Extracted text · highlighting “Michael Kan”

www.rockridge.org

VOL. 27    NO. 8      ISSUE NO. 292    September 8, 2012                   CIRCULATION: 5,800 Residences; 200 BusInesses

Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council • 4123 Broadway, PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94611 • 869-4200
College Ave Project: Safeway, 1 ; Neighborhood, Zip

Safeway’s College Avenue Safeway Shopping
Center Project at a public meeting July 26.
RCPC’s attorney, Michael Graf, joined
by Rockridge and neighboring Berkeley
residents, objected to the project’s traffic,
parking, air quality, toxics, and visual
impacts, and cited its inconsistency with
the zoning and general plan designations
for the site.
Several College Avenue merchants
related their concerns about how the project
will damage Oakland’s most successful
neighborhood shopping district.
The Planning Commissioners brushed
all concerns aside, saying it was more
important that the new project would provide
construction jobs and benefit Safeway’s
employee union.
Only five of the seven commissioners
participated in the decision. Commissioner
Huntsman (who also supports the project) was
absent, and newly-appointed commissioner
Jim Moore recused himself because he
Planning Commission
Approves College Avenue
Safeway Project; RCPC Joins
Berkeley Residents in Appeal
by Stuart Flashman, Land Use
Committee chair
At the end of a four-hour long hearing
dominated by neighborhood residents
opposed to the project, the Oakland Planning
Commission unanimously approved
➧➧Safeway Decision Appealed to City, page 4
20

On the Nature and Likelihood of Soundwalls Coming to Rockridge

AGENDA
☞

Soundwalls in Rockridge? City Hosts Public
Meeting on Caldecott Settlement Studies

September 2012 RCPC
Town Hall Meeting
FORUMS: City Council Candidates
Co-Sponsor: League of Women Voters
District 1 and At-Large Forums
Preview November Candidates
The Rockridge Community Planning Council
is sponsoring two City Council candidate forums
on Thursday, September 20 at the Rockridge
Library. The District 1 City Council candidates
forum is slated for 7-8 p.m. and the At-Large

by Victoria Eisen, meeting coordinator
The next chapter in the process of
determining the future of soundwalls
at three State Route (SR) 24 locations in
Rockridge and Temescal will unfold starting
at 7 p.m. Thursday, September 27, at the
Rockridge Branch Library.
At this informational meeting, sponsored
by the city of Oakland, city and Caltrans
➧➧Soundwall Meeting, page 5

The Rockridge summer vibe shifted on
Monday, August 27, as students headed
back to school. At Claremont Middle
School, one of the new co-principals,
Mr. Richardson, greets students.
Which Mr. Richardson? Story, page 8.
October 7 – Noon to 6: Join Your
Friends and Neighbors in celebration
during Out & About on College
Avenue. Story, page 3.

➧➧Town Hall Agenda, page 12
Thursday, September 20 | 7-9 p.m.
Note
time
change
Rockridge Branch Library,
5366 College at Manila
☞

Mario Rollan, BART construction
engineer, and Landscape Designer
Greer Alley, the Rockridge resident
who designed and worked to make the
new Rockridge BART station plaza a
reality, look to an October opening.
Photos, captions/Judy Berne


September 8, 2012
2.

RCPC and Rockridge: Projects of the Past 40 Years

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.
by Bernie Baltaxe, RCPC boardmember
In April of this year, I joined the RCPC
board. As a new board member, I am
learning a lot about what RCPC has done
for the community over the past 40 years.
I thought it would be useful to highlight
some of these activities and to consider
what Rockridge might otherwise look like
if RCPC had not existed.
Lately, RCPC has been involved in
stopping Safeway’s effort to build a mega-
store on College Avenue and assisting the
Rockridge BART station beautification
project. These efforts are part of a long
history of causes RCPC has embraced.
How Did Rockridge Happen?
In the coming months, I will write
of some of the history of the Rockridge
neighborhood and how RCPC has helped to
shape Rockridge over the last 40 years. This
work was not done by one or two people,
but as a group effort including volunteers
who gave what time they could afford
from their own schedules and who often
contributed financial support that helped
keep the organization functioning.
RCPC has a board that helps steer
its efforts but others, who volunteer on
committees or help pitch in on projects, have
also helped make Rockridge a success story.
RCPC is a direct descendent of the
concerned Rockridge citizens who banded
together shortly after construction of two
massive projects in the 1960s: Highway 24
(the Grove-Shafter Freeway) and BART.
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 Tues, 9/4; Sat, 9/8; and Tues,10/9.
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
The photo caption reads: "Freeway's Swath In
Oakland. Wide swath of cleared ground through
clustered buildings shows route of Grove-Shafter
Freeway with piers already crossing College Avenue
and upper Broadway. Bay Area Transit tracks will
share the right of way." Date: August 15, 1967.
From OMCA (Oakland Museum of California)
Collections. http://collections.museumca.org/
The size of these two projects and the
effect they had on the existing neighborhood
were catastrophic.
From about 1910 to the late 1940s,
Rockridge had grown to become one of
the early commuter neighborhoods in the
West. Key System trolleys, trains and ferries
provided direct access to San Francisco, and
many residents commuted there to work.
Shops sprang up on College Avenue, but
much of the street had houses too. Rockridge
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.
➧➧RCPC Projects, page 12
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

Picture It: RCPC Is Looking for a Few Good Words

by Bernie Baltaxe, RCPC boardmember
What is RCPC’s mission? What is it that
RCPC does for the community? And
how can the organization communicate all
that it does in a concise three to five words?
RCPC has been serving this community
for 40 years. In the next few issues of The
Rockridge News, we will highlight things
RCPC has done to support the vitality of
Rockridge. Whether confronting zoning
issues in order to keep the neighborhood
vibrant or working with neighborhood
volunteers on projects like Frog Park and
the Rockridge Library, RCPC has often been
on the forefront of community activism.
Now the organization seeks to boil all
that down to a banner-sized message of
community service and support, and is
turning to the community for help.
Out and About is coming to College
Avenue in early October. Rockridge
merchants and the community will take over
the street with games, food and information
booths. RCPC will be there too.
In addition to highlighting contributions
RCPC has made to the Rockridge community
over the years, we will be asking those who
come to see us to offer ideas for an RCPC
slogan.
Stop by the RCPC booth at Out and
About, read what we have been up to lately
and in the past 40 years and give us your
idea for a slogan. If yours is selected, you
will have created a legacy for the Rockridge
community. A prize, yet to be determined,
will be awarded.
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:
  October 6, 2012
  October deadline is September 20, 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.)


September 8, 2012

3.

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.
This month’s meeting: Wednesday, September 26.
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.

The Out & About
Street Festival
and ‘Picnic in
the Street’

Committee Notes: Agenda topics at the September 26 meeting will include: • the appeal of
the College Avenue Safeway project approval (see front page); • an update on the Rockridge
Shopping Center Project. Please contact Stu Flashman (652-5373 or stuflash@aol.com) to
get a copy of the agenda. Land use committee meetings are generally open to the public.

Sunday, October 7, 12-6 p.m.
Early in October, Rockridge will play
host to thousands of fair-goers and fun-
seekers who will be attending the annual
Rockridge Out and About festival sponsored
by the Rockridge District Association (RDA).
Festivities begin at noon and last until 6 p.m.
In conjunction with Out and About,
Market Hall (College and Shafter) presents
its annual “Picnic in the Street” offering
succulent foods and wines, comparative
tastings, cooking demonstrations, and the
ever-popular Cookbook Exchange.
The Chef Stage, from noon to 5 p.m.,
includes samples from the food experts of
Market Hall along with the district’s top
chefs, mixologists, and special guests.
Also participating in the festival are
Rockridge bars and restaurants such as
Ben ’n Nick’s and À Côté, Tara’s Organic
Ice Cream and Oakland food trucks and
pop-ups such as Tina Tamale, Tante’s,
Boffo Cart, Ohgane Korean BBQ, Zella’s
Soul Kitchen, Doc’s of the Bay and Fist of
Flour. Beer and wine will be sold and folks
can eat comfortably at tables and chairs.
The event features three mostly jazz
stages, including 57th Street Gallery
jazz stage, Cosmos Jazz and wine stage
and Musically Minded Academy stage.
will take up the subject at its September
meeting.
Land Use Committee Update
by Stuart Flashman, RCPC Land Use
Committee chair
■
■Rockridge Shopping Center
Rebuilding Project
Broadway and Pleasant Valley
Safeway has submitted revised drawings
for the project, including a new building
with outdoor seating fronting on the quarry
pond (something RCPC had suggested) and
a revised rooftop parking configuration for
the Safeway building. According to Darin
Ranelletti (dranelletti@oaklandnet.com,
238-3663), the Oakland planner handling
the project, the city’s consultant is still
preparing the draft environmental impact
report (EIR). North Oakland community
groups, including RCPC, continue to
encourage Safeway to make this an urban
and transit-friendly project.
■
■Rockridge Montessori Project
5610 Broadway
The city’s Planning Department approved
the proposed expansion of this school to
an adjoining building on Broadway, which
will include raising the existing structure
and placing a new first floor underneath to
make it a two-story building. The building
would house the school’s toddlers’ (1st floor)
and infants’ (2nd floor) programs. The
school’s existing buildings – at the corner
of Broadway and Manila and further up on
Manila – will continue with their existing
uses; the Manila building has already been
approved for an additional expansion, for a
total of almost 200 children.
Neighbors, unhappy about the growing
encroachment of non-residential use into
the residential area as well as the increased
safety, building shadows, traffic impacts,
and noise have appealed the decision to
the Planning Commission. The appeal will
probably be heard in October. The RCPC
Land Use Committee voted to recommend
that RCPC support the appeal. The board
■
■Beverages & More Project
Piedmont and Yosemite Aves
While this project is not within
Rockridge, it raises some of the same
issues of zoning consistency as the College
Avenue Safeway Shopping Center Project.
The project is much smaller, only 5,500 sq.
ft., but still requires major use permits and
➧➧Out and About, page 11
➧➧Land Use Committee, page 11


September 8, 2012
4.

to accept the proposed intersection
“improvements” intended to mitigate the
project’s impacts on Berkeley streets. This
despite the Berkeley City Council having,
a week earlier, unanimously voted to reject
the improvements and to restate its strong
opposition to the project.
Vollman also asserted that the project
was fully consistent with the site’s general
plan designation and zoning because it
would be a better fit than the existing
Safeway store.
Commissioner Pattillo did express concern
about the project’s parking insufficiency,
particularly during construction, and its
impact on the already-congested College-
Claremont intersection. She suggested
placing diagonal parking on Claremont,
a proposal staff vetoed as infeasible, and
asked that staff continue to investigate how
to address the intersection’s problems.
Safeway Decision
Appealed to City
Berkeley Residents and RCPC
File Formal Appeal
RCPC and an ad-hoc group of 54
Berkeley residents – joined by Berkeley City
Councilmembers Wozniak and Worthington
– have appealed the planning commission’s
decision to the Oakland City Council.
According to planner Vollman, the appeals
will likely not be heard by the council until
late October.
A summary of the Planning Commission
hearing and copies of the appeal letters can
be found on the Rockridge.org website.
Community Donations Sought
for Appeal and Legal Costs
RCPC is collecting donations in support
of the appeal through its Rockridge Legal
Defense Fund. Mail checks to RCPC, 4123
Broadway, PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94611.
Make online donations at www.rockridge.
org. (Tax ID no. 94-3011284).
from page 1
had already spoken and written a letter in
favor of the Safeway proposal before being
appointed to the commission. Commissioner
Chris Pattillo stated she thought the project
would benefit this part of College and
Claremont (even though the project places
an employee parking lot and loading docks
on its Claremont Avenue frontage, contrary
to the C-31 zoning standards).
Oakland planner Peterson Vollman
dismissed the many impacts identified
by speakers as inconsequential, saying all
were properly addressed in the project’s
environmental impact report (EIR). He
also said he expected the city of Berkeley

RCPC Establishes a Legal Defense
Fund for a Fitting Building
Do you believe the proposed Safeway
project is just too big for beleaguered,
two-lane College Avenue? Do you think
it will overwhelm the neighborhood,
threaten nearby small businesses, and/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.
In the past, RCPC has used legal
means to push for a better
design of the Dreyer’s
building, and to help win
funds for the community and
public schools to mitigate
Caldecott Tunnel Fourth
Bore project impacts. Similar
steps may be necessary to
encourage Safeway to listen
to community concerns;

your support will be critical.
RCPC has established the Rockridge
Legal Defense Fund to prepare for legal
costs. If Safeway’s plans and power concern
you, please send a check, or use the donate
button on the RCPC website. Donations
are tax deductible; all donations are
welcome.
Mail checks to RCPC, 4123 Broadway,
PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94611. Make
o n l i n e  d o n a t i o n s  a t
www.rockridge.org.
(Tax ID no. 94-3011284).
Funds not used for legal
fees connected with this
project will be retained for
future cases when RCPC
may need legal help to uphold
meaningful zoning regulations
for the neighborhood.
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September 8, 2012

5.

location are:
250 comments on the projects on this list.
This input informed the final project list,
which includes “noise barrier” or soundwall
studies at the following three locations:
Soundwall Meeting
■
■The existing or future predicted
exterior noise level is 65 decibels (dB)
from page 1
■
■A reduction of at least 5 dB resulting
from the installation of a soundwall can
be achieved
staff and their consultants will:
1.	Provide a history of the Caldecott
Tunnel Settlement Agreement funding and
why soundwall studies are eligible
2.	Explain the dynamics of freeway noise
and how soundwalls work
3.	Go over the visual aspect of soundwalls
4.	Present the findings of a 2009 study of
potential soundwall locations in the area, and
5.	Discuss next steps in the process
of gauging community sentiment for
soundwalls at particular locations.
Fourth Bore Settlement
Agreement
As readers of The Rockridge News
may recall, in 2008 the city received an $8
million settlement from Caltrans over the
environmental assessment of the fourth
bore of the Caldecott Tunnel. According
to the terms of the settlement, this funding
was to be used for projects that “have as
their primary purpose the improvement of
pedestrian, bicycle, transit and local street
improvements, noise barriers, including
projects that support the use of transit (and
the reduction of single-occupant motorized
vehicles, such as transit signal coordination
and amenities), to the greater community
in the Highway 24 corridor between I-580
and the Caldecott Tunnel.”
In 2010, the city initiated a community
process to determine how to spend the
settlement. Walking tours were held in the
neighborhoods covered by the agreement:
North Hills nearest the tunnel, Rockridge
and Temescal. Based on a preliminary
project list that was part of the settlement
agreement and conversations on the walking
tours, a new draft list was developed, and
was presented and discussed at a public
meeting last year. The city received over
■
■Eastbound between Vicente Way and
Broadway
■
■The projected cost will not exceed
$45,000 per dwelling unit affected by the
soundwall (based on year 2002 costs)
■
■Westbound between Ross Street and
Telegraph Avenue
■
■Westbound between Patton Street
and Ross Street.
Although the settlement fund is not nearly
sufficient to cover the cost of constructing
even one of these soundwalls, the city
would need to study further one or more
of these projects in order to apply for state
construction funding.
Soundwall Studies
In 2009, Caltrans commissioned a noise
study of SR 24 between SR 13 and I-580 to
determine the feasibility of soundwalls along
the corridor. The study – known as a “pre-
NBSSR” (Noise Barrier Scope Summary
Report) – looked at nine potential locations
along the Rockridge/Temescal corridor (five
eastbound and four westbound). It measured
current noise levels near the freeway,
predicted the effectiveness of soundwalls
at each location, and compared this data
with Alameda County Transportation
Commission (Alameda CTC) soundwall
construction funding criteria. The study
concluded that four of the nine locations
would meet the criteria Alameda CTC uses
to assess applications for state soundwall
construction funding. These four segments
include the first two in the bulleted list
above (Eastbound between Vicente Way and
Broadway, and Westbound between Ross
Street and Telegraph Avenue), but not the
third (Westbound between Patton Street and
Ross Street), which the study concludes is
“estimated to provide no benefit to affected
residences.”
Alameda CTC’s criteria for funding the
construction of soundwalls at a particular
■
■The residences were developed prior
to opening the freeway to traffic.
Now that the city knows which soundwall
segments on the funding list satisfy Alameda
CTC’s criteria, if it chooses to pursue one
or both of these projects, it will need to
conduct a full NBSSR.
NBSSRs differ from pre-NBSSRs in
their depth and breadth. An NBSSR is a
full Project Study Report, an engineering
report that documents agreement on the
scope, schedule, and estimated cost of a
project so it can be considered for future
state construction funding. Given the expense
of an NBSSR, jurisdictions undertake them
only when they have the intent to build the
studied project(s).
More: September 27 Meeting
Beyond discussing in more detail the
historic and technical issues raised in this
article, Oakland staff will present a process
for determining whether settlement funds
should be spent for further study of the
potential for soundwalls at various locations
in Rockridge and Temescal and how that
process compares to existing similar city
procedures and those used by other public
agencies.
Meeting participants will have the
opportunity to ask questions of any of
the presenters, and to comment on staff’s
proposed decision-making process.
For more information about the September
27 meeting or the Settlement Agreement
process and projects, please contact the city
of Oakland’s Caldecott project consultant,
Victoria Eisen, at 510/525-0220, or e-mail
victoria@eisenletunic.com.
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September 8, 2012
6.

FROG Park Shuttered for Fall Maintenance Day
F
ROG Park play areas will be closed
all day Saturday, September 22, for
the park’s annual maintenance day. Park
volunteers will be cleaning and sealing the
wooden play structures, replacing plants,
sifting sand, clearing the creek, removing
graffiti and taking care of general cleaning.
The College Preparatory School freshman
class and their advisors and teachers are
helping again this year. The play structures
will not be open until Sunday as the sealer
will be wet.
Adult volunteers are welcome and invited
to help out. The wood sealer is messy, so
children are not asked to help in this work.
The cleaning begins at 8 a.m., and
ends at 4:30 p.m. Volunteers should bring
You’re Invited: Help
Keep the Broadway
Off-Ramp Beautiful
Six years ago, the Oakland Landscape
Committee adopted the Broadway off-
ramp at Keith Avenue and Broadway. We’ve
installed irrigation, trees, shrubs, bulbs
and perennials. The Oakland Landscape
Committee is refocusing its efforts on local
school gardens and seeks a new steward to
adopt the site, part of the Caltrans Adopt-
A-Highway program.
We are now seeking a Rockridge resident
or local company or organization that would
be willing to help keep the site maintained
and beautiful. Caltrans provides free water,
signage, and recognition and will help haul
away green waste.
The committee will ease the transition
by providing sources for volunteers and
irrigation system details.
Please contact Gordon Piper, chair of the
Oakland Landscape Committee at rgpiper@
sbcglobal.net or 510/843-3828.
gloves, smoothing rakes, turning forks
and pruners if available. E-mail Howard
Ferrier, volunteer coordinator, for details at
hwferrier@sbcglobal.net or leave a phone
message at 510/220-4249. See you there.
Help the
Park– fill
the bags!

DMV Neighbors Set Temescal Creek and 2012
Creek to Bay Day Clean Up, Invite Community Help

coordinating Creek to Bay Day, Saturday,
September 15, at the creek from 9 a.m. to
noon. Come to the corner of Redondo and
Cavour at 9 a.m. to sign in.
Creek to Bay Day is Oakland’s annual
stewardship event and celebration of our
urban waterways. We’ll prune overgrowth,
pull up ivy, remove blackberries and weeds,
pick up litter, and remove roots, silt, and
debris from the creek channel.
Volunteers will be treated to pastries
from Bakesale Betty, coffee from Alem’s
Café, and tote bags and Chinook Books
from the city of Oakland for everyone.
Come join us, and plan to stay after we’re
done for snacks, drinks, and conversation
on the lawn under the trees.
For more info, contact Leonora Sea,
DMV Neighbors Association, leonorasea@
yahoo.com, or look up Temescal creek on
the city of Oakland’s Creek to Bay Day web
site: www.oaklandcreektobay.org. Also,
the Oakland Museum has a fantastic Web
site about all of Oakland’s watersheds at
http://museumca.org/creeks/MapOak.html.
by Leonora Sea, DMV Neighbors chair
It’s been a busy summer along Temescal
Creek. Warmer conditions than last year
have encouraged lots of healthy new growth
of the greenbelt’s trees, native bushes and
grasses, and yes, unfortunately, weeds,
blackberries and ivy. The greenbelt has
hosted nesting pairs of many different
birds, including a pair of ravens in one of
the DMV parking lot redwood trees.
The creek has been much loved and
splashed in by neighborhood kids both on
Farmer’s Market day and throughout the
week. Dedicated neighbors and student
volunteers have spent many hours walking
the creek: cleaning grates, picking up
litter, firming up the banks, and of course,
simply enjoying our wonderful park. The
DMV Neighbors Association hosted an
interim volunteer work day in June with
a great turnout and lots of excellent work
accomplished.
As the year moves into autumn, it’s
time to get Temescal Creek ready for
winter. The DMV Neighbors Association is
$5 FREE DRYCLEANING with garment orders over $28
or $3 OFF orders over $15
Dry Cleaning only  Present with incoming order
Garden Cleaners
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September 8, 2012

7.

Church On-Site Program
Feeds Young Minds, Too

Community Pillar Seeks Community Support

Declining Funds Bite Friday Night Meals
at College Avenue Presbyterian Church

by Monte McClain, CAPC pastor
The rush and clatter of College Avenue’s
successful restaurant scene has long
overshadowed a little-known weekly meal
program offered by the College Avenue
Presbyterian Church (CAPC).
For more than 20 years, the CAPC
congregation has presented a free weekly
dinner on Friday nights for the hungry of
Rockridge and Oakland. The meal effort
seeks to respond to the hungers of both the
homed and homeless for food, community
and also a place to serve others. The meal
is limited to 85 people and follows a strict
schedule to minimize problems.
However, the troubling economy of the
past year has contributed to a drying up
of funds. The meal offering is encouraged
by repeated donations of food from local
merchants and occasional donations from
neighbors. We manage to serve a meal each
week for about $2 per person, often feeding
100 people with $200 or less.
The church partners with other
associations to accomplish this social
action, working with Aurora School, North
Oakland Community Charter School and
the Montclair Rotary Club. Many families
and Rockridge residents volunteer each
week to prepare and serve the meal.
Now, the church is in need of more
help and partners – both in volunteers
Babies and caregivers learn reading
through play at the Baby Book Club.
Volunteers staff the serving line during
Friday Night Meals at College Avenue
Presbyterian Church.          /Monte McClain
/Monte McClain
and in donations – to fund the meals. We
had to shut the meal down in late summer
for a month to concentrate on raising
more funds. One hundred percent of all
donations to the Friday Night Meal goes
to purchasing food; there are absolutely no
staff or administration costs. All donations
are tax-deductible.
Where else can you make as big an
impact on our shared city with such little
effort?
If you would like to help respond to
the hungers of Oakland and Rockridge,
contact the church at 510/658-3665 or
e-mail: CAPCFridaynightmeal@gmail.com.
Thank you for your consideration and
support.
New Baby Book Club
Grows in Rockridge on
Friday Mornings
A group just for babies, ages 0-12 mos,
and their parents or caregivers
From the moment they are born, babies
begin to gain skills that they will need
to become successful readers.
Now, brand-new parents and caregivers
can bring brand-new babies to the Baby
Book Club to learn what those skills are
and how simple, everyday activities done
with the baby can help develop those skills.
This free 30-minute program will include
fun lap bounces, tickle rhymes, books, songs
and nuggets of information about early
literacy and the six early literacy skills.
Book Club meetings are held Friday
mornings, 10:30 a.m, at the College Avenue
Presbyterian Church (CAPC). The fall season
begins September 14 and ends December
14; meetings are led by Margaret Smith,
a CAPC member and children’s librarian
for over 20 years. She currently works for
the Contra Costa County Library, Walnut
Creek Branch.
Offering its services in an historic building designed
by Julia Morgan, the church is located at 5951
College Avenue. For more information, visit the
church web site: http://capcchurch.org/
Call
Me!
10
Offers!
5
Offers!
5
Offers!
2508 Woolsey
5443 Boyd
74 Ross
5272 Lawton
College Avenue Presbyterian Church is at 5951
College Avenue. Visit our web site at: www.capc-
church.org. For more information, contact the
church at 510/658-3666. Get updates by liking us on
Facebook, following @CAPCOakland on Twitter,
or via our blog at capcoakland.wordpress.com.
Daniel Stea
Rockridge
Broker/Owner/
Attorney
and beyond
since 1997
What’s Wrong?
Get it off your chest.
E-mail: editor@rockridge.org
510.867.4094
2987 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705  N  DRE #01452156


September 8, 2012
8.

Twin Principals Spell Out Identical
Goals for Claremont Middle School

by Judy Berne
In my mind Ronald and Reginald
Richardson, the new co-principals who
will usher Claremont Middle School into its
Centennial, are destined to lead by example.
The 36-year-old identical twins, who
grew up in some of the grittier parts of
West Oakland, have long had the shared
dream of becoming teachers and eventually
co-principals. Now they want to pass on to
the Rockridge school’s nearly 500 students
that they, too, can achieve their dreams.
“We want to teach the kids they can
do anything they want to do,” Ronnie told
me in an interview the week before school
started. “No matter where they come from
in Oakland, Claremont is going to model
what a quality education should look like
in any community.”
“It’s a very diverse school. We live in a
diverse world,” Reggie added. “To be able
to work together you have to collaborate.
The goal is not only to know the academic
subjects but how to be a better person and
how to be a leader. It’s our job to guide them.”
They credit their mom, Jacquelyn
Richardson, a single parent who
coincidentally was once a Claremont student,
with giving them unwavering support. She
raised us to understand “West Oakland
is where you live. It doesn’t define you,”
Ronnie said.
As they close in on their doctorates in
educational leadership from California State
University, East Bay, they represent the
third generation of Oakland public school
educators in their family. Both their mother
and their late grandmother, Irma Elizabeth
Rice, were Oakland teachers.
Reggie and Ronnie attended San Francisco
State University on track scholarships, then
earned master’s degrees from UC Berkeley.
I had expected to meet with the “Mr.
Richardsons” together (yes, students will
call each Mr. Richardson), but it turned out I
talked to each separately. Nonetheless, their
goals and the means of achieving them are
as identical as they are.
Both are well aware that only 50 percent
of students coming from nearby feeder
schools – Chabot, Emerson and Peralta – go
on to attend Claremont since many parents
opt for private or parochial middle schools.
“We will be really showing our faces at those
elementaries,” Ronnie promised.
Since they assumed their posts July 1,
they’ve been working to “put systems in
place to support teachers and students,”
Ronnie told me. “If we’re all part of that
band that plays together, we are going to
become a distinguished school.”
“Just like a family, a school has to
have stability at the top,” Reggie said,
acknowledging the recent turnover of
principals at Claremont. “These kids are
going to know that their principal is going
to be here.”
Although they haven’t talked directly
to any other co-principals, “I’ve read a lot
about how that dynamic works,” Reggie
said. Bottom line: “You have to be on the
same page.”
That, he says, comes naturally to the
brothers. “We’ve been collaborating our
whole lives.”
Indeed, they have worked together as
both teachers and administrators at many
of the same schools and most recently were
principals of neighboring elementary schools
in Richmond.
“Ronald and Reginald Richardson are
collaborative, model high expectations for
students and staff, and believe strongly in
shared leadership,” said Mia Settles, Oakland
schools’ Region 1 Executive Officer. “They
have a proven track record of transforming
the culture of a community as well as a
school. We are delighted to have them back
in OUSD during Claremont’s centennial
year.” The school was founded in 1913.
The new principals’ excitement at being
at Claremont is palpable. “Our goal was to
come in and to listen to our phenomenal
staff,” Ronnie says. “One thing we want to
do is to support teachers in every capacity.”
➧➧Twin Principals, page 9
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September 8, 2012

9.
Twin Principals

together from their homes in Pittsburg.
Ronnie and his wife Zora, a counselor in
the Berkeley Unified School District, have
a new baby, Eli Ethan. Reggie and his wife
Tanita, in financial services for Chevron
Credit Union, are parents of Kevin, 2, and
Kiera, 6 months.
“Meeting the needs of students – that’s
what I want for my own children,” Reggie
said. “I want that for my Claremont children
too. A big piece is about character building
coupled with academic excellence. That’s
not just to prepare for high school, but for
college and life.”
“We’re not K-6 or K-12, but K-life,”
Ronnie seconded. “We’re not out to teach
them just to be respectful on the streets
of Rockridge. They have to know how to
exist in any community, state or country
that they walk in.”
from page 8
“We’ve been received well by the staff,
the community, the parents,” Reggie said.
“Parents here are so involved and willing
to help.”
That certainly includes Shona Armstrong
who is active at Claremont although she
and husband Zack Unger’s three children
are still at Chabot.
“I’ve been working for two years to get
an extra-period Spanish class at Claremont,”
Armstrong said. “All it took was one meeting
with Reggie. He’s really excited and super
capable and charismatic.”
“I’ve spent quite a lot of time with them
(both Richardsons),” said Morris Dye, who
created the school’s new website. Dye and
his wife Lyn Hikida have a sixth grader
and another son, who will enter Claremont
three years from now.
“I feel these guys bring a tremendous
amount of energy, passion and enthusiasm
to the school as well as philosophies and
Co-Principals Ronald and Reginald
Richardson stand together in their
goals to meet the needs of Claremont
Middle School students.        /Judy Berne
Judy Berne is a journalist who moved last year
from the metro Detroit area to Rockridge. You
can reach her at judyberne@att.net.
techniques that will be good for students,”
Dye said.
The two co-principals generally carpool
The Rockridge News
Needs Block Captains
Many thanks to Norma Fox and Jim
Haughian who have stepped down as
long-time Rockridge News Block Captains.
They hope volunteers will come forward
to take their places so, if you have 15-25
minutes to spare each month and would like
to dedicate this time to your community,
here are the two delivery routes they are
vacating:
INTERIOR-EXTERIOR LEAD
CERTIFIED PAINTERS
Professional preparation. Many local
references. All work Guaranteed
(510) 654-3339
Route  Area
19F
Block Captain: 5400 Shafter
between Hudson and Clifton
4D
Block Captain: 6200 block of
Harwood and 5900/6000/6200
blocks of Ross.
Please call 547-3855 or e-mail Susan at
smontauk@gmail.com to volunteer.
Thank you,
Susan Montauk
Rockridge design
firm providing
creative, livable
design solutions
•  Residential Remodels
•  Kitchens + Baths
•  Green Building Design
•  Color Consulting
Make a direct
connection
via your smart
phone to RCPC’s
web page for
donations: Scan
this QR code.
Curious?:
http://www.
qrstuff.com/
W e ’ re  In  The   
neIghborhood
Jennifer Cooper, owner
5275 James Avenue
Oakland, CA  94618
5 1 0 . 6 5 2 . 5 0 3 6
pumpkinhousestudio.com


September 8, 2012
10.

The Flexibility of Grits
For breakfast, lunch or dinner, rich or
poor, Southerners love their grits. Grits
can be white or yellow, depending on the
color of the corn they’re from. Like rice or
polenta, grits go with anything. At a classic
coastal downhome café, we had grits with
melted pimento cheese and diced bacon
for a hearty breakfast. Grits love gravies
so they form a fantastic savory base for
fish or meat dishes. Trader Joe’s carries
packaged high quality grits.
Simple Grits With
Cheddar and Bacon
Follow package directions for cooking
(use Trader Joe’s brand)
While still hot, stir in ½ cup of grated
sharp cheddar cheese
Top with crumbled crispy bacon
Great with a fried or poached egg on top.
Rock  ridge
Cornucopia
Cornucopia
Barry A. Kaufman
Southern Charm
In my June column, we were off to the Outer
Banks of the Carolinas. I mentioned I was
looking forward to some North Carolina
BBQ and low country seafood. We had
some outstanding BBQ in North Carolina,
but the real treat was the out-of-this-world
seafood along the Carolina coast and in
Charleston and Savannah. This is true
Prince of Tides country.
We were fortunate to arrive at the height
of soft-shell crab season, which we ordered
regularly. We devoured fresh, not previously
frozen, shrimp almost daily – so sweet and
succulent. And, of course, the ever-present
grits and traditional side dishes such as
collard greens, fried green tomatoes, okra,
corn bread and yams.
But our go-to dish, which we sampled at
least six times, was She Crab soup. We had
She Crab soup whenever it was on the menu;
just about every low country restaurant in
South Carolina offers its variation. It is the
signature dish of Charleston.
She Crab soup is similar to bisque or
chowder made with milk or heavy cream.
The soup is named for the female crab that
supplies the flavorful orange roe, the chief
ingredient. Varying amounts of Atlantic
blue crab meat are added. Whatever the
recipe, the final ingredient is a small amount
of dry sherry drizzled into the soup. It is
amazing to me that She Crab has not found
its way to California.
As in other regional cooking, such as
in New Orleans, there is a surge of young
chefs bringing a modern touch to traditional
Southern cuisine. New restaurants in
Charleston and Savannah are featuring
artisanal corn grown from kernels that are
genetically the same as the first corn grown
in the colonies. Snout-to-tail pig and hog
dishes are featured in the new Southern
cuisine found in Charleston and Savannah
restaurants. Although remaining faithful
to gifts of Southern cooking, these young
chefs are taking these dishes to a new level.
Oakland is fortunate to have several
wonderful Southern/soul food restaurants:
Shout-out: Old Brooklyn Bagel at the
corner of Harwood and College avenues.
Not New York Brooklyn; Oakland Brooklyn.
(Who’d ’a thunk it?) They have a great map
of Oakland Brooklyn. More to follow.
Barry is a graduate of the California Culinary
Academy. Barry is available for cooking classes and
East Bay ethnic market tours. Email: kaufman42@
comcast.net
■
■Hibiscus, on San Pablo Avenue
in Oakland’s Uptown neighborhood,
describes itself as “Southern inspired with
an Oakland attitude.”
■
■Chef Tonya Holland is getting rave
reviews for Brown Sugar Kitchen on
Mandela Parkway in West Oakland where
“Southern charm meets Oakland hip.”
■
■Nellie’s Soul Food on 3rd Street
near the Port of Oakland is the place you’ll
find Raiders and Warriors  team members
regularly eating up a storm.
NAMASTE
■
■And for that special occasion, nothing
beats PicÁn, A Taste of the South
on Broadway in Downtown Oakland.
Bourbon connoisseurs will marvel at the
comprehensive collection of barrel-aged
and blended brands.
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September 8, 2012

11.

Land Use Cmte
Rockridge Flora and Fauna
from page 3
My sunflowers have been the talk of the block,
with everyone commenting as they grew, at
one point 6” per day, reliably. It’s a variety called
Mammoth from Berkeley Horticulture. The ras-
cally creature I phototgraphed seemed to be as
addicted to the young seeds as we all get with a
bowl of seeds in front of us. “David” was leaning
over the tuffet to reach for a white seed, then
munch it. I tasted one, and decided the sweetness
must be the appeal. — Susie, Lawton Avenue
a parking variance. The city has proposed
to exempt the project from environmental
review as an infill project. The Piedmont
Avenue Neighborhood Improvement League
(PANIL) opposes the project because of
its zoning inconsistency and traffic and
parking impacts. For example, the project
is one block from the heavily-congested
intersection of Piedmont and MacArthur
Boulevard, which will be further congested
with the completion of the Kaiser Medical
Center Expansion Project.
The Land Use Committee has
recommended that, because of the CN-1
zoning consistency issue, RCPC support
PANIL in its opposition to the project.
The board will take up the recommenda-
tion at its September 6 meeting.
Photo of David the
Squirrel, by Susie
host a relaxing atmosphere to do some
wine and beer tasting while hearing from
representatives in the professional services
including Caldecott Realty, Hank Levy,
CPA, Strahan Insurance and more.
The event will be fun and festive for
the whole family. Children will enjoy a
Claremont Middle School kid’s stage,
climbing wall, face-painting, pumpkin
carving, goat petting zoo, bicycle stunts
and hula hooping. Valet bike parking will
be available.
To see the artist lineup and festival
map, visit the RDA site, http://www.
rockridgeoutandabout.com, or phone
510/604-3125. For Picnic in the Street
schedules of tastings and demos: www.
rockridgemarkethall.com, or phone
510/250-6011.
Out and About
from page 3
Other highlights include Hipline Dance
and Friends featuring dance demos and
interactive dance performances, Kinetic
Arts Center (circus arts) and Soja Martial
Arts and Drumming Crew. Find comfort
and beauty in the Wellness Area sponsored
by Pharmaca, or shop local craft artists
and retail booths by local merchants
including See Jane Run, Crossroads Trading
Company, Trader Joe’s, Namaste Yoga,
Vero’s, Curves and Tootsie’s.
Many candidates running for City
Council District 1 and City Attorney will
be present to meet folks and hear their
concerns. The Livingroom Lounge will
■
■Citywide Rezoning – Phase II
City planning staff is moving forward
with several aspects of phase II of the
citywide rezoning. Phase I, which included
revising the overall zoning standards and
maps, was completed last year. Much of
what is being considered, and particularly
a number of specific plans for different
parts of the city, will not affect Rockridge.
However, potential changes to off-street
parking requirements for new development
could. This part of the rezoning effort, also
being handled by Darin Ranelletti, is still
in the research phase. He says to expect
public roll-out of a draft plan, including
public meetings, some time in the late fall
or early winter. Stay tuned.
What’s RCPC been
up to lately? Make a
direct connection via your
smart phone to RCPC’s web
page: Scan this QR code.
Curious?:
http://www.qrstuff.com/
September 23
Faith for the iPod generation!
Announcing a NEW Mass time,
Sunday at 6:00p.m.
Also join us on:  October 18 and November 25
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


September 8, 2012
12.

blocks on College Avenue.
This outraged concerned residents and
local business owners who came together to
fight these projects. It was feared that these
large apartment buildings would further cut
up College Avenue and destroy the urban
village feel that Rockridge had previously
and was trying to regain.
Residents Seize the Initiative
Rockridge still was home to a number
of professionals, including architects and
city planners, who had the foresight to
understand what these changes would mean
to the neighborhood and could help in an
effort to rezone Rockridge.
Through their efforts, coordinated by
RCPC, the city rezoned Rockridge in 1974,
adopting the R-35 (residential zoning) and
C-31 (commercial zoning) codes developed
by local residents. These zoning standards
provided for lower density housing, preserved
existing housing stock and supported the
pedestrian-friendly, comparison shopping
format of today’s College Avenue.
Every new business and housing unit that
has come since then has been affected by
the foresight of these early protective urban
pioneers. This tradition was continued in
the years to come.
In 1985 RCPC incorporated as a non-
profit organization.
Town Hall Agenda
This is an opportunity to meet the
candidates in a non-partisan environment
to learn their platforms and their views
on Rockridge and city-wide issues.
The moderator will present audience
questions to the candidates. We look
forward to seeing you September 20.
Candidates for City Attorney, School
Board and BART board (time permitting)
will appear at the October meeting.
from page 1
City Council candidates forum will run
from 8-9 p.m. League of Women Voters
(LWV) representatives will lead and
moderate the discussions.
Join your friends and neighbors for
these informed and lively presentations.
RCPC Projects
and highway, including many in Rockridge.
College Avenue was cut in half. Construction
stagings were massive with many located right
on College Avenue. Numerous businesses
moved or closed. No one wanted to go to
Rockridge to shop as it looked like a war
zone with a large number of its storefronts
boarded up. Crime increased. Some have
said that the Neighborhood Watch project
was started in Rockridge in response to the
high crime rate that followed in the wake of
BART and HWY 24 construction.
Over time, antique shops began to come
into the neighborhood, attracted by cheap
rent, and College Avenue began to revive.
However, when BART service started in the
early 1970s, the city of Oakland decided
that high-density housing units should be
built near the BART stations.
This appealed to city planners because
large numbers of people could live near
BART and access it for commuting and
otherwise getting into San Francisco. In
addition, commercial zoning was to extend
500 feet (about 1 block) into residential
areas on both sides of College Avenue. One
such high-rise was planned to take up three
from page 2
also was home to professionals, including
architects, doctors and lawyers who worked
from their homes, and UC Berkeley faculty
and staff. Many of the houses had separate
street-front rooms that were used as offices.
Starting in the late 1950s, the Key System
trains began to be dismantled in favor of
buses and highways.
When BART was planned, Rockridge
was not the first choice for a station.
Telegraph Avenue was seen as a more logical
location. However, Temescal residents
did not want the station for fear it could
destroy their neighborhood. Temescal was
the stronger of the two neighborhoods with
more established businesses at the time and
BART moved the planned station over to
Rockridge. Today, the station is the only
one in the BART system located on a two
lane street.
Impact of BART and HWY 24
Thousands of homes in Oakland were
destroyed in the construction of the track
Next month, I will highlight another project in the
long history of RCPC.
Shopping? Shop Oakland, First

8/2/12  2
2
327 Hudson Street
$635,000
$635,000
38
$625,000
8/8/12  2  2.5 457 Cavour Street
$689,000
$689,000
40
$635,000
          8/9/12  2 1.5
480 Clifton Street
$569,000
$569,000
28
$576,000
8/10/12 3
2
5272 Lawton Avenue
$795,000
$795,000
16
$925,000

Average original list price to sales price is currently 103% vs 96% last year ·
 Median sold price is currently $630,000 vs $618,750 last year
Properties are selling in an average of 31 days · There is currently a 2 week supply of inventory
G

GRUBBCO.COM
510.652.2133
3070 Claremont Avenue • Berkeley
510.339.0400
1960 Mountain Boulevard • Oakland

Inventory is Low In Rockridge
Closing date BR BA
Address
Original price
List price DOM
Selling price


September 8, 2012

13.

Residents Welcome DaVita Renovation Plans for Claremont Avenue Site

by Sean Riley, Rockridge Resident
Nearly 80 residents packed a Colombo
Club meeting hall on July 17 to hear
landscaping plans for the DaVita Dialysis
facility at 5354 Claremont Avenue. The
former supermarket near the Highway 24
off-ramp has been a prominent community
sore point for decades and negotiations to
improve it were initiated by local volunteer
group Scenic Streets in early 2011.
Illustrations presented by DaVita
Regional Manager Asha Marwah revealed
upgrades to the perimeter of the property,
including more ornamental fencing, the
addition of shrubs and trees, and the removal
of longstanding blight.
The plans were well received by the
attendees, many of whom live nearby
and are eager to see the facility’s street
view improved. Representatives from
FROG Park expressed concerns that the
plans did not include repairs to the tattered
fencing alongside its Temescal Creek trail,
and Marwah reassured the group that the
company was researching materials that
could better withstand vandalism.
Marwah declined to provide a date
for the long anticipated project to break

Draft design plans developed by the DaVita Corporation for the corner of Claremont
Avenue and Clifton Street, the company’s dialysis facility. The company met with
residents in July to discuss the project’s progress. Plans will not be final until
reviewed and approved by the property owner.  /Graphic courtesy of DaVita Corporation

ground, but DaVita corporate spokesperson
Mollie O’Brien says the company expects to
complete the work this fall once the property
owner, real estate developer Jim Falaschi,
has given final approval.
Falaschi reports he remains open to
potential improvements and has been
awaiting final plans from DaVita for several
months.

Coming in October: The Halloween Parade
Halloween is on the way! Get ready for costumes, fun, and trick-or-treating along College
Avenue in the annual, ghoulish tradition sponsored by the Rockridge District Association
(RDA) and the Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC). Watch for details in the
October Rockridge News and in merchant’s windows.

CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF THE ARTS
CCA EXTENSION
FALL 2012
Offerings range from one-session workshops
to more comprehensive courses.
Register early to ensure your place in class.
San Francisco / Oakland
cca.edu/extension

CERAMICS
DRAWING
GLASS
GRAPHIC DESIGN
ILLUSTRATION
INTERIOR DESIGN
JEWELRY / METAL ARTS
PAINTING
PHOTOGRAPHY
SOFTWARE COURSES


September 8, 2012
14.

Licensed General Contractor
Craftsman Rehabs, Restoration Remodels,
Seismic Upgrades, Kitchens, Baths, Doors,
Windows, Interior, Exterior, Large, Small,
We do it all. See: catconstruction.biz. Craig.
510/232-5987.
Violin/Fiddle Lessons in
Rockridge
All ages/levels. Teacher is great with kids, has
30 years experience teaching and perform-
ing classical, jazz, bluegrass, country, rock.
Improv/Theory also taught. Lessons begin
mid-September. 415/419-7090 or e-mail kit@
musickit.com.
Your Message Could Be Here
Your 36-word message is $22. (Phone number
counts as one word.) Mail to: RN Classifieds,
4123 Broadway, PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94611.
October deadline is September 20, 2012
For information: smontauk@gmail.com
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.
Repairs
Kitchen & bath remodel, tile, decks, dry
rot, drainage, walls, termite damage, doors,
windows. Lic#458473. Don 510/812-0310.
Personal Project Manager
Do you have an idea for a project – a small
business or service whose time has come
– but don’t quite know how to begin? Visit
my website: www.ingridhart.com and let’s
get started.
Over 50% off!
Eyebrow wax and brow tint! $14.
Come visit Penelope’s Aesthetics Skin Care
salon and enjoy excellent service. Two blocks
from Rockridge BART. www.penelopecalef.
com. By appointment: 510/594-1552.
House Cleaning
Experienced European cleaning woman.
Resident of Rockridge. Specializes in N.
Oakland and Berkeley. Anna. 510/326-3263.
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.
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.
Wonderful, ongoing,
weekday classes for
babies or toddlers
A
Mov
e
m
e
nt
Prog
ram f
or
Spectacular Service
Housekeeping
We provide excellent housecleaning service
with greatest attention to detail. Local rec-
ommendations. *Let us create free time for
you* WWW.spectacularhousekeeping.com
510/228-5704. Free estimate.
Drop-ins or sign ups
for ALL families: songs,
slides, tunnels, parachute play,
bubbles, a fab ball pit, rocking
horses & more!
A
L
Award Winning
Remodeling Contractor,
FMS Projects, Inc.
Specializing in Foundation, structural and
drainage work, as well as whole house
remodeling. Beautiful kitchens and baths.
Great local references. NARI member and
certified remodeler. Lic. 522497. Frank Silver
510/547-6111. www.fmsprojectsinc.com
L
Fa
mi
lie
s
For 9 months up to 3 years with an adult
Dawn Margolin  |  510.547.7726
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.
Temple Beth Abraham
327 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland
(near the Grand Lake Theatre)
.
Traditional Anglican
Worship in Rockridge
St. Peter’s Parish, 6013 Lawton at Broadway.
Mass Sunday 8 and 10 am, Wednesday at
noon. Sunday School and Childcare Sunday
at 10. 510/597-1400. St.petersoakland@gmail.
com www.saintpetersoakland.com
w w w . t b a o a k l a n d . o r g / k i n d e r g y m
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.
Looking for a Date Night?
Try our Friday Night “Date Night” Dance
Class in Glenview with David Kelso & Chris
Mehling! 12 Weeks, Sept. 21 - Dec. 14, 7:30-
9pm. Call us at 510/530-7671 to learn more!
Shopping? Find it in Oakland!
Lic. #0670129


September 8, 2012

15.

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

Compiled by Jo Ellis

9/16, 2pm, followed by artists’ reception and refresh-
ments. Tickets: $25 at the door or from the Jazzschool
at 845.5373 or http://jazzschool.org/event/
kenny-washington-with-the-michael-oneill-
quintet-at-jazz-at-the-chimes/.
The concert series features Bay Area jazz musicians in a
landmark Julia Morgan venue. Chapel of the Chimes, 4499
Piedmont Ave. Wheelchair accessible. Free parking.
More info at 654-0123 or chimesjazz@gmail.com.
Wisteria Ways House Concert

Community Calendar

Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council (NCPC)
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. Rockridge
Library, upstairs meeting room, 5366 College Ave.
Confirm mtg. info at www.rockridgencpc.com or
chair@rockridgencpc.com.
District 1 Candidates Forum
Hear from the candidates running for Oakland City
Council in District 1. Friday, Sept 21, 6:30 to 8pm at
Studio One, 365 45th Street.
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
FOR CHILDREN
Oct: Eric Grbich; figurative oil paintings
Lobby Display Case:
Sept: Kim Anderson; jewelry.
Oct; TBD
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: Tues, 9/4, Sat,
9/8 and Tues, 10/9.
Diesel Book/Poetry Readings/Events
All FREE and open to the public.
Kleptograss: seamless blend of bluegrass, Cajun,
blues and music from around the world. Saturday, 9/22
at 3pm; doors open 2:15pm (outside venue; wheelchair
accessible). Bring a hat, sunscreen and a picnic. $15-20
donation for musicians (cash only at the door). 383
61st Street. Sample tunes at: http://www.cdbaby.
com/cd/ericthompson12. For reservations (highly
recommended), RSVP to info@WisteriaWays.org
or 655-2771.
Square Dance In North Oakland
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.
Temescal Farmers’ Market
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; meet the grower; learn about unique food
varieties and cooking tips; 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
Programs include: Arts/crafts; health counseling;
dancing and exercise; trips, tours and theater outings;
Alzheimer’s Caregivers support groups, computer
classes/more. Annual $12 membership entitles seniors
55 and older to discounts on activities and trips.
y
y Mon, 9/10, 7:30pm. Amnesty International Meeting
(2nd Mon. each month): All invited to exchange
ideas on action.
y
y Wed., 7/12, 7pm. BROKELAND BASH for local Pulitzer
Prize-winner Michael Chabon: Telegraph Avenue.
y
y Family Story Time: Stories/songs/rhymes (to age
5). Every Saturday, 10:30am.
y
y Fri, 9/14, 7pm. Publication Party for local author T.
Geronimo Johnson: Hold It ‘Til It Hurts.
y
y Pre-School Story Time: (ages 2 to 5) Every Thurs,
10:30am.
y
y Thurs, 9/20, 7pm. Ken Weaver: The Northern California
y
y Toddler Story Time: (up to age 2) Every Thurs,
10:30am, upstairs.
All story times followed by Play Time
FOR TEENS
Craft Beer Guide.
y
y Fri, 9/21, 7 – 9pm. Live Music with local acoustic
band Smooth Toad. Preview the band on MySpace.
y
y Sun., 9/23, 3pm. Poetry Flash with Joan Aleshire,
Stephanie Brown and Martha Rhodes.
y
y Teen Advisory Board: (ages 14-18) Advise the library
how to better serve teens and get community service
credit for school. Snacks provided. No meeting in
September; then the 1st Saturday of each month
from 1-2 pm, starting Oct 6. To confirm, call Vicky
Chen, 597-5017.
y
y Fri, 9/28, 7pm. Local author Jacob Needleman: An
Unknown World; Notes on the Meaning of the Earth.
y
y Wed, 10/3, 7pm. Antoine Wilson: Panorama City.
y
y Thurs, 10/4, 7pm. Burning Books reading with Melody
Sumner Carnahan, Thomas Frick and L.K.Larsen.
DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. More info
(and other events and discussion groups): 653-9965
or events@dieselbookstore.com.
4th Annual Volunteer Fair
Find a volunteer program that’s right for you to help
Oakland students and youth. Staff from the OUSD
will assist in finding programs to match your interests
and find flexible opportunities and training to allow
volunteers to maximize their contributions to students.
Sept. 15 from 1 to 5pm at Westlake Middle School,
2629 Harrison St. (at 27th St.). Free Parking. Hosted
by Volunteering for Oakland, in partnership with OUSD
and the Mayor’s Initiative. More info at http://www.
volunteeringforoakland.org/education-action/
or e-mail contact@volunteeringforoakland.org.
Jazz at the Chimes
Kenny Washington backed by the Michael O’Neill
Quintet in a benefit concert for the Jazzschool. Sunday,
y
y Rockridge Ninjas Anime Club: Watch and talk
about anime (Japanese animation). Tuesdays: 9/18
and 10/16 from 5 to 6:30pm.
FOR ADULTS
y
y 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. Info: 420-8775 or
Writefox@aol.com.
y
y Sign up now for day trip by motorcoach to Placerville’s
apple country on Wed., Oct. 15.
Note new hours: Open Mon. – Fri., 9am to 4:30pm. 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.
y
y Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice and
referrals. First Tues. each month (no lawyer in
Sept; next mtg. Oct 2), 5 to 7pm (advance sign-up
starts 4:45pm at adult reference desk). Volunteer
lawyer leaves before 7pm if no more people present.
ART EXHIBITS (subject to change; call to confirm)
Gallery:
Sept: Mike Grbich; mixed media paintings.
a
cross-cultural congregation
striving to partner with
         the Rockridge community
   in lifestyle and service.
Norman H. Burg, DDS
Design, Installation and Maintenance
Native Plant Gardens & Stonework
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
College Avenue Presbyterian Church
5951 College Avenue, Oakland  510 658-3665
Sunday worShip 10:30 aM • Visit: capcchurch.org
Andrea Hurd, Horticulturist and Stonemason
License #883905 h tel. 510.558.8429
www.mariposagardening.com
our wonderful community meal, fridays, 6-7pm
a great opportunity to serVe
A Prevention Oriented Practice


September 8, 2012
16.

Coming Soon
Rockridge Four Bedroom Tudor
Vaulted, wood-beamed ceiling in large living room,
hardwood floors, leaded glass windows, enchanting gardens,
Family Room, SF and Bay Views from Master Suite.
$875,000
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

Professional,

Full Service

Real Estate Brokerage

To Rockridge Clients
 For Over 26 Years.
SPECIALIZING IN

OResidential Sales

OIncome Property

OCommercial

OProperty Management
www.curvesrockridge.com
Free Parking!
Across from BART
Open 7 Days
Mon- Fri  6:00 -7:30
Sat & Sun 8:00 - Noon
31
Better Homes
Realty
5353 College Avenue
Oakland
Playing? Start in Oakland!
ROCKRIDGE
5327 College Ave
510.622.8300
ELMWOOD
2991 College Ave
510.883.7000
www.mcguire.com

aboutface&body
dayspa      oaklandberkeley
serving you since 1981
AVEDA PRODUCTS
Now offering men’s waxing
3190 college avenue
at alcatraz
berkeley, ca 94705
p 510.428.2600
www.aboutfaceandbody.net
sun-tues 10:30-5:30
wed-sat 10:30-8:00
FOR SALE – ROCKRIDGE
5748 Ivanhoe Road     $1,500,000
4 Beds/ 3 Baths
Amazing Mediterranean Revival in Perfect
Condition.
Award Winning Chabot Elementary School
www.5748Ivanhoe.com
PENDING – TEMESCAL
574 48th Street, #404      $229,000
1 Bed/ 1 Bath Condo
Gate 48 Top Floor in Green Building in the
Heart of Temescal
SOLD – ROCKRIDGE
5 OFFERS
$1,022,000
5256 Miles Ave        $849,000
3 Beds/ 2 Baths
Almost a New Home. An Extensive
Renovation just Completed.
All the Charm we Love but w/ the New
Systems we Crave.
www.5256Miles.com
COMING SOON –
ROCKRIDGE
Broadway - Fixer
2+ Beds/ 1 Bath
Nice Period Arch Detailing Intact.  Ready
for your TLC & Ideas.
Award Winning Chabot Elementary School
MULTIPLE OFFERS ARE BACK!
Call or email for more market info.
Ron Kriss, Broker
Lawton Associates
L A W T O N
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
Living? Love it in Oakland!