24, 2010.
of them could be yours.
What would you work on as a board-
member? Among the projects currently
facing Rockridge are the two major Safeway
proposals, stimulating the College Avenue
retail environment, improving Rockridge
public schools, and confronting Rock-
ridge’s continuing problems with traffic
OPD Asks Public’s Help to End a String of Local Robberies
238-3326. His email is elewis@oaklandnet.
com. I am asking citizens to report all
suspicious and criminal activity. We need
witnesses to help us solve these crimes.
WOOLSEY ST.
As a service to the Rockridge community,
The Rockridge News is reproducing
the following message from Oakland Police
Captain Anthony Toribio, patrol commander
for Patrol Area 1, which includes Rockridge.
The subject is a recent series of armed rob-
beries, some committed in Rockridge, for
which Captain Toribio seeks witnesses and
people with useful information. For more
information on this robbery string, look on
the Greater Rockridge NCPC Web site at:
http://www.rockridgencpc.com/ (click on
the link: North Oakland Crime - Area 1).
From Captain Toribio: We have a series
of robberies occurring in Area One, mostly
on beats 7, 9, and 12. A majority of the rob-
beries have been in Area Two.
Here are the particulars:
Two■suspects:
1.■Male,■black,■20s-30s,■6',■180-200■
pounds,■black■mask■or■hoodie■covering■
face,■blue■jeans;
2.■Male,■black,■late■teens-early■20s,■5'7",■
150■pounds,■black■mask■or■hoodie■covering■
face,■blue■jeans;
■Weapon:■Silver■handgun.
Patrol Map: OPD’s Patrol Division uses a geographic,
area command system to serve the City:
 ¬ Area 1 includes West and North Oakland and is
bordered by the Berkeley Hills on the north, Lake
Merritt on the east, the Oakland Estuary on the
south, and the Bay on the west.
 ¬ Area 2 is located in Central Oakland between
Areas 1 and 3 and is bordered by the city of
Piedmont on the north, the Oakland Estuary on
the south, Lake Merritt on the west and Redwood
Regional Park to the East.
 ¬ Area 3 covers High Street to the San Leandro
border, from the Estuary to the Oakland Hills.
TELEGRAPH AVENUE
Each Area is comprised of beats. Rockridge is
in Area 1, Beat 12Y and a portion of Beat 13X.
Together, 12Y and 13X form the Greater Rockridge
Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council, or
GRNCPC. Temescal is generally covered by Beats
12X and 09X.
51ST STREET
Time■of■occurrence■is■late■afternoon/
evening.■The■suspects■approach■and■flee■
on■foot.■The■victim■is■either■entering■or■
exiting■their■residence■or■vehicle.■The■loss■
is■money,■cell■phones,■purses.■We■[police]■
believe■the■suspects■are■either■lying■in■wait■
or■following■the■victims■to■their■residence.
Anyone with information related to
these robberies is encouraged to contact the
lead investigator, Sergeant Eric Lewis, at
Note: The patrol map portion and first section of text
above is from the city of Oakland’s redesigned Web site,
http://www2.oaklandnet.com/. The full map is at http://
www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca/groups/police/documents/
agenda/dowd005013.pdf. Other text is by the Editor.
people to replace him. If you like to walk,
and live on or near Keith Avenue or Ocean
View, please let us know if you would like
to pick up route 10D or 09H. Call Susan at
547-3855 or email her at smontauk@gmail.
com to volunteer.
	 10D	 Even numbers along College from
{  {  {  {  {  {
5620 (Eve’s Hunan), up Ocean View even
numbers to 5656 OceanView, across
street to 5659 Ocean View odd numbers
and then along College to 5540 College
	 09H	 Up Keith from McMillan to 5925
Broadway.
The Right Agent Communicates Well!
The Piedmont Perspective
piedmontperspective.com
Julie Gardner
510.339.0400/264
jgardner@grubbco.com
GRUBBCO.COM


11.
February 6, 2010

City’s Parks Need You
Hotline Established
to Report Fraud,
Waste and Abuse
If you have thought about volunteering
in a particular park, please contact us via
oaklandparkscoalition@gmail.com. We can
connect you with people who are already
active; or, you can rescue a park that has
no steward. Just visit our Web site (address
below) and go to the page marked Steward-
ship to find a list of parks, by districts, that
do not have OPC stewards. Choose one and
contact us to get you started.
OPC meetings are open to the public.
They generally occur on the 4th Wednesday
of each month, 7:30 a.m. at the Lakeside
Park Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Avenue,
Oakland, phone 510/238-3208.
Contact us via e-mail at oaklandparks-
coalition@gmail.com if you wish to attend
our next meeting.
Visit our Web site, www.oaklandparks-
coalition.org, for more information and to
learn about ways to help.
by Susan Montauk, chair,
Oakland Parks Coalition (OPC)
We’re sure it is not news to you that
Oakland is in a financial bind, facing
extraordinary deficits in 2010 and 2011
and scrounging for ways to cut the budget
or raise revenues that do not irreparably
harm the quality of life for its residents.
A tall order!
It thus becomes crucial that those who
can help out do. OPC has always focused
on park volunteerism as a way to build
community around parks but now it is more
important than ever. We are proud to say
that 67 Oaklanders have signed the OPC
Stewardship Pledge, promising to monitor
and care for their parks and, thanks to those
volunteers and scores of others, our parks
may weather the storm.
by Oakland City Auditor Courtney Ruby
Last year, the office of the City Audi-
tor launched the Fraud, Waste, and
Abuse Prevention Pro-
gram (FW+A) to help
residents and employees
report suspected misuse
of City resources. As part
of this program, a hotline
has been launched to pro-
vide a safe, confidential,
and most importantly,
reliable method to report
suspected fraud, waste, and abuse.
If you have knowledge of fraud, waste,
and abuse in Rockridge — or anywhere
in Oakland — we want to know. Only by
having a collaborative relationship with
dedicated employees, concerned citizens,
and accountable leadership can Oakland
ensure transparency, accountability, and
integrity in its government.
To learn more about the FW+A and
the hotline or to provide a tip via the Web,
visit the the City Auditor’s Web site: www.
oaklandcityauditor.com.
To report suspected fraud, waste or
abuse, call toll-free: 888/239-6390.
City Auditor
Courtney
Ruby
My neighborhood gym!
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Gartland,
gym owner
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
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Fitness
* New members only *
(510) 655-8308
4444 Piedmont Ave
Oakland, CA 94611
www.InsideOutsideFitness.com
THE 40-DAY
CHALLENGE
co-led by Pete Guinosso & Michelle Cordero
Saturday, February 27 – Sunday, April 11
Radically transform your body and
awaken the sacred within during a
supported 40-day program of yoga,
meditation and balancing diet.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world"
-Gandhi
www.namasterockridge.com
5416 College Avenue (near Rockridge library)


12.

February 6, 2010
BID Changes

The addition of online financial reports
will allow all assessed business owners easy
access to see how their money is spent. This
has been an issue of major concern raised
in letters to the CED committee.
The right of an assessee or his/her des-
ignated agent to review the RDA financials
on an individual basis has always existed,
but in a recent example, it took two months,
from early November to mid-January, for
the requested information to be provided.
Notification Changes
The RDA has an annual obligation to
provide a formal notification of renewal
to assessees. This notice explains that the
assessees have the right to protest the assess-
ment district and to disband it, following a
specific course of action. Previous notices,
however, failed to indicate where to send
protests. While there have apparently been
past protests submitted, there are none on
file with the City, presumably because they
weren’t sent to the right place.
The new requirement on annual notifica-
tion clarifies that such protests should go
to an address at the City of Oakland, not to
the RDA. The protests would then become
public information.
LOOKING FOR DIRECTION IN THIS
VOLATILE MARKET? LET'S TALK.
from page 2
non-assessed business owners in the BID to
participate in voting for a new board. After
by-law revisions in 2007, the delegates were
eliminated and the board directly selected
and voted for its own members.
Perhaps as a consequence of this “closed”
election process, several current RDA board
members have served for extended periods.
The Rockridge BID is just beginning its
10th year; three members have been on the
board the entire ten years, and all but one of
the others have served four years or more.
It remains to be seen whether this lon-
gevity will continue with the more open
election process proposed by Brunner.
No Members, No Vote
The RDA by-laws specify that the orga-
nization has no members, and that any rights
“members” might have in the organization
belong exclusively to the board. This includes
the right to vote for the board. As written,
the proposed changes still might not grant
voting and nomination rights to anyone
outside the board unless the by-law revisions
specify “assessed business owners” instead
of the proposed wording “members.”
Financial Statements
The RDA contract with the City of Oak-
land currently requires that “a full disclosure
financial statement” be submitted for each
calendar year within 90 days of December
31, and be available for public inspection.
It is unclear if RDA Treasurer, Hank Levy,
himself a CPA, or a member of his firm, is
eligible to meet the requirement in Brunner’s
memo to the CED committee.
Lan J Shaw
Financial Advisor
.
2161 Allston Way Suite A
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-704-8854
www.edwardjones.com
Member CIPF
Member SIPC
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.
Authentic Japanese Cuisine
ADDRESS 5335 College Avenue,

 Oakland, CA  94618
Rikyu
TEL 510 595 7388
JAPANESE RESTAURANT
In and Around Rockridge, There’s Only One #1
Find Out Why!
Homes SOLD in 2009 by Ron Kriss
List Price $695,000
Sale Price $745,000
www.331-63rdSt.com
SOLD
List Price $1,195,00
Sale Price $1,200,000
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Sale Price $742,500
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G
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GRUBBCO.COM
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Sale Price $902,000
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L A W T O N
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SOLD
510.652.2133
3070 Claremont Avenue • Berkeley
Ron Kriss, Broker     Lawton Associates
510-547-5970 Ext. 55     ronkriss@jps.net
510.339.0400
1960 Mountain Boulevard • Oakland
A S S O C I A T E S
R E A L   E S T A T E
B R O K E R A G E


13.
February 6, 2010

Ambience: atmosphere; a particular
environment or surrounding influence; the
feeling or mood evoked by an environment.
Ambience. In Rockridge?

Has someone told you lately how much they enjoy
Rockridge’s ambience? Were they talking about the
restaurants? The bookstores? The coffee shops? Market
Hall? Surely they were. And did they mention the unique
shops, the lively watering holes, the good humor of other
pedestrians? Of course.
Perhaps without realizing it, they were also talking
about “the mood evoked by an environment,” a part of
the very definition of ambience. In these views of College
Avenue buildings, photographer Lydia Gans shows us
some of the wealth of architectural embellishments that
evoke that part of Rockridge’s ambience.
But one person’s ambience can be another’s opportu-
nity, which can sometimes lead to unnerving change. In
the wrong hands, the result can be outsized, slab-sided,
featureless buildings heralded as worthy additions to our
otherwise pleasing ambience. They are not!
Change will come; we must continue to demand that
change be channeled into coherance with the existing
evoked mood of Rockridge. Rockridge must be enhanced
by change, not eroded by mediocrity.
— Don Kinkead, Editor
Photos: Lydia Gans    Design: Don Kinkead
COLLINS ROOFING
Family Owned & Operated
Rockridge
Located on Market Hall’s Lower Level
Entry on Shafter Avenue
510-655-8808
482-2227  Seamus
www.collinsroofing.com
Quality Work  •  Free Estimates
Lic # 695711
www.curvesrockridge.com
Free Parking!
Across from BART
Open 7 Days
Mon- Fri  6:00 -7:30
Sat & Sun 8:00 - Noon


14.

February 6, 2010

Aesthetic Pruning.
I specialize in pruning trees & shrubs under 20
feet tall. I work with trees to enhance their
natural beauty. Specialties: maples, camellias,
fruit trees, & focal points. Pruning instructor
Merritt College. Bruce Thompson 510/428-
4964.
Therapist’s Office
$600, utilities included. Sunny and light, new
paint and carpet, lobby buzzer system. Located
at corner of Claremont (#6097) and College.
For info or to see, contact Mike Mee. 707/785-
3999. meemike@yahoo.com
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. March deadline is February 18.
For information: smontauk@gmail.com
Have Baby Boomers Given Up?
Do you know Baby Boomers who have given
up on love? What I do is get them out of the
house and into a satisfying and meaningful
relationship. 15-20 minutes free consultation.
Barbara. 510/917-0299.
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 & Com-
pany, www.sutorikandco.com, lic#397149.
510/655-3677.
Spectacular Service
Housekeeping
We provide excellent housecleaning services
with the greatest attention to detail. Let us
create free time for you. Call today! FREE
ESTIMATE Ask for Olivia. 510/228-5704.
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.
Rockridge Bungalow
Vacation Rental.
Fully outfitted with style! Best location. Steps
to College Avenue shopping, restaurants &
cafes. Home away from home. www.rock-
ridgebungalow.com
High Quality Gardening
Skilled maintenance, clean-ups, aesthetic
pruning, irrigation, design and installations.
Ecologically-minded since 1995 in the East Bay.
Personal attention, local refs, free estimates.
Green’s Gardens. 510/593-3490.
Record your Music in
Rockridge
Comfortable music production studio. Experi-
enced Producer/Engineer/Multi-instrumentalist.
Vintage and modern gear. Professional, afford-
able rates. Contact Ben Bernstein for more
information. 415/531-4671. www.benbern-
steinmusic.com
Design, Construction
Victorian, Edwardian, and Craftsman rehabs.
Interior, exterior, big, small. Many local ref-
erences. Lic. #813074, insured. See www.
catconstruction.biz Craig. 510/232-5978.
Stimulus Package,
Penelope’s Aesthetics
Professional Skin Care offering a full custom
facial with massage and eyebrow wax for $44.
Gift certificates available. www.penelopeca-
lef.com 510/594-1552.
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
Quality Tutoring
with a Conscience
Achieve learning. Local non-profit founded
by UC Berkeley professor Dr. Sanchez offers:
exceptional quality, convenience, and rates
starting at $15/hour. CALL 510/903-2224 or
visit us at www.achievelearning.org today
Repairs
Carpentry, electrical, kitchen, bath, decks,
fences, drainage, tile, windows, walls, dry rot,
termite damage, foundation. Lic# 458473. Don
510/812-0310.
8 Weeks to Look & Feel
Your Absolute Best
Enhance your fitness or weight loss program
just in time for the holidays! Classes-Tuesdays/
Thursdays, 6-7 pm at Danspace, 473 Hudson St.
Visit: www.fit4livingnow.com E-mail Geneva@
fit4livingnow.com. Call 510/918-7108.
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.
Non-Toxic House Cleaning
Lotus Cleaning Services provides excellent
service 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
Sitcom Furniture Outlet
Visit furniture designer and manufacturer
Sitcom’s outlet in Oakland featuring afford-
able high quality, contemporary designs on
super discount. Store hours are M,T,W,Th, Sat
10am-5pm and Fridays from 10am-4pm. 850
42nd Avenue, Oakland. www.sitcomfurni-
tureoutlet.com
$1699, 3/1 BR
3242 Linden St., Oakland. In 4-plex, close to
BART, JLS, shopping and more. $1699 deposit.
$42 application fee. Open house Feb. 15, 3-5
pm. Contact M. Parker at 510/879-7217.
Norman H. Burg, DDS










 
­
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland


 
	
A Prevention Oriented Practice


15.
February 6, 2010

Wed. morning). Reception: Thurs. 2/18, 5:30 – 7:30pm.
Oliver Art Center. Info: nobanion@cca.edu.

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

■
■Lecture by Donna Billick, sculptor of fantastical and
whimsical forms (e.g. the cow fountain and dancing
pigs in Davis, CA), Feb 9, 6pm. At Treadwell Ceram-
ics Art Center. Presented as part of CCA’s Ceramics
Lecture Series. Info: 594-3617.

Community Calendar

■
■Reading by poet Joseph Lease: Feb. 16, 7:30pm in
Nahl Hall. Presented as part of CCA’s Hearsay Read-
ing Series. Info: 597-3708 or humblepie@cca.edu.
Council President Brunner’s
Community Advisory Meeting
ART EXHIBITS: (Call 597-5017 to get details).
Gallery:
■
■Feb.: Richard Vannucci photographs.
Lobby Display Case:
Saturday Feb. 20, 10am to noon. Peralta Elementary
School: 460 63rd St. (parking on Alcatraz, east of
Telegraph).Meeting topic: Oakland’s Energy and
Climate Action Plan. Info: 238-7001, or view Brunner
Report at www.oaklandnet.com (the site for all City-
related information).
Community Workshop
■
■Reading by Cooley Windsor from his latest fiction
collection, Visit me in California. Mar 9, 7:30pm on Nahl
Hall. Presented as part of CCA’s Hearsay Reading
Series. Info: 597-3708 or humblepie@cca.edu.
Wanted: Rockridge Artists and
Art Enthusiasts
■
■TBA (Call for info).
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: Fri. 2/12, Mon. 2/15 and Tues. 2/16.
Diesel Book/Poetry and Events
■
■The deadline to register for Pro Arts East Bay
Open Studios is Saturday, Feb 20. The event dates
are Sat. and Sun. 6/5 and 6/6 and 6/12 and 6/13. Get
more information and register online now at www.
proartsgallery.org.
School Board Director Jody London invites you to
discuss Parent Empowerment: Building Mutually
Satisfying Home-School Partnerships. Sat., 2/27,
9am to 12pm, Emerson Elem. School, 4803 Lawton
Ave. Refreshments and childcare provided. For more
info and to RSVP: Jody.London@ousd.k12.ca.us
or 459-0667. See Article page 9.
Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council (NCPC)
All events are FREE and open to the public.
■
■Volunteer Opportunities at Pro Arts: Be part of an
extraordinary team. Pro Arts provides critical access
to contemporary art in Oakland and the East Bay
through its independent curated exhibitions, artist
services, open studios and juried programs. We are
currently looking for Curatorial interns, Publicity interns,
Publicity/Communications Manager, East Bay Open
Studios Committee Members, and Strategic Planning
Partners. Email Vicky Chen, Gallery Administrative
Coordinator for details, info@proartsgallery.org or
check online: www.proartsgallery.org/proarts/
intern.php.
Donate Your Party Dresses to the
Princess Project
■
■Mon., 2/8 (and 3/8), 7pm. Amnesty International
Meeting: All invited to exchange ideas on action.
■
■Tues., 2/16, 7pm. Rachel Venning: Moregasm:
Babeland’s Guide to Mind-Blowing Sex.
■
■Thurs., 2/18, 7pm. Greil Marcus: A New Literary
History of America.
Residents and business members of NCPC’s 12Y and
13X areas are invited to voice their concerns about
crime and public safety, 2nd Thursday each month, 7pm.
Rockridge Library, upstairs meeting room, 5366 College
Ave. info@rockridgencpc.com or infofordenise@
yahoo.com.
Rockridge Branch Library
■
■Sun., 2/21, 3pm. Poetry Flash with Molly Bendall,
Gail Wronsky and Karen Kevorkian.
■
■Thurs., 2/25, 7pm. Zachary Mason: The Lost Books
of the Odyssey.
■
■Thurs., 3/4, 7pm. Kathleen Norris: Acedia and Me.
■
■Sun., 3/7, 3pm. Local authors Kyle Kurpinski and
Terry D. Johnson: How to Defeat Your Own Clone.
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
FOR CHILDREN:
■
■Wed., 3/10, 7pm. Mary Gaitskill: Don’t Cry.
DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. Info about
other events and book discussion groups: 653-9965
or events@dieselbookstore.com.
Wisteria Ways House Concert Series
Clean out your closets of new and nearly-new fashion-
able dresses, formal gowns, party dresses and cocktail
dresses (all lengths, sizes, fabrics and colors) and make
a young girl’s dream come true. The Princess Project
provides free prom dresses and accessories to high
school girls who could not otherwise afford to go to the
prom. The 2010 collection drive is between February
8-19. In Rockridge, dresses will be collected (clean and
on hangers) at Tootsies, 5525 College Ave. To find other
drop-off sites and to learn more about the Princess
Project, visit www.princessproject.org.
North Oakland Senior Center
■
■Toddler Story Time: Every Saturday, 10:30am.
■
■Pre-School Story Time: 1st and 3rd Wed., 10:30am.
■
■Baby and Toddler Story Time: 1st and 3rd Wed.,
10:30am, upstairs.
Cindy Kallet and Grey Larsen: Acoustic Folk Duo
performing original songs and traditional and contem-
porary music from around the world on a variety of
instruments, including guitar, Irish flutes and whistles,
fiddles, harmoniums and more. Sunday, 2/14 (Valentine’s
Day), 3pm (house opens 2:30pm). $15-20 donation for
musicians (cash only at the door).383 61st Street (inside
venue, not wheelchair accessible). For reservations
(highly recommended), RSVP to info@WisteriaWays.
org or 655-2771.
Singers Wanted
■
■Pajama Time (stories and crafts): 2nd and 4th Tuesdays,
7pm. Kids invited to come in pajamas.
African American Folktales: with coloring
fun. 2/9, 7pm.
 
  Tigers for the Chinese New Year: making
a dodecahedron ball with zodiac animals.
2/23, 7pm.
Special Event: Shadow Puppet Workshop with
Cheryl Perko from the Oakland Museum. Celebrate
the Chinese New Year with a story and shadow puppet
play, then learn to make your own shadow puppet. All
ages welcome. Kids under 8 please bring an adult.
Saturday, 2/13, 2 to 3pm.
FOR TEENS:
Program Highlights: Computer classes; health Insurance
counseling and advocacy program; exercise; trips, tours
and theater outings; Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support
Groups and more.
Hrs: 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 monthly
lunch menu ($2.25 to $4.). Info about events, membership,
and opportunities to become a volunteer: 597-5085.
American Red Cross
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.
Christensen Heller Gallery
■
■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.
FOR ADULTS
■
■Mobile Blood Drives: During Feb., there will be
4 weekly drawings for “Movies for a Year.” Each
winner will receive 12 pairs of movie tickets. (not
available at high school or college blood drives). Call
800/GIVE-LIFE (800/448-3543) or visit RedCrossBlood.
org to find a location near you.
■
■Writers’ Support/Critique Group: All writers 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.berkeleywriter-
sclub.org.) Info: 420-8775 or Writefox@aol.com.
Exhibit of paintings by Kim Bach. Show runs through
Mar.28. Galley hrs: Wed–Sat., 11am to 6pm; Sun. noon to
5pm. 5829 College Ave. Info: 655-5952, baird@chris-
tensenheller.com or www.christensenheller.com.
Calif. College Of The Arts (CCA)
■
■Volunteer Orientations: 2/9, 2/17 and 2/23. Tour the
Oakland Blood Center. Learn to assist blood donors,
deliver blood, help with special projects. 6230 Cla-
remont Avenue (across from College Ave. Safeway).
To get training schedules and to sign up call Anne at
594-5165 or BlackstoneA@usa.redcross.org.
5212 Broadway (near College Avenue). Events are free
and open to the public.
■
■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.
■
■A Paper + Cloth Dream Exhibition: print works on
paper and cloth by students at CCA and its sister
school, Osaka Univ. of Arts in Japan. Feb. 8 – 19. Hrs:
Mon. – Fri. 8:30am to noon and 1 – 4:30pm (closed


16.

February 6, 2010

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5431 College Ave Oakland Ca 94618
510.652.5431
www.elizabethh.net
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p 510.428.2600
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