Extracted text · highlighting “Andrew Charman”

www.rockridge.org

!
Remember:
No Newsletter
in August.

VOL. 27       NO. 7       ISSUE NO. 291       July 7, 2012                        CIRCULATION: 5, 800 Residences; 200 BusInesses

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

A 62,000 sq.ft. self-contained shopping center with a 50,000 sq. ft. second-floor Safeway “Lifestyle” store and
12,000 sq. ft. of “small shop” street-level storefronts on College at Claremont. – See Land Use Committee report, page 3.

12

Note New
Meeting Date

July 12, 2012 RCPC Meeting : Town Hall AGENDA

College Avenue Safeway Project Controversy Comes to a Head
Planning Commission to Consider Proposal July 25
After literally years of discussion, debate,
and argument, Safeway’s proposal to
more than double the size of its store at
College and Claremont avenues and convert
it into a self-contained shopping center is
headed for a showdown at the Planning
Commission later this month. The city
plans to release the project’s Final Envi-
ronmental Impact Report (FEIR) shortly

discussion of the FEIR by Stuart Flashman,
the chair of RCPC’s land use committee,
and possibly by Michael Graf, the attorney
recently retained by RCPC to advise it on
this important issue.
There will also be representatives from
Friends and Neighbors of College Avenue
(FANS) to discuss alternatives to the
Safeway proposal, as well as an explanation
of how residents can be most effective in
voicing their opinions.
after July 4, and it is tentatively scheduled
to come before the Planning Commission
at its July 25 meeting (6 p.m. start time).
The commission will consider whether to
accept and certify the FEIR as adequate
and whether to approve Safeway’s proposal,
or, possibly, some other alternative.
The July Town Hall Meeting – Thursday,
July 12; note changed date – will feature

RCPC Town Hall Meeting: Thursday, July 12 | 7:30-9 p.m. Rockridge Branch Library 5366 College at Manila

A Long Tme Coming: BART Plaza Takes Shape in Builders’ Hands

by Bob Franklin, manager of customer
access, BART
The Rockridge BART Plaza renovation
project broke ground May 20, 10 years
after its initial envisioning by the group
UnderBART, sponsored by RCPC.
Golden Bay Construction, the Hayward
company awarded the public contract from
BART, will take about two months to com-
plete the project that replaces the mound of
ivy near the base of the station’s escalator.
The wave bike racks adjacent to the
former planter area were relocated to the
west of the plaza’s down escalators. All the
ivy in the planter was removed, as was the
large Black Acacia tree that leaned over
Keith Avenue. The Oakland Zoo came and
picked up 3 truckloads of branches from
the acacia tree for about a week’s worth of
food for the elephants at the zoo.
About 30 percent of the planter was
removed to open up the plaza. An arborist
on-site provided input to protect the roots
of the three redwood trees. The remaining
planter had to be covered with mulch and
Bill Castellon directs placement of 12
tons of plaza boulders.      /Bob Franklin
➧➧BART Plaza, page 4
Councilmember Brunner Hosts Final Picnic
Early Plaza Planning Laid the Groundwork
by Teresa Drenick, former RCPC Planning Committee member
and UnderBART chair
Last year, Bob Franklin told me that plans were afoot for the
construction of the BART Plaza. I immediately dusted off
and delivered a huge file created over 10 years ago when I chaired
what was then called the UnderBART committee.
Stuffed full of photos, papers, drawings, phone lists and
meeting agendas, my old file documents the history of an effort
to enhance the space under the Rockridge BART station. Over a
decade ago, our committee formed as an extension of the RCPC
and our first public meeting at
Please join City Councilmember Jane Brunner
for her final District One Community Picnic
BBQ and Drinks Provided!
Please Bring Your Favorite Dish to Share!
Sunday, July 15; Noon to 4 p.m.
North Temescal Picnic Site, Lake Temescal,
Need More Information? Give our office a call at
510/238-7001. The picnic site is located at 6500 Broadway next to
the Highway 24/13 interchange on Lake Temescal’s north shore.
Park free on Broadway or in the Parking lot for $5.
Do you need a ride? Call 510-238-7014
➧➧Early Plans Take Root, page 4


July 7, 2012
2.

Crime in Rockridge
‘Rockridge BART Lowest in Crime of All Eight
Oakland Stations’ — Lt. Ed Alvarez, BART PD Area Cmdr

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.
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
The Greater Rockridge Neighborhood
Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) hosts
monthly meetings to discuss and review
area crime trends with Oakland Police
Problem Solving Officers (PSO), and other law
enforcement agencies. At a recent meeting,
BART Police Area Commander Lt. Ed Alvarez,
pictured at right, discussed crime and crime
prevention at the BART station. The Rockridge
News later interviewed Lt. Alvarez to make his
remarks available to the Rockridge community
at large. — Editor
CLOSED: Sundays and Mondays.
Also 8/14, 9/4 and 9/8.
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
Andrew Charman	��������������Chair
Christopher Chin	�������������Vice-Chair
Laura Schlichtmann	�����������Secretary
Cesar Angobaldo	���������������Treasurer
Stuart Flashman	�����������������Chair Emeritus
Bernard Baltaxe, James Kachelmeyer, Michael Kan,
William Kaufner, Don Kinkead, Alex Naughton,
Douglas Oliver, Ronnie Spitzer, Ann Winterman
Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
How long have you been with
the BART Police Department?
I have worked at the department for 14
years. I started at the department’s entry
level, and attended the Oakland Police
Department training academy. Many
BART officers have trained at the OPD
academies and, overall, this leads to good
relations with OPD, since the BART officers
maintain their relationships with academy
classmates. We also have lateral transfers
of OPD officers coming to BART’s depart-
ment who maintain their ties to OPD. Two
of our executive command staff – deputy
chiefs – were captains with OPD. Our ties
to Oakland police are pretty strong.
/D. Kinkead
policing activities. The uniqueness of the
BART police is our work in a transit environ-
ment. With the crowds coming and going, we
have more people contact on a day-to-day
basis than city officers. It’s the nature of
the environment. Also, any crimes or law
enforcement issues in BART jurisdictions
are committed on our turf: The stations and
trains. We know the station layouts, the best
exit and entry points, and hazardous areas.
Plus, we control the trains. We have a direct
link to hold a train when a criminal suspect
may be on it.
How do you communicate with
others at your command level
about problems at the stations?
There are five area commanders; I am
one of them. The area commanders meet
weekly with the deputy chiefs and the Chief
to discuss what is going on throughout
Newsletter Subscriptions
Are there different emphases
in policing issues for the two
agencies?
Well, we are both involved in law enforce-
ment, of course. Like OPD, we are also
involved in Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council (NCPC) meetings and community
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
➧➧BART Safety, page 12
Articles submitted for publication may be e-mailed
to the above address. Submissions are limited to
600 words; must include the author’s name, phone
number, e-mail address, and city or neighborhood
of residence; and are subject to editing. To reprint
a Rockridge News article, please contact the editor.
Newsletter Advertising/Deadlines
Publication date of the next issue is
  September 8, 2012 [No August Issue]
  September deadline is August 23, 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.)


July 7, 2012

3.

Oakland Bicycle Plan
Improves Cycling
Safety, Comfort
This month, the RCPC Land Use Committee meets on
the third Wednesday of the month at the Rockridge
Branch Library, Upstairs Meeting Room, 7:30 p.m.
This month’s meeting: Wednesday, July 18. (Note
date change.) Contact Stu Flashman (652-5373 or stuflash@aol.
com) to confirm meeting location and to get a copy of the agenda.
Land use committee meetings are generally open to the public.
by Ronnie Spitzer, RCPC Transportation
Committee chair
Rockridge possesses one of the highest
rates of bicycling in Oakland and some
of the city’s original bikeways. Benefits of
bicycling include improved public health
and a lowered carbon footprint. Adding
more first class bikeways to this nationally
recognized walkable neighborhood with
accessible transit services improves every-
one’s quality of life. And that is just what
the Oakland Bicycle Master Plan aims to do.
One plan goal would upgrade existing
cycling routes whenever possible. Another
would increase the number of bikeways by
a whopping 250 percent to total 218 miles.
Bikeways are streets with certain levels of
bicycle accommodation: bike paths, which
provide bicycle travel on a paved right-of-
way separated from the street; bike lanes,
with striped lanes for the cyclist’s use;
and bicycle routes with vehicles and bikes
sharing the road.
Progress toward a more bike friendly
environment can be measured by signage and
roadway striping around Rockridge. New signs
for over 100 destinations are being installed
along Broadway Terrace, the Shafter-Webster
Safeway Final EIR Release Date: July 6;
RCPC Land Use Committee Meeting: July 18;
Planning Commission Public Hearing: July 25.
by Stuart Flashman, RCPC Land Use
Committee chair
Peterson Vollman (pvollman@oaklandnet.
com, phone 238-6167), is that the Final
EIR, including responses to comments,
will be released on or about July 6. The
Planning Commission would then consider
certification and project approval at its
meeting on July 25. (RCPC’s request to
the Planning Commission to postpone the
public hearing until September was ignored.)
The July Town Hall meeting (Special
date: Thursday, July 12) will focus on the
project and the adequacy of the Final EIR
in preparation for the Planning Commission
hearing. (See story, front page.)
■
■Meeting Agenda:
The main topic on the agenda will be
preparing for the Planning Commission hear-
ing on the College Avenue Safeway project.
(See below.) Other agenda items (including
update on the Rockridge Shopping Center
Project) as time permits. Please contact Stu
Flashman (652-5373 or stuflash@aol.com)
to confirm meeting location and to get a
copy of the agenda.
■
■College Avenue Safeway
Shopping Center Project;
College & Claremont Avenues
This project is a proposal to replace the
current 22,500 sq.ft. Safeway store with a
62,000 sq.ft. shopping center, including a
50,000 sq. ft. second-floor Safeway “Life-
style” store and 12,000 sq. ft. of “small
shop” street-level storefronts.
The latest update from Oakland planner
■
■Rockridge Bottle Shop
6309 College Ave.
The application for this on-site/off-site
beer and wine sales store was considered
by the Planning Commission at its June
27 meeting. No one spoke in support or
opposition; the use permit was unanimously
approved.
➧➧Better Cycling, page 7

RCPC Legal Defense Fund for a Fitting Building
Are you worried that the proposed
Safeway project is just too big for the
beleaguered two-lane College Avenue? Are
you afraid it will overwhelm the neighbor-
hood, threaten nearby small businesses,
or worsen already congested traffic flows?
The RCPC board shares your concerns,
and suspects the issue may ultimately play
out in the courts. This could be expensive.
To plan for this possibility, RCPC

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established the Rockridge Legal Defense
Fund. If Safeway’s plans and power concern
you, consider sending a check, or using
the donate button on the RCPC website.
Donations are tax deductible, and all
donations are welcome.
The board anticipates
that donations will be
used to help support
the fight for a Safeway
store of appropriate size
and scale for Rockridge.
Funds not fully used for
legal fees connected
with this project will
be retained for future
cases in which RCPC
may need legal help to uphold meaningful
zoning regulations and to maintain and
enhance the livability of our mixed-use
neighborhood and the pedestrian-oriented
shopping options along College Avenue.
In the past, RCPC used legal means to
push for a better design for the Dreyer’s
building, and to help win funds for the
community and public
schools to mitigate
i m p a c t s  f ro m  t h e
Caldecott Tunnel Fourth
Bore project. Similar
steps may be necessary
to encourage Safeway
to listen to community
concerns; your help will
be critical.
Mail checks to RCPC,
4123 Broadway, PMB
311, Oakland, CA 94611. Online donations
may be made at www.rockridge.org.
(Tax ID no. 94-3011284)
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July 7, 2012
4.

DaVita Dialysis to Unveil Renovation Plans

completion of the project. Feedback from
the community will be welcomed.
DaVita spokesperson Mollie O’Brien told
Scenic Streets members in September the
company intended to make improvements
to align with the community’s own nearby
efforts. Since then, neighbors have been
looking forward to the change.
“It’s a very prominent property” says
Rockridge
➧➧DaVita Renovates, page 15
by Diana Thomas, Rockridge resident
Scenic Streets, the local volunteer group
renovating the Rockridge-Temescal
Gateway, has announced a community
meeting to unveil landscaping plans for the
DaVita Dialysis facility at 5354 Claremont
Avenue at Clifton. The group has been
negotiating with the company for over a
year to make upgrades to the grounds of
the former supermarket that many in the
neighborhood regard as an eyesore.
The event will be held Tuesday, July 17 at
7 p.m. at the Colombo Club, 5321 Claremont
Avenue, directly opposite the DMV. Repre-
sentatives from DaVita will present plans for
improving the grounds and a timeline for
in consultation with landscape architect
Greer Alley, installed 12 Sierra Granite
boulders weighing a total of 23 tons.
A compass rose has been completed and
will be set in the plaza once the concrete
work is complete. Designed primarily by
Austin Cho with assistance from Cosmin
Haims, it is a decorative iron manhole
cover-sized art work commemorating the
Rockridge community and the lure of travel.
At presstime, project features to complete
include the bench that will border the
planter, uplighting for the redwood trees,
the placemarker “Rockridge” sign behind
the boulders, the addition of native grasses
to the remaining planter, and finishing the
plaza colored concrete work.
BART will also repair the concrete
around the London Plane tree by the bus
zone on the east side of College Avenue.
BART Plaza
from page 1
all exposed roots had to be kept damp. As
a safety guard against damaging any of
the redwood tree roots, a large vacuum
instead of tractors was used to remove the
excess dirt.
Rock placement specialist Bill Castellon,
for the neighborhood and enhance safety in
the area by improving visibility and lighting.
In the end, the dedication and creative
work of the committee stalled when we
could not find a source to fund the project.
With the new plaza nearly complete, I
have had a chance to reflect upon the efforts
of our committee over a decade ago and I
hope that, at least in some small part, we
planted a seed that was finally able to take
root and flourish.
Early Plans
Take Root
LIFE DOESN’T STAND STILL
AND NEITHER SHOULD
YOUR INVESTMENTS.
from page 1
the Rockridge Library drew a crowd of more
than 50 people. We continued to meet on a
monthly basis for several years; committee
regulars included many residents and
merchants from the neighborhood, including
Theresa Nelson, instrumental in founding
Frog Park; Sarah Wilson and Peter Wilson,
of Market Hall; Jan Christensen Heller of
Christensen Heller Gallery; Glen Jarvis, local
architect and RCPC boardmember; Mike
McDonald, contractor and RCPC member;
and Fred Womack and Patty Brunn, owners
of Maison d’Etre, among many, many others.
Our efforts led to a mission statement, the
creation of beautiful renderings and even a
mocked-up plaza during an early “Out and
About in Rockridge” street festival.
Over the years we worked on the plan,
we met with officials at MTC, BART,
CalTrans, and the city of Oakland, each of
whom supported the idea. The vision for the
area included a plaza space exactly where
the current construction is taking place, a
community garden on the northwest side of
the station, and artistic, colorful lighting of
BART’s pedestrian breezeway above College.
We took into account comments and
suggestions from hundreds of Rockridge
residents, and hoped to create a beautiful
space that could serve as a community hub
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July 7, 2012

5.

On the Nature and Likelihood
of Soundwalls Coming
to Rockridge
Mapping the study areas of
three potential soundwall
installations on HWY 24
Public soundwall meeting:
Thursday, September 27,
7-9 p.m. , Rockridge Library
Chabot Elementary
18
Claremontjjjjjjj
 Middle School
BART
Soundwall Study Areas
Above the Funding Line
18.	Westbound between
Patton Street and Ross
Street (WB#4) 1,092 ft
8
8.	 Westbound between Ross
Street and Telegraph
(WB#3) 5,140 ft
7
7.	 Eastbound between
Vicente Way and
Broadway (EB#3) 4,852 ft
Rockridge
 Libraryaaa
FROG Park
Map based on the SR 24 Pre-Noise Barrier Scope Summary Report, December 2009, Wilson,
Ihrig & Associates, Inc., and City of Oakland Fourth Bore Setttlement Agreement documents.
From Google Maps, by Ronnie Spitzer. Map is a schematic interpretation of soundwall study areas.
Terminology: “Pre-NBSSR”= Pre-Noise Bar-
rier Scope Summary Report: A preliminary study
to determine if highway sound levels appear
high enough to affect nearby residents and to
establish the potential need for mitigations.

Soundwalls: Process, Benefits and Drawbacks to
be Topics of a September Community Meeting

During 2010 and 2011, the city of Oak-
land developed a ranked list of projects
funded with the $8 million Caltrans paid
Oakland in a settlement reached over the
adequacy of environmental reports which
studied effects on the neighborhood of the
Caldecott Tunnel’s fourth bore construction.
The final list of 37 projects is avail-
able online at http://tinyurl.com/7na7jhj.
Twenty-one projects totaling $8 million
are “above the line,” meaning they receive
first consideration for the money. The line
was established during several community
meetings when participants ranked suggested
projects in terms of their importance to
community safety and improvement.
Soundwall studies were placed on the
city’s list due to the higher freeway noise
levels anticipated after the Fourth Bore is
opened and to current noise levels measured
in the December 2009 pre-NBSSR study. The
three “above the line” Rockridge soundwall
segments are indicated on the above graphic.
Note their location in terms of schools, the
park, and other public uses. All segments can
be found here: http://tinyurl.com/8yc6hoq.
The next step in evaluating support in
the neighborhood for soundwalls is through
property owners’ petitions for the NBSSR
studies. Information on the petition pro-
cess, the overall soundwall approval and
construction process, and on properties of
soundwalls will be presented at a public
meeting scheduled Thursday, September
27, 7-9 p.m. at the Rockridge Library. Your
participation is important to the process.
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July 7, 2012
6.

■
■Help us Sunday, August 5, 10 a.m. to
1 p.m., as we do general cleanup, weeding
and other tasks with the Build On group
from Oakland Tech.
New Trees in DMV Lot
Need Water, Care
FROG Sets Cleanup Days
by Howard Ferrier, FROG maintenance,
and Carol Behr, FROG chair
Our community park relies on the
community to keep things clean, safe
and fun for our children and ourselves. Join
us on the cleanup days noted below.
Also, there is a FROG committee
meeting Thursday, July 12, 7:30 p.m. (Note:
for meeting location and information,
contact info@frog.org or call 510/919-0627.)
All are welcome to attend to catch up
on ongoing plans to enhance and improve
the park.
by Leonora Sea, DMV Neighbors
Good news for the DMV tree replacement
project! The California Conservation
Corps finished planting five trees in the DMV
east parking lot May 20. These are the trees
that the community asked to be planted in the
first phase of mitigating last summer’s tree
removal. Thank you to Mark Campodonica
and his Conservation Corps crew; Kevin Scull
of DMV; and Steve Batchelder, Consulting
Arborist, for making it happen. The new trees
are a Valley Oak, Big Leaf Maple, two Cork
Oaks, and a Shumard Oak.
Planted in late spring, the trees missed
the winter rains; it’s important that they be
watered this summer until the end of August.
I am coodinating watering and I am
looking for as many watering volunteers
as possible to cover the summer months.
Steve Batchelder strongly recommends that
the trees each receive about five gallons of
water three times per week. Water is avail-
able from the DMV irrigation system, and I
have a watering kit which makes it easy to
get the water from the system and deliver
it correctly to the trees’ root balls.
If you can help, please contact me at
leonorasea@yahoo.com.
■
■FROG Fall maintenance day is set
for all day Saturday, September 22, 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Come help the freshman
class of College Preparatory School clean,
repair, improve and preserve our garden and
playground areas. Note: Playgrounds will be
closed due to wood sealing and fibar turning.
FROG to Help With New Trees
In collaboration with local neighbors, FROG
will be working with the DMV to continue
restoration efforts along the creek side.
Rockridge Merchants’ Jazz & Wine Stroll
The Rockridge District
A s so ci at ion (R DA)
welcomes you to the Summer
Jazz & Wine Stroll. We are
looking forward to another
fun-filled evening here on
College Avenue. Our spring
event was well received, with
over 12 musical venues and
great shopping and dining.
Come support your local
merchants’ summer stroll July
13, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with a
little wine, samplings of food

and on-street music. Come
for the Jazz, come for the
Wine, come for the shopping,
come for the food and special
offers on College Avenue from
Alcatraz to Broadway.
Also, mark your calendar:
the RDA’s big Out and About
street festival for the first time
ever will be held on Sunday
October 7.
Both events are sponsored
by the Rockridge District
Association.
FORL Funds Make a Difference at Rockridge Branch

Summer
July 13, 2012
             5-8 pm
Join The Rockridge News
Family of Volunteers
Dby Jennifer James, FORL boardmember
The Friends of the Rockridge Library
(FORL) continues to support the library
and provide materials and resources to make
our branch a vibrant hub in Rockridge. Recent
funded projects include reupholstering several
leather chairs in the adult reading section,
paying for the library’s New York Times
subscription, and providing support for the
children and teen programs, with art supplies,
a world map and globe, and new demonstration
materials for children’s story time. FORL
continues to fund the summer intern that
runs the popular Children’s Summer Reading
Program. There is time to get your kids in on
the fun. Come introduce yourself to London
Robinson, this summer’s intern, and keep the
joy of reading in your home during the summer.
We have had some changes on our FORL
board, losing one valued board member while
gaining another. Jane McDermott stepped
down as treasurer of FORL to pursue an MFA
in writing at San Francisco State. We appreciate
her hard work and wish her the best. Her wry
humor and sharp mind will be missed.
Sharie Mendrey has joined the board. A
lawyer and a full-time mom with two small
boys, Sharie is a Rockridge resident and is
already making contributions to our FORL
projects.
There is a vacancy for a treasurer and
a general board seat. For the treasurer role,
finance or accounting skills are helpful, but
we are primarily looking for someone who
has an interest in accounting and wants to
support the library. Contact Kathy O’Neal
(onealkathryn@gmail.com) or Carol Bieri
(cgbieri@gmail.com) to learn more.
o you live on or near Broadway? The
Rockridge News needs a volunteer to
deliver papers once a month to the 5800-
6145 blocks of Broadway on the east side.
We thank long-time volunteers, Leah
and Ben Hoskin, and hope that someone
will step forward to take their place.
Please call 510/547-3855 or e-mail
smontauk@gmail.com to volunteer for
route 07G.
Thank you.
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July 7, 2012

7.
Better Cycling

Field, then down Tunnel Road into Berkeley.
On some Rockridge bikeways, bicyclists
must share lanes with motor vehicles. Striped
bicycle lanes are not feasible on one of the new
bikeways, College Avenue from Alcatraz to
Broadway, due to its narrow width. However,
it is a popular route for many cyclists visiting
businesses and the BART station. Shared lane
bicycle markings or “sharrows,” white bike
outlines with arrows
underneath, and sig-
nage will mark this
new arterial route and
alert motor vehicle
drivers that the road
is shared. Sharrows
have been installed
on the Shafter-Web-
ster bike boulevard,
with Colby Avenue
sharrows slated for
installation after
the street repaving.
Other bike boulevards,
including Lawton Avenue, Chabot Road, and
the Cavour-55th Street route, will be painted
in the future.
The full plan and other cycling program
information are online at http://www2.oak-
landnet.com/Government/o/PWA/o/EC/s/
BicycleandPedestrianProgram/.
Bikeway improvements are listed at http://
www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/
PWA/o/EC/s/BicycleandPedestrianProgram/
OAK024656.
To get involved with Rockridge transporta-
tion issues, attend an RCPC Transportation
Committee meeting. Watch for the fall 2012
meeting announcement.
Rockridge
from page 3
Optometry
bike boulevard, by Lake Temescal and on
Chabot Road, the city’s original bike route.
New bike lanes are coming to Alcatraz
Avenue and Broadway, too. They will
be installed on Alcatraz in 2013, funded by a
Safe Routes to School grant, following street
repaving. Restriping the wide Alcatraz travel
lanes to standard widths will not affect any
parking spaces and should discourage speed-
ing, which will benefit the two elementary
schools nearby.
To add bike lanes to Broadway, the city
reduced Broadway to four lanes to better
match traffic demand. Traffic engineers call
this treatment a “road diet.” The lanes, to be
installed in 2013, will extend from Broadway
Terrace south to 38th Street.
Mitigation funds from the Caldecott
Tunnel Fourth Bore project will be used to
stripe bike lanes on Broadway along Highway
24 from Golden Gate Avenue up to the Kay
Street freeway overcrossing by Caldecott
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July 7, 2012
8.

Will You Know When Your House Turns 100?

Marvin cautions.
Marvin, a slim, no-nonsense woman
with longish wintry tresses, sets you
in motion. Her fellow archivist, Gail
Lombardi, keeps you on track. “Betty
taught me everything I know,” Lombardi
says.
Oaklanders looking to authenticate
their home’s age can be found in that
cluttered but organized book- and
file-filled corner “all the time – a few
a day,” Marvin says.
They can also research the builder, first
owner and even the succession of owners
as well as the permitted improvements
(on microfiche at the city’s Building
Department) made along the way.
The day I was at the OCHS, a woman
well along in her own investigation was
considering doing her whole block, then
presenting it to her neighbors as a Christmas
gift.
You may find that your street name
changed as Oakland grew and changed.
Our street, Coronado, was first called either
Butter or Butler, depending on the source
– and who may have made the typo! I’m
leaning toward Butler.
So it’s fun to also consult Quentin’s
Guide to the Streets of Northern Alameda
County that tracks the original street names
and identifies who or what the street was
named for.
Manila Avenue, for example, “remembers
by Judith Doner Berne
If you live in a Craftsman Bungalow in
Rockridge, your house, like mine, may
have reached or be approaching its 100th
birthday.
That seems like something to celebrate
– and maybe a time to find out more about
the history of your home.
My daughter, who lives nearby, has been
invited to two “Happy 100th Birthday to
Our House” parties over the past year, with
more looming.
Our house was listed in the real estate
offerings as a 1914 Craftsman Bungalow.
But if we decide to base a whole party on
its centennial, I want to make sure I’m not
perpetuating a fraud.
“It’s fine to take that as an estimate,”
says Betty Marvin, the Oakland Cultural
Heritage Survey maven, who seemingly can
put her finger on any building in Oakland.
“It can be accurate. It can also be a quick
and dirty estimate by the county assessor
using the appraisal concept of effective age.”
Indeed, neighbors of ours were under
the impression that their house was built in
1918.  But as we were doing our research,
their building permit came up in the year
1913, the same as ours.
“It’s very much being a history detec-
tive,” Marvin says.
If you are intrigued, you’ll first want
to call up the Oakland Heritage Alliance’s
website at www.oaklandheritage.org and
look under its archival section, “researching
/D. Kinkead
your house.”
There, you’ll find “How Old is My
House?,” co-authored by William Sturm,
now retired from the Oakland History Room,
Oakland Public Library, and, of course,
Betty Marvin. The three-page pamphlet
details the process.
It directs you to both the Oakland His-
tory Room (OHR) and the Oakland Cultural
Heritage Survey (OCHS), where you can look
forward to help until you find your footing.
For homes that appear older than about
1910, it suggests starting at the OHR on the
second floor of the Main Library which has
early tax records.
The day we were there, Librarian Dorothy
Lazard walked and talked us congenially
and expertly counterclockwise around a
room filled with fire insurance maps, block
books and city directories.
And, if built after 1910, make an
appointment at the Oakland Cultural
Heritage Survey (510/238-6879), located on
the third floor of 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza.
“It’s prudent to call before dropping in,”
➧➧How Old is Your House?, page 11
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July 7, 2012

9.

The Neighborhood Merchant
by Theresa Nelson

Oh My Darling Clementine!
C

smoke/leather blend. Lucia candles and
soaps from France come in a heavenly
pomegranate and red currant, or mandarin
and tomato flower. The bookcases are filled
with lovely antique teacups, mercury glass,
and vases both new and vintage. The cards
she carries are created by Bella Bigsby, who
also works at neighboring College Avenue
store Bella Vita.
Natalie’s training as a florist developed
her style, which she said generally appeals
to those who “appreciate tradition and the
value of flowers in their daily lives.” The
store is filled with artfully arranged flowers
on almost every surface, fresh and colorful
against the white walls, and the garlands of
oak leaves bleached white and strung over
and around the store.
At Clementine, Natalie offers flowers
for weddings, parties, prom arrangements,
rehearsal dinners, pre-prom parties, business
clients, and almost any occasion that
calls for lovely, elegant but not stuffy
arrangements. “Many people come here
for something unique, whimsical, perhaps
with an interesting texture and unusual
color combinations,” said Natalie. “Flowers
trend in and out of style; peonies are very
‘in’ now, as are dahlias and garden roses.”
Indeed, the day I visited, the store was
bursting with arrangements for a wedding;
all around were white peonies with tiny red
berries in a variety of small glass vases
and wine glass containers, similar to the
matching boutonnières. The scent of the
peonies was so lovely, it took me back to
my hometown of Chicago, where peonies
lementine is an oasis of elegance
  and fragrance, filled with gorgeous
 flowers, antiques and unique gifts.
Owner Natalie Marvin started working for
the notable florist “Impressions” in Orinda,
and after they closed in 2005, she worked
with private clients until she found the
perfect Rockridge location for her shop.
“I’ve always dreamed of having my own
shop,” said Natalie, and since she lives in
the Rockridge area, she naturally turned
to College Avenue to find the right space.
She found the storefront at 5322 College
Avenue, south of the Rockridge Library,
with its beautiful bay windows, near where
many of her private clients already live and
shop. Crisp white walls and the exposed
concrete floor keep the store cool, which
is good for the flowers. An eclectic collec-
tion of antique bookcases and fixtures from
estate sales create a sense of harmony with
the gifts for home and garden in the shop.
While everything in the shop is for
sale, including the fixtures, floral work is
about 90 percent of her business. Natalie
also offers Kobo candles in scents such as
white musk and heliotrope, and a moss/
/D. Kinkead
Clementine
Owner: Natalie Marvin
Floral – Home – Garden
5322 College Avenue, Oakland
510/788-4564
Open Tuesday – Saturday
11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
info@ohmyclementine
www.ohmyclementine.com
were common and plentiful, although they
are more rare in California.
Natalie goes to the San Francisco and
Oakland flower marts to find just the right
flowers – especially the premium varieties
less commonly seen – for her clients.
Arrangements start at $50 and generally
go up to $125. Prices for weddings and
parties depend, of course, on the size of
the event. She serves clients in the East
Bay, especially Oakland and Berkeley,
Piedmont, Orinda, and Walnut Creek, and
some in San Francisco.
Natalie notes that she finds making
arrangements to be very creative and
expressive (she’s also a painter, and worked
at an art store before entering the floral
business about 10 years ago). Her one-of-
a-kind arrangements are created to your
tastes and to a truly artistic aesthetic.
Please stop by to see and smell the
wonderful flowers at Clementine, and enjoy
a bit of the true beauty of flowers in your
home or office.
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July 7, 2012
10.

performances: “Fiddler on the Roof,”
July 13-18; “A Funny Thing Happened on
the Way to the Forum,” August 10-19;
and “Cats,” September 7-16. Get your
tickets, pack a supper and a blanket for
the pre-show picnic and enjoy. Kids 16
and under are free when accompanied by
adults. Order tickets online and just print
them out. Go to www.woodminster.com.
The Rockridge Muse
by Ortrun Niesar
A Summer
of Musical
Celebration!
July 8-15
Golden Gate
International
Children’s and Youth
Choral Festival
During the month of July, we are in
for some wonderful musical treats.
First, between July 8 and 15, Rockridge
and other nearby communities will be
hosting about 500 young choristers from
around the world who are here to do
their part in building people-to-people
bridges across the globe with that most
magical of universal human expressions:
singing. Glorious singing!
Our young ambassadors, aged 12-19,
will be representing their countries,
ranging from China to Lithuania, in
friendly musical rivalry right here in
Berkeley and Oakland. Piedmont East
Bay Choirs, official hosts of this event,
will, of course, offer strong competition.
Concer ts will be held at First
Congregational and First Presbyterian
churches in Berkeley, with selected
performances in Oakland at St. Teresa
Church on Mandalay Road and St. Paul’s
Episcopal on Montecito Avenue. Schedules
published on the Internet will list the
type of music being performed so you
can choose your favorites. Massed
choruses will join for the grand finale
at Zellerbach Hall Saturday, July 14, at
3 p.m. Best: all these concerts are free.
Check the Internet for schedules, then
enjoy! You’ll find information at www.
goldengatefestival.org or call 510/547-
4441. Piedmont East Bay Choirs, under
the direction of Robert Geary, now
has over 500 wonderful young singers,
ages 6-18, enrolled in their programs
and is open to all young people who
wish to sing.
July 29
51Oakland at Toast
Come join a stellar group of performing
artists who will gather at Toast
on College to raise money for the
support of the performing arts in our
public schools. This will be the first
fundraiser and silent auction to support
51Oakland’s mission to help bring music
and the performing arts to all children
in the Oakland public schools. The
event is organized by co-founders Jason
Hofmann and Yoshi Akiba. Later this year
51Oakland plans to underwrite a concert
series, “Live at Yoshi’s,” showcasing
Oakland’s talented young performers.
The fundraising event will run from 1
to 9 pm and will feature performers
including David Gans, Don Reed, Jordan
McConnell, Oakland students, teachers
and more. Artists will trade off hourly
throughout the day. To donate items to
the silent auction, e-mail info@51Oakland.
org. And come join the fun.
July 15
The Oakland Jazz
Choir
Jimmy Pedersen, our local jazz
impresario who holds concerts regularly at
his home on Avon, reports that thirteen
vocalists will perform a selection of jazz
classics from the 1930s to the present
as part of the Jazz at the Chimes series
Sunday, July 15, at 2 p.m. Jimmy himself
is one of the singers, and has been for
the past 12 years. He encourages anyone
who has an interest in jazz singing to
come hear the group, perhaps choose
to join. The Chapel of the Chimes on
Piedmont Avenue is the venue. Tickets
are at the door. But get there early; the
previous concert sold out completely.
Go to chimesjazz@gmail.com or call
510/654-0123 for more on this.
Ortrun Niesar can be reached at oniesar@sbclglobal.
net or 510/652-6664.
July, August, September
Woodminster Summer
Musicals
It’s summer and time for the 46th
season of the Woodminster Summer
Musicals in Joaquin Miller Park. Scheduled
3rd Floor
Market Hall
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July 7, 2012

11.

How Old Is
Your House?

Tech Grads’ Success is Evidence of Oakland Schools’
Quality: 100% Move on to Further Education

by Jody London, OUSD president and
District 1 board member
It was my honor to welcome the Oakland
Technical High School class of 2012 on
June 12 at the Paramount Theater. This
class, one of Tech’s largest, is evidence of
the quality education we are providing our
children here in Oakland. The long tenure
of Principal Sheilagh Andujar, her ability
to implement a vision for Oakland Tech, is
something of which we should all be proud.
Of the 350 students who graduated this year,
50 percent were on the honor roll – maintain-
ing a B average or higher – all four years!
And 100 percent will be pursuing further
education, from universities to community
colleges to vocational training programs.
While there is still work to do at Tech to
ensure even more students realize this suc-
cess, we have a great example of what every
high school in Oakland is capable of doing,
with the right leadership and encouragement.
Thanks to the community for your
support.
from page 8
Manila Bay, where Admiral George Dewey
destroyed the Spanish fleet on May 1, 1898.”
Chabot Road “is named for Antoine
‘Anthony’ Chabot, a 49er and philanthropist
who was one of the East Bay’s foremost
citizens.”
Maybe it all seems so fascinating because
we were the original owners of our previous
house in the metro-Detroit suburbs where
we lived for nearly 40 years.
Only its surroundings had another his-
tory – and it was obvious. Our street was
Apple Ridge Trail and in the yard stood
one of the few remaining apple trees from
the orchard that flourished there, as they
say “in the day.”
So, no, we aren’t done. I expect to make
at least one more trip to the Oakland His-
tory Room and, if needed, to the Oakland
Cultural Heritage Survey now that I know
a little more about using these amazing
resources. And who knows, maybe I’ll see
you there – doing your home work.
The Rockridge News congratulates the Oakland Technical
High School 2012 graduating class and wishes them the best
in all their future endeavors. Schools students will attend include:
University of California, Merced
University of California,
                            San Diego
University of California,
                            Santa Barbara
University of California,
                            Santa Cruz
University of Hawaii
University of Michigan
University of Oregon
University of Redlands
University of Rochester
University of San Francisco
University of Southern California
University of Washington
Whitman College
Four year institutions:
Agnes Scott College
Alabama A & M University
American University
Art Institute of California, San
Francisco
Benedict College
Cal Poly State University, San
Luis Obispo
CSU, East Bay
CSU, Fullerton
CSU, Los Angeles
CSU, Monterey Bay
Case Western Reserve
University
Claflin University
DePaul University
DeVry University
Dominican University
Evergreen State College
Georgia Institute of Technology
Gonzaga University
Harvard University
Howard University
Humboldt State University
Indiana State University
Lake Forest College
Lewis & Clark College
Macalester College
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
Middlebury College
Morehouse College
New York University
North Carolina A&T University
Northeastern University
Occidental College
Paine College
Philadelphia University
Pitzer College
Reed College
Rochester Institute of
Technology
Saint Mary’s College
Sacramento State University
San Diego State University
San Francisco State University
San Jose State University
Texas Southern University
Tufts University
Tulane University
Tuskegee Institute
University of Arizona
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Davis
University of California, Irvine
University of California,
                            Los Angeles
Judy Berne is a journalist who moved to Rockridge
a year ago. If you have a special Rockridge story,
her e-mail is judyberne@att.net.
Community College and other
destinations:
Berkeley City College
College of Alameda
Century College
Chabot College
City College of San Francisco
Diablo Valley College
Heald College
Laney College
Los Medanos College
Menlo College
Merritt College
Santa Barbara City College
Solano Community College
Liz Gillem Duncanson
Licensed Physical Therapist
Certified Athletic Trainer
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Private Physical Therapy
Personal Training
Yoga Therapy
(510)708-8703!
lizgillempt.com
Studio on Rockridge/Temescal Border
Treat Your Body Like a Temple
July 22nd
Faith for the iPod generation!
Announcing a NEW Mass time,
Sunday at 6:00p.m.
Also join us on:  August 19 and September 23
food and drink to follow service
Saint Augustine Catholic Church
400 Alcatraz Ave • Oakland, CA 94609
Powerful & relevant liturgy
Contemporary music • A new time for busy schedules
Watch us live via webcam every Sunday (8:00a.m. and 10:30a.m.)
At http://www.staugustineoakland.com


July 7, 2012
12.
BART Safety

when they park in the lot, they are inviting
trouble. People need to limit their exposure.
there are intercoms at each end of the car
that connect with the operator. To make a
report without being obvious, patrons can
move to the next car to use the intercom.
from page 2
What else should BART patrons
do to avoid attracting criminals’
attention?
We tell people safety tips all the time:
be aware of your surroundings, look around
when walking to your car and to and from the
station; don’t be a victim, don’t walk home
with earbuds or headphones on, don’t walk
with a cell phone in hand; keep your head
up and look around, pay attention to gut
feelings; have keys in hand while walking
to the car, look inside the car before get-
ting in to be sure it is unoccupied. If there
is something suspicious, tell the station
agent, who will summon the police, or use
an emergency call box in the parking lot.
the department. We also make monthly
reports via CompStat (Computerized Sta-
tistics) to identify hot spots, crime trends,
significant arrests, and community-police
activities. This goes back to “putting cops
on the dots,” the law enforcement approach
developed by former NYPD Chief William
Bratton. (He later was chief of the Los
Angeles Police Department.) The idea is
to put police officers “on the dots” where
enforcement or deterrence are needed as
shown by crime trends.
The Rockridge station has
 emergency call boxes in its parking
lots. How are they monitored?
Calls go straight to the BART police
dispatch center; dispatchers know the loca-
tion of the phone and send an officer. Also,
a flashing light over the call box turns on
when the phone is lifted. An officer is always
dispatched when the call box phone is acti-
vated, just as if it were a 911 hang-up call.
How does Rockridge compare
with other stations for crime?
We report statistics at NCPC meetings
we attend. Overall, of the 8 stations under
my area command, Rockridge is number 8
for overall crime. Most typical at Rockridge
are bicycle thefts, occasional car thefts,
and auto burglary. It is low on assaults and
physical confrontations. We do get some
assaults during the school year that involve
kids fighting each other when they come
out of Claremont.
How many stations are in the
BART system? How many are you
responsible for?
There are 44 stations in the system. I am
responsible for the eight Oakland stations:
Rockridge; MacArthur; Oakland City Center
(12th Street); 19th Street; Lake Merritt;
Fruitvale; Coliseum/Oakland Airport; and
West Oakland.
Are there areas of the
Rockridge station that passengers
should avoid because of crime
patterns?
We don’t get specific areas in either
BART lot or the station area that would
attract particular types of crime. Again, a lot
of it is opportunistic crime when criminals
take advantage of that distracted person that
they think they can get something from
and get away.
How do policing issues compare
from station to station?
What appeals to you about your
job?
The adventure and unpredictability of
police work appeals to me. The variety of
each day draws a lot of people to police
work. You’re working in the field instead
of in an office – you’re outside and your
patrol car is your office on wheels.
Every day is different; you never know
what to expect the next day. You might go
from helping someone with directions to
a train to tangling with someone else in a
fight for your life.
Different stations have problems unique
to that station. We might see problems at
Fruitvale and Coliseum that we don’t see
at MacArthur or Rockridge. For example,
West Oakland gets criminals travelling from
crimes they committed in San Francisco.
Being the first stop after the tunnel, it gives
us a chance to detain the perpetrators. We
are also alerted to problems on the trains in
the tunnel such as fights, indecent exposure,
and aggressive panhandling. Some people
think the time in the tunnel is beyond police
notice. It isn’t. We might get a call from
the train operator, San Francisco police, or
undercover officers riding the train. Also,
there is a Critical Asset Patrol Team that
concentrates in the core of the system from
Civic Center to Orinda and Lake Merritt
stations. This gives them an opportunity
to patrol a lot of trains.
If a person is on the platform
and feels threatened, what is the
best way to attract attendant or
police support?
People have several options. There are
white courtesy telephones that ring in the
Agent’s booth; 911 calls made at station pay
phones go direct to BART’s dispatch center;
patrons can go to the station agent’s booth
directly. Also, the train operator on arriving
trains can be notified. On the train itself,
The Market is Heating Up In Rockridge
What problems occur at the
 Rockridge BART station?
As I say, crimes come in waves system
wide. For example, Coliseum is now having
a lot of car burglaries. But all it would
take is one thief at Rockridge where there
might be six burglaries in a day, then none
for several months. Criminals will case a
station looking for an easy target. If people
leave expensive sunglasses on the dash or
money in the ashtray or a laptop on a seat

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

6/01/12 2
1
5100 Lawton Avenue
$475,000
$445,000
66
$430,000
6/11/12 3     1.5 366 63rd Street
$899,000
$899,000
15
$1,024,000
          6/14/12 2
2
5335 Broadway Ter
$381,000
$395,000
35
$400,000
6/15/12 3
2
5925 Keith Avenue
$575,000
$575,000
10
$655,000
         6/20/12 3
1
5619 Miles Avenue
$669,000
$669,000
21
$649,000
          6/22/12 2
2
6064 Ross Street
$825,000
$825,000
16
$1,082,000
Average original list price to sales price is currently 110% vs 103% last year ·
 Median sold price is currently $652,000 vs $762,500 last year
Properties are selling in an average of 27 days · There is currently a 1.8 month supply of inventory


July 7, 2012

13.
Must-See Hula

The annual Merrie
Monarch Festival
attracts audiences
of over 5,000 for
hula competitions in
Hilo, Hawaii.Dancers
from the Academy
of Hawaiian Arts in
Oakland participate
in the Festival on the
Big Island.
by Bill Kaufner, RCPC boardmember
“H
ana hou!” (Bravo!), I said after
seeing a video of the 2011 Merrie
Monarch Festival on a flight from Hawaii.
Sending in our ticket request on the required
December 26 postmark date, we waited to
see if we were indeed going to attend the
49th annual World Cup of hula in early
April 2012.
The stars were aligned and we were off
on Hawaiian Airlines from Oakland for 10
days of merriment in Hilo on the Big Island.
Sleepy Hilo comes alive during Merrie
Monarch Week: all day free Easter Sunday
hula by numerous halaus (groups) at the
Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium; free
hula show Wednesday night at the Edith
Kanaka’ole Tennis Stadium; ukulele work-
shops in town; hula movies and storytelling
/Bill Kaufner
night, the halaus did their interpretations
of modern hula with musical backing by
island musicians and vocalists. In both the
traditional and modern hulas, costumes are
eye-catching. The movement and poise of the
dancers will capture your heart and mind.
If you want a peek into Hawaiian cul-
ture, a week built around next year’s 50th
anniversary Merrie Monarch Festival is just
the ticket. You will learn some Hawaiian
language, discover new foods, meet the
locals, and see the best hula in the world.
If you can’t make it to Hawaii, check out
Oakland’s thriving Academy of Hawaiian
Arts at www.academyofhawaiianarts.org.
The academy offers classes in hula, Hawai-
ian music, and culture. Their dancers are
active participants in the Merrie Monarch
Festivals. Kumu (leader) Mark Keali’i
Ho’omalu brought their renegade brand
of hula to the festival this year. Mark was
quoted in the Hawaiian Tribune-Herald as
saying, “We’re going to be making trouble,
that’s for sure.”
Ho’omalu believes for hula to grow, it has
to escape the confines of traditional rules.
The Academy sponsors a west coast hula
competition every November at the Alameda
County Fairgrounds which brings groups
from Hawaii to compete with halaus from
the western states. You will be E Komo
Mai (welcome) at all these events.
workshops at the historic Palace Theater.
There are walking tours of downtown Hilo
taking in the 1920s architecture and col-
orful shops and restaurants. A visit to the
Tsunami Museum is highly recommended,
as are visits to the bayfront parks created
as tsunami barriers. South of town are four
beach parks easily reached by local buses.
You can ride the local buses around Hilo
or even to the inland town of Volcano or
up the coast to Honokaa.
The competitions were Thursday, Friday
and Saturday nights at the Tennis Stadium,
where the big excitement happens. At the
Miss Aloha individual hula competitions,
twelve wahines (women) performed one
traditional (kahiko) and one modern (’auana)
hula for the judges and an audience of 5,000
hula-crazed spectators. Friday night was
kahiko style, performed by the 15 halau
entrants, alternating between wahine
groups and kane (male) groups. Between the
chanting, gourd drumming, and powerful
hula, everyone got the chicken skin (goose
bumps) from these world class halaus.
Saturday was the Royal Parade through
Hilo with flower floats and the Royal Court
float with this year’s Merrie Monarch
King emulating the original King David
La’Lamea Kalakaua, Hawaii’s last king
and reviver of the hula tradition. Saturday
Henry C. Levy & Co.
Norman H. Burg, DDS
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
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
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
A Prevention Oriented Practice


July 7, 2012
14.

Rx Appliance Repair
Washers, dryers, refrigerators, ovens, stoves,
dishwashers, etc. Over 20 years experience.
Thousands of appliances. Repaired right in
one visit. Call today for fast service. 510/689-
7188. rxappliancerepair@gmail.com.
House Cleaning
Experienced European cleaning woman.
Resident of Rockridge. Specializes in
North Oakland and Berkeley. Call Anna
at 510/326-3263.
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 23, 2012
[There is no Rockridge News issue in August.]
For information: smontauk@gmail.com
Property Management and
Leasing Services
Need someone reliable, efficient and avail-
able 24/7 to manage your rental property?
Brining landlords and good tenants together
is my job! Contact George Vassiliades at
510/710-6826. GvRealtor@gmail.com.
Residential Seismic Retrofit
Protect your home with seismic retrofit
by a licensed structural engineer. SMW
& Associates is a structural engineering
consulting firm in the heart of Rockridge.
Call Stan at 510/421-0200 or visit us at
www.smwa-se.com
Psychic.Karma.Destiny.
Insightful Reading by
Kimberly White
A gifted clairvoyant and healer. Find your “soul
purpose” and true love. Alleviate stress with
a powerful meditation session by connecting
with your inner self and spiritual world. Call
415/568-8179.
Quality Gardening
Skilled Maintenance, Clean-ups, Aesthetic
Pruning, Real Estate Prep, Irrigation, Design
and Installation. Local refs. Ecologically
minded since 1995. Personal Attention,
Small Local Business. Free Estimates. Green’s
Gardens 510/593-3490.
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.
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 services with a gentle and
personalized treatment. www.penelopecalef.
com. By appointment: 510/594-1552.
Pop Singing for Girls
Summer Camp 2012!
Beatles Session: “All You Need Is Love!”
For girls ages 9-13 who love to sing. Vocal
technique, performance fundamentals, dance.
July 23-27, 9am-3pm. Inquire/Enroll: 510/653-
0107, www.popsingingforgirls.com
PERL Programmer Needed
Rockridge nonprofit seeks experienced, local
PERL programmer for occasional upgrades to
our “Preventive Ounce” website serving parents
of temperamentally “difficult” children. View
Preventiveoz.org homepage; if interested, call
Jim at 510/658-8359.
Spectacular Service
Housekeeping
We provide excellent housecleaning ser-
vice with greatest attention to detail. Local
recommendations. *Let us create free time
for you* WWW.spectacularhousekeeping.com
510/228-5704. Free estimate.
G
Licensed General Contractor
Craftsman rehabs, remodels, seismic
upgrades, restorations, kitchens, baths,
interior/exterior, large, small – we do it all.
Professional and courteous. Fully insured.
Many local references. See www.catconstruc-
tion.biz Craig 510/232-5978.
GRUBBCO.COM
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.
510.652.2133
3070 Claremont Avenue • Berkeley
510.339.0400
1960 Mountain Boulevard • Oakland
Lic. #0670129
a
cross-cultural congregation
striving to partner with
         the Rockridge community
   in lifestyle and service.
College Avenue Presbyterian Church
5951 College Avenue, Oakland  510 658-3665
Sunday worShip 10:30 aM • Visit: capcchurch.org
our wonderful community meal, fridays, 6-7pm
a great opportunity to serVe


July 7, 2012

15.

15th Annual Bay to Barkers Dog
Walk and Festival

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
Fundraiser for the Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society
(BEBHS) to provide care and adoption for homeless dogs
and cats. Fun activities for you and your dog, including:
Complimentary lunch; 1 mile dog walk along the water-
front; doggy games and contests; spa time for canines
and people; silent auction and raffle; reunion parade
for dogs adopted from the BEBHS, and more. Sunday,
July 2, noon to 4pm, North parking lot of Golden Gate
Fields, Albany. Register to walk and get a full schedule:
visit www.firstgiving.com/bebhs/baytobarkers, or call
Ahmar, 845-7735 x233.
Square Dance In North Oakland
Community Calendar
Rockridge Branch Library
July: Martha Snider; digital prints on canvas.
Aug: Darril Tighe; abstract watercolors.
Sept: Mike Grbich; mixed media paintings.
Lobby Display Case:
July – August: Lorna Strotz; encaustic paintings.
Sept: Kim Anderson; jewelry.
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: Tuesdays 8/14 and 9/4, and Sat., 9/8.
Diesel Book/Readings and Events
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
*FREE LUNCH* this summer from noon to 1pm
for kids to age 17. Dates will coincide with Summer
Reading Game dates.
FOR CHILDREN
■
■Pre-School Story Time: (ages 2 to 5) Every Thurs,
10:30am.
■
■Toddler Story Time: (up to age 2) Every Thurs,
10:30am, upstairs (followed by Playtime).
Music by The Squirrelly String Band. Calling by Jordan
Ruyle (with occasional guest performers). 1st and 3rd
Fridays each month, 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.
Jack London Square Summer Events
■
■Family Story Time: Stories/songs/rhymes (to age
5). Every Saturday, 10:30am.
SPECIAL EVENTS: all ages invited.
The Annual Library Summer Reading Program contin-
ues to Aug. 11. Kids can get a free book and win prizes.
Sign up in person or online at www.oaklandlibrary.org.
All FREE and open to the public.
■
■Mon, 7/9, 7:30pm. Amnesty International Meeting
(2nd Mon. each month): All invited to exchange
ideas on action.
A variety of free activities: Dancing Under the Stars
dance lessons and dance party; outdoor jazz concert;
waterfront films, cooking demonstrations at the Farm-
ers’ Market and much more. For events schedules visit
www.jacklondonsquare.com/events.php and http://
instituteforurbanliving.pcfma.com.
■
■Zoomobile: meet and touch the visiting animals from
the Oakland Zoo. Thurs, 7/12, 11am.
■
■Wed., 7/11, 7pm. Local author Robert B. Lowe:
Project Moses.
■
■Puppet Art Theater: Super Tommy Mouse. Tues,
7/17, 7pm.
■
■Thurs, 7/12, 6pm. Bay Area Writing Project’s Young
Writers’ Camp.
■
■Drummm: Loud and lively African percussion show
with group drumming. Thurs, 7/24, 7pm.
■
■Fri, 7/13, from 6 -8pm. Live music by the Craig Williams
Quartet during the Rockridge Jazz and Wine Stroll.
■
■Stories & Crafts with Erica (especially for ages 3
to 9): Tuesdays, 7/7 and 7/14, 7pm.
FOR TEENS
SUMMER VOLUNTEERS WANTED, ages 11 – 17. Call
Erica for details: 597-5017.
DaVita Renovates
■
■Sun, 7/15, 3pm. Poetry Flash with Alicia Suskin
Ostriker and Philip Memmer.
■
■Wed, 7/25, 7pm. UCB professor Arthur Blaustein:
Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport: The Ultimate
Volunteer Handbook
from page 4
■
■Teen Advisory Board: (ages 14-18) Advise the library
how to better serve teens. Get community service
credit for school. Snacks provided. Every Saturday
from July 7 to Aug 18 from 1 - 2pm. Call Courtney
Bennett to confirm: 597-5017.
resident Stephanie Bianco. “It’s one of the
first things visitors see when they exit the
highway, but it’s not a pretty sight.” She
would like to see more greenery to make
the parking lot appear less barren.
Valerie Thompson, who owns a property
adjacent to DaVita’s facility, hopes the
improvements will inspire more respect
for the area.
“People seem to litter here more than
other parts of Claremont Avenue. Improving
that big property will send a message that
all of the residents here care about the
appearance of our homes and streets.”
■
■Sun., 7/29, 3pm. Local author Jim Conlon: Invisible
Excursions: A Compass for the Journey.
■
■Sun., 8/5, 3pm. Poetry Flash with Joan Baranow,
Gail Rudd Entrekin and David Watts.
■
■Wed, 8/15, 7pm. Kate Bornstein: A Queer and
■
■Teen Advisory Board’s 2nd Annual Video Game
Tournament: Bring your own controllers. Sat., 7/7, 2
to 5pm. Call Courtney Bennett to confirm: 597-5017.
Pleasant Danger: The True Story of a Nice Jewish
Boy Who Joins the Church of Scientology and Leaves
Twelve Years Later.
■
■Rockridge Ninjas Anime Club: Watch and talk about
anime (Japanese animation). Tuesdays: 7/10, 8/21 and
9/18 from 5 to 6:30pm.
FOR ADULTS
■
■Thurs, 8/16, 7pm. Local humorist Erich Origen: Don’t
Let the Republican Drive the Bus!
DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. More info
(and other events and discussion groups): 653-9965
or events@dieselbookstore.com.
Book Signing/Discussion
Ruta Kahate, chef, cooking teacher and culinary travel
guide presents her new book, Quick Fix Indian: Easy,
Exotic Dishes in 30 Minutes or Less. Ingredients and
recipes will be available for sampling. Fri, July 20,
4- 6:30pm.
The Pasta Shop, 5655 College Ave. Info: 250-6005 or
www.pastashop.net.
■
■Writers on Writing: Workshop, presented by PEN
Oakland. For writers with a desire to find their voice,
write, and promote their work. With award-winning
Australian author and journalist Stephanie Dale and
authors Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Yolande Barial, and
Joan Gelfand. Reception and booksigning will follow
the presentation. Sat, July 14, 12- 2 pm. Contact: Kim
McMillon, 681-5652.
ART EXHIBITS (subject to change; call to confirm)
Gallery:
Shopping? Find it in Oakland!
Design, Installation and Maintenance
Native Plant Gardens & Stonework
Andrea Hurd, Horticulturist and Stonemason
License #883905 h tel. 510.558.8429
www.mariposagardening.com


July 7, 2012
16.

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
Call Today! (510) 682-5917
RockridgeHomeSales@Gmail.com
www.Rockridge-RealEstate.com
Over 400 homes sold -
Experience Counts
KEVIN BROWN
Broker
654-8707 or 593-4780
Rockridge
Located on Market Hall’s Lower Level
Entry on Shafter Avenue
510-655-8808
PROVIDING

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Better Homes
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5353 College Avenue
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Playing? Start in Oakland!
ROCKRIDGE
5327 College Ave
510.622.8300
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2991 College Ave
510.883.7000
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Living? Love it in Oakland!