Extracted text · highlighting “Christopher Chin”

www.rockridge.org

VOL. 27     NO. 1      ISSUE NO. 285      January 7, 2012                       CIRCULATION: 5, 500 Residences; 200 BusInesses

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

19

Will a New Year Bring Solutions to Old Problems?

AGENDA
January 2012 RCPC
Town Hall Meeting
■
■
☞
■
■Report from the Board
and committees. This year’s
reports will be in written form.
Besides being available at the Town Hall
Meeting, the reports will be available
later in the Rockridge library lobby
(next to the copies of the Rockridge
News) and will be posted on the
rockridge.org website.
■
■Bouquets and Brickbats.
Provide feedback to the board about
how RCPC did in 2011, and what you’d
like RCPC to focus on in 2012.

The word cloud at left
names several growing
public safety concerns that
often confront Rockridge
residents. The money to fund
solutions that could improve
public safety is unlikely to be
available in the near future.
The cloud, though, also
names existing public
safety resources that need
only personal action and
involvement to be effective.

Vigilantism? A non-starter. Active participation is the key to personal safety

■
■Introduction to Land
Use - Part III: Litigation.  What
happens when, after the general plan
and zoning are done, and all the EIRs
and hearings are over, the City ignores
our input and approves a horrible
project? Well, sometimes nothing, but
often it’s time to head to the courts.
This presentation won’t give you a
law degree, but it should help you
understand what’s at stake and what’s
going on when a land use lawsuit gets
filed. The presenter will once again
be RCPC Chair and land use attorney
Stuart Flashman.
Thursday, January 19 | 7:30-9 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library,
5366 College at Manila

by Don Kinkead, editor
The headline of a brief report in the
November issue of The Rockridge
News introduced the story of a “worrisome”
mugging on Ocean View Drive.
Any mugging, any time, is worrisome.
This one was especially so because the
muggers (there were two) were armed. Not
only that, there was a second mugging in
the same area within a week of the other.
In remarks made by a Problem Solving
Officer (PSO) at the December Neighbor-
hood Crime Prevention Council (NCPC)
meeting, it was pointed out that Oakland
is presently staffed by about 600 police
officers, down from a recent high number
of about 800 officers. Compared to other
cities of similar size, the officer said, some
studies have shown Oakland should have a
police force of 1,200-1,500 officers.
Others feel effective policing to be more
a matter of strategic planning rather than
the result of a certain police officer count.
Still, if you have been ordered to the
pavement by an armed thug, your concern
will be survival, not staffing statistics. At
a time when even Oakland police brass are
aware that effective response time is a laugh-
able expectation, citizens must prepare their
own crime response program in the sense
of preventing crime before it occurs, or, at
the very least, making it difficult to happen.
Start with Existing Resources
Lost amid crime statistics, consent decree
limitations on OPD and a sense of helpless-
➧➧Your Role in Public Safety, page 14

Scenic Streets Volunteers Morph On-Ramp from Dowdy to Dandy

Green Thumbs Needed
Now to Nurture
Renovated Ramps

Before
After

by Diana Thomas, Scenic Streets volunteer
In the second urban beautification
achievement by local group Scenic
Streets, neighborhood volunteers finished
landscaping the Highway 24 on-ramp at

➧➧Scenic Streets, page 13
/Peter Lund
/Peter Lund


January 7, 2012
2.

BART Update: Changes, Plans, Activities
ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.
by Bob Franklin, director, BART District 3
The ivy at the base of the escalator will be
replaced with native plants, lighting will
be improved, seating added, a decorative
compass rose will be installed, and the
overall area will have a greater community
feel to it. The construction is scheduled to
last about six weeks.
■
■Rail Grinding Reduces
Troublesome Track Noise
Some neighbors along Keith Avenue
had recently reported that BART trains had
been excessively noisy and were causing
their homes to slightly tremble. The trains
were also set-
ting off alarms
of some cars
parked in the
eastside park-
ing lot. BART
e n g i n e e r s
found heavy
corrugation
and “wheel
burns” on the
tracks just east
of the station.
A rail grinder
smoothed the trackway and re-profiled
some of the rail, which have addressed the
neighbors’ concerns.
Tue: 12:30 – 8 p.m.

Wed, Thu, Sat: 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Friday: 12 – 5:30 p.m.
12:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
12 – 5:30 p.m.
CLOSED
CLOSED: Sundays and Mondays.
Also: Thurs 1/13, and Fri 1/14
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, 2012-2013
Stuart Flashman	�����������������Chair
Andrew Charman	��������������Vice-Chair
Michael Kan	������������������������Secretary
Cesar Angobaldo	���������������Treasurer
Annette Floystrup	�������������At-Large Exec Comm.
Christopher Chin, Jonathan Gabel,
James Kachelmeyer, William Kaufner, Don Kinkead,
Alex Naughton, Ronnie Spitzer, Ann Winterman
Contact the Board: chair@rockridge.org
B o b  F r a n k l i n ,
BART District 3
boardmember and
Rockridge resident,
pictured with newly-
built accessible
fare gates at the
Rockridge station.
Photo Courtesy of
Bob Franklin
■
■Pigeon Abatement Program
This past month, BART maintenance
workers removed roosting areas for pigeons,
especially where this was a conflict with
pedestrians along College Avenue. Although
pigeons will always find new areas to roost,
this abatement technique will lessen the
impact of the pigeons around the BART
station.
■
■New Car Seats to be Installed
In response to customer feedback on
the condition of BART seats, BART will
soon be installing padded vinyl seats in
100 of its 669 cars as a pilot program. The
intent is to provide the same comfort as the
current wool/cotton seats, but to make the
seats easier to clean.
For information: info@rockridge.org
■
■Clipper Card to Replace Tickets
BART has been phasing out the sale
of BART tickets at offsite locations (i.e.,
Safeway and Walgreens) in order to tran-
sition more riders to the Clipper Card, the
smartcard that can be used to pay for fares
on most public transportation providers in
the Bay Area. Soon, using a Clipper card
will be the only way riders will be able to
take advantage of discounts for seniors,
youth, persons with disabilities, and the
6.25 percent high value discount (avail-
able to everyone). More information can
be found at www.clippercard.com or by
calling 877/878-8883.
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.
■
■New Accessible Fare Gates
This past month, new accessible fare
gates were installed at the Rockridge BART
station. This installation will make it easier
for people in wheelchairs or with luggage
or other large objects to go through the fare
gates. The reconfiguration of the fare gate
array will also make interactions with the
station agent easier.
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
■
■Plaza Renovation
The contract to make some improvements
to the Rockridge BART plaza was awarded
this past fall and construction will begin
around February 2012, weather permitting.
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.
➧➧BART Update, page 3
$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
  February 4, 2012
  February deadline is January 19, 2012.
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!


January 7, 2012

3.

Board Seeks Applicants
for a Remaining Board
Vacancy and for
Land Use Committee
Openings
Due to the recent resignation of board
member Ashley Etling, the RCPC
board of directors has a vacancy to fill. If
you are interested, e-mail: chair@rockridge.
org, or leave a messge with your contact
information at 869-4200.
RCPC is also looking for additional
members for its land use committee. Again,
send an e-mail or leave a message if you
are interested.
The RCPC Land Use Committee meets on
the fourth Wednesday of the month at the
Rockridge Branch Library, Upstairs Meeting
Room, 7:30 p.m. Next meeting: January 25.
Subject to change. Check rockridge.org the preceding week for
the full meeting agenda.
please sign up for the RCPC e-news at the
rockridge.org website.
Land Use Update
by Stuart Flashman, RCPC Land Use
Committee chair
Committee Notes:
■
■No news on city-wide zoning
Likewise, there doesn’t appear to have
been major progress on the second phase
of Oakland’s city-wide rezoning process,
which will include consideration of changing
the city’s off-street parking requirements,
particularly for transit-oriented develop-
ment areas. Again, signing up for the RCPC
e-news will ensure you hear about it when
public meetings are scheduled.
■
■Environmental review of two
Safeway projects continues
Between holiday vacation days and
budgetary furlough days, Oakland plan-
ning staff didn’t have a lot of time to make
progress during December. Consequently,
there haven’t been significant changes (at
least that RCPC is aware of) in the status
of the two major Rockridge projects now
undergoing review: the College Avenue
Safeway project and the redevelopment of
the Rockridge/Safeway Shopping Center at
Broadway and Pleasant Valley Road.
The city’s consultants are still working on
the environmental documentation for those
projects: preparing the draft Environmental
Impact Report (DEIR) for the Rockridge
Shopping Center, and responding to com-
ments on the DEIR for the College Avenue
Safeway project.
Given their status, it’s unlikely there will
be any public hearings about either project
in January. However, to make sure you’re
notified when something does happen,
BART Update
■
■Land Use Committee meeting
The next meeting date of the RCPC
Land Use Committee returns to the usual
fourth Wednesday of the month time slot,
January 25, 7:30 p.m., at the Rockridge
Branch Library.
Topics on the agenda will be updates on
the Rockridge Shopping Center and College
Avenue Safeway projects and the latest word
on what we can expect in phase II of the
city-wide rezoning process.
Please contact Stu Flashman (phone
652-5373, or email chair@rockridge.org) if
you want a copy of the agenda. Land Use
Committee meetings are generally open
to the public.
from page 2
■
■BART Community
Participation
BART has also participated in various
community activities: Rockridge Out and
About, the 3rd Annual Rockridge in the
Snow Day, and the holiday tree lighting
of the redwood trees on BART property.
■
■Contact BART Director
Please feel free to contact me with
your BART concerns or questions:
BobFranklinBART@aol.com or 510/684-
0026.
Bob Franklin is the BART director for District 3,
which includes Rockridge. He is also a Rockridge
resident.
Visit the RCPC Website for News and Events: rockridge.org


January 7, 2012
4.

picnic table near the current one, and, to
meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities
Act) requirements, additional benches for
those unable to sit on boulders.
Some community members asked why
the four trees in the Miles Avenue parking
lot had not yet been replanted, given that
there was consensus on the species some
weeks ago. The DMV’s arborist had wanted
to wait until after the rainy season to plant
these trees, but several landscape architects
stated that plantings of this type could be
done at any time. Several neighbors on Miles
Avenue urged that these trees be planted as
soon as possible. John Hanson will look into
accelerating that planting.
The DMV has agreed to restore the
eroded section of the Frog Park pathway,
significantly degraded as a result of the
August tree removal. The department will
work with its staff architect and the arbor-
ist who worked on the earlier tree removal
and rear parking lot replanting, to develop
a concept for community review in January.
Sign up on the FROG list at www.frogpark.
org to receive email notice of this meeting.

FROG Park News
Community Finds Consensus on Creekside
Design Elements and Repairs at DMV Area

by Theresa Nelson, FROG Chair
How best to restore the creekside area
damaged by an overzealous pruning
job at the Claremont Avenue DMV office
building was the topic of another in a series of
community meetings centered on the project.
Councilmember Jane Brunner convened
the meeting held November 30 at the
Rockridge Library to discuss design pref-
erences for the restoration. Elinor Buchen,
staff aide to Councilmember Brunner, Mark
Chekal-Bain, district director of Assembly-
member Nancy Skinner’s office, and John
Hanson, DMV facilities director, as well as
other City and DMV staff, also attended.
In addition to the more than 35 area
residents present, 114 people submitted
their preferences and comments via an
online survey. After FROG leaders sum-
marized the online survey comments and
data, those present at the meeting provided
additional input.
Councilmember Brunner and her staff
aide, Elinor Buchen, then led a discussion on
preferred elements, using drawings provided
by FROG of the area as it was before the
tree removal. After much discussion, the
following consensus priorities emerged:
rent uses.
■
■Anchor boulders and/or tree stump
amenities – may be used for seating,
for example – on concrete pads or
other secure means to avoid migration.
■
■Create a pathway to connect the
existing Frog Park pathway to the
Farmer’s Market as a more formal
entry, to protect the new plantings and
to increase safety during market hours.
Preferred tree species for planting, of
the 24-inch box size, were:
Live Oak
Red Oak
Redwood
California Bay
California Maple (no more than
one)
Cork Oak (lower preference)
Additional direction from the meeting
and survey results included replanting at
least as many trees as were removed, and
adding shrub and grass coverage; provid-
ing a mix of sun and shade, taking care
to make sure plantings will not block the
creek; and removal of the car cages (John
Hanson from the DMV is looking into this),
or, at least, shielding them with additional
plantings above and beyond the restoration.
There was also interest in adding a second
■
■Replant trees and shrubbery using
native plants appropriate to the cur-
G
Rockridge
Optometry
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510-655-3797
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GRUBBCO.COM
510.652.2133
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510.339.0400
1960 Mountain Boulevard • Oakland


January 7, 2012

5.

Claremont School Supporters Ride for a Reason: Funding for School Programs

at mikenapolitano5@gmail.com.
Thank you for your support and con-
sideration.
Ride for a Reason: May 12, 2012
by Michael Napolitano, Claremont
Middle School parent
Now in its fourth year, Ride for a Reason is
a bike ride from Oakland to the Capitol
in Sacramento, organized to draw attention
to the budget crisis affecting public schools
in California, and to raise funds essential
for school enrichment programs at several
schools in North Oakland. California now
funds its schools at 25 percent below the
national average, and has the largest average
class sizes in the nation (California Budget
Project web site, 2011: www.cbp.org). We
can and must do better.
Ride organizers need your help to register
200 riders and raise $60,000. The funds will
Ride for a Reason: Details,
Opportunities, Support
for Participating Cyclists
Fully supported ride means:
•	 breakfast and lunch are provided;
•	 there are many rest stops along
the way (where snacks, fluids, and
energy products are provided);
•	 there are group ride leaders for the
45-mile ride; and,
•	 SAG (support and gear) wagons are
available to assist riders who have
mechanical or physical challenges
during the ride.
We also organize monthly or more
frequent group practice rides to help
folks get into shape and get to know
each other before the ride.
The next group practice ride is on
January 21, at 9 a.m., departing from
in front of Oakland Technical High on
Broadway at 49th Street. Also, we
provide free bike mechanical check-
ups, tips, and helpful information to
beginning riders to help them prepare
for the ride.
 Cyclists Kenton Lee and son Nathan
mark their arrival at the Capitol.
 Sam Evision, Dawn Nakamura, and
Nathan and Kenton Lee near Martinez
en route to Sacramento. Both photos
from 2011 Ride for a Reason.
Photos/Sarah Mages
be split evenly among Emerson Elementary,
Claremont Middle School, Oakland Techni-
cal High, and Oakland International High.
Join us on May 12 for fully supported
cycling of 45-, 60- or 100-mile rides to the
Capitol. Transportation home is available.
(The 45-mile ride is ideal for families and
children.)
All riders are encouraged to raise $250
or more in donations to help achieve our
fundraising goal.
To register, volunteer, or donate, go to:
www.rideforareason.dojiggy.com. For more
information, please contact Mike Napolitano
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January 7, 2012
6.

work here in Rockridge and beyond in the
larger community. The Occupy movement
is just beginning and there are and will be
a diversity of ways to get involved.
— Name withheld at writer’s
request
Letters to the Editor
The Rockridge News welcomes letters to the editor. Your name, address, phone
number, e-mail address and city/neighborhood must be included for verification.
Only your name will appear with your letter. Letters may be edited for clarity
and brevity at the editor’s discretion. Views expressed in any letter are the
writer’s own, and may not necessarily be shared by the editor, or by RCPC.
Costly Response to Occupy
Movement Reduces City Services
Editor:
Since the Occupy Wall Street movement
has already achieved some major successes
in the public framing of discussion of the
corrosive effects of big money dominat-
ing politics, I would suggest that they will
achieve many more major victories in less
than nine years.
Some of us seniors living in Rockridge
can only contribute passive support to the
Occupy movement, including letters to the
editor, financial support and signs in our
windows. However, passive support is always
better than no support at all...
— James K. Sayre
The Occupy Movement is
Transformative and Effective
Editor:
Stuart Flashman’s article [The Rockridge
News, December 2011] asks the question
“Is the ‘Occupy’ Movement Relevant to
Rockridge?” Unfortunately, the answer is
“Yes,” in an unintended way.
It has cost the city of Oakland more
than $2 million to deal with the Occupy
protestors. The result of this can only be a
further reduction in badly needed services
for our city.
I agree with the basic description of the
1 percent vs. the 99 percent. But the loss
to Oakland (and to Rockridge) will fall on
the latter, not on the former.
— Jon Gabel
Your recent Op/Ed essay entitled “Is
the ‘Occupy’ Movement Relevant to
Rockridge?” [The Rockridge News, Decem-
ber 2011] was interesting. However, another
question is whether Rockridge is relevant to
the Occupy movement? Actually, the Occupy
movement will end up being honored as
having transformed America in the early
21st century from a system of undemocratic
rule by the few wealthy (the 1 percent) into
a real democracy (rule by all).
Within a month of the first Occupy Wall
Street camp-in in Zuccotti Park in New
York City, the Occupy movement had spread
to hundreds of other American cities and
towns, and even to cities in other countries.
We have been treated to a spectacle of
city mayors across the country trying to
trash our American Constitution, our Bill
of Rights, our First Amendment protec-
tions of the Freedom of Speech, Freedom
of Assembly and Freedom of the Press,
all egged on by President Obama’s Dept.
of Homeland Security, the FBI and other
federal law enforcement agencies.
But the Occupy movements will per-
severe, and ultimately succeed, being led
by courageous, intelligent and creative
individuals. We protested the US war on
Vietnam in the late ’60s and early ’70s. It
took us about nine years, but we finally got
the US out of Vietnam.
Occupy Movement Seeks Change
Editor:
Op/Ed Piece Author Stuart
Flashman Responds:
Thank you very much for the important
Op/Ed on the Occupy movement. Interest-
ing that in the same issue of The Rockridge
News [December, 2011], you discuss the
history of our community’s action to limit
the negative impact of development when
the 24 freeway and Rockridge BART sta-
tion were being built (my family was part
of that fight). Occupy is just a larger and
more broad representation of that same
spirit: communities in the 99 percent acting
together to stem the tide of the rapacious
and greedy among the business community
in the 1 percent. My own participation in
several Occupy events, both in Oakland and
in San Francisco, has certainly inspired me.
I hope the Occupy movement will inspire
other Rockridge neighbors to continue our
Jon Gabel points up the cost of the police
response to the Occupy Oakland movement.
The cost was high and unfortunate. Whether
it could have been less is difficult to say. Yet
the First Amendment right “of the people
to peaceably assemble, and to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances”
is not to be lightly tossed aside based on
budgetary constraints. How much did Martin
Luther King’s 1963 March on Washington
cost the D.C. budget for police presence?
Yet without it, the 1965 Civil Rights Act
might not have happened.
— Stuart Flashman
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January 7, 2012

7.
Paideia at Tech: Educating the Whole Student

Drawing on their own training, the teachers
decided that their new program should treat
history and literature as interlinked subjects.
Once the two directors heard Mortimer Adler
speak on educating the whole child through
teaching thinking and communications skills
using the Paideia method, the program took
on its current form.
Teachers and students are committed to
upholding the Paideia program’s high stan-
dards. Teachers acquire dual certification in
English and History, receive training in the
Socratic method, devote extensive amounts
of personal time to critically grading student
assignments, and develop coordinated lesson
plans. Students complete assignments over
school breaks including the summer, arrive
prepared in class, and constantly strive to
better their writing and discussion skills.
Admission to the 10th grade Paideia
program is based on 9th grade teacher rec-
ommendations, as well as student and parent
requests. Maintaining grades of A and B
is recommended due to the high program
demands, although students with C grades
can continue if they express interest.
One hundred thirty students were accepted
into 10th grade this year, the maximum that
could be accommodated. Two hundred stu-
dents enroll in 11th grade Paideia classes and
150 in the method’s 12th grade. Of these, 65
take the integrated three-course AP English,
Honors Comparative Government, and AP
American Government/Honors Economics
Paideia curriculum.
Ms. Joe and Ms. Wolfe continue directing
the five-teacher Paideia program to this day.
The AP program at Oakland Tech, led by
Ms. Wolfe, now offers classes in 14 different
subjects. Seventy-three percent of the Tech
students taking the 2011 AP exams scored
a passing grade or better, close to double the
number of students in 2007, and significantly
higher than the California average. Oakland
Technical High School continues achieving
impressive gains in its standardized testing
scores and this year became the top-scoring
high school in the City. Congratulations to
Tech, to Principal Sheilagh Andujar, and
to school staff.
by Ronnie Spitzer, Oakland Tech parent
Imagine a high school program so popular
that information sessions are conducted in
the school auditorium. Add high academic
standards disseminated through high-level
analysis of sophisticated reading material in
English, History and Government. Consider
that recent program graduates have matricu-
lated at Harvard, Stanford, Northwestern,
Brown, McGill, UC Berkeley, UCLA,
Wellesley, and the University of Pennsylvania.
Sound too good to be true, particularly
in an Oakland public school? Not so. Rock-
ridge’s local public high school, Oakland
Technical High School, offers Paideia, a
humanities program which fills the bill, and
so much more.
Paideia started at Tech in 1986 as the
brainchild of program co-directors Marietta
Joe and Maryann Wolfe, newly arrived Tech
history teachers. At that time, OUSD offered
no Advanced Placement classes in any school
and Honors English classes required students
to read one book per year. Ms. Wolfe and Ms.
Joe were given a mandate by Tech Principal
Dennis Chaconas to develop a better program.
The result was Paideia.
The program Ms. Wolfe and Ms. Joe
designed seeks to educate the whole person
by teaching critical thinking and commu-
nication skills while adhering to California
grade-level educational standards.
Tech’s Paideia program’s interdisciplinary
coursework revolves around the social sci-
ences and English, namely history, politics,
economics, and literature. Students acquire
knowledge by reading classic literature,
poetry, short stories, articles, viewing films
and completing home assignments. Class
instruction and discussions, conducted by
instructors trained in the Socratic method,
train students to question “why” through
sophisticated analysis. Students graduate
well-prepared for college and life afterwards,
pursuing careers in law, medicine and other
fields.
Courses consist of two-hour blocks in
10th and 11th grade, and a three-hour block
in 12th grade. Two teachers are assigned to
each grade, with content highly coordinated
between them. Classes are accelerated and
students are required to take advanced place-
ment exams in 11th and 12th grade. AP test
pass rates for Paideia program students range
between 80 and 98 percent.
Thus, the support of community members
and businesses to assist these students
in their quest to experience this valuable
educational program is much appreciated.
The payment deadline is March 1, 2012.
Checks should be made payable to the Close
Up Foundation (tax ID # 23-7122882) and
sent to: Maryann Wolfe, Chair of History
Department, Oakland Technical High School,
4351 Broadway, Oakland, CA  94611.
For further questions, contact Ms. Wolfe
at Oakland Tech, 510/879-3050, ext. 103.
Thank you in advance for support you might
lend to this program and these students.
Oakland Tech Call for Student DC
Trip Fundraising Support
This spring, the Paideia teachers will visit
Washington DC and New York City
with 83 Tech seniors to see their govern-
ment close up, not out of a textbook. The
study-tour program, run by the non-profit
Close Up Foundation, provides opportunities
for Tech students to meet with government
officials, lobbyists, news people, and interact
with students from all over the country. The
cost is $2,476 per student, a sum which can
be difficult for some Tech students to raise.


January 7, 2012
8.

Rock  ridge
Cornucopia
Cornucopia
Barry A. Kaufman

would love to be able to make Linzer Tart
cookies, but I just don’t have the skills and,
most importantly, the temperament. This
year, I commit to at least mastering some
of the basics of preparing simple desserts
such as panna cotta or poached pears.
Wish me luck.
Beets, Goat Cheese, and
Arugula with Walnut
Vinaigrette
(Serves 4)
(Adapted from Joyce Goldstein’s
“Mediterranean Fresh”)
8 small cooked beets, cut into ¼-inch
slices (available at Trader Joe’s in vacuum
sealed bag)
½ cup walnuts, toasted
1	unpeeled tart green apple, cut into ¼”
slices
2 small bunches arugula (available at
Trader Joe’s and Market Hall Produce)
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or dill
Walnut vinaigrette (see recipe below)

Gastronomic Resolutions

A
Happy and Healthy 2012 to all
Rockridge friends and neighbors
As we all know, New Year’s resolutions
come and go. Here are a few of my own
that I would categorize as 2012 gastronomic
resolutions.
grain of the future,” quinoa contains more
protein than any other grain. Quinoa can
be substituted for rice as part of a main or
side dish, in soups, and in salads.
2. Farro is next on my grain list.
Cultivated in Italy for centuries, farro is an
ancient variety of wheat. It has high protein
and fiber content and a nutty texture that’s
great in grain salads and soups. Farro and
quinoa are available at the Pasta Shop in
Market Hall.
■
■Continue to support our local
Rockridge food merchants and
restaurants
The other day, I was shopping at Market
Hall Produce where David the fruit whis-
perer was cutting up a new crop of apples
for tasting. David is one of our community’s
secret gifts. Folks who know him call him
the fruit whisperer. David will cut up any
fruit for you to sample. He will always let
you know which variety of fruit or vegetable
meets his standards of excellence. Pick up a
melon and David will tell you when it would
be perfectly ripe for eating. I could select
a peach and he would steer me to another
variety that would be sweeter. David is at
Market Hall Produce on Sundays. Check
him out.
■
■Eat more salads
Although I love a good salad, it’s not
my go-to dish. I grew up on iceberg lettuce
and what my mother call Russian dressing
– a mixture of ketchup and mayonnaise;
2012 is my year to venture into the world
of main-dish salads.
Bay Area cookbook author Joyce Gold-
stein offers a wonderful compendium of
one-plate salad meals and mix-and-match
dressings in Mediterranean Fresh. Using
seasonal ingredients, I hope to work my
way through many of her wonderful recipes.
(Check out this month’s recipe, for example.)
y
y Place beets in a bowl with ½ of the
vinaigrette and toss.
y
y In another bowl, toss walnuts with
the other ½ of the vinaigrette.
Let both marinate for 15-30 minutes.
y
y In a large bowl, toss together the
arugula, beets, walnuts and apple
slices.
y
y Arrange on salad plates and
distribute crumbled cheese and mint
or dill on top.
Walnut Vinaigrette
Whisk together:
2 tablespoons of vinegar (sherry, red wine,
or balsamic)
½ cup walnut oil (available at Pasta Shop)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste.
■
■Eat more grains
OK, I’m no grain lover. But recently, my
daughter convinced me that adding grains
to my diet is a good thing. I still have a
long way to go, but here are two grains
that I hope to include in my diet for 2012:
1. Quinoa (KEEN wah) is now the rage
among vegans and vegetarians. Although
relatively new to the American market, it has
been a staple in Inca and Latin American
cuisine for centuries. Hailed as the “super-
■
■Learn to prepare simple
desserts
The truth be told, I’m not very good
at preparing desserts. When friends ask
what they can bring to one of my dinners,
my standard answer is: “Dessert is always
welcome.” At the Culinary Academy, I
took two classes in desserts and pastries.
Needless to say, I didn’t excel. Dessert and
pastry chefs are a class by themselves. I
Barry Kaufman is a graduate of the California
Culinary Academy. Barry is available for cooking
classes and tours of East-Bay ethnic markets. His
email is kaufman42@comcast.net.
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


January 7, 2012

9.

NCPC to Host Crime Camera Company
Presentation at January 12 Meeting
small-business owner could have a high-
quality, high-definition, motion-activated
surveillance system.
The company now offers a complete
home video security system that it says
can be quickly and easily installed, and
then monitored anytime, anywhere for free
through an Internet-connected computer
or iPhone, Android, Blackberry or iPad.
Plus, the company says, the system can
send motion alerts to an email address or
a smartphone. The system brings premium
features at a price previously unavailable to
home users, Logitech says.
According to the company, two types of
cameras operate with its new technology: a
daylight camera that can be combined with
a motion-activated light, and an outdoor,
weatherproof night-vision camera. Both
have built-in digital recorders so they may
be operated independently or backed-up
on a PC.
The Montclair Safety and Improvement
Council (their NCPC) developed a surveil-
lance camera group discount program with
Logitech last year because it was obvious
that OPD (Oakland Police Department)
resources were becoming increasingly
scarce. According to remarks Beat 13 PSO
(Problem Solving Officer) Trent Thompson
made at a recent Rockridge NCPC meeting,
high quality personal video surveillance
footage has become a proven means to help
OPD solve crimes.
The Greater Rockridge NCPC would
Montclair NCPC Sponsored
Camera Program in 2011
Are security

cameras, such as

this sample pictured above,

helpful in deterring crime?
The Rockridge NCPC will host a camera
company’s presentation at the January 12
meeting. See story below for meeting details.
by Denise Boisvert-Jorgensen, Rockridge
NCPC treasurer
With police officer staffing in full ebb,
Oakland and Rockridge residents
need to consider how they can make potential
criminal acts more difficult for even savvy
crooks. The Greater Rockridge NCPC
(Rockridge Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council) believes developments in cyber-
based security via video, computers, and
smartphones could offer residents a new
line of defense.
At the January 12 meeting of the NCPC,
a special guest speaker from Logitech will
present the company’s state-of-the-art
surveillance cameras and camera systems.
Since purchasing a video security company
a few years ago, Logitech has focused on
improving the technology so any home or
like Rockridge residents and businesses to
have the same discount opportunity made
available to Montclair NCPC, and invited
Logitech to the January 12 meeting.
According to Oakland police, Rockridge
has several streets that lead directly to
freeway on-ramps, making parts of the
neighborhood easy places to strike, and then
to quickly escape. High-quality personal
surveillance cameras, when strategically
located, are a way to put a face or a car to
the crime and to give OPD an upper hand
against its diminishing resources, depart-
ment representatives have said. With a few
hundred such cameras scattered throughout
OPD Beats 12Y and 13X, parts of which
include Rockridge, criminals would soon
learn that residents are watching.
Attend the Rockridge NCPC meeting
on Thursday, January 12 at 7 p.m. to learn
more details about this technology. The
meeting will be held at the Seneca Center
for Education and Training, 6925 Chabot
Road. The center generously offered to host
the January meeting, since the Rockridge
Library is unavailable to the NCPC that
evening.
Design, Installation and Maintenance
Native Plant Gardens & Stonework
Andrea Hurd, Horticulturist and Stonemason
License #883905 h tel. 510.558.8429
www.mariposagardening.com
Best wishes for 2012 from the Motley Team

Closing date BR BA
Address
Original price
List price
DOM
Selling price

     12/08/11 2 1.5
5941 Keith
$599,000
$599,000
10
$620,000
          12/21/11  5
2
5241 Lawton
$629,000
$629,000
27
$620,000
          12/22/11  2
1
5205 Manila
$575,000
$575,000
14
$580,000
          12/28/11 3
2
5899 Lawton
$625,000
$625,000
41
$635,000
          12/30/11 4
3
5665 Keith
$1,150,000
$950,000 179
$965,000

· Sales volume is down 38% (5 sales in December 2011 compared to 8 in December of last year)
· The average original list price to sales price in December of 2011 was 96% vs 95% last year
· There is currently a 1.7 month supply of inventory in Rockridge

Lic. #0670129


January 7, 2012
10.

Bicycle Dreams:
The Race Across
America
A benefit film and raffle for the
Bicycle Trails Council of the
East Bay (BTCEB)
January 26 | Grand Lake Theater
3200 Grand Avenue  |  6–10 p.m.
‘B
icycle Dreams,” the award-winning
feature-length documentary about the
Race Across America (RAAM), premieres in
Oakland at the Grand Lake Theater Thurs-
day, January 26 at 7 p.m. The screening is
a benefit for the Bicycle Trails Council of
the East Bay (BTCEB). The film, which has
won numerous awards at film festivals all
over the world, “is an up-close look at what
RAAM riders go through,” says Stephen
Auerbach, the director and producer of
Bicycle Dreams.
“They deal with searing desert heat,
agonizing mountain climbs, and endless
stretches of open road. And they do it all
while battling extreme exhaustion and sleep
deprivation.”
Following the movie, the BTCEB will
conduct a raffle of donated cycling related
items. The items will be displayed in the
lobby prior to the show.
Tickets will be $10 in advance and
$15 at the door the night of the show. To
purchase advance
tickets, order online
at www.imathlete.
c o m / e v e n t s /
bicycledreams.
For more
informa-
tion about
the event,
visit www.
btceb.org.
CAPC Forms New
Baby Book Club for
Rockridge Babies
and Their Parents
by Pastor Monte McClain, College
Avenue Presbyterian Church
College Avenue Presbyterian Church
announces a new and special reading
group just for babies, ages newborn to 12
months, and their parents or caregivers.
From the moment they are born, babies
begin to gain skills that they will need to
become successful readers. Join the Baby
Book Club and learn what those skills are
and the simple, everyday activities you can do
with your baby to help develop those skills.
This free half-hour program will include fun
lap bounces, tickle rhymes, books, songs and
nuggets of information about early literacy
and the six early literacy skills.
Led by Margaret Smith, a church member
and children’s librarian for over 20 years,
the club will meet at the College Avenue
Presbyterian Church, 5951 College Avenue,
Friday mornings at 10:30 a.m., from January
27 through April 6. Ms. Smith works for
the Contra Costa County Library, Walnut
Creek Branch.
For more information, contact the church
at 510/658-3666, or e-mail montemcclain@
gmail.com. The Church’s web site address
is: www.capcchurch.org.

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January 7, 2012

11.

FORL, Rockridge Library Open 2012 with
Strong Support and New Youth Resource

With construction
and furnishing of the
R o c k ri d g e  B ra n c h
Library’s Teen Zone,
pictured at left, close
to completion, the area
dedicated to patrons
aged 12-18 has been
opened for business
a nd enjoying high
use and popularity.
Once a final shipment
of furniture arrives,
the project will be
complete.
(Oakland Public Library system) and District
1 Councilmember Jane Brunner. Look for
a full story covering its creation of the teen
zoneand the official opening ceremony in
an upcoming issue of The Rockridge News.
FORL (the Friends of the Rockridge
Library) has also seen strong support
from the community during our year-end
fundraising drive. As the library continues
to face funding cuts due to budget shortfalls
at the city of Oakland, maintaining a high
level of programming and support is an
ongoing challenge.
FORL funding supports many key
programs and projects that the shrinking
city budget simply cannot cover, including
the children’s summer reading program; a
variety of teen programs, including a teen
advisory board and after-school activities;
improvements to our well-loved and used
furniture; and of course, a variety of needed
books and publications for our branch.
We thank our donors for their generosity
to the Rockridge Library.
Photo courtesy of FORL
Zone has opened with a “soft launch” as
we are still awaiting our final furniture
delivery – but the area is already seeing high
use and is popular with the target audience.
The Teen Zone was envisioned to provide
younger patrons an area of their own – to
read, do homework, relax and interact. This
wonderful project was a true team effort
with leadership and commitment from OPL
■
■Library Teen Zone Open for
Business
■
■FORL (Friends of the
Rockridge Library) Donations
Remain Strong
by Jennifer James, FORL boardmember
Patrons may have noticed some exciting
changes at the Rockridge Library in
recent weeks. The much-anticipated Teen
a
More: Changes on College
cross-cultural congregation
striving to partner with
         the Rockridge community
   in lifestyle and service.
New
Peet’s Coffee and Tea
Café and retail sales
3200 College Avenue at Alcatraz
510/899-6740
Monday–Saturday: 7am–8pm
Sunday: 7am–7pm
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
Rockridge:  5400 College Avenue
 Elmwood:  2930 College Avenue
Weekend Brunch in Elmwood
WHAT’S COMING SOON in Rockridge Real Estate?
3+BD, 3+BA over 3,500 sqft, professionally landscaped yard, views,
   Chabot District $1,375,000
4+BD, 2BA, 1 Block from College Ave, Chabot District, under $1M
2BD, 1BA, near park and transit, Chabot District, under $700K
2BD, 1BA, near park and College, Peralta District, under $700K
AVAILABLE NOW:
400 Avon @ Shafter, 2BD, 1BA condo, period style
4 unit building, own for monthly cost less than rent $365,000
L A W T   O   N
Call for a real local expert opinion.
Perry Riani, Senior Associate
510.813.3799      priani@earthlink.net      DRE# 01402540
A  S  S  O  C  I A T  E  S
Happy New Years!
R  E A  L    E  S T A T  E
B  R  O  K  E  R A  G  E


January 7, 2012
12.

Rockridge Real Estate: 2011 Review
If you plan to sell, it is essential in this
market that you prepare your home properly
for sale. Don’t skimp in this category. Check
with the building department to make sure
you are compliant with the latest regulations.
New private sewer lateral inspections and
repair requirements go into effect January
16 for single family homes in Oakland,
Emeryville and Piedmont.
by Ortrun Niesar, Rockridge News
Contributor
Rockridge real estate sales in 2011 were
essentially a repeat of 2010. Inventory
was low, all good homes sold within a rea-
sonable period of time and prices largely
held their own, the variance being hardly
more than 3 percent. Patience, preparation
for the market and a generally conservative
approach to buying or selling seem to have
been the key indicators for success. These
attributes will certainly apply in 2012 as well.
Statistics we have been keeping for you
since 2002 show the Rockridge micro-market
continues to defy regional market statistics.
Rockridge’s unique offerings — an excellent
commute to the City, good climate, great
walk scores, lovely Craftsman homes, level
streets, availability of necessary services,
good public and private schools, engaged
neighbors and an active and effective neigh-
borhood organization in RCPC — contribute
greatly to the stability of its home prices.
What Your Home Is Worth
Many factors determine what your home
might be worth if you intend to refinance or
sell. It is best to work with your local Real-
tors, appraisers and mortgage brokers to get
a proper evaluation. However, you can get
a good snapshot by visiting open houses of
similar design and then applying a per square
foot measure to your property. Looking at
recent sales, here is what you can expect:
Our attractive two-bedroom bungalows, few
of which made it to market in 2011, sold at
a median price of $705,000 and as high as
$880,000. Based on this, a good measure
for your well-maintained two-bedroom
bungalow would be $543 per square foot. A
three-bedroom home should bring an aver-
age price of $925,000, but of the 36 sold in
2011, a whopping 35 percent sold for well
over $1,000,000. A good average measure
per square foot for a three-bedroom home
is about $456. Four-bedroom homes sold at
an overall average of $380 per square foot.
Homes of four bedrooms or more tend to
be larger newer homes or historic homes
that traditionally fetch prices well above
the $1,100,000 mark.
Outlook for 2012
All real estate activities — buying,
selling or refinancing your home — offer
good options right now. Sellers should
feel confident about being in this market.
Rockridge inventory is extremely low and
qualified buyers are out there waiting,
bringing respectable offers.
If you are a buyer, consider offer-
ing a large down payment, low debt/
income ratio and solid employment
documentation.
If you plan to refinance, banks
are offering attractive options (even
for underwater homeowners). This is
the big story of the day. Interest rates
hover at 4 percent, an all-time low,
and banks are generously helping
with processing loan applications.
Look into this: the amount of money
you will save can be significant to
your health.
Some home owners have had
difficulty dealing with appraisers
this past year. Your message is being
heard: current appraisal practices are
being scrutinized and streamlined
to better meet the needs of local
home owners. One more time: It’s
all about location. Appraisers who do
not know the neighborhood or your
home have no business appraising
it. Be adamant about that with your
lender or mortgage broker.
This analysis covers Rockridge homes sales
from the Berkeley border in the north, south to
Broadway Terrace and 51Street, west to Telegraph
Avenue and east to Hwy 13. Information supplied
by EBRD 2011 is deemed to be reliable but not
guaranteed. Ortrun Niesar is a Realtor with East
Bay Sotheby’s International Realty. ortrun.niesar@
sothebysrealty.com.
Average Sale Prices by No. of Bed-
rooms
Year
2BR
3BR
4+BR
No.
Homes
Sold
2005
$802,513
$956,722
$1,466,920
124
2006
760,782
962,488
1,498,687
112
2007
780,268
986,895
1,330,031
127
2008
757,011
921,476
1,329,080
98
2009
711,967
840,074
1,388,314
79
2010
680, 617
876,609
1,330,676
90
2011
$702,011
924,398
1,126,722
87
Rockridge Home Sale Prices 2002-2011
Year
Avg.
Price
Percent
Change
Median
Price
Percent
Change
2002
$770,604
$691,500
2003
847,637
9.9
750,000
8.5
2004
902,000
6.4
805,000
7.3
2005
1,032,139
14.4
930,500
15.6
2006
1,111,317
7.6
903,000
-3.0
2007
1,106,186
-1.0
1,000,000
10.3
2008
1,029,153
-7.0
905,000
- 9.5
2009
904,954
-12.0
850,000
-6.0
2010
962,757
6.4
838,000
-.02
2011
907,628
-5.7
837,000
0
Norman H. Burg, DDS
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
A Prevention Oriented Practice


January 7, 2012

13.
Scenic Streets

to pull weeds for an hour once a month. To
offer your time, call the group’s leader, Peter
Lund, at 510/516-3636.
Scenic Street’s final goal is to landscape
two Claremont Avenue asphalt-covered
medians that parallel Frog Park and the
nearby dog run. The medians total nearly
10,000 square feet, so there’s lots of room
for enhancements. Dabral says native plants,
improved lighting, public artwork and a
“Welcome to Rockridge” sign are all being
considered as potential improvements.
Additional volunteers are being sought
to help finalize plans for the medians. The
group hopes work would begin in late 2012
once a new round of funding has been
secured. Additional information can be
found at www.ScenicStreets.org
The group’s web site will soon be
expanded to include several pages of advice
on how to undertake landscaping projects
on public lands. “We want to encourage
residents all over the Bay Area to beautify
their own neighborhoods,” says Lund, “so
our site will share valuable advice and
resources for every step of the process.”
from page 1
Claremont Avenue and Hudson Street last
month. Scenic Streets volunteers had also
renovated the Claremont Avenue off-ramp
at Clifton Street last summer.
To date, the group has installed over 300
drought-tolerant shrubs along the ramps,
garnering enthusiastic honks of support
from passing motorists. Nearly all funds for
the project were donated by local residents.
“It really has been a community effort”
says Holly Dabral, Scenic Street’s volunteer
landscape designer. “But we could use a few
more green thumbs to help look after the
plants in the coming months when they are
most vulnerable.”
The shrubs on both ramps are being
temporarily supported by sophisticated
drip systems fed with water donated from
nearby properties. Dabral says this initial
moisture establishes deep roots, but it also
can encourage invasive weed growth close
to the shrubs. A few volunteers are needed
New
Enoteca Molinari
Italian cuisine and wine bar
5474 College Avenue
510/428-4078
Friday–Saturday: 5:30pm–11pm
Tuesday–Thursday: 5:30pm–10pm
http://www.enoteca-molinari.com/
Guest Chef
Be the chef for two weeks in a fully-
equipped restaurant
5337 College Avenue
510/658-7378
Tuesday–Thursday: 5:30–9 pm,
Friday–Saturday: 5:30–10pm
www.theguestchef.net
Nathan & Co.
Gifts
5636 College Avenue
510/601-1677
Monday–Friday: 10:30am–7:30pm,
Saturday: 10am–6pm
www.nathanandco.com
Restaurant Chu
Chinese
5362 College Ave
510/601-8818
Monday–Saturday: 11:30am–2:30pm
and Monday–Sunday: 4–9:30pm
Happy hour: 4–7pmdaily;
Friday-Saturday: 9–midnight
www.restaurantchu.com
GREG HENDSCH
Certified Green Builder
Lead Safe Certified Firm
CA LIC #835138

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Oakland born-Rockridge raised

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American brasserie
5356 College
Lounge:
Sunday–Wednesday: 5–10pm,
Thursday 5–11pm,
Friday–Saturday 5pm–midnight
Restaurant:
Sunday–Thursday: 5:30–9:30pm,
Friday–Saturday: 5:30–10pm, Sunday
brunch: 10:30am–2:30pm
http://www.hudsonoakland.com/
Moved
Multiple Threads
Formerly at 5330 College Avenue;
Moved to Solano Avenue


January 7, 2012
14.

Your Role in
Public Safety
Office for Rent
Professional office in historic Rockridge building
at 5315 College Avenue, available beginning
January, 2012. Parking and reception area
negotiable. Call Larry Moll 510/655-7142.
from page 1
Improve Your
Communication Skills
With...
Transactional Analysis for students, singles,
parents, teachers, healers, principals, therapists,
doctors, nurses, lawyers, police, social workers.
510/653-4844.
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.
February deadline is January 19, 2012.
For information: smontauk@gmail.com
ness, is the knowledge that Oakland offers
a robust crime prevention program through
a combination of active police resources
and civilian organizations. Many citizens
and neighborhoods thus fail to utilize even
these resources for their own safety.
Tucked into the word cloud on page 1
are acronyms of the titles of some of these
programs. The acronyms are bigger than
the actual words of crimes because, once
deciphered and activated, they can represent
more power than the named crimes.
For example, the largest of the acronyms
is NCPC. It has appeared in The Rockridge
News many times, and is decoded as
Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council.
Others listed include NSC (Neighbor-
hood Services Coordinator), PSO (Problem
Solving Officer), 12Y, and 13X.
Each of these programs is part of
the OPD community policing structure,
designed to bring police and citizens
together to prevent crime and local nuisance
issues.
Too far-reaching to be fully described
in a single newsletter issue, the programs
will be examined in issues to come.
In the meantime, these community
policing resources will fail to reduce
crime if neighbors and neighborhoods do
not participate. Make a promise now to
attend the next meeting of the NCPC, set
for Thursday, January 12, beginning at
7 p.m. at the Seneca Center for Education,
6925 Chabot Road.
See page 9 for details of the meeting
topic: Video security systems and their
potential to lessen or even prevent crime.
Room Needed Occasionally
Needed: room to rent approximately four
nights/ month. Professional, non-smoking, no
drama Pleasanton woman attends Oakland
meetings and prefers not to drive back home
at night. If interested please e-mail me at
tecasemina@yahoo.com.
Home Repair Expert
Carpentry, remodeling. Doors and windows,
glass and locks, small electrical, plumbing jobs,
drywall, painting, fences, decks and other odd
jobs. Good rates. Rick 510/761-7168.
Winter Special! Penelope’s
Aesthetics Skin Care Salon
25% off waxing and facial services. Gift cer-
tificates available. Receive excellent, relaxing
services with a gentle and personalized treat-
ment. www.penelopecalef.com. By appointment.
510/594-1552.
Traditional Anglican
Worship in Rockridge
St. Peter’s Church, 6013 Lawton at Broadway.
Mass Sunday, 8 & 10 AM, Wednesday at noon.
Sunday School and Childcare, Sunday at 10.
510/597-1400. St.peters.oakland@gmail.com;
www.saintpetersoakland.com
TAI CHI and QIGONG
CLASS
New and returning students welcome. Cultivate
health through this ancient gentle exercise.
Methodist Church 303 Hudson at College.
Thursday 9:30 a.m. Saturday 9:00 a.m. Visit
www.harmonytaiji.com for schedule. More info
gail@harmonytaiji.com
Licensed General Contractor
Craftsman Rehabs, Remodels: Kitchens, baths,
gates, fences, decks, doors, windows. Profes-
sional and courteous. Fully insured. Many local
references. See www.catconstruction.biz. Craig
510/232-5978.
Lesbians in Piedmont or
Rockridge?
Join us for the first event of the Rockridge/
Piedmont Lesbian Social Club at 6 pm on Feb-
ruary 25, for good food and good company.
Location provided upon RSVP to rpsocialclub@
gmail.com.
ALL THINGS MATERNAL
Psychotherapy for Mothers and Others
Compassionate help for women and couples
facing the challenges associated with infertility,
pregnancy, post-partum, and parenting. On
College Ave/Chabot. Deena Solwren, LCSW;
510/364-2864, www.deenasolwren.com
Deliver Baby Clothes to
Newborns-in-Need
Our nonprofit seeks a committed volunteer
to pick up weekly from Cool Tops next to
Rockridge BART and deliver less than a mile
away on an ongoing basis. Contact: info@
LovedTwice.org.
Pregnancy Support Group
Intimate group provides a safe place to share
experiences and get support during this
transformative time. For women in all stages
of pregnancy. 6-week commitment; Tuesday
mornings. Deena Solwren, LCSW. 510/364-
2864. www.deenasolwren.com
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.
Art Advising Services
“Just one painting for over the fireplace” is
right up our alley. We specialize in sourcing
fine art under $5,000 from Bay Area MFA grad
shows, indie exhibition spaces, & downtown
galleries. www.FourWallArt.com


January 7, 2012

15.

American Red Cross

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

■
■Volunteer Orientation: Tour the Oakland Blood Center.
Learn to assist blood donors; deliver blood; help with
special projects. Tues, 1/10, 3:30pm. 6230 Claremont
Avenue (across from College Ave. Safeway). To learn
more or sign up: Anne at 594-5165 or BlackstoneA@
usa.redcross.org.

Community Calendar

Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council (NCPC)
Lobby Display Case:
■
■Jan: Season of Non-Violence Library Display.
■
■Mobile Blood Drives: Call 1-800/Red Cross
(1-800/733-2767) or visit www.redcrossblood.org to
find a location near you.
First Friday Monthly Square Dance
in North Oakland
■
■Feb: MoCHA: Children’s artwork.
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: All branch
libraries closed Thurs and Fri, 1/13 and 1/14. Note:
due to possible shut-downs, confirm all dates.
Diesel Readings and Events
Residents and business members of NCPC’s 12Y and
13X areas can voice their concerns about crime and
public safety. 2nd Thursday each month, 7pm. Note:
for Jan 12 only, meet at Seneca Center, 6925 Chabot
Road. Confirm mtg time/place at www.rockridgencpc.
com or chair@rockridgencpc.com.
Rockridge Branch Library
Music by The Squirrelly String Band. Calling by Jordan
Ruyle. Every 1st Friday of the month from 8-10pm. All
levels welcome; all dances taught on the spot. $5-10
sliding scale donation. The Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501
Telegraph Ave. Info: http://squirrellystringband.com.
Wisteria Ways House Concert
Series
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
FOR CHILDREN
All events are FREE and open to the public.
■
■Pre-School Story Time: (ages 2 to 5) Every Thurs,
10:30am; (Sing-along story time on 2nd Thurs.).
■
■Mon, 1/9, 7:30pm. Amnesty International Meeting
(2nd Mon. each month): All invited to exchange
ideas on action.
■
■Toddler Story Time: (up to age 2) Every Thurs,
10:30am, upstairs.
Izvorno IcePick: fuses the traditional village dance music
of Macedonia with aggressive jazz-inspired improvisa-
tion. Sheldon Brown, Tom Farris, Bryan Bowman,
and Bill Lanphier. Saturday, 1/28, 8pm; doors open
7:30 (inside venue; not wheelchair accessible). $15-20
donation for musicians (cash only at the door). 383 61st
Street. For reservations (highly recommended), RSVP
to info@WisteriaWays.org or 655-2771.
Temescal Farmers’ Market
■
■Family Story Time: Stories/songs/rhymes (to age
5). Every Saturday, 10:30am.
Special Events:
■
■Fri, 1/20, 7pm. William Gibson: Distrust That Par-
ticular Flavor.
■
■Thurs, 1/26, 7pm. Local poet Sandra Gilbert:
Aftermath.
■
■Celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year: JingMo Lion
Dancers will perform the Lion Dance. Jan 28, 3pm.
All ages welcome. Stop by to make a Chinese fan
and a New Year’s dodecahedron.
FOR TEENS
■
■Sun, 1/29, 3pm. Poetry Flash with Terry Wolverton
and Devreaux Baker.
■
■Thurs, 2/09, 7pm. Local journalist Thomas Peele:
Killing the Messenger: A Story of Radical Faith, Rac-
ism’s Backlash, and the Assassination of a Journalist.
DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. More info
(and other events and discussion groups): 653-9965
or events@dieselbookstore.com.
Jazz at the Chimes
■
■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, Note new time: 1 to 2pm. More info:
Susy, 597- 5017.
Open Sundays, 9am to 1pm (all year). Locally grown
fruits and vegetables; fresh ranch eggs; home-made
bakery items; fresh cut flowers; unique prepared foods,
fresh locally caught fish, handcrafts and more. Sample
the goods; develop a relationship with the grower; learn
about unique food varieties and cooking tips; greet your
neighbors and listen to live music. Bring your own
reusable bags. 5300 Claremont Ave. (off Telegraph)
at DMV parking lot. More info about Certified Farmers’
Markets at www.urbanvillageonline.com.
North Oakland Senior Center
■
■Rockridge Ninjas Anime Club: Watch and talk
about anime (Japanese animation). Second Tues.
each month 5 to 6:30pm.
FOR ADULTS
Return of the concert series featuring Bay Area jazz
musicians in a beautiful Julia Morgan venue. Vocalist Ed
Reed is joined by Anton Schwartz on sax and Randy
Porter on piano. Sunday, 1/15, 2pm, followed by artist’s
reception and refreshments. Tickets: $10-$15 for concert
and reception. Kids under 12 free. Cash only at the
door starting at 12:30pm. Chapel of the Chimes, 4499
Piedmont Ave. Wheelchair accessible. Free parking.
More info at 654-0123 or chimesjazz@gmail.com.
■
■Writers Support/Critique Group: All writers welcome.
Bring 17 copies of up to 5 pgs. (double-spaced, MS
margins) of any prose for on-site reading/discussion
(also welcome to come empty-handed). Third Saturday
each month, 1 to 5pm. Sponsored by the California
Writers Club, Berkeley branch. (www.berkeleywrit-
ersclub.org.) Info: 420-8775 or Writefox@aol.com.
Programs include: Arts/crafts; health insurance counsel-
ing; dancing and exercise; trips, tours and theater outings;
Alzheimer’s Caregivers support groups, computer classes
and more. Annual $12 membership entitles seniors 55
and older to get discounts on activities and trips.
Open Mon. – Fri., 9am to 3pm. 5714 Martin Luther King,
Jr. Way. Subscribe to “The North Oakland Senior Times”
for full schedule of classes/events, lunch menus, and
volunteer opportunities. Info: 597-5085.
■
■Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice and
referrals. First Tues. each month (2/7), 5 to 7pm
(advance sign-up starts 4:45pm at the adult reference
desk). Note: volunteer lawyer leaves before 7pm if no
more people present.
ART EXHIBITS (call to confirm)
Gallery:
■
■Jan: Tomye: painting.
■
■Feb: Tomye: painting.
Clean Green Mobile
& Detail Service
Eco - Friendly Car Wash
www.cleangreenmobile.com
(510) 965-8683
We come to you!!!


January 7, 2012
16.

Terry Kulka & Julie Bartlett
Terry Kulka & Julie Bartlett
Number of Homes Sold: Over 400
Homes Sold in Rockridge: Over 80
Value of Working with Realtors who have
over 35 years Experience? PRICELESS
WanTed To RenT! Highly qualified tenant with
impeccable references is seeking a relatively level-in
2 bedroom 1 bath condo or bungalow close to College
Avenue or Piedmont Avenue with off street parking.
Call Today! (510) 682-5917
RockridgeHomeSales@Gmail.com
www.Rockridge-RealEstate.com
Call Today! (510) 682-5917
RockridgeHomeSales@Gmail.com
www.Rockridge-RealEstate.com
Over 400 homes sold -
Experience Counts
COLLINS ROOFING
Family Owned & Operated
Rockridge
Located on Market Hall’s Lower Level
Entry on Shafter Avenue
510-655-8808
482-2227  Seamus
www.collinsroofing.com
Quality Work  •  Free Estimates
Lic # 695711
www.curvesrockridge.com
Free Parking!
Across from BART
Open 7 Days
Mon- Fri  6:00 -7:30
Sat & Sun 8:00 - Noon
aboutface&body
dayspa      oaklandberkeley
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Holidays
serving you since 1981
AVEDA PRODUCTS
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3190 college avenue
at alcatraz
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and a
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 New Year
p 510.428.2600
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sun-tues 10:30-5:30
wed-sat 10:30-8:00
FOR SALE in ROcKRidgE
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5350 Bryant Avenue   $649,000
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Sunny and Charming Craftsman Bungalow.
Remodeled Kitchen that opens to the backyard.
Award Winning chabot Elementary School
www.5350Bryant.com
5205 Manila Avenue     Pending
2 Beds & 1 Bath
Craftsman Bungalow on a Quiet Street.
Nice Architectural Detailing
www.5205Manila.com
L A W T O N
Ron Kriss, Broker
Lawton Associates
510-547-5970 Ext. 55
ronkriss@jps.net
“#1 in Rockridge Real Estate”
A S S O C I A T E S
Over 100 Homes Sold in Rockridge
www.LawtonAssoc.com
R E A L   E S T A T E
B R O K E R A G E

INTERIOR-EXTERIOR LEAD
CERTIFIED PAINTERS
Professional preparation. Many local
references. All work Guaranteed
(510) 654-3339
Sustainable Living
Starts at Home
Sustainable Building
Starts at Ashby Lumber
Looking for a Contractor?
Visit our Contractor Directory
at ashbylumber.com
.
824 Ashby Avenue    Berkeley
Ph: 510.843.4832  Fax: 510.843.3840
KEVIN BROWN
Broker
654-8707 or 593-4780
PROVIDING

Professional,

Full Service

Real Estate Brokerage

To Rockridge Clients
 For Over 26 Years.
SPECIALIZING IN

OResidential Sales

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30
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Realty
5353 College Avenue
Oakland
Shopping? Find it in Oakland!