Extracted text · highlighting “Property Develop-”

www.rockridge.org

VOL. 25      NO. 5      ISSUE NO. 267      May 8, 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
May 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010, 7:30 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College at Manila
Community Room (Upstairs)
League of Women Voters Presents Election Pros & Cons

Land Use Update
FANS to Pursue
Reduced Scale for
Safeway Project
The city is expected to release the draft
Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
for a 45-day public review and comment
period in June or July. The 61,000 sq. ft.
project is proposed to replace the current
23,000 sq. ft. Safeway store and the “76”
service station at the Claremont/College
intersection.
Friends and Neighbors of College Avenue
(FANS), the local community coalition
challenging the project, is preparing a
technical-legal-political campaign to con-
vince Safeway and the city to scale down
the project to a more appropriate size for
the location. FANS can be contacted via
rockridgefans@gmail.com. RCPC is a
member of FANS.
The case planner handling the project

T
■
■
he League of Women Voters of Oakland will present the pros
and cons of this June’s ballot propositions at the RCPC’s Town
Hall meeting, Thursday, May 20. Come learn more about who
is behind Props 16 and 17. Details below:
California’s statewide Direct Primary Election is on June 8, 2010. On the ballot are
five propositions that will affect all Californians. The League of Women Voters
of Oakland will present their neutral pros and cons of the propositions at RCPC’s
May meeting. The League of Women Voters (LWV) is a nonpartisan political orga-
nization encouraging informed and active participation in government. It influences
public policy through education and advocacy. The organization does not support
or oppose any political party or candidate.
The LWV presenters will be Terry Kulka and Megan Chenoweth. Terry has been
active with the League for almost 25 years, having served on the board of direc-
tors and various committees. She has presented pros and cons for the League for
about 15 years. Megan is a senior systems librarian at Innovative Interfaces Inc., an
Emeryville-based company that makes library software. Megan has been an Oakland
resident since 2006 and lives in the Piedmont Avenue neighborhood. She joined the
League in 2009. Both presenters are passionate about seeing that the voting public
is well informed and encouraged to vote—democracy is a beautiful thing.
Come find out more about the primary election and who is behind these ballot ini-
tiatives. You’ll also get a quick lesson in why you won’t be voting in a local primary.

Safeway, page 3
➧➧
More
■
■
 Land Use Updates, page 3

At the April RCPC Town Hall: OPD Chief Batts
A

RCPC Board Transitions
Into a New Term; One
Vacancy Remains

ddressing Rockridge neighbors at the April
RCPC Town Hall meeting, OPD Chief
Anthony Batts declared he worked with good
police officers but a broken system. “Oakland
should have 800 more officers,” he said. His
policing emphasis will be
on guns, gangs and drugs,
he added. Promising
a changed police
department, Batts
emphasized the
new OPD motto:
“We will be there
when you need us.”
Photo/Text: Don Kinkead

by Stuart Flashman, chair, RCPC
With the end of their terms of office,
three members have left the RCPC
board of directors. Directors Doug Patton,
Katy Taylor, and Joan Martin had each served
one two-year term on the board. In addition,
Joan had served as the RCPC treasurer. The
three made major contributions to keeping
RCPC running, and deserve all our thanks.
Merchant member Jennifer Kaplan has served
a year on the board and has announced her
intention to leave the position. The board
appreciates and will miss her contributions
RCPC Board Transitions, page 12
➧➧

Put the mettle to the pedal! Bike to Work Day, Tuesday, May 13.
Hank & Frank’s provides an Energizer Station. Details, page 9.


2.

May 8, 2010

Part 1 of a 2 Part Look at AC Transit’s Proposed Telegraph Avenue Bus Service
AC Transit Looks Back to Build the Future

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.
by Don Kinkead, editor, and
Stuart Flashman, chair, RCPC
It
will lead to a loss of business and potential
financial ruin.
Oakland staff and consultants reworked
AC Transit’s initial plans, attempting to
remove the most onerous features. Still, the
staff-generated “Local Preferred Alterna-
tive” created fireworks when presented
by AC Transit and city agencies in public
meetings.
In April, the council’s Public Works
Committee directed staff to study the project
without the dedicated lanes, and the effect
upon fares and currrent bus stops. Without
the dedicated lanes, the project is known as
the Rapid Bus Plus alternative.
At an April council meeting, staff recom-
mended its BRT proposal, not Rapid Bus
Plus, arguing that AC Transit would then
provide a “worst case” projection, and the
city could then choose how much of the
BRT project to accept.
In the audience, East Oakland seniors
complained that BRT would destroy their
transit mobility. Temescal Merchants fumed
that the loss of parking would decimate
their commercial area. Residents, as well
as RCPC, warned that BRT would create
“cut-through” traffic on residential streets
with disruptive consequences. RCPC chair
Flashman urged the Council to ask AC
Transit to consider Rapid Bus Plus, as well
as staff’s BRT proposal.
A sizeable delegation from the pro-
transit group TRANSFORM called for
the Council to move forward with the full
BRT proposal.
12:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
12 – 5:30 p.m.
CLOSED
Closed Sunday & Monday and Tuesday, 6/1
is often said that “The more things
	change, the more they remain the same.”
With its plan to install bus-only lanes and
mid-street boarding pads along the 1 and
1R bus lines from San Leandro through
Downtown Oakland to Berkeley, AC Transit
seeks to recreate the fixed track format of
the Key System rail network displaced in the
1950s and 1960s by “more flexible” buses.
It is also said, “You can’t go home again.”
That may be the epitaph for AC Transit’s
“bus rapid transit” (BRT) proposal.
From Downtown Oakland, the line will
travel along Telegraph Avenue to Berkeley.
Nowadays, growth along that corridor and
at UC Berkeley, and with more traffic along
Highway 24 and through the Caldecott
Tunnel funneling more cars daily in and out
of Oakland, Telegraph is choked with traffic
the fixed rail systems never faced.
Oakland has created a BRT Web site
that describes the project as:
“…an East Bay Bus Rapid Transit Project
that would extend through San Leandro,
Oakland, and Berkeley.... a set of improve-
ments to bus service, which makes the bus
run like a light rail or street car without the
need to install rails.” Benefits cited include
a “dedicated lane in most locations: The
bus gets its own lane so no more waiting
in traffic on the bus.”
The “dedicated lane in most locations” is
the most controversial element to the commu-
nities. Buses would travel down International
Boulevard and Telegraph Avenue in routes
dedicated for buses. The channels would cut
off most intersecting side streets, causing
cars to search for unobstructed crossings.
Oakland’s plans also call for adding bicycle
lanes along Telegraph, eliminating many
on-street parking spaces. Many merchants
in the three cities believe the loss of parking
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
Valerie Knight	���������������������Graphics & Layout
RCPC Board of Directors, 2010-2011
Stuart Flashman	�����������������Chair
Andrew Charman	���������������Vice-Chair
Michael Kan	������������������������Secretary
Cesar Angobaldo	���������������Treasurer
Annette Floystrup, Jonathan Gabel, Michael Kan,
Jennifer Kaplan, William Kaufner, Don Kinkead,
Ronnie Spitzer, 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.
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
Next month: Part 2: The Cities Respond
More information:
Oakland BRT Web site: http://www.oaklandnet.
com/government/ceda/dcsd_ts_brt.asp
Be involved. Call or write District 1 Council
Member Jane Brunner: Phone: 510/238-7001;
Email: jbrunner@oaklandnet.com
Articles submitted for publication may be e-mailed
to the above address. Submissions are limited to
600 words; must include the author’s name, phone
number, e-mail address, and city or neighborhood
of residence; and are subject to editing. To reprint a
Rockridge News article, please contact the editor.
$5 FREE DRYCLEANING with garment orders over $28
or $3 OFF orders over $15
Dry Cleaning only 
 Present with incoming order
Garden Cleaners
5808 College Avenue, Oakland
601-1188
Mon – Fri  7 – 7 • Sat  8 – 6
Across from Trader Joe’s and Zachary’s Pizza
Newsletter Advertising/Deadlines
Publication date of the next issue is
 June 5, 2010
 June deadline is May 20, 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.)
EXPERT
SHIRT
LAUNDERING!


3.
May 8, 2010

The RCPC Land Use Committee meets on
the fourth Wednesday of the month.
Next meeting: May 26. Rockridge Branch Library,
Upstairs Meeting Room: 7:30 p.m.
The Zoning Counter
The Zoning Counter is a compilation of re-
cent applications filed with the Oakland
Planning Department. Individuals may contact
the case planner or the Planning Department
for additional information by phone or on-
line at www.oaklandnet.com.
Land Use Update
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.
by Stuart Flashman,
RCPC Land Use Committee chair
5833 College Avenue
Proposal: To construct a new 904 sq. ft. second
story at an existing 1,165 sq. ft. one-family resi-
dentioal dwelling.
Applicant: Rebecca Amato, Amato Architecture
Phone: 510/420-0210
Owners: Mark Martin & Katie Broughton
Planning Permits Required: Regular Design
Review for additions to an existing dwelling;
Minor Variance to locate the addition: (a)
2'-6" from the corner side property line (Taft
Ave. side), whereas a 5' minimum setback is
required, and (b) 13'-4" from the front property
line (Mendocino Ave. frontage) whereas 20'
minimum setback is required. (Note: The Minor
Variance would, in effect, allow the addition to
be constructed over existing nonconforming
building walls)
Case Planner: Ann Clevenger at 510/238-6980
or aclevenger@oaklandnet.com
Committee Positions
■
■
a productive dialog that will lead to a project
the community can be proud of.
Available; You Can Help
The RCPC Land Use Committee has two
openings available. If you’re interested in
learning about and helping to address land
use and development issues in Rockridge,
you are invited to submit an application by
writing a short letter indicating why you’re
interested in being on the committee and
your basic information—name, address, and
contact info. While it’s helpful if you have
some experience in land use issues and can
read blueprints, the most important factor is
an interest and concern about how Oakland’s
development decisions affect Rockridge.
Send your letter to RCPC, 5245 College
Avenue, PMB 311, Oakland, 94618, or via
e-mail to chair@rockridge.org.
Dreyer’s Building
■
■
(5915 College Avenue)
The new tenant for the key corner retail
space is Crossroads Trading, moving from
its smaller location on College near BART.
The other ground floor space in the Dreyer’s
building is also being leased, but the tenant has
not been publicly named. With these two new
tenants, the ground floor will again be fully
occupied with retail tenants. Also, several other
recently vacant College Avenue storefronts have
been leased and are being renovated for new
tenants. Perhaps College Avenue has turned
the corner on the recession.
College Avenue Sidewalk
■
■
Safeway
Rockridge Montessori School
■
■
Signage (“sandwich boards”)
Last month’s request in The Rockridge
News for comments on the proliferation of
“sandwich board” signs on College Avenue
sidewalks garnered a variety of responses,
with no consensus about whether the signs
are a problem.
Several merchants said no regulation was
needed and the current prohibition should
be rescinded. A few residents agreed.
At the other extreme, some residents felt
the signs were obtrusive and interfered with
sidewalk traffic and that the prohibition
should stand.
In the middle were those who appreciated
the signs’ beneficial information, but felt
regulation was needed to keep their quality
high and prevent sidewalk obstruction.
The comments (without submitters’
identities) are being forwarded to Council
President Jane Brunner’s office for her
consideration.
Thanks to all who gave their opinions.
(6516 Broadway)
This project, stalled while the applicant
addressed traffic and parking concerns raised
by RCPC and local neighbors, is apparently
about to move forward. A traffic engineering
firm retained by the school has issued a report
indicating that the expansion project, which
will increase the school’s enrollment to just
over 200 students, will not cause significant
traffic or parking problems. RCPC continues
to have questions about the report, which it
will seek to resolve informally. The Oakland
planner handling the case is Ulla Britt-Jonsson
(238-3322, ujonsson@oaklandnet.com).
from page 1
is Peterson Vollman (238-6167, pvollman@
oaklandnet.com).
Stay up to date on this project’s develop-
ments: Visit the RCPC Web site at www.
rockridge.org regularly, and sign up for the
RCPC  E-News for updates at the site. Click
“Join Email List” on the opening page.
Rockridge Shopping Center
■
■
(Corner of Broadway and
Pleasant Valley)
Safeway’s plans to remodel and enlarge
this important commercial center were panned
by both the community and the Oakland
Planning Commission. (Safeway does not
own the site, but is the master tenant and has
been given control of the remodeling project.)
Safeway has now revamped its plans and
hired Larry Tramatola, a well-known local
political consultant, to bring them forward to
the community. RCPC is discussing a joint
presentation for the Rockridge, Temescal, and
Piedmont Avenue communities, all of which
use the center heavily. We hope this will initiate
www.elitetradealliance.com
Mention Elite Trade Alliance (code ETA-RN)
for your preferred 10% off rate and
priority scheduling!
Support Local
Merchants
Stroll the Avenue (and side streets) in
this beautiful spring weather.
Shop Rockridge!
Painting & Electrical
Wooden Doors & Windows
Plumbing & Hydronics
Custom Wood Products


4.

May 8, 2010

Peralta School Yard Sale — a Community Success Story

by Nicole Aruda, Peralta parent
The Lower Rockridge Parents Group
(LRPG) held their annual Community
Yard & Bake Sale in April to benefit Peralta
Elementary School, and raised over $5,000,
a new record for the community event
first held in 2002. One hundred per cent
of the proceeds go directly to Peralta, an
Oakland public school recently designated
a “Title I Achievement School” and “2010
California Distinguished School.”
On sale day, neighbors joined Peralta
parents, transferring four basements full
of donated items to the Peralta campus,
where another team of helpers sorted and
set up the sale. The sale was staffed by
past and current Peralta families, along
with neighbors who hope to have their
children attend Peralta
in future years. Peralta
families donated baked
goods and fresh coffee;
St. Augustine Church
donated the use of their
parking lot.
LRPG thanks all
those community mem-
bers who donated items,
storage space, time
and money to support
Peralta, a school that
enriches this commu-
nity and exemplifies all
that is wonderful about Oakland.
For more information about Lower
Rockridge Parents Group or to sign up
Attendees at the Peralta School sale found good eats
and good deals on sale day.        Photo: Sandi Matthews
for the Lower Rockridge Parents Group
listserv, email lowerrockridgeparents@
yahoo.com.

Neighborhood Preschool Options Serve Rockridge Well

by Jennifer Edmister, Rockridge resident
and parent of a preschool-aged child
As spring arrives, many parents continue
their search for the “right” preschool.
That is, a preschool with the right hours, the
right philosophy, and now, more than ever,
the right price. For families already look-
ing ahead to their options for kindergarten,
elementary school, and maybe even middle
school, the stakes for finding the right pre-
school can seem quite high.
Preschool-surviving families, however,
urge us to keep perspective: there is enough
quality pre-kindergarten education to go
around, particularly if families broaden their
searches and consider a variety of options.
Holly Gold, director of Rockridge Little
School, celebrating five years on College
Avenue, has more than 15 years of expe-
rience in early childhood education. She
advises parents to visit schools with open
minds and to act on what they love about a
school, rather than out of anxiety about a
preconceived ideal. “In the end, everyone
finds something they love,” she assures us,
“with a cost that is manageable.”
In Rockridge alone, there are at least
a dozen preschools. Scan our sidewalks
between 8 and 10 a.m., and you’ll see nearly
400 children who have bundled up, grabbed
their bags and are headed to preschool in
Rockridge each day.
Pre-kindergarten comes in all shapes
on College; Rockridge Montessori School
on Broadway; and the School of Arts and
Sciences Preschool on Broadway.
If you, or someone you know, is in the
market for a preschool, take heart. Investigate
options off the beaten path. Be persistent.
Be patient. While a number of preschools
have completed their first round admissions,
almost all schools will have unanticipated
openings this summer, and year-round. It’s
not easy, but thanks to the many early child-
hood professionals who are working hard to
serve our families right here in Rockridge,
finding the “right” preschool is possible.
and sizes, from home-based programs
to traditional schoolyards. Our cache of
choices in Rockridge includes (but is not
limited to): The ABCs and 123s Academy
on Claremont; Claremont Day Nursery on
College; Duck Soup Family Playschool on
Bryant; Escuela Bilingue Internacional
on Alcatraz; Giggles on Colby; Home
Away From Home on Birch Court; Little
Elephant Montessori on Miles; My Own
Montessori on Oak Grove; the Rainbow
School on Taft; Rockridge Little School
G
GRUBBCO.COM
510.652.2133
3070 Claremont Avenue • Berkeley
510.339.0400
1960 Mountain Boulevard • Oakland


5.
May 8, 2010

mont Avenue Neighborhood Improvement
League (PANIL) raised concerns about past
problems with live entertainment. Council
President Jane Brunner also worried about
how noise and other nuisance problems
would be addressed if businesses no longer
needed cabaret licenses.
Arturo Sanchez, in charge of the city’s
nuisance abatement program in the city
manager’s office, indicated that any business
with an alcoholic beverage license could still
be regulated under that license. He also noted
that citizens would still have recourse to the
city’s nuisance abatement program. (See box,
below left.) The council unanimously passed
the ordinance on first reading.

City Council Proposes to Ease Cabaret
Licenses — More Live Music on College?

by Stuart Flashman, Chair, RCPC
The Oakland City Council, on the initia-
tive of council members Nadel, Quan,
and Kaplan, is considering amending the
city’s cabaret license ordinance to reduce
the range of businesses requiring a license.
The justification for the change is that the
cost and hassle of obtaining a license deters
clubs, galleries and restaurants from offering
live music, and that, in turn, detracts from
the vibrancy of Oakland’s nightlife.
Under Oakland’s current ordinance,
any commercial establishment wanting to
offer live music or dancing must obtain a
cabaret license at a cost of several thousand
dollars. The ordinance doesn’t distinguish
between ampli-
fied and acoustic
music, nor does
i t  c o n s i d e r
whether alcohol
is served or the
establishment’s
size or hours of
operation. Con-
sequently, few
smaller venues apply for a cabaret license.
Nightclubs such as Yoshi’s and venues like
the Paramount Theater find it worthwhile
to obtain a license; a restaurant on College
Avenue wanting live music on weekends
probably would not.
The proposed revisions would limit the
permit requirement to businesses charging
admission or those where alcohol is served
and the business stays open after midnight.
The revisions would also establish a “small
cabaret” regulatory program separate from
the regular license that would have lower
fees and less regulation for businesses with
a capacity of less than 50 patrons.
Under the revised ordinance, many
Rockridge businesses would not need any
extra license to offer live music, and almost
all would fall under the “small cabaret”
program.
At the Council’s first reading of the
ordinance on April 20, RCPC and the Pied-
Progess: Permit Parking Audit
by Jon Gabel, RCPC boardmember
Responding to a request for public informa-
tion on the Residential Permit Parking
Program (RPP), Assistant City Auditor
Yiaway Yeh and Deputy City Auditor II
Melanie Nuni met with RCPC board member
Jon Gabel and Don Kinkead, editor of The
Rockridge News. The Auditor’s Office sup-
plied a number of documents used to prepare
the Interim Performance Audit Report on the
RPP Program that was released last May. As
previously reported in The Rockridge News,
this Interim Report did not contain the actual
cost of the RPP Program.
The good news is that the Final Perfor-
mance Audit Report, mandated by the City
Council 1-1/2 years ago, has been completed
and is under review by the Parking Division.
It should be available to the public soon.
However, the documents reviewed by Gabel
and Kinkead indicate the dearth of actual data
regarding the costs and revenues of the RPP
Program. This lack of data appears to be a
severe impediment to making knowledgeable
decisions regarding enforcement, as well as
for setting the cost of permits.
Gabel and Kinkead also met with
Nocoasha Henry, Administrative Analyst
II. Henry allowed them to examine a copy
of the request for proposal (RFP) for the
“Citation Administration and Revenue Rec-
oncilliation System” (CARRS), as well as
two bids for this system. When implemented,
CARRS will handle the entire range of
parking citation functions from handheld
units used in the field by parking enforce-
ment officers to violators paying by phone
or on-line. CARRS will also handle RPP
permit applications and will tie in to the
DMV database to verify addresses. CARRS
can be queried for information about RPP.
This should allow the true costs of the RPP
program to be obtained.
CARRS will also provide the capability
of flagging unpaid citations when residents
apply for permits or renewals.
The current system of buying an RPP
bumper sticker annually will change. A bar-
coded placard which will last at least three
years will replace the stickers. Placards will
be color coded by area. Enforcement officers
will be able to check the bar code to verify
renewal fees have been paid.
Two bids for CARRS were received by
the city in September 2009. They were from
ACS State & Local Solutions, Germantown,
MD, and Duncan, Milwaukee, WI. Both com-
panies provide the services required under
Oakland’s RFP, and both companies already
provide similar services in large US cities.
For example, ACS handles San Francisco’s
citations and Boston’s permit parking. Both
bids show schedules of fees for each type
of transaction (such as processing parking
citations). The ACS bid estimates the total
cost of the contract to the City of Oakland
over 3 years to be $2.6 million. According to
Oakland’s RFP, the contract for CARRS was
scheduled to be signed in November 2009. So
far, this has not happened. The Council would
first have to approve this contract.
Parking Division head Noel Pinto has not
responded to a request for public informa-
tion on the RPP Program. The Rockridge
News will continue to publish information
on this subject.
City Offers Nuisance
Abatement Solutions
The most effective way to deal
with a business nuisance problem
is through the nuisance abatement
program in the city manager’s office.
Contact Program administrator Arturo
Sanchez (238-7542, e-mail asanchez@
oaklandnet.com) to discuss concerns
about nearby businesses.
Watch for more information on the
array of nuisance abatement options
in the June issue.


6.

May 8, 2010

Coming Up: Bay
Area Storytelling
Festival
oral tradition, very different from reading
in its purpose and delivery. Talking—
telling– requires eye contact, meeting
someone face to face, interacting.
Diane knows that her work is not
only entertaining but therapeutic as
well. Instead of solitude and isolation, it
encourages community. In our modern
society it is a powerful antidote against
the suffocating hi-tech cocoon we are
mindlessly spinning for ourselves.
The
Rockridge
Muse
Make a Note of It
The 25th Anniversary Bay Area
Storytelling Festival takes
place at Kennedy Grove Regional
Recreational Area in El Sobrante on
Saturday and Sunday, May 22-23.
Rockridge will be well represented.
Along with Gay Ducey, who we have
admired for her many years of delightful
storytelling at the Rockridge Branch
Library, Diane Ferlatte will join the
impressive gathering of world-class story
tellers. Aficionados like me will hang
around to be enchanted, to catch a
little magic dust to bring back into our
everyday world.
Diane Ferlatte
Diane Ferlatte, performing both
Saturday and Sunday, lives with husband
Tom and family on Ocean View Drive
in a beautiful brown shingle Craftsman
house. But she is hardly home; she travels
all over the world plying her trade as a
professional storyteller.
If you have not heard Diane perform,
you are in for a treat. She is funny and
serious at the same time, warm and
engaging, a veritable pied piper who,
before you realize it, can get you to
follow her into far away worlds, past,
present or future, worlds full of fancy
and truth at the same time. She speaks
with such authority that you could hardly
doubt the authenticity of her characters
and the tales she tells accompanied by
song and her famous thumping stick.
To get acquainted with her work, go
to www.dianeferlatte.com. Or catch a
glimpse of her on YouTube.
The Art of the
Storyteller
I asked Diane how she came to be such
an accomplished storyteller, where she
gets her stories, what it takes to conjure
up that true voice that is so important.
Diane says oral tradition was just part of
the African American culture she grew
up in. She was born in Louisiana where
language flows like honey, like the slow
moving waters of the Mississippi. On
warm summer nights, on Sundays and
holidays, everyone would gather on the
by Ortrun Niesar
25th Anniversary
Festival Information
This is a family affair, so bring the kids.
Take a picnic and a blanket and spend
a day in the outdoors under the trees,
listening to and learning from wonderful
performers. There will be workshops,
puppet shows, music and games, kids’
concerts, Celtic bagpipes, gospel music
and group sings. Picnic suppers conclude
the program each night. Food vendors
will be on hand as well. If it rains, the
event will be held in tents.
For tickets and more information, go
to www.bayareastorytelling.org or call
510/869-4946. The festival is supported
by the East Bay Regional Park District,
an incredible resource we have in our
very own backyard.
Diane Ferlatte,
Story Teller
front porch
a n d  p r e t t y
soon a story
would emerge
amidst all the
laughter and
gossip being
bandied about.
I would imagine
t h e r e  w a s
competition
going on among the tellers. There was
no TV to distract anyone. A tale could
be made up of just about anything, of
snippets of something somebody heard or
saw, of ghosts and monsters, of ancestor
stories, painful or happy. And as the
stories were told, you could literally
watch them come alive right in front
of your eyes, the teller’s voice and
body language tugging mightily on your
imagination and emotions.
Storytelling, Diane reminds me, is an
Ortrun Niesar can be reached at oniesar@
sbcglobal.net. Or by calling 510/326-2161.
two incredible
workshops
My neighborhood gym!
Breath, Bones & Feet: Living in the Bones
with Mary Paffard
Saturday, May 15

The Female Pelvic Floor
with Leslie Howard
Satu
Saturday, May 22
“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
www.namasterockridge.com
5416 college avenue  510.547.YOGA
(near Rockridge library)
* New members only *
(510) 655-8308
4444 Piedmont Ave
Oakland, CA 94611
www.InsideOutsideFitness.com


7.
May 8, 2010
RDA Plans Rockridge JAZZ & WINE Stroll
Music at BART
On a Sunny Day
by Joan Martin
On a recent sunny and warm day,
as I walked to Market Hall for a
9 a.m. meeting, I heard lovely piano
music flowing from the BART station.
A couple of twenty-something young
men told me they were unemployed UC
Berkeley grads and they were getting
desperate to pay their rent.
Instead of playing their instruments
inside all day as they waited for their job
applications to be (un)answered, these
creative souls used a City CarShare
account to haul a friend’s piano to the
BART station at 5:30 a.m. to play for
patrons. This was their second time
(first was at MacArthur BART station)
and, as John Steven Morgan said, “I think
I’ll be able to pay my rent. Things are
looking up.”
by Chris Jackson, RDA operations manager
Spring is here, and Rockridge is looking
forward to extended daylight hours and
beautiful, warm evenings. Interesting, one-of-
a-kind shops make it a great commercial and
retail area nestled in a beautiful residential
neighborhood; warm evenings make it easy
to get out of the house to stroll and shop on
College Avenue.
On Friday evening, May 14, 5 to 9 p.m.,
Rockridge merchants will host the first ever
“Rockridge JAZZ and WINE Stroll” on Col-
lege Avenue, sponsored by the Rockridge
District Association (RDA).
Come on your own, bring your pet, bring
your family, or bring your friends. Shop,
stroll, dine, and visit as you join us for an
evening on College Avenue. The many par-
ticipating merchants will be serving wine,
or wine and refreshments during live, musi-
cal performances
by jazz musicians
in and near the
businesses. The
Avenue has so
much to offer,
take this spe-
cial occasion
to enjoy it.
Merchants
are sharing
this evening to
spread the word, “Think Globally,
Shop Locally!” As an added bonus, on this
night only, many merchants will be offering
special discounts.
Also, mark your calendar: RDA’s big
“Out and About” street festival is set for
Sunday, September 26, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
See you on the Avenue!
Chabot and Peralta Elementary schools are among four
Oakland schools to have received one of the state’s
most prestigious education honors, the 2010 California
Distinguished School Award, given to “the state’s most
exemplary and inspiring schools.” Chabot, Montclair, Peralta
and Thornhill share the honor with just 480 of the state’s
more than five thousand elementary schools, according to
news from the Oakland Unified School District.
Congratulations,
Chabot and
Peralta!
Photo: Joan Martin
Regency Antique Restoration
Professional and Experienced
ALL Furniture Repairs
In-Home Services
New finishes & waxing
FREE ESTIMATES
Pickup & Delivery
517-6280
Bruce Wagg
bruce@bayareaantiques.com
John Steven Morgan, left, and John
Thatcher “Thatch” Boomer, far right,
both play piano and switch off to give
each other a rest. On this day, Raymond
Young joined in on sax. What a lovely
moment — nice young guys with music
in their hearts and minds and now
sharing it with everyone.
To contact them for a gig, e-mail
jsmorgan87@yahoo.com.

5431 College Ave
        Oakland Ca 94618
510. 652. 5431

www.elizabethh.net

りきゅう
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.
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
Authentic Japanese Cuisine
ADDRESS 5335 College Avenue,

 Oakland, CA  94618
ADDRESS 5335 College Avenue,

 Oakland, CA  94618
Rikyu
TEL 510 595 7388
Rikyu
TEL 510 595 7388
JAPANESE RESTAURANT
JAPANESE RESTAURANT


8.

May 8, 2010

Rockridge Branch Library to Double DVD
Collection With Community’s Help

Follow our progress on FACEBOOK
through the GROUP, Rockridge
Community Planning Council.
by Annette Floystrup RCPC board
When Rockridge resident and RCPC
board member Jon Gabel learned that
Videots, the specialty video rental store in
Berkeley’s Elmwood district, was closing
and selling its stock of 10,000 DVDs, he
immediately realized the potential benefit
what was now called the Rockridge DVD
Project and library administrators.
Oakland Public Library (OPL) adminis-
tration was supportive from the outset with
Associate Director Gerry Garzon giving
the project solid backing. Garzon also lent
the services and expertise of Collection
Management Librarian
Randy McDevitt-Parks
and offered use of OPL
bar scanning equipment to
assist in creating a database
of the selected DVDs.
Meanwhile, Gabel and
his wife, Ligaya Yadao,
worked with local actor
and Videots employee
David Hern to select the
DVDs that would augment
the Rockridge Library
collection. Head Librar-
ian Pat Lichter allocated
additional shelf space,
and lent Rockridge librar-
ians Gay Ducey, Susy
Moorhead and Eve Buckner to the project.
Together with McDevitt-Parks, they sorted
through the DVDs, culling duplicates and
unsuitable titles, selecting 2,877 discs for
the branch.
Much of the work
to secure the DVDs for
the branch was done
by volunteer labor
and library staff time,
but about $32,000 is
needed to place the
DVDs on the branch’s
shelves, ready for cir-
culation. To secure
the DVDs before Videots closed, RCPC
lent the project $13,000 to purchase the
selected discs at $4 each. Cataloging costs
and a security case will total approximately
$7 per disc, although some DVDs will be
cased as pairs because they are television
series, reducing costs.
Next month, Gabel and Floystrup, with
the sponsorship of RCPC, will launch a
fundraising campaign to recoup purchase
and final shelving costs of the new collection.
Friends of the Rockridge Library (FORL) are
kicking off the $32,000 fundraising effort
with a $500 donation toward the purchase
of security cases.
Watch for the coming fundraising cam-
paign to learn how you, too, can help.
Jon Gabel contributed to this article
Oakland Public Library staff work hard at sorting DVDs.
They are, from left, Gay Ducey, Susy Moorhead, Eve
Buckner, and Randy McDevitt-Parks.   Photo: Jon Gabel
for the Rockridge Branch Library.
Videots, long a movie buff’s paradise,
has been known in the Bay Area for its
remarkable selection of American and
foreign movie clas-
sics from the silent
movie era forward,
documentaries, US
and British television
series, music perfor-
mances and more.
Gabel realized the
addition of appro-
priate selections of
Videots’ DVD collec-
tion to the Rockridge Library would attract
more patrons and expand circulation.
Gabel approached Videots owner John
Huffman about selling a portion of its
DVD stock at a sharp discount to bene-
fit the Rockridge Library. Huffman, a
lifelong fan of both libraries and movies,
readily agreed.
Working with RCPC board member
Annette Floystrup, Gabel next enlisted
the support of the Rockridge Community
Planning Council (RCPC) board of directors
and City Council President Jane Brunner’s
office, with aides Nila Kim and Maria Barra-
Gibson facilitating a relationship between
DVDs are the most popular
circulating item in the Rockridge
Library, with just over half
checked out at any given time.
2,877 DVD titles await cataloging
and security cases so they can
be added to the 2,800 DVDs
currently in the Rockridge Branch
Library collection.
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
a
cross-cultural congregation
striving to partner with
         the Rockridge community
   in lifestyle and service.
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
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.
May 8, 2010

Tips: Bike to Work Day

Rockridge Refreshes
Bike to Work Riders
Hank and Frank Bicycles is sponsoring
an “energizer station” at the Rockridge
BART station from 7 to 9 a.m., May 13, Bike
to Work Day. Those who work in downtown
Oakland can also participate in the
Bike Away From Work Party in
the Uptown area of Oakland, from
16th to 18th Streets along Telegraph
Avenue. There’ll be lots of exhibits
and shows, as well as food and drink
(please don’t drink and drive—even if it is
a bike). Sponsored by the East Bay Bicycle
Coalition and the East Bay Express.

by Ronnie Spitzer, RCPC board member
Join cyclists from around the Bay Area and ride your bike to work! The San Francisco
Bay Area’s 16th annual Bike to Work Day (BTWD) is Thursday, May 13, as part of
National Bike Month. For more information, see http://btwd.bayareabikes.org/ and Oak-
land’s BTW Day Web site: http://www.oaklandpw.com/page125.aspx
Bike Commute Tips
Check out your route in advance.
■
■

Make sure your bike is well tuned and your helmet fits.
■
■
Wear comfortable clothing.
■
■
Obey all traffic laws including stop signs and traffic lights.
■
■
Ride predictably, visibly and safely.
■
■

Get an early start.
■
■
If your ride includes BART, check BART’s Web site at www.bart.gov/guide/bikes/
bikeRules.aspx for bike rules, especially for morning and evening commute hours. Also, AC
Transit bus bike racks may be fuller than usual on Bike to Work Day; plan extra time.

Bicycle
Coalition
Offers
Bike Safety
Classes

Free East Bay Bicycle Coalition urban bicycle safety classes are offered in
May and June to teach cyclists how to safely share the road. Sign up at:
www.ebbc.org/safety.
Visit the Oakland Public Works Agency’s Bike to Work Day Web page:
www.oaklandpw.com/page125.aspx.
Jeff Auen
REMAX ACCORD
Residential
■
■
Income Properties
■
■
REO Specialist
■
■
WWW.REO-SFBay.COM
WWW.JLAHOMES.COM
JeffAuen@comcast.net
800-805-8827
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


10.

May 8, 2010

Photo: Don Kinkead

The Neighborhood Merchant
by Theresa Nelson

Dress: Luxury Attire on Loan
5332 College Avenue, Oakland
510/428-2208
hello@dress.com www.dress-sf.com
Tuesday—Saturday 11 a.m.—7 p.m.,
Sunday by appointment
Owner: JaiHonna German

Rent a Fabulous Dress for Just a Weekend?

Ever wish you could get a
terrific dress for a special
event, an auction, a wedding,
or anniversary? Well, now you
can rent—yes, rent—incredible
designer dresses for a frac-
tion of the price to buy. And,
with the selection you’ll find
at Dress: Luxury Attire on
Loan, you’ll never wear the
same dress twice and you’ll
look amazing for less than
the price of a pair of strappy
sandals.
Owner JaiHonna German
said that, to her knowledge,
there’s no one else in the Bay
Area leasing high-end special
occasion dresses. Judging by
the number of women who came to the store
on a recent Saturday, there is a demand for
ways to look terrific on a budget.
About half the available dresses are dressy
cocktail length (or shorter), and the rest are
floor length, some with trains,
for more formal occasions.
As JaiHonna noted, “If men
can rent a tuxedo, why can’t
women rent a formal dress?”
A great question, and thanks
to Dress: Luxury Attire on
Loan, now you can.
Women visiting the shop
browse the two longs racks
lining the walls. One rack
is mostly black dresses with
some white or cream. The
other is a riot of color—from
bright yel-
lows, subtle
corals and
fiery reds to
deep burgun-
dies, cerulean blues and leaf greens. The client
can bring her own favorite special occasion
shoes, and JaiHonna has rows of sparkly gold
sandals to wear while trying on dresses. Most
women select 6-8 dresses to try on, narrow it
down to favorites, sometimes returning later
with a friend, partner or relative to make
the final selection. The chosen dress is then
reserved with a short contract.
What kinds of dresses are available?
Stunning designs from top names: Carolina
Herrera, Marchesa, Vera Wang, Carmen
Marc Valvo, Tadashi Shoji, Monique Lhullier,
Badgley Mischka, Sue Wong, and one-of-a-
kind vintage wear, including some that look
straight out of “Mad Men” or a James Bond
film. Weekend rentals range from $65–$400,
including cleaning. Sizes range from 0–14,
with some size 16s coming in the fall. Since
some of these dresses retail for thousands of
dollars, it’s an exceptional value. If a wedding
party wants to lease dresses, there is a 10 per
cent discount for the group. And more than
a few women have leased a dress for a city
hall wedding.
To help in making a selection, JaiHonna
Showing Her Style:
Luxury Attire on Loan
Owner JaiHonna German
Neighborhood Merchant, page 11
➧➧
Mother’s Day Special!
(Mother’s Day is
Sunday, May 9, 2010.)
Mother’s Day Special!
(Mother’s Day is
Sunday, May 9, 2010.)
Gallery of Contemporary Jewelry and Art
Lireille
Gallery of Contemporary Jewelry and Art
Lireille
Gallery of Contemporary Jewelry and Art
Lireille
Buy anything over $150 at Lireille Gallery,
Get a pair of cuff links or your choice of jewelry for Him
FREE! (retail value up to$89)
Third Anniversary Sale!
Storewide! April Only!
Third Anniversary Sale!
Storewide! April Only!
Third Anniversary Sale!
Storewide! April Only!
* Offer valid until May 9th, 2010 or while supplies last.
3980 Piedmont Ave. Oakland
(across from Wells Fargo Bank)
Phone: 510-547-3455 www.lireille.com
3980 Piedmont Ave. Oakland
(across from Wells Fargo Bank)
Tel: 510-547-3455   www.lireille.com
3980 Piedmont Ave. Oakland
(across from Wells Fargo Bank)
Phone: 510-547-3455 www.lireille.com
Norman H. Burg, DDS
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
510-658-2599
Hourly consultation
to fit the size
of your interior or exterior
home projects.
www.angelissekarolcolor.com
A Prevention Oriented Practice


11.
May 8, 2010

develop the concept for the business. A friend
was attending President Obama’s inauguration
in January 2009, needed different dresses for
several events, and ended up renting a few
dresses at shops on the East Coast. JaiHonna
realized there might be a market for this ser-
vice in the Bay Area, developed a business
plan, found the space on College Avenue, and
opened in November 2009.
The shop is warm and inviting, with
enormous wood-framed mirrors so you can
see a dress from every angle. The rear wall
features a large painting of a long yellow dress,
by JaiHonna’s friend Karen McClinchy, who
also did the logo for the store. A central seating
area provides a place for friends and family to
relax while you try on dresses and accessories,
as two women did the day I visited.
JaiHonna selects dresses to fit a variety
of needs: professionals attending a black-tie
business event, the woman who wants to
look great for a gala, auction, charitable or
political function, young women beginning
their careers attending a first evening business
function, and, of course, anyone attending a
wedding or in the wedding party itself. Most
important, the dresses are selected to fit and
flatter real women’s bodies and shapes.
Neighborhood
Merchant
from page 10
says, “I ask a lot of questions: Will you be
mostly sitting or dancing? Will you be danc-
ing in a club or at a formal dinner? How
much are you willing to handle a train? Do
you want to look sexy or subdued?” Often
women have concerns about certain parts of
their bodies, and JaiHonna sees her role as
providing honest feedback, helping clients
select the most flattering dress and making
them feel comfortable. She helps style the
whole look for clients including bags, wraps
and jewelry, which are for sale. She collabo-
rates with College Avenue retailer Iniam to
offer a selection of well-priced jewelry, dangly
earrings, necklaces, rings and bracelets of
the type that complement the dresses, and
pashminas in a variety of colors. She also
offers shapewear of various types for sale,
including a selection of Spanx. Dressy bags
in gold, silver, pearly gray and colors are also
available for lease with a dress.
JaiHonna left Levi’s after a number of
years, and her background gave her the skills to

COLLINS ROOFING
Family Owned & Operated
482-2227  Seamus
www.collinsroofing.com
Quality Work  •  Free Estimates
Lic # 695711
Rockridge
Located on Market Hall’s Lower Level
Entry on Shafter Avenue
510-655-8808
www.curvesrockridge.com
Free Parking!
Across from BART
Open 7 Days
Mon- Fri  6:00 -7:30
Sat & Sun 8:00 - Noon

Delivery & Bundling Opportunities for The Rockridge News
Many thanks to Lucia Gill who will
soon be moving to Boston. Lucia
has been helping bundle the papers each
month for the last year as well as serv-
ing as both a district captain and a block
captain. We’ll miss her. Please consider
signing on to deliver The Rockridge News
or joining us at the bundling party from
4-5:30 p.m., first Friday of each month.
When you call or e-mail, please refer to
the route number you would like to work
with. Call 547-3855 or email smontauk@
gmail.com to volunteer.
The Right Agent Communicates Well!
The Piedmont Perspective

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.
Reconciliation
 Saturday, 4 p.m.
www.staugustineoakland.com

Route # Description
21N,O Block Captain: Both sides of
6300 Hillegass then along Alcatraz, odd
numbers from Colby
to College
www.rockridge.org
VOL. 25      NO. 5
  ISSUE NO. 267      May 8, 2010                        CIRCULATION: 5,100 RESIdENCES; 200 BUSINESSES
Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council • 5245 College Ave. PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94618 • 869-4200
9H Block Captain:
Up Keith from
McMillan to 5925
Broadway.
07  District Cap-
tain: 6 bundle
drops on blocks
off Broadway
RCPC Town Hall Meeting
AGENDA
May 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010, 7:30 p.m.
Land Use Update
FANS to Pursue
Reduced Scale for
Safeway Project
The city is expected to release the draft
Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
for a 45-day public review and comment
period in June or July. The 61,000 sq. ft.
project is proposed to replace the current
23,000 sq. ft. Safeway store and the “76”
service station at the Claremont/College
intersection.
Friends and Neighbors of College Avenue
(FANS), the local community coalition
challenging the project, is preparing a
technical-legal-political campaign to con-
vince Safeway and the city to scale down
the project to a more appropriate size for
the location. FANS can be contacted via
rockridgefans@gmail.com. RCPC is a
member of FANS.
The case planner handling the project
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College at Manila
Community Room (Upstairs)
League of Women Voters Presents Election Pros & Cons
T


he League of Women Voters of Oakland will present the pros
and cons of this June’s ballot propositions at the RCPC’s Town
Hall meeting, Thursday, May 20. Come learn more about who
is behind Props 16 and 17. Details below:
California’s statewide Direct Primary Election is on June 8, 2010. On the ballot are
five propositions that will affect all Californians. The League of Women Voters
of Oakland will present their neutral pros and cons of the propositions at RCPC’s
May meeting. The League of Women Voters (LWV) is a nonpartisan political orga-
nization encouraging informed and active participation in government. It influences
public policy through education and advocacy. The organization does not support
or oppose any political party or candidate.
The LWV presenters will be Terry Kulka and Megan Chenoweth. Terry has been
active with the League for almost 25 years, having served on the board of direc-
tors and various committees. She has presented pros and cons for the League for
about 15 years. Megan is a senior systems librarian at Innovative Interfaces Inc., an
Emeryville-based company that makes library software. Megan has been an Oakland
resident since 2006 and lives in the Piedmont Avenue neighborhood. She joined the
League in 2009. Both presenters are passionate about seeing that the voting public
is well informed and encouraged to vote—democracy is a beautiful thing.
Come find out more about the primary election and who is behind these ballot ini-
tiatives. You’ll also get a quick lesson in why you won’t be voting in a local primary.
RCPC Board Transitions
Into a New Term; One
Vacancy Remains
Safeway, page 3
 ➧
More


 Land Use Updates, page 3
At the April RCPC Town Hall: OPD Chief Batts
Aby Stuart Flashman, chair, RCPC
With the end of their terms of office,
three members have left the RCPC
board of directors. directors doug Patton,
Katy Taylor, and Joan Martin had each served
one two-year term on the board. In addition,
Joan had served as the RCPC treasurer. The
three made major contributions to keeping
RCPC running, and deserve all our thanks.
Merchant member Jennifer Kaplan has served
a year on the board and has announced her
intention to leave the position. The board
appreciates and will miss her contributions
ddressing Rockridge neighbors at the April
RCPC Town Hall meeting, OPD Chief
Anthony Batts declared he worked with good
police officers but a broken system. “Oakland
should have 800 more officers,” he said. His
policing emphasis will be
on guns, gangs and drugs,
he added. Promising
a changed police
department, Batts
emphasized the
new OPD motto:
“We will be there
when you need us.”
P
/t
: D
 K
Put the mettle to the pedal! Bike to Work Day, Tuesday, May 13.
Hank & Frank’s provides an Energizer Station. Details, page 9.
RCPC Board Transitions, page 12
 ➧

Welcoming boys & girls ages 5 and up
(510) 547-4441 www.piedmontchoirs.org
PIEDMONT EAST BAY CHILDREN’S CHOIR
piedmontperspective.com
Julie Gardner
510.339.0400/264
jgardner@grubbco.com
GRUBBCO.COM


12.

May 8, 2010
RCPC Board in
Transition

Frank Castro Elected NCPC Chair

from page 1
In one of three community organization
elections held during the April joint
NCPC-RCPC Town Hall meeting, Frank
Castro, acting chair of the Neighborhood
Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) up to the
time of the election, was the only candidate
for the chair’s position and was unanimously
acclaimed chair by those voting.
Prior to the election, Castro had submitted
the following statement to The Rockridge
News about his involvement in the NCPC:
“Last September I noticed an e-mail
about an NCPC meeting taking place at
the Rockridge Library to discuss reducing
crime in Rockridge. When I showed up at
the meeting, I thought to myself, ‘Why are
all these cops here?’
“This was my first exposure to the great
job the Greater Rockridge NCPC, in partner-
ship with the Oakland Police Department,
does to help my fellow Rockridge residents
solve crime and public safety issues. I was
so impressed that I volunteered to serve as

to the organization.
Voting at the April 8 RCPC annual meet-
ing and the following Saturday, Rockridge
residents re-elected current board members
Annette Floystrup (29 votes), Jon Gabel
(27 votes), and Stuart Flashman (28 votes),
and newly elected Melinda Frey (36 votes)
and Chris Walters (27 votes). Chris and
Melinda are attorneys, although Melinda is
not practicing. Melinda’s interest is public
safety issues, while Chris is interested in
land use issues. RCPC welcomes its two
new board members.
The board later elected the following
set of officers: chair—Stuart Flashman;
vice-chair—Andrew Charman; treasurer—
Cesar Angobaldo; secretary—Michael Kan.
Current committee chairs and liaisons were
confirmed for reappointment.
The elected member and the merchant
member vacancies will be filled by the board
at its June meeting. If you are interested in
serving on the RCPC board, submit a short
(150 words or less) statement of interest
by either mail or e-mail. All statements of
interest must be received by May 31.
Send your letter to RCPC, 5245 College
Avenue, PMB 311, Oakland, 94618, or via
e-mail to chair@rockridge.org.
Results of FORL
Board Election
On April 8, the Friends of the
Rockridge Library (FORL) held
its election for members of the FORL
board concurrent with the Rockridge
Community Planning Council (RCPC)
annual meeting and the RCPC board elec-
tions. David Brown,
Karen Carlson,
Jane McDermott,
Kristine Carraway,
and Tracy Weber,
incumbents, and
Kim Budinger, a
new member, were
elected for two-year
terms of office. The board looks forward
to providing continued support to the
Rockridge branch of the public library.

vice-chair. Four short months later, Chris
Jackson stepped down as chair and I assumed
the position on an acting basis.
“My main focus now is to increase the
number of Rockridge residents that attend
these meet-
ings. There
is a wealth
of knowledge
presented at
t h e  m e e t-
ings, ranging
from crime
statistics to
reports from
our Problem
Solving Officers to special speakers on
various subjects.
“I strongly believe that an ‘informed
neighborhood’ is a safer neighborhood. I
have lived in Rockridge for over eight years
and feel a certain pride in doing what I can
to help keep our neighborhood safe.”










13.
May 8, 2010

Stained Glass in Rockridge
by Bill Kaufner, RCPC, board member
When you think of stained glass,
you might think of Tiffany lamps,
church windows, or hanging panels in
friends’ windows. If you take a slow
walk among Rockridge
homes on either side of
College Avenue, you should
find a number of homes
with small stained glass
windows or doors. The
windows are often set on
either side of the external
brick of the fireplace with
botanical themes reflect-
ing the Arts and Crafts
heritage. Tulips predomi-
nate, although more contemporary floral
and arboreal depictions are in evidence.
Another theme to be found is nautical,
with images of sailboats and steamships.
Most interesting are windows of Dutch
windmills and canal boats on a home on
Taft Avenue.
Most of our neighborhood’s stained
glass appears to be original construction.
There are also window-inset stained glass
panels of more recent vintage in windows
and doors. So take some time to see our
local glass heritage. Think about adding
a window or door panel that will bring a
multi-hued color array and a bit of history
to your home. I did.
It came about when a visiting friend
remarked that she was taking a stained glass
workshop at Studio One near Oakland
Tech and needed a project. She pointed
out a window that was perfect for a stained
glass insert. After research in books
about Craftsman Cottages and a survey
of nearby stained glass windows, a design
was chosen: Three red tulips surrounded
by various types of glass panels.
The execution took six months but
the results were worth it. Magical glows
of varying intensities at different times
of the day illuminate the anteroom to
my home.
California College of the Arts
extended
education
summer
201 0
Summer registration is happening now!
www.cca.edu/extended
Computers
CCA Extended Education classes range from
one-session workshops to 10-session courses
design
Day, evening, and weekend classes
San Francisco and Oakland campuses
fine arts/2d/3d/4d
For course listings and registration information
visit www.cca.edu/extended
or call 510.594.3710
writing
Register as soon as possible to ensure your place in class.

Design, Installation and Maintenance
Native Plant Gardens & Stonework
Andrea Hurd, Horticulturist and Stonemason
License #883905 h tel. 510.558.8429
www.mariposagardening.com
WINSTON’S PLUMBING
HEATING & ELECTRICAL
lic.# 537739/554406
Since 1979
• Trenchless Sewers
• Earthquake Protection
• Tankless Water Heaters
• Remodel & Repair
510-652-8014
www.winstonsplumbing.com
“”May your toilet never runneth over!”


14.

May 8, 2010

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
Home Repairs/Remodeling
Skilled carpentry and handyman services, 36
yrs. Experience. Large and small jobs. Friendly
and accountable. Rockridge neighbor. Hourly
rates available. Licensed (#509690) and insured.
Local references. Jim Harker: 510/381-6401,
jimrharker@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. June deadline is May 20.
For information: smontauk@gmail.com
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.
Spectacular Service
Housekeeping
We provide quality housecleaning. We use
eco-friendly products because the planet is
important to us. Let us create free time for
you... call today! 510.228.5704 excellent recom-
mendations, Licensed, bonded & insured.
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.
Landscape Design
Need to refresh your landscape? Consultations,
plans, planting design, edible gardens, landscape
structure permit drawings, extensive horti-
cultural education and experience, complete
portfolio and excellent references. Please call
Kathleen Carson-Asher 510/531-4905 www.
landesign.us
Organizing Angel
I specialize in making stacked-up papers dis-
appear. Working together, we’ll clean up and
organize your office or study, so you can feel
more free and fresh! Experienced materials
organizer. MFT, Phyllis Greenwood. 510/523-
0656.
Beautiful Home in
Waimea, Hawaii (Big Island)
3br+, furnished. Utilities, yard work, house-
keeping included. Fifteen minutes to best
beaches. Dogs OK. One year swap for home
near UCSF or Oakland/Berkeley near BART.
anuenuecottage.com. 406/581-0701. mary@
yestech.com
Summer Cooking Camps
Give your kids a head start in eating right.
Using organic, seasonal, unrefined ingredients,
students will learn to cook creatively and
instinctually in our weeklong summer sessions
beginning July 12th. www.smallstepscooking.
com. 415/420-5413.
Mexican Vacation Home
Rental
Beautiful 4-bedroom, 3-bath beachfront
villa for rent near Tulum, 1.5 hours south of
Cancun. Sleeps up to 8, reasonable rates, sits
on gorgeous, secluded beach. Visit casarosa.
cc or call 510/510-2299.
Experienced Math &
Science Tutor
For middle school students, freshmen and
sophomores. College Prep graduate $30/hr.
510/406-3219.
Patios, Decks, Fencing $25/hr
Earthquake retrofitting, custom artistic tiling,
construction. Quality work. Lots of Rockridge
references – over 20 years experience. See our
website at: www.Diegodesigns.com Call Diego:
510/828-9473. “We listen to your dreams.”
Home Repair Expert
Carpentry, remodeling. Doors and windows,
glass and locks, small electrical, plumbing jobs,
drywall, painting, fences, decks and other odd
jobs. Good rates. Rick 510/761-7168.
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.
Native Sun Gardens/
Ecological Landscape Design
Complement your home w/a drought tolerant
garden. CA natives, Mediterranean and edibles.
Plant lists, consultation & design. Petrol-free.
Included on the B.B.T. Natives Garden Tour.
Joshua Burman Thayer 510/332-2809. www.
nativesungardens.com
Penelope’s Aesthetics:
Certified Organic Treatments
Paraben, Silicone, and artificial coloring-free
facial treatments on special now for $49.
Experience a complete European facial with
massage, using eco-cert products. www.
penelopecalef.com. Call for an appointment.
510/594-1552.
Doggie Day Care
Looking for other doggie families to trade day
care. 1-year old energetic puppy needs exercise
and socialization. Would like to trade occasional
evenings, too. 510/547-8788.
Traditional Karate —
Montclair Rec Center
Respectful, safe, yet intense training. Instructor
Jeff Violet, 5th degree Black Belt, American
Shorin-Ryu Federation. Class begins May 11.
$75/6 weeks (2 classes/week). Call 510/482-
7812 or oaklandsrkarate@gmail.com.
TAI CHI and QIGONG
New beginners welcome. Thursday morning
beginners 9:30. Saturday morning beginners
9:00. Rockridge BKU Methodist Church, 303
Hudson at College. For details please visit our
website www.harmonytaiji.com or phone Gail
415/786-2469.
Serious About Your Writing?
We are too. Benefit from a 23-year-old
method developed by Pulitzer-Prize winner
Philip Schultz. 10-week workshops in fiction
& poetry. Rockridge, Oakland. Mark Peterson:
415/321-9728. mark@writerstudio.com www.
writerstudio.com
Non-Toxic House Cleaning
Lotus Cleaning Services provides excellent
service while protecting your health and the
planet. Licensed, bonded and insured. Experi-
enced, reliable cleaners. Great for households
with allergies, asthma, small children. Rea-
sonable rates. 510/452-0755, lotusclean@
comcast.net
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.
Henry C. Levy & Co.
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Certified Public Accountants
and Consultants
A Professional Corporation
■
• tax preparation • estate planning
• tax planning
• business valuation
5940 College Avenue, Suite C
Oakland, California 94618
510.652-1000   FAX 510.654-2363
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.


15.
May 8, 2010

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

Street. Outside venue: bring a blanket,/lawn chair and
picnic. For reservations (highly recommended), RSVP
to info@WisteriaWays.org or 655-2771.
Singers Wanted

Community Calendar

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.
Calling All Incoming Peralta
Elementary School Kindergarten Kids
Greater Rockridge Neighborhood
Crime Prevention Council (NCPC)
Residents and business members of NCPC’s 12Y and
13X areas are invited to voice their concerns about
crime and public safety, 2nd Thursday each month,
7pm. Rockridge Library, upstairs meeting room, 5366
College Ave. Info: chair@rockridgencpc.com.
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
in June due to Memorial Day Holiday. More info:
597-5017.
ART EXHIBITS: (Call to confirm)
Gallery:
May:
■
■
Merritt College portrait class.
June:
■
■
Aya Harashima: oil paintings.
Lobby Display Case:
May:
■
■
Nancy Elliot: watercolors.
June:
■
■
Lori Fisher: handmade dolls.
Meet each other and families at play-dates on Sunday,
5/16 and Saturday, 5/29: 9:30am at Colby Park (61st
Street between Colby and Canning). Info: Nicole Aruda,
547-7976 or nicaruda@earthlink.net.
North Oakland Senior Center
FOR CHILDREN:
Toddler Story Time:
■
■
 Every Sat., 10:30am.
Pre-School Story Time:
■
■
 1st and 3rd Wed.,
10:30am.
Baby and Toddler Story Time:
■
■
 1st and 3rd Wed.,
10:30am, upstairs.
✬ CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS ✬ Library enthusiasts
11 to 16 yrs. needed for the Summer Reading Program
which starts on June 12. Orientations will take place in
early June. Contact Erica at 597-5017 or drop by to fill
out a volunteer application.
LIBRARY HOURS
Tues., 12:30 to 8pm.
Wed., Thurs. and Sat., 10am to 5:30pm.
Fri., 12 to 5:30pm. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Also closed Tues., 6/1.
Diesel Book/Poetry Readings/Events
All events are FREE and open to the public.
Mon., 5/10, 7pm.
■
■
Amnesty International Meeting
(2nd Monday each month): All invited to exchange
ideas on action.
Tues., 5/11, 7pm.
■
■
Deborah Burnes: Look Great, Live
Green: Choosing Beauty Solutions That Are Planet-
Safe and Budget-Smart.
Thurs., 5/13, 7pm.
■
■
Greil Marcus: When That Rough
God Goes Riding: Listening to Van Morrison.
Sunday, 5/16, 3pm. Local author
■
■
Aife Murray: Maid
as Muse: How Servants Changed Emily Dickinson’s
Life and Language.
Sun., 5/23, 3pm.
■
■
Poetry Flash with Steve Kowit and
Alicia Suskin Ostriker.
Thurs., 6/3, 7pm. Cartoonist and local author
■
■
Daniel
Clowes: Wilson.
Sun., 6/6, 3pm.
■
■
Poetry Flash with Tom Healy, Martha
Rhodes and Alissa Valles.
Sun., 6/13, 3pm. Book Launch Party for local journalist
■
■
Program Highlights: Computer classes; health Insur-
ance counseling and advocacy program; exercise
classes; trips, tours and theater outings; Alzheimer’s
Caregivers Support Groups and more.
Loan Modification Clinic: Free
■
■
 professional help. Tues.,
5/11, 10:30am to noon. Register: 271-8443 ext 307.
Giant Community Flea Market:
■
■
 vendor spaces
available $15 ($10 for Sr. Center members). Saturday,
June 5. Call Center for more info.
Hrs: Mon.—Fri., 8:45am to 4:45pm. Note: closed Monday,
5/31 for Memorial Day. 5714 Martin Luther King, Jr.
Way. Closed: 11/11, 11/26-27, and 11/30 (mandatory
shutdown).Subscribe to “The North Oakland Senior
Times,” for a full schedule of classes/events, monthly
lunch menu, membership, and opportunities to become
a volunteer: 597-5085.
American Red Cross
 ■
■Mobile Blood Drives: During May, all presenting donors
can enter a drawing to win a $100 Home Depot gift
card. There will be 4 weekly drawings and 4 winners.
Note: promotion not available at high school or college
blood drives. Call 1/800-RED CROSS (800/733-2767)
or visit www.redcrossblood.org for a location near you.
 ■
■Volunteer Orientations: 5/11, 5/19 and 5/25 from 6 to
8pm. Tour the Oakland Blood Center. Learn to assist
blood donors, deliver blood, help with special projects
and more. 6230 Claremont Avenue (across from College
Ave. Safeway). For training schedules and to sign up, call
Anne at 594-5165 or BlackstoneA@usa.redcross.org.
FOR TEENS:
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 room.
FOR ADULTS:
Writers’ Support/Critique Group:
■
■
 All writers welcome.
Bring at least 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). Third Saturday each
month, 1 to 5pm. Sponsored by the California Writers
Club, Berkeley branch (www.berkeleywritersclub.org.)
Info: 420-8775 or Writefox@aol.com.
Lawyers in the Library:
■
■
 Free legal advice and
referrals. First Tues. each month, 6 to 8pm (call to
confirm). Advance sign-up starts 5pm. Cancelled
and author Laura Fraser: All Over the Map.
DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. 653-9965 or
www.dieselbookstore.com.
Wisteria Ways Concert Series
Molly’s Revenge with Moira Smiley: Celtic music
band. Sunday, June 5, 3pm (door opens 2:30pm). $15-20
donation for musicians (cash only at the door).383 61st
Complete architectural
services since 1970
5278 College Avenue
Oakland, CA  94618
(510) 654-6755   fax 654-3424
Peace of Mind
Bodywork
A touch therapy to relax
the fabric of your being.
Sharon Smith, CMT
6097 Claremont Ave., Oakland
www.peaceofmindbodywork.com
510-461-6431


16.

May 8, 2010

INTERIOR-EXTERIOR LEAD
CERTIFIED PAINTERS
Professional preparation. Many local
references. All work Guaranteed
(510) 654-3339
aboutface&body
dayspa      oaklandberkeley
serving you since 1981
Specialists in
Brazilian waxing
3190 college avenue
at alcatraz
berkeley, ca 94705
p 510.428.2600
www.aboutfaceandbody.net
sun-tues 10:30-5:30
wed-sat 10:30-8:00
KEVIN BROWN
Broker
654-8707 or 593-4780
PROVIDING

Professional,

Full Service

Real Estate Brokerage

To Rockridge Clients
 For Over 26 Years.
SPECIALIZING IN

WResidential Sales

WIncome Property

WCommercial

WProperty Management
29
Better Homes
Realty
5353 College Avenue
Oakland

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Mon – Fri  9:30 – 6:00
Sat  9:30 – 5:00
CHIMES
PHARMACY
Serving Rockridge Since 1909
3210 College Avenue
Near Alcatraz
652-1990
Rockridge:  5400 College Avenue
 Elmwood:  2930 College Avenue
Weekend Brunch in Elmwood
For Sale – rockridge
5556 claremont ave. (price reduced) 2beds/1bath   $759,000
Huge Private Lot w/Darling Craftsman Bungalow
www.5556claremont.com  –  chabot elementary
5558 claremont ave. (price reduced) 4beds/2baths   $759,000
2-story Craftsman w/full Basement
www.5558claremont.com  -  chabot elementary
Sustainable Living
Starts at Home
5377 locksley ave.  3beds/2baths   $1,095,000
Redone blending the old & new seamlessly
www.5377locksley.com  -  chabot elementary
431 clifton ave. 3beds/2baths  $929,500
Redone from Ground Up – New Modern Interior
www.431clifton.com
Sustainable Building
Starts at Ashby Lumber
coming Soon – rockridge
dana St. 2+Beds/1+baths     Price Upon Request
Amazing Craftsman Bungalow
Original Charm, Updated Eat-in Kitchen & Baths
Detached Garage-mahal Office/??
award Winning Peralta elementary
Looking for a Contractor?
Visit our Contractor Directory
at ashbylumber.com
rockridge Blvd. 4+beds/2+baths   Price Upon Request
Grand Traditional 2-Story Home – Perfect Floor Plan for
Entertaining & Family - Master Suite, Huge Living &
Dining Rooms. award Winning chabot elementary

For Sale – TemeScal
.
824 Ashby Avenue    Berkeley
Ph: 510.843.4832  Fax: 510.843.3840
4803 Webster St. Duplex
2beds/1+baths & 1+beds/1+baths
2 Charming Flats w/ Garages & Garden   $697,000
www.4803Webster.com
Pending – rockridge
5415 manila ave – 3beds/1bath $779,000
Amazing Gumwood Detailing in Classic Craftsman
www.5415manila.com       Pending Sale
463 cavour ave.   3beds/2baths   $719,000
Clean and Solid on a huge park-like south facing level lot
www.463cavour.com
Pending Sale
5326 James ave.   2beds/1bath   $769,000
Perfect Craftsman Bungalow on most desirable Street
www.53326James.com    Pending Sale
L A W T O N
ron kriss, Broker
lawton associates
510-547-5970 Ext. 55
ronkriss@jps.net
A S S O C I A T E S
“#1 in Rockridge Real Estate”
www.lawtonassoc.com
R E A L   E S T A T E
B R O K E R A G E
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