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www.rockridge.org

Happy
4th of
July!

!
Remember:
No Newsletter
in August.

VOL. 26      NO. 7      ISSUE NO. 280        July 2, 2011                          CIRCULATION: 5, 500 Residences; 200 BusInesses

Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council • 4123 Broadway, PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94611 • 869-4200

RCPC and Rockridge NCPC Co-Host July Town Hall Meeting

by Karen Ivy, NCPC secretary and
information officer, and
Denise Boisvert-Jorgensen, treasurer
Neighborhood Crime Prevention Coun-
cils (NCPCs) are part of Oakland’s
Community Policing program. In 1996,
the City Council established a community
policing strategy of creating “a working
partnership between the community and the
police... to analyze neighborhood problems,
set priorities, develop strategies, and work
together to improve the quality of life in
our neighborhoods.”
NCPCs provide forums for all individuals
and neighborhood groups (including block
clubs, neighborhood watch programs,
community-based organizations, merchant
associations, citizen associations, houses of
worship), to participate in making their com-
munities better, safer, and stronger. They are
organized and run by local citizen volunteers,
and supported – but not controlled – by the
Oakland Police Department (OPD). OPD
➧➧NCPC-RCPC, page 5

21
AGENDA
July RCPC
Town Hall Meeting
■
■Joint Meeting: RCPC and NCPC
discuss crime and crime prevention in
Oakland and Rockridge.
■
■Jane Brunner’s aide and an OPD
representative discuss budget impacts.
See page 2.
Thursday, July 21 | 7:30-9 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library,
5366 College at Manila

RDA Brings Art
to College Avenue
Get the Inside Scoop on Rockridge Kitchens
by Natalie Mehta, chair,
RCPC Kitchen Tour
Come join the fun and get the inside
scoop on Rockridge’s recently reno-
vated kitchens by volunteering to be a
docent for the 2011 Rockridge Kitchen
Tour. Docents, who guide guests in the
tour’s featured kitchens, receive a pre-tour
that offers a behind-the-scenes look at
the elements and stories that impressed

Docent Volunteers Invited to Join  Kitchen Tour Fun

RCPC Kitchen Tour October 2
our selection committee. In addition,
docents receive a complimentary ticket
to visit the other kitchens on the day of
the event.
If you enjoy “back-stage” access and
have a few hours to contribute to your
community on October 2, please contact
Nancy Sale at 510/655-4625 for more
information about volunteering.
 More on the Kitchen Tour, page 3
Residents to Give Neglected
Off-Ramps Cleanup/Facelift
Photo: Chris Jackson
Strollers study a photograph from
1930s Oakland displayed on College.
by Chris Jackson, RDA operations mgr.
The Rockridge District Association
(RDA) invites you to enjoy a window
display of photos of the early days of
Rockridge, North Oakland, and the Bay
Area.
RDA, the Masonic Lodge and John
Bosko of Bosko’s Framing Gallery have
teamed up to fill the street-front bays of
the now-vacant dance studio space in the
lodge building at 5451 College Avenue with
photos and camera memorabilia, providing
a window into our past.
‘When Neighbors Know
Each Other,
Neighborhoods Are Safer.’
 Learn how to participate in
National Night Out activities, page 10.
Photo: Peter Lund
Three area residents seek to landscape
Highway 24 on- and off-ramps along
Claremont Avenue at Hudson Street and at
Clifton Street. Above: the bedraggled off-
ramp at Clifton and Claremont. Story, page 8.
➧➧Storefront Art, page 10


July 2, 2011
2.

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY

Details: July Special Co-Hosted Town Hall Meeting

5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.
n	 RCPC and NCPC Report on Crime
n	 Impacts of New City Budget
Mayor Jean Quan and the City Council
worked feverishly to approve a city
budget for the coming year prior to the
June 30 deadline.
Come to the July Joint RCPC/NCPC
Town Hall Meeting and hear what hap-
pened when the dust settled, and what it
will mean for Rockridge.
Zac Wald, Councilmember Jane Brun-
ner’s chief of staff, will tell us how the
Thursday, July 21 | 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Rockridge Library Meeting Room
12:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
12 – 5:30 p.m.
CLOSED
CLOSED: Sundays and Mondays and Tues., 7/5
deal finally went down and what we can
expect in Rockridge as a result. A repre-
sentative from OPD will then describe
how OPD is maintaining public safety
and community policing with severely
limited resources.
There will be time to ask questions,
make comments, and discuss what it will
mean for our community.
— Stuart Flashman
The Rockridge News, founded in 1986 by Don Kinkead,
is published monthly in Oakland and is sponsored by
the Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC),
a nonprofit public benefit organization founded to:
preserve and enhance the unique character of the
Rockridge neighborhood; promote the health, safety
and quality of life of its residents; furnish a forum for
community involvement, and provide leadership and
representation of neighborhood interests.
Rockridge News Production
Don Kinkead	�����������������������Editor
Ortrun Niesar.....................The Muse
Barry Kaufman	�������������������Food
Jo Ellis	�����������������������������������Advertising &
Community Calendar
Theresa Nelson	��������������������Neighborhood Merchant
Susan Montauk	�������������������Business Manager
Don Kinkead	�����������������������Graphics & Layout
RCPC Board of Directors, 2011-2012
Stuart Flashman	�����������������Chair
Ashley Etling	�����������������������Vice-Chair
Michael Kan	������������������������Secretary
Cesar Angobaldo	���������������Treasurer
Andrew Charman	��������������At-Large Exec Comm.
Annette Floystrup, Jonathan Gabel,
William Kaufner, Don Kinkead, Alex Naughton,
Ronnie Spitzer, Ann Winterman
Contact the Board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
Report: June Town Hall Meeting
Continues ‘Land Use for the Rest of Us’
R
CPC’s June town Hall meeting featured
the second of three talks to explain
Oakland’s land use decision process.
This is something that affects all of us in
Rockridge, but is usually put in a mixture
of legalese and mysterious phrases and
acronyms. RCPC Land Use Committee
Chair Stuart Flashman presented the subject
in straightforward rather than bureaucratic
language. He started with a brief review of
his previous talk, which had covered the
city’s general plan and zoning. He then
discussed what happens with an individual
project, the administrative, as opposed to
the legislative aspect of land use approvals.
Subdivision maps, conditional use permits,
and variances were each covered, along with
their general rules and some quirks peculiar
to Oakland’s process. He also explained
some of the state law requirements that
must be met in considering approving a
development project.
The third and final segment, to be pre-
sented at a future Town Hall meeting, will
discuss what happens when things haven’t
been done right — land use litigation, and
why it sometimes can provide relief, and
sometimes not.           — Stuart Flashman
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, 4123 Broadway, PMB 311,
Oakland, CA 94611
RCPC Voice-mail: 510/869-4200
AC Transit Makes Changes in 51B and 851 Schedules
A
C Transit reports several service
changes on many bus lines, including
the 51B and 851 lines serving Rockridge:
n 51B:  Northbound: trips departing
Rockridge BART before 5:30 a.m. and
after 12:05 a.m. discontinued every day.
Southbound: trips departing either Berkeley
Marina or Berkeley Amtrak after 12 a.m.
discontinued. Other schedule adjustments
to improve transfers between lines 51A
and 51B at Rockridge BART were made.
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.
n 851: Trips departing Alameda at 5:15
a.m. on weekdays, and Berkeley BART at
5:05 a.m. on weekends, discontinued.
View the new schedules at http://www.
actransit.org/maps/.
Sign-up for AC Transit’s e-News: http://
www.actransit.org/customer/subscribe-to-
e-news/. Receive timely schedule updates.
Newsletter Advertising/Deadlines
Publication date of the next issue is
  September 3, 2011 (No issue in August)
  September deadline is August 18, 2011.
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.)
Route and Web information issued by AC Transit
Marketing & Community Relations department..


July 2, 2011

3.

The 3 Rs of Kitchen Renovation; After-Use Opportunities

“greenest” alternative is to retain functioning
appliances, keeping them out of the landfill
while keeping money in your pocket.
Put your imagination to work and
envision a new life for old parts. An old
window could be backed with mirror and
used as a design element in the front entry.
An old cabinet could be retrofitted with a
stone top and made into a new bathroom
sink cabinet.
by Natalie Mehta, chair,
RCPC Kitchen Tour
Reduce – Reuse – Recycle. We sort
our weekly items into the grey, brown,
and green bins, but can these principles
be applied to a kitchen renovation? There
are many options available that are kinder
and gentler to both the environment and
the pocketbook – and it takes just a little
planning and consideration.
Re
f
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s
v
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c
a
O F  R O C K R I D G E  K I T C H E N S
A  T A S T E F U L  T O U R
e
t
i
p
o
s
Rockridge
Kitchens
Sunday,
October 2,
n
A
P L A N N I N G  C O U N C I L
ROCKRIDGE COMMUNIT Y
e
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u
2011
Rc
n	 Recycle –  if you can’t imagine
a new use, get in touch with resources like
Urban Ore, Ohmega Salvage, or Habitat for
Humanity’s ReStore. Individual guidelines
differ, but most of them happily accept old
cabinets, appliances, fixtures, and even
construction surplus (grout, tile, trim,
windows). They may even give you store
credit to apply to purchases.
Ideas for applying these principles are
endless, so plan to see many of these ideas
in action on the Rockridge Kitchen Tour
— Sunday, October 2, 2011.
n	 Reduce – Renovation project
waste can be substantial, but can be vastly
reduced by considering “deconstruction”
rather than “demolition.” The former is a
precise approach that carefully dismantles
building elements such as trim, windows,
and cabinets, ensuring the items are still
usable. While it may take a little more time,
the amount of landfill waste can be greatly
diminished, and the salvaged items may be
reused in your project or donated/sold to a
variety of organizations.
In addition, kitchens and their appliances
are notorious energy hogs, but good design
can drastically improve efficiency. Carroll
Moore, a design expert and owner of Right
Design Lab, applies his 25 years of sustain-
able design experience in a two-phased
approach. First, he limits toxicity levels by
selecting paints, adhesives, insulation, and
other products with low to no off-gassing
properties, ensuring a healthy environment
for the inhabitants. Second, he specifies
products that maximize energy savings.
Insulation, double paned windows, LED
lighting, tankless hot water heaters, and
radiant heating are just a few of the available
e
–
–
e
s
Ru
e
options. With new products coming on the
market all the time, Moore is enthusiastic
about the large variety of options, and more
accessible price points that are available
to owners.
n	 Reuse – Many elements of your
existing kitchen can be reused. Rob Ades,
owner of M&C Construction, specializes in
kitchen and bathroom renovations, and sug-
gests preserving not only existing windows
and trim, but even the wall studs. Original
studs were full 2x4s, not the “nominal”
versions sold now, and are generally old
growth wood that is denser, stronger, and
drier, making it less susceptible to the twist-
ing and warping of new wood.
Ades recommends that windows inap-
propriately placed in the current space
can be moved to add natural light to other
areas of the home. Also, existing cabinets
can be refaced to update and improve their
appearance, or can be moved to the garage
or basement to expand storage. And if you
don’t need the latest model appliance, the
Labor Day Library
Grounds Clean-Up
In time for the start of the school year,
Jennifer Kaplan of Rockridge Home,
5418 College Avenue, is organizing her third
annual Labor Day weekend clean-up of the
library grounds.
Put September 4 on your calendar, 10
a.m., and come ready to help weed-whack
weeds, trim rangy bushes and chat with other
library helpers. Bring your own gloves and
tools: weeders, pruners, etc. We provide bags
for green waste and trash. Refreshments
will be supplied.
If you can’t make it this time, watch for
other clean-up days in the future.
— Carol Bieri,
Friends of the
Rockridge Library
The Zoning Counter
5855 Chabot Road
Proposal: To establish a common driveway
between two existing residential properties by
increasing an existing driveway to 19-ft. in width
to create a new open parking space.
Applicant: Ben Bargellini; Phone: 206/604-1261
Owner: PDR Properties LLC
Planning Permits Required: Minor Conditional
Use Permit to establish a Common Driveway
between two existing residential properties per
Planning Code Sec. 17.102.090
Historic Status: Potential Designated Historic
Property (PDHP);
Survey Rating: D2+
Case Planner: Jason Madani, 510/238-4790, or
jsmadani@oaklandnet.com
The Land Use Committee held no
meeting in June. Plan to attend the
next meeting to be held August 24.
The RCPC Land Use Committee meets
the fourth Wednesday of the month at
the Rockridge Branch Library, Upstairs
Meeting Room, 7:30 p.m. Next meeting:
August 24. Subject to change. Check www.
rockridge.org for meeting updates.
Land Use Meeting Agendas:
Contact Stuart Flashman at 652-5373, or
chair@rockridge.org for a copy of the
current Land Use Committee meeting agenda.


July 2, 2011
4.

Letters to the Editor
for decades because there’s money to be made
here. But, their interests are not necessarily
our interests.
The “Old Fogies” and their younger col-
leagues may well not represent the thinking
of many in the neighborhood, but they have
worked hard and fought many battles to keep
Rockridge the place we choose to live in, the
place that many choose to pay a fortune to
live in. They deserve a lot of credit for this
place we call home.
— Claire Lomax
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.

Thirty Years of Loving Care Make My Back Yard Pleasant, Peaceful
Editor:

Am I a NIMBY if I say good neighbors
make good fences? On every side, our good
neighbors shared the cost and the labor to
build the fences around our back yards. We
cleared the ivy where the rats lurked, and we
welcome the patrols by the orange tomcat
next door. Lately some two-legged rats have
been climbing the fences and scratching at the
back doors. Now our block is getting together
again to revive our Neighborhood Watch.
Our back yard is pleasant and peaceful
enough, in spite of the trains and traffic
roaring above. We didn’t want more from a
fourth bore, but that’s the price of progress,
we’re told. Maybe sound walls will make
things quieter. But we wouldn’t even get the
chance to find out if the neighbors hadn’t
stood up and made some noise of their own.
No, our back yard didn’t just happen,
and it doesn’t take care of itself. Neither
does any other Rockridge back yard. It
takes work. It takes planning, and it takes a
community. So when someone is willing to
do the work of the Rockridge Community
Planning Council, the least I can do is get
up and vote.
Thanks for the wake-up call; sorry I was
caught napping in my back yard.
— Chuck Afflerbach
So we finally elected a new RCPC board,
and it only took us two tries. [Rockridge
News, June 2011.] The candidates were
unopposed; all we had to do was show up
and give them our okay. But we couldn’t
even manage a quorum in the first attempt.
A pretty namby-pamby effort for a so-called
NIMBY neighborhood.
I’m embarrassed to say that I was one of
those residents too “busy” to vote the first
time around. I figured things would just
happen, like they always do. The neighbor-
hood would take care of itself. Isn’t that what
makes Rockridge one of the most popular
spots in the Bay Area? I could stay home
and mind my own back yard.
And it’s a nice back yard, after thirty
years of loving care. (Before this yard, the
wife had a nice back yard two blocks away,
but somebody built a freeway through it.)
We’ve got an ancient lemon tree planted
by a previous owner. The plum tree where
the kids had their treehouse is long gone
for firewood; now the grandkids pick the
fruit and eat the jam that comes from its
many offspring. We grow tomatoes and
squash from sprouts carried home from the
Temescal Farmers’ Market.
Support a Community-Based
Environmental Review of Safeway’s
College Avenue Proposal
Editor:
Safeway’s corporate management is
lining up support for a radically expanded
College Avenue store complex to become
a major destination shopping center in our
neighborhood even before the release of the
Draft Environmental Impact Review [DEIR]
of the project’s effects.
A mailer from Safeway in Pleasanton
shows representations of their design, with
a link to an impressive Web site, but neither
realistically portrays the scale of the multi-
story store or auto traffic congestion. Safeway
asks for our support before any indication of
how their proposal will affect traffic, bicycle
and pedestrian safety, air and water quality,
noise and aesthetics, as well as our long-
term local merchants (who directly generate
income and tax dollars that stay in our city
in ways that Safeway’s profits do not).
Instead, I hope my neighbors will support
a community-based
➧➧Letters, page 5
Fogies Seek to Preserve Rockridge Amenities for All
Editor:
COLLINS ROOFING
Family Owned & Operated
maintained and supported by a special
Rockridge owners’ property tax assessment,
As an Old Fogie and life-long resident
of Rockridge (66 years), I have to speak up
for the others here who have been accused
recently of NIMBY-ism [Letters, The
Rockridge News, June 2011] and harping
about The Olden Days. Many of these folks
are the very people who have spent hundreds,
even thousands, of hours, and a fair amount
of their own funds at times—for decades—to
keep this neighborhood vibrant and livable.
It’s these people who helped bring this
neighborhood back from a years-long decline
during and after the construction of BART
and Highway 24.
Those who pay high rent, mortgages and
property taxes to live here do so because
those old fogies have:
■
■kept out the likes of Cigarettes for
Less, which tried to open across from the
library, as well as other chain businesses,
482-2227  Seamus
www.collinsroofing.com
Quality Work  •  Free Estimates
Lic # 695711
■
■prevented a factory and high rise con-
struction from destroying the neighborhood,
■
■worked to preserve and build park
space,
■
■renewed the mural under the freeway
overpass at Claremont and Hudson,
a
cross-cultural congregation
striving to partner with
         the Rockridge community
   in lifestyle and service.
■
■worked with countless businesses, year
after year, to get support for neighborhood
activities and improvements.
For more recent projects, many not men-
tioned here, younger and newer residents have
been major contributors as well.
Large commercial interests have been
trying to expand their footprints in Rockridge
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
■
■gotten the Rockridge Library built,


July 2, 2011

5.

I fear that a magnet center of nearly triple
the square footage of the current store will
significantly increase traffic on our main
and residential side streets as motorists travel
to or from this complex, or detour around
it to avoid the College/Claremont six-way
intersection.
Read The Rockridge News, follow the
work of your RCPC representatives, and
of FANS (Friends and Neighbors of Col-
lege Avenue) at their Web site: http://www.
fansco.org/
— Don Stone
Letters
Quiet the Freeway with Redwoods
Editor:
I would be interested in the use of trees
as soundwalls, and especially redwood trees.
Whenever I walk in a redwood forest, I
am struck by how quiet it is. Not only the
leaves, but also the bark on the trunks and
branches, and the forest floor, are absorb-
ing sound.
Rather than driving through a masonry
canyon when you shoot out of the Calde-
cott, wouldn’t it be neat to find yourself
surrounded by big trees? It sure would
say: “Welcome to Oakland – a pretty cool
place to live.”
— Molly Baier
from page 4
review of the yet-to-be released Environ-
mental Impact Report before being tempted
to declare support for Safeway’s proposal.
Look for details of the Rockridge Commu-
nity Planning Council’s [RCPC] plans for
a professional response to the forthcoming
EIR. And contribute to the matching fund
to pay for this expertise. Visit http://www.
rockridge.org/Safewayfunds.html.
Soundwalls? Be Careful What You Wish For
Editor:
So, be careful what you wish for; sound
is never destroyed, just displaced by a sound-
wall to someone else’s home. Sound waves
bouncing off those Highway 24 soundwalls
have spread down the small canyon created
by Lake Temescal and now bounce mer-
rily along all the homes on either side. The
mathematical models used by Caltrans that
purport to “predict” sound levels before and
after soundwall construction are based on
the assumption of a flat surface. Therefore,
model predictions are inaccurate (and thus
fairly useless) for the complicated hilly terrain
prevalent in our area. I caution against hasty
implementation of soundwalls. One cannot
escape some aspects of an intensely urban
environment. Better to make peace with it.
— J.W. Yager
Having lived next to Highway 13 for
approximately 35 years and near Highway
24 for about five years, I appreciate the
Rockridge News series on soundwalls.
The crux of the matter is to clearly discern
for one’s self the difference between “sound”
and “noise,” as stated in the first article.
Sound from Highway 13 has increased over
the years; a houseguest declared that the
sound reminded her of a waterfall and that
has worked well for me. I can honestly say
that I no longer “hear” the freeway sound.
However, freeway sound from the north
(Highway 24) increased dramatically at our
property in the early ’90s when hard surface
soundwalls were installed along the north
side of Highway 24.
NCPC-RCPC
from page 1
works with the NCPC to develop strategies
and allocate resources to address problems.
OPD also reports back to the NCPC about
progress on specific issues.
Recent OPD staff reductions have
changed the way the police interact with
the NCPCs. For example, NCPCs can no
longer count on having a Problem Solving
Officer (PSO) or a Neighborhood Services
Coordinator (NSC) at every meeting. There
are still 57 NCPCs representing the original
57 community policing beats, but OPD has
consolidated its operations into 35 beats.
The Greater Rockridge NCPC shares its
PSO for Beat 12Y with Beat 12X (Temes-
cal) and its PSO for Beat 13X with Beats
13Y and 13Z. A single PSO may now have
to cover multiple NCPC meetings.
The NCPCs communicate by e-mail
with the PSOs and the NSCs, and work with
OPD to attack outbreaks of burglaries, or
suspected criminal activity.
An important message the Greater
Rockridge NCPC tries to convey is: If you
don’t report a crime, any type of crime,
it’s like it never happened. Reporting gives
OPD a reason to allocate its resources to
Rockridge.
In July only, NCPC will join RCPC for
the Town Hall Meeting, Thursday, July
21, 7:30-9 p.m., at the Rockridge Library.
Regular NCPC meetings are held the
second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m.,
upstairs in the library. Because of uncer-
tainty about library hours, confirm future
meetings by checking the NCPC website:
rockridgencpc.com.

RCPC chair Stuart Flashman responds: Sound, noise, and noise protection—including soundwalls—are
complex, technical subjects. RCPC is publishing a series of articles explaining these subjects before
residents have to make decisions. To address two specifics, sound is not only reflected; it can also be
dispersed and absorbed. Advances in soundwall technology over the past 20 years mean soundwalls
from 1990 don’t define what’s possible now. Also, models no longer assume a flat surface, but can
be very sophisticated. Those models are used at later stages, once their cost is justified.


July 2, 2011
6.

Plaza Design Out for Bid; Project Moves Closer to Reality

by Bob Franklin, BART board president
Plans to redesign Rockridge Plaza, the
area at the base of the escalators lead-
ing to the Rockridge BART station, are
finally moving forward. Working with the
Rockridge Community Planning Council
(RCPC), the Rockridge District Association
(RDA), and the city of Oakland, BART put
the proposal for the plaza redesign out for
public bid in May; bids were due at the end
of June. If the bids prove to be responsive
and reasonable, a contract will soon be
awarded to rework the plaza.
The plaza will meet the criteria estab-
lished in a community survey completed in
2003-4, and in numerous public meetings
since then, where the community sought an
improved waiting area with better lighting.
Landscape designer Greer Alley volun-
teered her time to translate the community’s
vision into a colorful proposal that con-
formed to BART’s specifications. About
35 percent of the present ivy planter will
be removed, opening up the plaza and
providing a more direct route to and from
BART. The remaining ivy will be replaced
with drought-resistant plants. More seating,
colored pavement, redwood tree uplights,
and relocated bike racks and garbage cans
y
y Keith Avenue
(to rear)
y
y Metal
“Rockridge”
sign
y
y Assembly of
large boulders
y
y Serpentine
concrete bench
y
y Compass rose
in sidewalk
y
y College
Avenue
(at right)
y
y BART station
escalator
(foreground,
not in view)
At the May RCPC Town Hall meeting, landscape designer
Greer Alley presented several conceptual representations
of her ideas implementing publicly solicited criteria for
the development of Rockridge Plaza at the intersection
of College and Keith avenues. The graphic above broadly
depicts proposed design elements. (Descriptive labels have
been added for clarity.)                Graphic courtesy of Greer Alley
will make the plaza much more community
friendly.
Lastly, a row of large boulders – a rock
ridge – will be placed in the planter, to
invoke the namesake of the community.
After the construction is complete,
some artistic elements will be added to the
plaza, including a sign over the boulders
reading “Rockridge.” This metal sign will
be part of a separate follow-up bid, which
will be a design-build contract open to any
contractor or artist.
Overall, this redesign will make this
➧➧Rockridge Plaza, page 7










 
­


 
	
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July 2, 2011

7.
Rockridge Plaza

from page 6
area more welcoming, and will serve as inspiration
to improve and make accessible the other three
corners of College Avenue intersections under
BART and Highway 24.
These other ivy patches will present new
opportunities for community garden projects or
other ideas that community members may have.
Please contact me with any questions or concerns
via my cell phone at 510/684-0026, or e-mail me
at BobFranklinBART@aol.com.
Keith Avenue
College Avenue
Bob Franklin is a Rockridge resident and president of the
BART board of directors.
Escalator
D. Kinkead
Above: Rockridge Plaza as it now appears, viewed from BART’s escalator.

Keith Avenue
 L
andscape Designer Greer
Alley’s plan for the plaza
was followed by BART architects
and engineers as they prepared
project development plans. The
graphic at left is an adaptation of
a plan view graphic prepared by
BART, and oriented to the photo
above. Technical nomenclature
in the original BART graphic has
been replaced by more generic
descriptions of the site’s design.
The descriptions have not been
reviewed or approved by BART
and are intended for informational
use only. The adapted graphic is
intended to give a sense of the
project; it is not an official project
document.                         — Editor


Concrete
Bench
Ground Cover
Bicycle Racks
Compass
Rose Location
Mulch
and wood
chips
Trash
receptacle
Rockridge
sign/letters
Large
Boulders
Concrete
benches (2)
Parking
Area
College Avenue
Plaza area with
brick divider rows
Serpentine
bench
Bicycle Racks
Directory
Cabinet
Ground Cover
Bicycle Racks
Escalator to
Station Area
LUCY ARMENTROUT
Bicycle Racks
j
5278 College Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618
510.654.6755
www.jarvisarchitects.com
G
Please review my blog at
FineEastBayHomes.com
510.339.0400/349
The GRUBB Company
Residential Architecture,
Interiors
and Landscaping


July 2, 2011
8.

Neighbors Unite to Renovate Unsightly
Rockridge-Temescal Gateway

by Peter Lund
Three area residents, Holly Drabal, a
local landscape architect and certified
Master Gardener; Chris Jackson, opera-
tions manager with the Rockridge District
Association (RDA); and Peter Lund, local
homeowner, have joined forces to landscape
Highway 24 on- and off-ramps along Clare-
mont Avenue at Hudson Street and at Clifton
Street. Known as Scenic Streets, the newly
formed, all-volunteer group of neighbors
is working with Caltrans and the city to
renovate these two high-traffic areas in the
coming months.
The group’s work will be done in three
phases. The off-ramp at Claremont and
Clifton will be landscaped this summer.
Next, the on-ramp a block north at Hudson
will be landscaped in the fall. The group
then plans to renovate the Claremont Avenue
median beneath the highway and BART
tracks next spring.
These public lands have long been eye-
sores, despite serving as popular gateways
for visitors to the neighborhood.
According to Scenic Streets, our com-
munity deserves a better first impression.
The Claremont Avenue ramps off Highway
24 are perhaps the most popular routes to
access Rockridge and northern Temescal,
but they look terrible – usually covered with
weeds and litter. A sight like that can hold
down property values and encourage people
to disrespect the area.
Funding for the project must come from
the community because Caltrans is not able
to provide funding. Scenic Streets has begun
door-to-door fund-raising and reports steady
traffic on its web site at www.ScenicStreets.
org where residents can “buy” a plant for as
little as $10.
District 1 Councilmember Jane Brunner
saw the value to both the Rockridge and Tem-
escal neighborhoods and was able to provide
the seed money for work to begin on schedule.
Local businesses are also being solicited for
support. Major donors will receive publicity
in the group’s fund-raising materials.
Scenic Streets is off to a strong start and
the work is on schedule. Over 100 California
native shrubs will be planted along the final
80 feet of the off-ramp by late July. When
all phases are complete, it is estimated that
over 300 drought-tolerant shrubs will be
planted. The project will coincide nicely
with continuing improvements to the nearby
Frog Park.
The group is also negotiating with
DaVita Corporation of Denver, operators
of the dialysis clinic in the former Safeway
building on Claremont Avenue at Clifton
Street. Scenic Streets has proposed simple
upgrades to the site’s chain-link fenced
parking lot, including removal of the
30-foot-tall rusting sign post unused since
Safeway vacated the building decades ago.
The group is optimistic DaVita will do its
part to support the area’s renovation.
If neighbors chip in just a little, together
they can make a big difference. But without
financial support from residents and area
businesses, some of the bigger improve-
ments, such as the median that parallels
Frog Park, may have to wait for years, and
that would be a shame.
Scenic Streets continually updates its
plans and progress on its web site to keep
neighbors informed. Volunteers can visit
www.ScenicStreets.org to help plan, plant
and donate.
Help Celebrate
Frog Park’s 10th
Anniversary!
by Theresa Nelson, FROG Chair
It was just 10 years ago this October that
more than 1,300 volunteers came together
over 10 days to build two play structures
at what was to become Frog Park, the
neighborhood park in the lower Rockridge-
Temescal area.
Since then, we’ve added swings, the
Lily Pad Plaza area, a drinking fountain,
pathways and artworks. We restored the
Oceanus mural, renovated basketball courts,
restored the creek, welcomed the Farmer’s
Market, and soon, we’ll open a new restroom.
Have you enjoyed Frog Park? Help us
plan a suitable celebration of the first decade
of this important resource. Everyone is
welcome to bring ideas and get involved in
a celebration this fall. Contact Frog Chair
Theresa Nelson at chair@frogpark.org.
Restroom Almost
Ready
As of press time, the new Frog Park
restroom is expected to officially
open in early July. Watch the Frog Park
website — http://www.frogpark.org/
— for continuing details.
Praying - Serving - Growing
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400 Alcatraz Ave.
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Avenues)
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Mass Schedule
 Saturday: 5 p.m.
 Sunday: 8 a.m.
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 Weekdays: 8:30 a.m.
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Reconciliation
 Saturday, 4 p.m.
Perry Riani, Senior Associate
Lawton Associates
510.813.3799  •  priani@earthlink.net
www.staugustineoakland.com


July 2, 2011

9.

Oakland, Our
Oakland!
Our City, Up Close
and Personal
T
There are other tours, as well. Visit
the Oakland Heritage Alliance (OHA)
Web site, www.oaklandheritage.org,
to see the schedule for their summer
walks. The nonprofit OHA got its start
in Rockridge 30 years ago and has been
hosting tours in the neighborhoods in
July and August ever since. Their phone
number is 510/763-9218.
Save the Date. It’s
been 20 Years. Almost!
Plans are under way for the Day of
Remembrance and Preparedness in
recognition of the 20th anniversary of
the Oakland/Berkeley Hills Fire. Your
ideas are invited now. To participate,
contact Annalee Allen at 510/238-3234,
or e-mail aallen@oaklandnet.com.
Projected activities and events for
Saturday, October 22, start at 9 a.m.
• An informal gathering at the Rockridge
BART Station Firestorm Tile Wall under
BART on the west side of College Avenue,
and an opportunity to reflect on the
losses from the disaster, look at the
tiles, and sign a guest book, to be filed
at the Oakland Library History Room.
• From 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Gateway
Exhibit Center, near the intersection of
Highways 24 and 13, Oakland Mayor Jean
Quan and Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates
will offer brief comments, as will other
dignitaries, including Councilmember
Jane Brunner and Acting Fire Chief Mark
Hoffmann. The names of the 25 fire
victims will be read. • From noon to
4 p.m., a Disaster Preparedness Fair at
Lake Temescal’s North Meadow, with
exhibits, fire equipment, and activities
for kids, and an opportunity to make a
keepsake remembrance tile.
For more information, e - mail
firestormanniversary@oaklandnet.com.
The
Rockridge
 Muse
his summer, discover Oakland and
our marvelous Regional Parks by
walking, hiking, bicycling or jogging.
It’s inexpensive, healthy and just a real
treat. There are numerous organized
tours out there to join, many of them
free. Or make up your own experience.
For us, it was a biking trip to Angel Island
recently. It was a wonderful outing, but,
honestly, stick to hiking on the Island
unless you are a strong cyclist.
Tooling down to Jack London Square
on our bicycles to catch the ferry to
Angel Island early Father’s Day Sunday,
it seemed like we had the whole of
downtown Oakland to ourselves. All was
quiet and yet so alive. The air was cool
and clear. Wide empty streets and tall
buildings shimmered in glorious morning
light. In the distance, white boats bobbed
gently, quietly on sparkling blue Estuary
waters. Painter Anthony Holdsworth has
spent many years capturing just this magic
light and mood in our city. I thought he
had made it up, but it’s really there, if
you take the time to see it.
Regional Parks
We are so privileged. Not only do
we have state and federal parks to enjoy
here, but we also are home to an amazing
regional and city park system. Did you
know that the East Bay Regional Park
District, spanning Alameda and Contra
Costa Counties, is comprised of 108,000-
by Ortrun Niesar and
Annalee Allen, Rockridge
resident and City Historian
plus acres, including 65 parks and 1,150
miles of trails? It is the largest and best
managed regional park system in the
country, offering a true refuge for wildlife
as well as recreation for us humans
in this crowded Bay Area. Check out
their Web site at www.ebparks.org and
head for your favorite local beach, lake
or redwood grove to create your own
memories. It’s just a few miles away and
likely free or very inexpensive.
City Walking Tours
Join experienced volunteer tour guides
and discover downtown’s changing skyline,
landmarks, churches and high-rises on
one of the free tours conducted by the
Oakland Tours Program, sponsored by
the city’s Cultural Arts and Marketing
Department.
Tours are on Wednesdays and Saturdays
through October and include Chinatown,
Jack London Waterfront, and Uptown
to the Lake. For a description of all the
tours with maps, dates and starting places,
visit the Web site at www.oaklandnet.
com/walkingtours. All tours start at 10
a.m. and last 90 minutes. Reservations
are recommended but not required. To
request a brochure and schedule, leave
a message on the 24-hour tours Hotline,
510/238-3234.
Ortrun Niesar can be reached at oniesar@
sbcglobal.net or 510/652-6664.
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July 2, 2011
10.

RDA Presents a
Summer Jazz &
Wine Stroll
It’s National Night
Out (NNO) Time Again!
Storefront Art
from page 1
In a series of rotating displays, Bosko,
located at 6038 College Avenue, will present
selections from his personal collection of
black-and-white photos and vintage camera
equipment.
The RDA presents this display to the
neighborhood as a way to bring art to the
Avenue and to show what can be done to
liven up a vacant storefront. Studies show
undressed storefronts are detrimental to a
business district.
The RDA strives to make and keep Col-
lege Avenue one of the most vibrant districts
in the East Bay. Soon, approximately 13
new trees will be planted in vacant tree
wells as part of our ongoing beautification
of College Avenue.
NATIONAL NIGHT
OUT 2011
It’s time to organize your Block Party!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011 • 7–9 p.m.
Organize a block party, barbeque, ice
cream social, or other outdoor event that
brings your neighbors together.
Last year, Oakland had 452 block parties;
this year’s goal is 500.
Register early to receive give-away items
for the kids, and a special gift for the host.
When neighbors know each other,
neighborhoods are safer.
For more information, or to register
online: www2.oaklandnet.com/nno.
Contact: Patricia Rose, 510/238-3091,
Neighborhood Services Coordinator.
The Rockridge District Association
(RDA) invites you to support local
merchants Friday evening, July 15, from 5
to 8 p.m. Stroll College Avenue; enjoy your
favorite shops; visit one or two that are new
to you; and enjoy live entertainment. Then,
stop in at one of the many restaurants for a
snack or dinner. Look for merchant specials
and offers; there’s something on the Avenue
for everyone.
For the second year of what we hope
will become a long tradition, we are look-
ing forward to another fun-filled evening
on College Avenue. Our spring event was
well received, with over 12 musical venues
for enjoyment, great shopping and dining.
Coming Dates
Mark your calendar: This year the “Out
and About” street fair is Sunday, October
9. We’re looking forward to an interactive,
fun-filled day with activities, music and
good food for all ages.
There’s a
new broker
in town.
Susan Bernosky
Strahan
Insurance
Services, Inc.
510-450-9051
Regency Antique Restoration
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New finishes & waxing
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517-6280
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since 1997


July 2, 2011

11.

Freeway Sound: Pervasive, Possibly Harmful If Unmanaged

by Andrew Charman, chair, RCPC
Transportation Committee
Noise is one of the most pervasive pol-
lutants in our environment, and, in
Rockridge as in many communities, much
of it originates from surface transportation:
cars, trucks, trains, and motorcycles. This
noise can be difficult or expensive to block
in older homes, and nearly impossible to
block in yards outside the homes.
Noise is unwanted sound and can be
harmful at certain levels. The most obvious
problems involve hearing loss from exposure
to loud noise. The World Health Organiza-
tion (WHO) recommends a limit of 70 dB
(decibels) to avoid the risk of hearing loss
with long-term exposure. But persistent
noise pollution at lower levels can have
less obvious health effects on our nervous
systems, often causing a general decrease in
a sense of well-being and interference with
communication, relaxation, and recreation.
Levels as low as 30 dB can interfere
with sleep, and can impair the ability to
was little awareness that people should
be protected from the adverse effects of
environmental sound. This changed in 1969
with passage of the National Environmental
Policy act (NEPA); creation of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970;
passage of the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) in 1970; passage of
the Noise Control Act (NCA) of 1972; and
publication of the WHO Guidelines for
Community Noise released in 1980 (and
most recently updated in 2000). These
regulatory acts began to inform traffic
noise regulations adopted by the Federal
Highway Administration (FWHA), and now
must generally be considered by agencies
eligible for federal transportation fund-
ing, such as the California Department of
Transportation (Caltrans) and the Alameda
County Transit Commission (ACTC).
Given what we know about the present
noise levels from SR 24, the freeway could
not have been built in its current configura-
tion, at least not without noise barriers or
other mitigating measures.
Today, sections of SR 24 may be eli-
gible for noise barriers if the sound level at
nearby households reaches, or is predicted
to reach, 65 dB or higher without a barrier,
and a feasible sound wall is predicted to
lower the noise level by at least 5 dB at a
sufficient number of residences to make
its construction cost effective.
The information above is more fully
presented in the collection of soundwall
articles on the RCPC Web site at www.
rockridge.org.
concentrate in classrooms. Research sug-
gests that learning is affected starting at
background sounds levels as low as 35 dB.
Above about 50 dB, people express mod-
erate annoyance in outdoor settings, such
as when talking with a neighbor, playing
with a child, or trying to enjoy a barbecue.
At about 55 dB, people begin to express
serious annoyance in outdoor living areas,
and also moderate annoyance indoors or
on school playgrounds.
The ambient levels of around 60-70 dB,
regularly measured near Rockridge homes
fronting the freeway, are significantly higher
than any of these thresholds.
Until the late 1960s — after SR 24 (State
Route 24, the freeway through Rockridge)
was planned and mostly constructed— there
Sales volume has increased in Rockridge over 2010!
Closing Date
BR BATH
Address
DOM
Original Price
List Price
Selling Price

05/20/11
2
1
5667 Oakgrove
12
$699,000
$699,000
$726,000

05/24/11
3
2.5
6403 Benvenue
56
$995,000
$995,000
$975,000

05/25/11
3
3
5925 Manchester
12
$1,375,000
$1,375,000
$1,375,000

06/01/11
5
4+++
5630 Margarido
85
$1,950,000
$1,650,000
$1,500,000

06/10/11
2
2
5290 Broadway
26
$399,000
$399,000
$390,000

06/10/11
3
1
6460 Hillegass
17
$729,000
$729,000
$820,000

06/10/11
4
2
5760Oakgrove
16
$825,000
$825,000
$840,000

06/10/11
2
1
5339 James
29
$719,000
$719,000
$710,000

06/16/11
2
1
400 Avon #4
143
$369,000
$369,000
$359,000

06/16/11
2
1
400 Avon #1
134
$369,000
$369,000
$360,000

06/16/11
2
1
474 Hardy
23
$699,000
$699,000
$705,000

06/16/11
3
2
5957 Keith
13
$799,000
$799,000
$815,000


July 2, 2011
12.

Innovative Dover Street Park Worth a Visit

by Susan Parker, Dover Street Neighbors
Are you a Rockridge parent looking
for a green space to take your kids
besides Big Frog, Little Frog, and Colby
parks? Or are you an urban green thumb-
er interested in viewing an innovative,
communal garden?
If so, look no further than nearby Dover
Street Park, located between 57th and 59th
streets on Dover Street, just behind Chil-
dren’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute
and the North Oakland Senior Center.
The size of a large city block, this
playground, created in 2004, has a small,
paved oval track ideal for teaching little
ones how to use a scooter, skateboard or
bicycle, and for older kids and adults to
perfect their one (yes, there are unicycles
here!) two, three, and four-wheel skills. A
well-tended grass field is great for soccer,
a game of catch or tag, or just lounging
around. Outside the circular walkway is
an enormously popular play structure with
slides, monkey bars, rings, a tire swing,
and soft landing pad. There are picnic
tables, benches, water fountains and a new,
brightly colored mural on the back fence
depicting Mayor Quan and other Oakland
notables. The Dover Street Neighborhood
Group, composed of volunteers from the
surrounding blocks, host many seasonal
events within the park, including a cel-
ebration of Cesar Chavez Day, Summer
Movie Nights, and National Night Out.
Less structured, but still fun, is the annual
Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by candy-loving
nearby residents.
But perhaps the most interesting aspect
of this park is the Healthy
Hearts Youth Garden, a
communal patch of green
created by the combined
efforts of the Dover Street
Neighborhood Group, Phat
Beets Produce, a local non-
profit whose mission is to
provide equal, affordable
access to healthy food for
North and West Oakland
families, and the Healthy
Hearts Obesity Preven-
tion Clinic, which serves
Alameda County children
at risk for obesity. Together,
these three organizations
have turned a weed-choked,
neglected corner into quite
possibly the only public garden of its kind
in the nation. Starting two years ago with
the consent of Oakland’s Office of Parks
and Recreation and the Public Works
D. Kinkead
“The area now hosts raised boxes and neat rows
bursting with vegetables and herbs that are shared
with neighbors, visitors and participants in the
Healthy Hearts Obesity Clinic.” In the center of the
park is a large oval grassy area and a play structure.
Rockridge
Optometry
➧➧Dover Street Park, page 13
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

5431 College Ave
        Oakland Ca 94618
510. 652. 5431

www.elizabethh.net



July 2, 2011

13.

Join the Rockridge News Team
Needed: Two Block Captains,
One District Captain
Dover Street Park
her family. Many thanks to these stalwart
volunteers.
If you live in the areas described below
and would like to fill the shoes of these
volunteers – about 20 minutes, once a
month — please contact Susan at smon-
tauk@gmail.com or 547-3855.
Block captains deliver door-to-door
and district captains deliver bundles to
the block captains. Here are the routes:
from page 12
Agency, and with encouragement from
Councilwoman Jane Brunner’s office
(and subsequent generous contribution of
permit fees), the scrappy volunteers cre-
ated a beautiful 4,000-square foot garden
along the park’s perimeter. An area once
filled with Bermuda grass and trash, the
area now hosts raised boxes and neat rows
bursting with vegetables and herbs that are
shared with neighbors and visitors. More
than 20 fruit trees have been planted along
the park’s fence line, and in between are
roses and other flowering bushes.
Interested individuals and families are
encouraged to drop by and help out every
Wednesday afternoon from 3 to 6 p.m.
and the first Sunday of every month, 10
a.m. to 1 p.m.
More information about Dover Street
Park can be found on Facebook (Dover
Street Neighborhood Group), YouTube
(Dover Street Garden Oakland), and at
the following web and blog sites: http://
doverparkconnection.blogspot.com/ and
www.phatbeetsproduce.org
by Susan Montauk
Lower Rockridge is experiencing a
sudden Rockridge News volunteer
drain. District Captain Dawn Borchordt,
who has been delivering bundles in the
area below Clifton for several years, is
moving with her family to Chicago and
Block Captain Rachel Rusting, of Miles
Avenue, is already in Bangalore, India,
where she will be working for the next
two years. Her husband suggested they
could fly back monthly to deliver the
Rockridge News but we didn’t take him
up on it. Margaret Pinter, also of Miles
Avenue, has been Block Captain for the
5100 block of Miles for many years. She
is taking a break to spend more time with
Block Captains
16B
Both sides of 5100 Miles from
Cavour to 51st Street.
16D
Both sides 5200 Claremont,
including apartment at 5248.
District Captain
Areas
16 & 17
Seven bundle drops along Cavour,
Miles, Avon, Shafter & Lawton
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Elmwood: 2930 College Avenue
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July 2, 2011
14.

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.
SFbay.SmarterYellowPages.com
No charge for Listings for all businesses &
organizations in Bay Area. Listings include the
usual plus 500 word Profile, email app & links
to Website Reviews Photos FaceBook LinkedIn
Twitter YouTube psmithsr@gmail.com
Your Message Could Be Here
Your 36-word message is $22. (Phone number
counts as one word). Mail to: RN Classifieds,
4123 Broadway, PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94611.
September deadline is August 18, 2011.
(No issue in August.)
For information: smontauk@gmail.com
Wanted: House to Rent
Old gentleman who lives alone wants one or
two-bedroom house in Rockridge. 510/653-4844.
Spectacular Service
Housekeeping
We provide excellent housecleaning service
with greatest attention to detail. Local rec-
ommendations. *Let us create free time for
you.* www.spectacularhousekleening.com
510/228-5704. Free estimate.
Figure Drawing at Deco Art
Eight sessions July 12–August 16, 6:30-9pm.
$80 prepaid or $20 drop-in. 5495 Claremont
Avenue, Apt C. Contact Carolinestern@sbc-
global.net or 510/593-4574.
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.
HELP Me Update Dentist List
ADD Listing using link at bottom of this page:
SFbay.SmarterYellowPages.com/Dentists.
EDIT Listing & add Links to Reviews Photos
Facebook LinkedIn Twitter YouTube in form
at Listing bottom. Thx! psmithsr@gmail.com
Summer Delight!
Cut and color $100 only! Hello Gorgeous,
Celeste for Hair, 5336 College Avenue. Call
510/658-3658, please.
Summer Special!
Penelope’s Aesthetics
Skin Care Salon
25% off waxing and facial services. Come
visit my salon in a serene garden setting and
receive excellent, relaxing, relaxing services
with a gentle and personalized treatment.
www.penelopecalef.com By appointment:
510/594-1552.
General Contractor
Craftsman Rehabs, remodels, seismic upgrades,
kitchens, built-ins, gates, windows, doors,
repairs, small jobs. Many local references fully
insured. See www.catconstruction.biz. Craig.
510/232-5978.
Love Your Surroundings?
Need help getting organized? Want to de-
clutter your home or office? Let me redesign
your environment in your style & create space
and harmony. Free Consultation. Laura Panica,
Organizational Consultant 510/658-6582. www.
liferestyled.com
Expert Childcare or
House Keeping
Experienced, loving, reliable, honest, punctual,
cheerful. Local references available. Overnight
service a possibility. East Bay preferred. Call
for more details: Mercedes, 510/333-8549; or
Marian, 510/228-8248.
Family Seeks 4+Bdrm to Rent
Professional relocating family seeking spacious
4 or 5-bedroom home in Oakland/Rockridge/
Elmwood/Claremont Areas. Excellent credit
& references. E-mail Suedemoor1@yahoo.
com or call 617/739-7107 and leave message.
Sue and Paul.
TAI CHI and QIGONG
classes in Rockridge
Thursday, and Saturday mornings. Please visit
our website for details. www.harmonytaiji.com
or email at harmonytaiji@yahoo.com or phone
Gail at 415/786-2469 for more information.
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
Quality Gardening
Skilled Maintenance, clean-ups, aesthetic
pruning, real estate prep, irrigation, design
and installation. Local refs. Ecological-minded
since 1995, personal attention, free estimates.
Green’s Gardens: 510/593-3490.
Design, Installation and Maintenance
Native Plant Gardens & Stonework
Andrea Hurd, Horticulturist and Stonemason
License #883905 h tel. 510.558.8429
www.mariposagardening.com
Gardening Excellence
Serving Rockridge over 20 years. Friendly,
personalized maintenance, expert pruning
and care; garden restoration; make-over to
prepare for sale; consultations. Non-toxic,
earth-friendly practices. Reasonable rates,
excellent references, free estimates. Chris.
510/655-0157.
Home Repairs &
Improvements
Kitchen & bath remodel, tile, decks, dry rot,
drainage, walls, termite damage, foundation
(new/repair). Lic#458473. Don 510/812-0310.
Shopping? Find it in Oakland!


July 2, 2011

15.

E-mail Rockridge News Community Calendar items to: joellis1@hotmail.com, phone 653-3210 (after noon), or mail to:
Rockridge News Community Calendar, 4123 Broadway, PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94611. Deadline is the next to the last
Tuesday of the month.

Compiled by Jo Ellis

the publication of new books by Valerie Coulton,
Tsering Wangmo Dhompa and Edward Smallfield.
y
y Sun., 8/7, 3pm. Poetry Flash with Xochiquetzal
Candelaria and Robin Ekiss.

Community Calendar

y
y Thurs, 8/11/, 7pm. Publication Party for local author
Stacy Carlson: Among the Wonderful.
y
y Sun., 9/11, 3pm. Poetry Flash with Maxine Hong
Kingston and James Ragan.
DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. More info
(and other events and discussion groups): 653-9965
or events@dieselbookstore.com.
Rockridge Summer Jazz & Wine Stroll
Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council (NCPC)
8/16), 5 to 6:30pm.
y
y Teen Advisory Board (ages 14-18): Advise the library
how to better serve teens. Get community service
credit for school. Snacks provided. 1st Saturday each
month, 4 to 5pm. This summer, we meet weekly and
also volunteer outside of the library.
Residents and business members of NCPC’s 12Y and
13X areas can voice their concerns about crime and
public safety. July: joint Town Hall mtg with RCPC,
Thurs, 7/21, 7:30 – 9pm at Rockridge Library (see p.1).
Future mtgs: 2nd Thursday each month, 7pm. Rockridge
Library, upstairs meeting room, 5366 College Ave. At this
printing, library hrs.are uncertain. Confirm mtgs at www.
rockridgencpc.com or chair@rockridgencpc.com.
Rockridge Branch Library
y
y Teen Summer Program: Pick up a passport at the
library and earn stamps by exploring the Bay Area,
writing book reviews, volunteering, and attending
library programs. Great prizes all summer long.
Through 8/13.
More info: Susy, 597- 5017 or smoorhead@oak-
landlibrary.org.
FOR ADULTS
Friday, July 15 from 5 to 8pm. Live street music, merchant
“specials”, wine and food tastings. Stroll College Ave. from
Alcatraz to B’way. More info: chris@rockridgedistrict.
com. See article p.10.
Woodminster Summer Musicals 2011
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
FOR CHILDREN
45th season of musical theater under the stars in beautiful
Joaquin Miller Park. Rockridge resident Kelsey Vent-
ner plays the lead in “Oliver!” July 8-17. Other shows:
“My Fair Lady” August 5-14, and “Finian’s Rainbow”
September 2-11. “Kids Come Free” program provides
about 3,000 free tickets each season to children and
teens 16 or younger.
More info: www.woodminster.com or harriet@
woodminster.com.
Temescal Street Cinema
y
y Writers Support/Critique Group: All writers welcome.
Bring 16 copies of up to 5 pgs. (double-spaced, MS
margins) 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.
y
y Toddler Story Time: Every Saturday, 10:30am.
y
y Pre-School Story Time: 1st and 3rd Wed., 10:30am.
y
y Baby and Toddler Story Time: 1st and 3rd Wed.,
10:30am, upstairs.
Special Events:
NOTE: The annual OPL Summer Reading Program
runs at all locations through Saturday, August 13th.
Come by to sign up, get your reading log, pick out
what you would like to read, and collect prizes for how
many hours you read. Kids ages 11-16 still needed to
volunteer for Summer Reading Program. Contact
Erica at 597-5017 or just drop by.
Summer Reading Program Special performances:
y
y Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice and
referrals. No July session. Next mtgs 8/2 and 9/13, 5
to 7pm (advance sign-up starts 4:45pm). Note: lawyer
leaves before 7pm, if no more people are present.
ART EXHIBITS (call to confirm)
Gallery:
Free outdoor films by Bay Area artists and filmmakers
Through July 14. 49th & Telegraph (side of the Bank of
the West Building). Details at http://temescalstreet-
cinema.com/2011-program/.
Singers Wanted
y
y Timothy James Magic Show: 7/19, 7pm.
y
y July: Irving Wiltshire: photography.
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.
North Oakland Senior Center
y
y The Bubble Lady: 7/26, 7pm.
Stories and Crafts (for all ages) at 7pm:
y
y Aug: Jamie Treacy: paintings on paper.
y
y Sept: Marsha Bolian: mixed media figurative paintings.
Lobby Display Case:
y
y Africa and the Middle East, 7/12.
y
y North and So. America, 8/2.
y
y July: Rockridge Teen Advisory Board display.
y
y Europe & Antarctica, 8/9.
Paper Craft Series (ages 3 – 10): Drop in to make
pinwheels, origami, booklets, planes and more. Every
Thursday, 3:30pm, from 7/7 to 8/11.
Book Buddies: kids ages 2 – 7; sign up in advance (or
just stop by). Teen Volunteers will read to and with kids.
Every Saturday, 2 to 4pm.
FOR TEENS
BOOK BUDDIES: Teen Volunteers (12 and up) see
Susy to sign up to read to and with children, ages 1 to
7. Saturdays, 2 – 4 pm, through Aug., 31.
y
y Aug: Library display in honor of Ramadan.
y
y Sept: TBA.
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 7/5. Note: due to
possible shut-downs, confirm all dates after mid-July.
Diesel Book/Readings and Events
Programs include: Arts/crafts; health insurance
counseling; dancing and exercise; trips, tours and
theater outings; Alzheimer’s Caregivers support groups,
computer classes and more.
Mon. – Fri., 8:30am to 4pm. 5714 Martin Luther King, Jr.
Way. Subscribe to “The North Oakland Senior Times”
for full schedule of classes/events, lunch menus, mem-
bership, and volunteer opportunities. Info: 597- 5085.
Enjoy Our Local Events.
All events are FREE and open to the public.
y
y Sun., 7/10, 3pm. Poetry Flash with Atsuro Riley and
y
y Temporary Henna Tattoos: Lasts 8 to 10 days. Must
have signed permission slip (pick up at library).
7/ 30 from 3 to 4:30pm.
Alexandra Teague.
y
y Mon., 7/11, 7:30pm. Amnesty International Meeting
(2nd Mon. each month): All invited to exchange
ideas on action.
See You In September.
y
y Rockridge Ninjas Anime Club: Ages 13 and up,
watch and talk about anime (Japanese animation).
Second Tues. each month (August mtg 3rd Tues,
y
y Sun., 7/17, 3pm. Apogee Press reading to celebrate


July 2, 2011
16.

Number of Homes Sold: Over 400
Homes Sold in Rockridge: Over 80
Value of Working with Realtors who have
over 35 years Experience? PRICELESS
INTERIOR-EXTERIOR LEAD
CERTIFIED PAINTERS
Professional preparation. Many local
references. All work Guaranteed
(510) 654-3339
Mon – Fri  9:30 – 6:00
Sat  9:30 – 5:00
CHIMES
PHARMACY
Serving Rockridge Since 1909
3210 College Avenue
Near Alcatraz
652-1990
Terry Kulka & Julie Bartlett
510.682.5917 • terrykulka@att.net
www.terrykulka.com
Over 400 homes sold -
Experience Counts
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
Sustainable Living
Starts at Home
aboutface&body
dayspa      oaklandberkeley
COMing sOOn in ROCkRidge
Sustainable Building
Starts at Ashby Lumber
shafter Ave.
2 Beds/ 1 Bath + 1 Bed/ 1+ Bath in-Law
Beautiful Bungalow w/”Magazine” quality kitchen
that opens to a sunny deck. Hardwood Floors,
Fireplace, Garage & More. Big In-Law unit perfect
for extended family or help w/ the mortgage.
serving you since 1981
Looking for a Contractor?
Specialists in waxing
Now offering men’s waxing
Hudson st.  2+ Beds & 2 Baths
Amazing Restoration of an Arts & Crafts Bungalow.
Stunning “Period” Inspired Kitchen & Bath.
Stroll to BART, Casual Carpooling, & Market Hall
Award Winning Chabot elementary school
Visit our Contractor Directory
at ashbylumber.com
3190 college avenue
at alcatraz
berkeley, ca 94705
.
824 Ashby Avenue    Berkeley
Ph: 510.843.4832  Fax: 510.843.3840
FOR sALe – ROCkRidge
5707 Ayala Avenue (Lower Rockridge)
sale - Lease - Lease Option   $650,000
3 Beds & 1+ Baths
Craftsman Bungalow, Formal Living & Dining
Rooms, Hardwood Floors, Fireplace, Sunny Deck,
Flat Yard & 1 Car Garage
www.5707Ayala.com
p 510.428.2600
www.aboutfaceandbody.net
KEVIN BROWN
Broker
654-8707 or 593-4780
sun-tues 10:30-5:30
wed-sat 10:30-8:00
6409 Benvenue Ave.   $995,000
3 Beds/2+Baths    Builder Close Out
6 Brand New Arts and Crafts Single Family Homes.
1st New Homes in the Heart of Rockridge/Elmwood
in maybe 50+ Years. Amazing Location/Architecture/
Construction – “Nothing Else Compares”
Award Winning Peralta elementary school
www.BevenueCourt.com
Only 1 Left!
PROVIDING

Professional,

Full Service

Real Estate Brokerage

To Rockridge Clients
 For Over 26 Years.
SPECIALIZING IN

OResidential Sales

OIncome Property

OCommercial

OProperty Management
Pending
Multiple Offers
5333 James Avenue – $795,000
2+ Beds & 1 Bath
One of Rockridge’s most sought after blocks. River Rocks
& Big ol’ Front Porch define this home. This Craftsman
Bungalow could grace the pages of a magazine.
Award Winning Chabot elementary school
www.5333James.com
30
L A W T O N
Ron kriss, Broker
Lawton Associates
Better Homes
Realty
5353 College Avenue
Oakland
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