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www.rockridge.org
VOL. 27 NO. 9 ISSUE NO. 293 October 6, 2012 CIRCULATION: 5,800 Residences; 200 BusInesses
Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council • 4123 Broadway, PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94611 • 869-4200
Halloween Parade Sunday, October 28
Grab your kids and your costume!
Continuing our neighborhood’s great,
ghoulish tradition, the Rockridge District
Association (RDA) and the Rockridge
Community Planning Council (RCPC)
invite you to celebrate a spoooky Halloween
on College Avenue from noon to 2 p.m.
Sunday, October 28.
Participating merchants will host trick-
or-treating along both sides of the avenue
from Alcatraz to Broadway. Highlights
include the Haunted Church, the Pumpkin
Patch at Eddie’s Liquors, and a fire truck
near Market Hall.
To join the costumed procession, meet
at Halloween Central in front of the College
Avenue Presbyterian Church, 5951 College
Avenue, at 11:45 a.m. At noon, we’ll kick
off trick-or-treating, leading the first group
along College Avenue. At 1 p.m., return to
Halloween Central for spooky storytelling
and silly, scary sing-alongs.
Join in this holiday fun for kids of all
ages. Parade is on, rain or shine.
/Yeda Altes
Trick-or-Treat break time on College.
On the Nature and Likelihood of Soundwalls Coming to Rockridge
City Discusses Study Process, Soundwall Technology With Residents
by Andy Charman, RCPC chair
More than 80 Rockridge residents
crowded into the Rockridge Library
meeting room on September 27 to hear about
soundwalls and the process that might lead
to their construction in the Rockridge area.
Organized by the city of Oakland, the
meeting presented a wealth of technical
information on sound wall functionality,
the sound wall study process, landscaping
considerations and the preliminary technical
report evaluating noise levels in Rockridge.
Following overviews by Zac Wald,
chief of staff for Councilmember Jane
Brunner, and Victoria Eisen, consultant to
the city for the settlement project process,
Wlad Wlassowsky, head of Oakland’s
transportation services division, talked
about funding and the projects. He explained
that the decision facing the city and the
neighborhood was not about building
soundwalls, but whether to do the additional
studies known as Noise Barrier Scope
Survey Reports (NBSSR) needed prior to
construction decisions.
Studies for two sections of SR 24 in
Rockridge – eastbound from Vicente Way
to Broadway and westbound between Ross
Street and Telegraph Avenue – could proceed
if supported by a two-thirds majority of
affected property owners (generally the first
two rows of residences along the freeway).
This is the same level required for other
transportation projects on residential blocks,
such as permit parking and speed humps.
Caltrans engineer Glenn Kinoshita said
soundwalls could be most effective for
residents whose line-of-sight to freeway
traffic would be blocked by a soundwall
10-14 feet high. For other residents, a change
in sound volume is possible, but likely not
noticeable.
Kinoshita said various soundwall designs
are approved by Caltrans. More expensive
than masonry walls, transparent soundwalls
were justified on I-580 in San Leandro
because their lighter weight did not require
retrofitting the elevated superstructures. In
Rockridge, there is too little space bordering
the freeway to use trees or other vegetation
as natural sound barriers.
Invited to comment or ask questions,
two residents said the study money, drawn
from the $8 million Caltrans settlement
with the city, would be better spent on other
18
AGENDA: October 2012 RCPC Town Hall Meeting
Pros and Cons of the
November Ballot Propositions
➧➧Soundwalls and Rockridge, page 13
Mary Bergan and Julie Waldman of the League of Women Voters of Oakland
(LWVO) present background information plus neutral pros and cons for each
of the 11 state and 3 local propositions on the ballot. Ramifications of the tax
measures continue to come to light, and will be considered.
Hearing date set for College
Avenue Safeway Project
Appeal: October 16.
See article, page 3
Thursday, October 18 | 7:30-9 p.m. Rockridge Branch Library, 5366 College at Manila
October 6, 2012
2.
ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
Essays on matters of local interest are invited for consideration
as Op-Ed pieces for The Rockridge News. Please limit length to
450 words and submit to editor@rockridge.org.
Views expressed in Op-Ed essays do not necessarily reflect those of The Rockridge News,
its editor, or the board of directors of the Rockridge Community Planning Council.
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
CLOSED: Sundays and Mondays.
Also Tues,10/9.
Bicycles and the Safety of Oakland Pedestrians
by Karen Ivy, NCPC secretary
At
the September meeting of the Greater
Rockridge Neighborhood Crime
Prevention Council (NCPC) meeting,
residents complained again about bicyclists
riding on College Avenue sidewalks, often
nearly running people down. Elderly
residents are concerned, as are women
with young children.
When challenged, these bicyclists
often say, “But it’s perfectly legal.”
It is not perfectly legal. The NCPC
hears this complaint regularly. A former
Problem Solving Officer (PSO) used to
run occasional “bicycle busts” to control
the practice.
to ride a bicycle in Oakland.
Fact: FALSE. OMC §12.60.010 says:
“It is unlawful for any person to operate
or use a bicycle, defined in Section 39000
of the California Vehicle Code, upon any
street in the city of Oakland without first
obtaining a California Bicycle License
therefor.”
The problem with this ordinance, and
other sections of OMC §12.60 (Streets,
Sidewalks, and Public Places – Bicycles), is
that the code is not enforces. The ordinance
states that the Police Chief is authorized to
issue annual bicycle licenses (§12.60.020),
ensure that licenses are attached to bicycles
and that the loss of a bicycle license be
reported (§12.60.030). The police don’t
have the resources to enforce these codes.
In Rockridge, College Avenue, the
major north-south artery, has no bicycle
lanes – it’s too narrow. Many cyclists
apparently choose to ride on the sidewalk
for its perceived comparative safety: Adding
cyclists to College Avenue’s pedestrian
crowd increases the likelihood for bicycle-
pedestrian accidents.
Are there solutions? The NCPC would
like to see signs on College Avenue stating
that cycling on the sidewalk is illegal.
In areas without formal bicycle lanes,
cyclists should detour to the many nearby
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, Douglas Oliver,
Ronnie Spitzer, Ann Winterman
Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
Myth: It’s legal to ride bicycles on the
sidewalk in Oakland.
Fact: FALSE. Oakland Municipal Code
(OMC) §10.150.16A says: “No person shall
ride a bicycle which has wheels of twenty
(20) inches or greater in diameter or a
frame of fourteen (14) inches or greater
in length on any sidewalk within the city.
This prohibition shall not be applicable
to Oakland police officers operating a
bicycle while engaged in their assigned
duties.”
So only police officers and small
children on small bicycles may legally
ride on the sidewalk.
Newsletter Subscriptions
To subscribe to The Rockridge News, send
your check for $20, payable to Rockridge News
Subscriptions, to: Rockridge News Subscriptions at
the address below.
Contacting The Rockridge News
Are there community issues you’d like to see
covered in The Rockridge News?
Do you have questions about newsletter
distribution?
Want to volunteer to be a Rockridge News
block captain?
Would you like to write a letter to the Editor?
Contact us at one of the following:
Editor: editor@rockridge.org
www.rockridge.org
The Rockridge News, 4123 Broadway, PMB 311,
Oakland, CA 94611
RCPC Voice-mail: 510/869-4200
Myth: You don’t have to have a license
➧➧Coexistence Cycling, 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:
November 3, 2012
November deadline is October 18, 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.)
October 6, 2012
3.
It’s Almost Halloween: RCPC Is Looking for New Blood
Following a number of lifestyle and resi-
dence changes, several members of the
RCPC board of directors have resigned
or plan to resign from their positions. As
a result, the board is looking for a few
good people interested to participate in
the organization’s mission to:
■
■Furnish a forum for community
involvement
Vote RCPC Board:
Picture Yourself Here
■
■Provide leadership and representa-
tion of neighborhood interests.
The requirements for a board position
are:
■
■To live in Rockridge within the RCPC
boundary (see map at http://www.rockridge.
org/boundaries.html)
■
■Preserve and enhance the unique
character of the Rockridge neighborhood
■
■Promote the health, safety, and quality
of life of its residents
■
■To be able to contribute about 3
hours a week to a board committee and to
attend monthly board meetings (except in
August and December as events permit).
If you are interested in joining this
working board, submit a statement of
your interest and experience to RCPC
c/o 4123 Broadway, PMB 311, Oakland,
94611, or e-mail chair@rockridge.org/
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, October 24.
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.
accept the mitigation measures proposed
in the EIR, which, he asserted, would
mitigate all the project’s traffic impacts.
The commission disregarded the protests
and approved the project.
The October 16 hearing will be the last
chance for the city to reconsider its decision
on the project.
Will the Council pay any more attention
to the community’s concerns about traffic,
parking, and the disregard for zoning
requirements than the Planning Commission
did? If not, the next step would be litigation.
Oct 16 Date for College Avenue Safeway Project Appeal
The City Council hearing on Safeway’s
College Avenue Shopping Center project
is tentatively set for October 16. RCPC and
a group of Berkeley residents each appealed
the Planning Commission’s July 25 approval
of the project.
In July 2012, almost exactly two years
after release of the draft EIR, the city
released the final EIR, including responses
to public comments. The Final EIR did
not acknowledge any deficiencies in the
draft analysis. At a three-hour Planning
Commission hearing, Rockridge and
Berkeley residents and business owners
lambasted the EIR and the project, and pled
for consideration of a reduced-size project.
Safeway insisted it needed all the space it
had asked for. The city’s planner, Peterson
Vollman, recommended approval, and said
he expected Berkeley would eventually
Help Safeway/College Appeal;
Donate to Legal Defense Fund
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?
T h e RC P C b o a rd
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
Donate to help fund appeal costs. See article at left.
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.
D o n a t i o n s a r e t a x
deductible; all donations
are welcome.
Mail checks to RCPC,
4123 Broadway, PMB
311, Oakland, CA 94611.
Make online donations
at 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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Shopping? Find it in Oakland!
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October 6, 2012
4.
Numbers Tell the Story: DMV Neighbors Creek to Bay Clean-Up
by Leonora Sea, DMV Neighbors chair
Bright and early on September’s Creek
to Bay Day, lively and enthusiastic
volunteers from all over the neighborhood
and the larger community arrived at the
DMV Neighbors Association check-in site
on Temescal Creek. Armed with rakes and
brooms, shovels and hoes, trimmers and
shears, they spread out along the creek from
the Redondo tot lot past the DMV offices
to Clifton Street, and accomplished an
astonishing amount of good work.
By the numbers: 92 volunteers spent 3 hours, removed 2 tons
of plant debris, trash, and recyclables, ate 60 Bakesale Betty
pastries, drank 30 cups of Alem’s Coffee and 6 gallons of water,
and seemed to have an infinite amount of fun.
Warm thank-yous to the Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, OneBridge,
Park Day School, students from UC Berkeley, and all the other
volunteers who gave their Saturday morning to care for the creek.
Neighborborhood volunteers take a break from Temescal Creek cleaning. /Leonora Sea
Many thanks also to Chris Staller of Oakland’s Public Works
Department (DPW), who welcomed volunteers at the sign-in table,
and to Luciano Cortes-Nicolas, also of DPW and the park’s regular
gardening angel, who managed the extensive debris-bag pickup.
Check out the Oakland North Website for a slideshow of the
DMV Neighbors Association Temescal Creek cleanup. And, come
take a stroll along the creek: Enjoy the changes autumn brings.
FROG Park Support: A
Constant Presence
FROG Fall Maintenance Day
Saturday, September 22 was annual
maintenance day at FROG Park. One
hundred students and teachers from College
Preparatory School and a dozen community
volunteers cleaned the path, sifted sand,
swept the basketball courts, removed graffiti
from the kiosk and sealed wood structures
(playground, fence and kiosk). (See volunteer
group photo, page 5.) We also unclogged a
main drain in Hardy playground and, with
the help of our city gardener, Luciano Cortes,
made a quick fix.
FROG Park is an ongoing project for
the community, and maintaining it is key
to the facilities being available for children
and families to use and enjoy safely. Check
on upcoming maintenance work days and
City Gardener Luciano Cortes and
Rockridge neighbor Barney Smits
repair a park play structure.
plans at www.frogpark.org. Thanks again
to all who helped and a special thanks to
the volunteers and teachers from College
Preparatory School.
— Howard Ferrier, Maintenance
Officer and Volunteer Coordinator
Frog Park Monthly Cleanups
F
ROG is establishing family-friendly
monthly cleanups to be held the first
Sunday of every month, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
➧➧Keeping FROG Park in Shape, page 5
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October 6, 2012
5.
Fall Carnival Time at Chabot Elementary
The Chabot Fall Carnival has been a
Rockridge tradition for years; this year’s
event is on Sunday, October 21, starting at
11 a.m. and continuing through 3 p.m.
While the event is a fundraiser for
Chabot Elementary School, all residents and
neighbors are welcome to join in the fun
and festivities. As always, entrance is free!
Located at 6686 Chabot Road, the
school’s renovated grounds are a perfect
setting for Fall fun. After a few years of
post-construction work, the garden has come
to life with a bounty of fresh produce in
planting beds, a beautifully designed metal
sculpture, and a tree mosaic “growing” on the
side of the school’s multi-purpose building.
Jeremy the Juggler performs at 11:30
a.m., the Halloween Costume Contest is
at 1 p.m., Fernando Carpenter, owner of
Oakland’s VAMP Music & Art, provides
music for the event. Carnival activities
including face painting, an inflatable slide,
A Principal at Risk
a pumpkin patch, and a variety of games
for kids of all ages. Plan on winning some
prizes, testing your bravery in the Haunted
House, and improving your aim at the Dunk
Booth – Principal Mayer beware!
Enjoy a family lunch from one of the
food trucks, including Bay Area favorite El
Tonayense, then satisfy that sweet tooth by
building your own sundae at the Dreyer’s
Sundae bar, or playing your chances at
winning a delicious dessert at the hourly
Cake Walk.
For those with an artistic interest, a Craft
Fair debuts this year, featuring designers
from our Chabot community offering fine
jewelry, hand knit accessories, upcycled
vintage and pre-owned goods, onesies and
kids’ t-shirts, girls’ dresses and handmade
fabric hair accessories.
Please join us in celebrating all the fun
that Fall has to offer – games, food, prizes,
crafts, music and entertainment promise
Principal soaked
for a good cause.
something for everyone.
Special thanks go to sponsors Jeff
Robarts of The Grubb Company and Jill
Martenson of Piedmont Avenue Dental.
All proceeds from this family-friendly
event benefit the Chabot Elementary PTA
to fund enrichment programs including
the library, music, art, computers, science,
Spanish, and the garden, and coordination
of numerous after-school programs, help in
the classrooms, and much more.
Keeping Frog Park in Shape from page 4
coordination with city officials and volunteers
to maintain and improve Frog Park.
Coming Soon… Get ready to share YOUR
opinion about Frog in a coming survey planned
to learn opinions about Frog Park priorities.
Findings will guide the committee on projects
to come (e.g., more swings, art). Be sure to
fill out the survey, to be announced in the
November Rockridge News.
Jump In… for a short dip or longer swim; we
have specific short-term projects and other
volunteer opportunities. We need those with
a general interest in Frog, and with skills
in marketing, website development, event
planning, landscape, maintenance, and surveys.
— Carol Behr, Chair
Volunteer
Coordinator
Howard
Ferrier
describes
the work
to be done
by the
volunteer
group.
Join your friends and bring your kids to
rake, plant and tackle child-sized tasks.
Oakland Technical High School clubs are
partnering with FROG on these events.
Meet at Big Frog Park, which is open during
the cleanup. Hope to see you this month!
Rain cancels.
— Ronnie Spitzer, Treasurer and
Maintenance Officer
Parks Survey; Frog Survey;
Find a Project
Frog completed the Oakland Parks
Coalition (OPC) all-city park survey, as
it has for many years (sponsored by OPC,
oaklandparkscoalition.org, a city-wide
association). FROG continues to advocate
for park maintenance, improvements and
Next Frog meeting: November 8, Rockridge
Library, 2nd floor, 7:30 p.m. Please e-mail info@
frogpark.org for more information.
a
cross-cultural congregation
striving to partner with
the Rockridge community
in lifestyle and service.
24
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
October 6, 2012
6.
primary concern of RCPC and the local
neighbors, namely the sheer size of the store
and its concomitant impacts. Last month’s
scorecard in The Rockridge News was
intended to highlight how neither Safeway
nor the Oakland Planning Commission has
responded adequately to this overarching
issue.
Letters to the Editor
The Rockridge News welcomes letters to the editor. Your name, address, phone
number, e-mail address and city/neighborhood must be included for verification.
Only your name will appear with your letter. Letters may be edited for clarity
and brevity at the editor’s discretion. Views expressed in any letter are the
writer’s own, and may not necessarily be shared by the editor, or by RCPC.
is not opposed in principle to enlarging
and upgrading the aging store, but we are
advocating for a size and design more in
line with the scale and character of the
neighborhood, and more consistent with the
spirit and letter of our pedestrian-oriented
zoning.
RCPC’s concern (and that of survey
respondents) is that the oversized store that
Safeway insists on will generate oversized
impacts, exacerbating already awful
traffic on College Avenue, adding to cut-
through traffic problems on neighborhood
streets, worsening air quality and noise
pollution, threatening pedestrian and bicycle
safety, discouraging pedestrian activity
on Claremont and College avenues, and
endangering the economic vibrancy of the
small shops across the street during still
precarious economic times.
With plans also set in motion to re-build
a very large Safeway store on nearby
Pleasant Valley Road, we believe the size
of the proposed expansion on College
Avenue is as unnecessary as it is misguided.
Safeway seems to be doubling down on an
outdated and misplaced obsession with a
large, suburban-style, automotive-oriented
store on College Avenue just as it is facing
internal financial challenges and increasing
outside competition, and the industry as a
whole is moving locally and nationally to
smaller stores in urban settings.
As for “the way Safeway has addressed
neighborhood concerns and incorporated
suggestions,” the RCPC board remains
underwhelmed. Although some much
needed design changes have been adopted,
Safeway discontinued the public stakeholder
process some time ago, and has never shown
any willingness to negotiate regarding the
I and Others Support College
Safeway Plans; RCPC is Not the
Sole Voice of the Neighborhood
Editor:
Soundwall Study a Good Use of
Fourth Bore Settlement Funds
Editor:
I am delighted that, at long last, our lower
Rockridge neighborhood will have a chance
to get soundwalls to reduce the ever-present
freeway noise we live with 24/7. For years my
neighbors and I have tried to get soundwalls,
but CalTrans had no interest in responding
to the noise pollution created when they
built Highway 24 through the middle of
this dense neighborhood. The effects of the
fourth bore of the Caldecott Tunnel made
CalTrans have to listen to us; we were glad
that the settlement with Oakland included
funding for some soundwall studies.
All we’re asking for is the same
consideration given to large suburban
housing tracts, protected by giant soundwalls
even though the nearest home is sometimes
1,000 feet from the freeway. In Rockridge,
we have homes as close as 20 feet to the
freeway. Our beloved Frog Park is built under
the freeway, affected by the extraordinary
noise overhead, and by falling debris. These
problems would be solved with soundwalls,
and would make the area more pleasurable
for all of us. And we know that these are
not going to be large brick walls found
in suburban areas; they will likely be the
less-costly, safer transparent walls suitable
for overhead freeways.
This is a good use of the CalTrans
settlement funding some of us fought
hard to obtain. Getting full studies done
is important.
— Theresa Nelson
Having grown up in Rockridge and having
lived here most of my life, I consider myself
a “neighbor” and part of the “neighborhood.”
So I had to shake my head (again) when I
saw the headline of the September Rockridge
News: “College Ave Project: Safeway, 1;
Neighborhood, Zip”.
My husband and I support the renovation
and expansion of Safeway on College, and
we know many other Rockridge residents
who feel the same way. That store has
been cramped and difficult to maneuver
since the 1960s and my mother (also a
Rockridge resident and Safeway expansion
supporter) avoided it whenever possible. I’ve
attended meetings and paid close attention
to the evolution of the designs Safeway has
presented, and have been impressed with the
way Safeway has addressed neighborhood
concerns and incorporated suggestions
from critics. I very much look forward to
a better utilization of that triangular parcel
and what is currently an ugly parking lot.
I would appreciate RCPC not pretending
to be the sole voice of “the neighborhood”
and at least acknowledging that not every
neighbor is opposed to this project.
— Star Lightner
RCPC Board Replies: We Support
a Thoughtful Remodel
The RCPC board is aware that some
community members support the Safeway
on College project as proposed. But surveys
of customers and nearby residents have
indicated that a large majority of respondents
prefer a smaller store. The board itself
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October 6, 2012
7.
Tech Drama Invites the Public to Fall Production: “Metamorphosis”
Oakland Technical High School’s
fall 2012 Drama class production
is Mary Zimmerman’s astounding
play “Metamorphosis.” Based on the
transformative tales told by the Roman
poet Ovid some 2,000 years ago, these
stories of love, greed, loss, pride, life and
death still touch the heart. Oakland Tech
invites the public to evening performances
on October 24, 25, 26 and 27 at 7 p.m., and
a matinee show on October 27 at 2 p.m.
All performances are in the auditorium,
located at Broadway and 42nd Street (enter
on 42nd). Tickets will be available at the
door: $10 general admission and $8 for
Oakland Tech students and staff.
October 2012.
The stage lighting work signals the near
completion of Phase 2 of Oakland Tech’s
auditorium renovation project. Prior work
has included painting, acoustic treatments,
a Meyer sound system, and a lighting and
sound booth. The only remaining work is the
purchase and installation of a high-quality
projector and projection screen, for which
the PTSA is raising $25,000.
To contribute to the renovation project,
send your tax-deductible donations to:
Oakland Tech PTSA, c/o Pat Williams, 3708
Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610, or
donate online at http://oaklandtech.com/
staff/performingarts.
Firsts for Tech
The play represents some “firsts”
for Oakland Tech. For the first time, the
Fashion and Design Academy at Oakland
Tech’s Upper Campus (formerly Far West
High School), under the direction of Katita
Johnson, is designing the costumes for an
Oakland Tech play.
Also, this will be the first production
to use Oakland Tech’s new stage lighting
system, installed in September and early
Rockridge Branch Library: Teen Zone Anniversary; Dir. Pat Lichter at Helm
The Rockridge Branch Library celebrated the first anniversary
of its new Teen Zone, constructed with funding and support
from Councilmember Jane Brunner, who, along with Library
Director Carmen Martinez and Associate Director Gerry Garzone
(who also was MC of the event),
joined the celebration to mark
the occasion.
Kudos went to architect Chris
Noll (of Noll & Tam) and to the
Friends of the Rockridge Library
(FORL), who have provided
funding for teen interns and
for teen program refreshments
throughout the year.
A trio from East Bay Young
Musicians added to the festivities
and rocked the library.
— Library staff
Call
Me!
10
Offers!
5
Offers!
5
Offers!
2508 Woolsey
5443 Boyd
74 Ross
5272 Lawton
Daniel Stea
Rockridge
Broker/Owner/
Attorney
and beyond
since 1997
510.867.4094
2987 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705 N DRE #01452156
Wecome back, Pat
Pat Lichter,
Rockridge Branch
Library director,
has returned to
the branch after
a posting to the
Elmhurst Branch on
88th Avenue. Her
substitute during
this time was Sandra
Toscano, right,
who returns to her
director’s position
at the Golden Gate
Branch on San Pablo
Avenue.
/D. Kinkead
October 6, 2012
8.
Despite Every Effort, a Car Is Towed
by Judith Doner Berne
So there was this vintage white car parked
across the street for days, then weeks,
then months.
We live on a typical Rockridge street with
a majority of single-family homes mixed
in with a few duplexes and apartment-style
dwellings.
It features skinny, hump-backed
driveways and garages that are used for
everything else but cars – quite unlike the
ample driveway and two-and-a-half car
garage I left when we moved from suburban
Detroit.
Here, as in many Rock r idge
neighborhoods, residents park on the street
– often turning the process of finding curb
space into a game of musical (if your radio
is on) cars.
This car, which didn’t have a current
registration, “was there over two months,”
one neighbor said. “I made a good faith
effort to find out who owned it.” Another
posted a note on the windshield requesting
it be moved. A third finally e-mailed the
Oakland Police Department’s Vehicle
Enforcement Unit.
To no avail; the car seemed an immovable
object.
At last our block captain turned to the
city’s Neighborhood Watch Coordinator.
“I keep in contact with her and thought
when the car wasn’t being removed by the
city that she would be a good place to try
to get in the ‘back door’ so to speak,” she
said. “And it worked!”
Enter Officer Andrew “Just call me
Andy” Luty.
Luty, a former beat cop, has been in
charge of the OPD’s Abandoned Auto Detail
for the last 11 of his 23 years on the force.
The unit once had eight civilian Police
Service Technicians, but now is down to four.
However, that’s not as bad as it sounds:
With the increased price of scrap metal,
cars, trucks and boats – once abandoned
because they were old and/or not drivable
– are now saleable.
Luty drove me down to the docks, where
an approximately 50-by-50-foot pile of
crushed cars spilled over the pavement, in
wait to be funneled into a cargo ship.
“It’s recycling at its finest,” he said. “It’s
where the steel meets the ship.”
In 2010, the Vehicle
Enforcement Unit had 13,168
calls for service; in 2011,
10,659, Luty detailed. “It’s
gone down slightly,” he said,
“but it’s still pretty high.”
Could that be why the
initial requests went unheeded?
“We’re primarily complaint
driven,” Luty said.
Although it took an extra
push to get the police involved,
Luty insists: “We’re obligated
to get out there as quickly as we
can. With four people it’s all
about putting orange stickers
on cars,” he says.
And that’s what finally
happened. The official sticker
warned the car owner in three
languages – English, Chinese
and Spanish – that it had
to be moved within 72 hours. “Our goal
is to educate and that usually solves the
problem,” he said.
Luty, who has three teen-aged daughters,
doesn’t live in Oakland but his roots are here
– from his great-grandfather on down to his
dad, who graduated from Oakland Tech.
“Oakland can be very difficult,” he said.
But, even as a patrolman, “I’ve never been
hurt, been shot at, never shot at anyone and
never used my night stick.
“This (police) suit gives me a chance to
hear people’s stories. My badge just says
‘Andy’ and that’s on purpose. It kind of
sets the tone.” Then it becomes “how can
we work together and solve the problem.
Sometimes it just doesn’t work. Enforcement
is the last resort.”
Unfortunately, it came down to that when,
Although Oakland Police Officer Andy Luty
says the department doesn’t get many calls
on abandoned cars in Rockridge, Luty and
Rockridge News writer Judy Berne spotted this
orange-stickered car during a ride through the
neighborhood. Photo: Judith Berne
72 hours later, the stickered car hadn’t been
moved. So Luty called the towing company,
which came within the hour.
Evidently, its owner(s) got the car out of
tow, since I’ve seen it pop up occasionally
on a nearby street.
The game may still be musical cars.
But now everyone seems to be playing by
the rules.
Is there an abandoned car on your block?
For police response, leave a voice mail at
510/777-8622, e-mail AbandonedAuto@
oakland.com, or fax 510/777-8880. Include
the vehicle’s location, description and license
number, if the last is known.
Judy Berne moved to Rockridge from metro Detroit
last year. If you have a good story about living
in Rockridge, her e-mail is judyberne@att.net.
3rd Floor
Market Hall
TM
Ste. 312
rockdent.com
510.653.6677
Bruce D. Fong, D.D.S.
Filippo Cangini, D.D.S, M.S.
Advanced Preventive, Restorative, Periodontal Gum Care, and Dental Implants.
October 6, 2012
9.
Projects: RCPC and the Community Build a Neighborhood Library
“
corner of the grounds of Claremont Middle
School. The limited size of the temporary
building meant that the already small library
space (1,731 square feet) would be reduced
to a total of 1,400 square feet of which only
1,000 square feet would be accessible to
the public.
Working with the city’s director of
libraries, then-Councilmember Marge
Gibson Haskell, the City Manager’s office,
and the city’s Department of Public Works,
the library committee planned and executed
the relocation to Claremont Middle School
(then known as Claremont Jr. High). After
that, the real work began.
RCPC initiated a planning effort that
grew to include many members of the
community. The library committee, headed
by Nancy Dutcher, an RCPC board member,
created the separate Neighbors for a
Rockridge Library committee. With the help
and assistance of several local businesses
and residents of the neighborhood, a plan
evolved to make a permanent home for the
library on a specific site on College Avenue.
The most desirable location at that time,
known as the Art Stone property, was located
at Manila and College. The site consisted
of two lots, each with a house: a corner lot
with a large Victorian residence containing a
corner grocery on the ground floor, and the
adjacent lot with another Victorian home and
the remnants of the Art Stone business that
had manufactured ornamental concrete bird
baths, statues and fountains. Many houses in
the neighborhood still have these concrete
ornaments in their backyards, including my
own. The city agreed to purchase the two
lots using its Merchants Off-Street Parking
Fund, and to donate a portion of the site to
build a permanent Rockridge Library. This
agreement is why the library has metered
parking.
Having determined where the library
should be, the next task was to obtain
funding. A lot of money needed to be raised
within Rockridge to fund the improvements,
construction, furnishings and books that
make up a library. If the community was
to raise the money necessary to make this
dream come true, the whole community
would have to become part of the process.
The first of a series of surveys regarding
the neighborhood’s desires for the library
was printed in the Rockridge News to start
the ball rolling.
A committee known as RCPC/CAMA
(Rockridge Community Planning Council/
College Avenue Merchants Association)
proposed neighborhood funding through an
assessment bond that would create a fee on
each residential parcel in Rockridge. That
yearly fee would pay for a substantial part
of the cost.
One alternative was also considered. It
was proposed that a mixed-use building,
including rental housing units to generate
Rockridge is t he only
community in the nation
to finance and drive to
completion the building of
a local library.”
— State Librarian Kevin
Starr, September 1996
by Bernie Baltaxe, RCPC board member
The city of Oakland has had a public
library since 1878. In 1919, a branch
library opened in Rockridge and, in 1924,
was moved to a former bank building at
5701 College Avenue. This small library
served the community until 1987, when
the landlord decided to convert the space to
commercial use. The library’s rent jumped
10-fold from $500 a month to $5,000 a month.
The library could not afford that amount;
the branch was closed in September, 1987.
Unwilling to lose a community resource
as important as a library, RCPC formed a
Library Committee whose first order of
business was to obtain a temporary site
so the second busiest library in Oakland
would continue to function. The next was
to find a suitable location to establish a
permanent home for a true, community-
based, Rockridge Branch Library.
The first task was accomplished by
placing a small modular building at Birch
Court and College Avenue on the northwest
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October 6, 2012
10.
In Search of
Silence
Praise mood levels. White noise actually
helps some people to concentrate better.
But some also think that white noise
for babies as they sleep is not the best
idea. Studies are showing that certain
frequencies can also trigger emotional
shifts toward greater serenity and gentility.
This may be a good thing or, shades of
its misuse in George Orwell’s book,
here we come, “1984.”
Try to fix one problem and another one
will certainly spring up. There are ongoing
discussions concerning the construction
of a sound walls through Rockridge,
the benefits of which on the health
of our community are still not clearly
understood. The wrong barrier, according
to Prochnik, can even transpose visual
noise to more audio noise. Noiseless
electric cars are great, but now we
need to add sound to warn pedestrians.
Prochnik ends his exploration of
noise versus silence with some insight:
Let’s try to lessen the din if we can, but
more importantly, let’s develop greater
sensitivity toward – and appreciation
of – silence. Find places where you
can hear silence, because it is laden
with meaning and a different kind of
sound. Visit a museum, escape to the
library or your studio; enter a place
of worship when there is no service
going on. In the theater, don’t clap right
away; savor that moment of silence
when the music stops. Create a Zen
garden; a neighborhood park; a pathway;
architecture that respects silence as well
as sound. And turn off your iPhone. As
Plutarch said, “We hear silence from
the gods, speech from men.”
The
Rockridge
aul Simon wrote “Sound of Silence”
in 1964. At that time, acoustic
guitars were very in. Since then,
the world has gotten noisier and noisier.
In fact, today the problem has become
so great worldwide that the European
Union (EU) has issued mandates to all
member countries to create sound maps
to try to get some understanding of the
psychological and physiological effects
our increasingly noisy soundscape has
on us and our environment.
In 2009, WHO, the World Health
Organization, made a similar policy
statement. There is today serious concern
about the impact of noise on cardiovascular
health, sociological and emotional well
being, and the growing incidences of
autism, decreasing learning capabilities,
hearing loss, and more. It’s time to pay
attention to what is happening in our
own backyard.
Muse
by Ortrun Niesar
statistically, one in three Americans
suffers from some type of hearing loss.
Americans are going deaf even faster
than they are growing fat. Many of the
sufferers of hearing loss must therefore
be wandering among us, silently, while
the rest of us keep noisily pushing past
them. Of course, we think, hearing loss
will never happen to us; in fact it may
have already manifested in many of the
boomer generation. As we become older,
we too will find ourselves having to
deal with the damaging effects of many
years of exposure to dangerous levels of
sound, whether from blasting music in
our ears, or the unbearable screeching
of BART wheels, sirens, traffic noise or
the screams of football fans.
Our Noisy Place
Rockridge, with freeways and BART
traversing our space, is a noisy place.
Most days, helicopters fly freely over our
homes and gardens without concern for
the impact that might have on the organic
life below. Leaf blowers and construction
tools disrupt our quiet afternoons. Our
restaurants serve up near unbearable
decibels of noise along with the latest
drink concoctions. Conversation and
thought are not wanted here. The din of
50,000 shouting football fans becomes part
of our Saturday afternoon soundscape.
Traffic provides an overlay of constant
din. But, biggest of all is the intrusion of
electronic sound almost everywhere we
are. This is what concerns researchers
most. It turns out that our uncanny
ability to adapt to ever-higher levels of
surrounding sound is not good for us.
What we can’t stomach we know how
to overlay with white noise, mostly
electronically generated sound from our
iPods plugged directly into our brains.
As the din gets louder, we just turn
up the volume some more. Nobody
knows what the outcome of that will
be, although we are seeing signs of it.
What Should We Do?
Reading “In Pursuit of Silence” by
George Prochnik (found it at Mrs.
Dalloway’s bookstore in the Elmwood
District), it is clear there are many
arguments that can be made for and against
noise mitigation. Prochnik points out that
first, qualitative noise or sound needs
to be differentiated from quantitative
noise. Good noise can be energizing;
Real Estate in Rockridge
Personally represented over $10,000,000 in home sales in Rockridge
alone last year. Let me use my local expert experience to guide you.
Come visit the Lawton Associates booth at the “Rockridge Out and About!” Sun 10/7 12-6pm
Hearing Loss
Not many people talk about hearing
loss. It’s like a silent secret. And yet,
Pending:
2BD, 1BA Rockridge Craftsman Bungalow, Chabot District, Fireplace, built-ins, yard
Sold:
5531 Estates Dr, 4BD, 3BA, Upper Rockridge, $820,000 represented Buyer
Leased:
-5602 Taft Ave, 4+BD 2+BA home, off street parking, $4,000/mo
-6051 Monroe Ave, 3BD, 2+BA home, detached art / work studio, $3,750/mo
-578 Forest 675 sqft, 2BD, 1BA, upper unit w/balcony, 2 blocks from BART $2,300/mo
-6000 Broadway 2BD, 1BA Rockridge In-Law off Ocean View, 3 blocks from BART, $2,450/mo
Coming soon:
2BD+, 2BA in Chabot District w/ FP, large bonus room, yard, detached garage, asking $825,000
2BD 1BA Rockridge Bungalows for Lease, prices TBD, Available end October
LAWTON ASSOCIATES REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE
Call for a real local expert opinion.
Perry Riani, Senior Real Estate Specialist
L A W T O N
Lawton Associates DRE# 01402540
A S S O C I A T E S
R E A L E S T A T E
B R O K E R A G E
510.813.3799 priani@earthlink.net
October 6, 2012
11.
Two Rockridge News
Routes Open Up
James Kachelmeyer has been doing double
duty delivering The Rockridge News to
houses on two contiguous routes for the
past couple of years as well as serving on
the RCPC board. Sadly, he is moving out of
Rockridge and we are losing an exemplary
volunteer. We are looking for one or two
people to fill his shoes.
If you live in the neighborhood and have
an extra 15-30 minutes a month, please call
510/547-3855 or e-mail smontauk@gmail.
com and lay claim to the route(s) you would
like to take on.
Gateway Survey: Shrubs and Safety Top Priorities
A first step to a cheerier,
safer Claremont Avenue
u n d e r p a s s w i l l b e
improvements along the
adjacent dog park fence.
Photo: Google Maps
through our web site, the work
could begin with planting as
early as this winter.”
But improving lighting will
be a tougher challenge, Lund
emphasized. Residents want
better illumination along the sidewalks and
inside the dog run. Many reported that they
don’t feel safe in the area after dark. This
improvement faces a myriad of obstacles
with the city and CalTrans, but Lund said
Scenic Streets volunteers intend to explore
the possibilities in early 2013.
Simple upgrades to the dog run, such
as better drainage near the entrances, more
durable seating and an improved watering
station also ranked highly. Adding public
artwork to the area, such as murals and
sculpture, also got strong support.
Full survey results can be found at www.
scenicstreets.org.
by Sean Riley, local resident
Scenic Streets has released the results of
its survey exploring further renovations
to the Rockridge-Temescal Gateway.
The local volunteer group sought
community feedback for Claremont Avenue
improvements underneath Hwy 24 and the
Hardy Park Dog Run, asking local residents
to rank the leading ideas to transform this
dreary space adjacent to Frog Park.
“Residents clearly want more greenery
and improved lighting,” said Scenic Streets
founder Peter Lund. “The underpass is barren
and dingy, so shrubs and trees will add life
and color. If we collect enough donations
October 28th
Faith for the iPod generation!
Announcing a NEW Mass time,
Sunday at 6:00p.m.
Also join us on: November 25 and December 16
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
Route
Area
18Ga
Both sides of Claremont
Avenue from freeway to
Clifton
Both sides 5200 Claremont,
including apartment building
at 5248, and 5400 block
Claremont Ave, west side
only from Clifton to Cavour
16D
Rockridge
Optometry
Your neighborhood
family eyecare providers
since 1947
Dr. Donald Sarver
Dr. Larry Sarver
Dr. Scott Yokoi
Dr. Cindy Sakai
5321 College Avenue, Oakland
510-655-3797
www.rockridgeoptometry.com
October 6, 2012
12.
Merchant Links Web and Learning in Store Display
Fred Womack, left, and friend Eric
Neville stand next to window postings
of QR links to thought-provoking web
sites. They collaborated on a storefront
design that hints provocatively at the
destination of each link. /D. Kinkead
The September issue of The Rockridge
News brought a bit more of the digital
world than URLs – web and e-mail addresses
– to the newsletter: Pages 9 and 11 presented
QR (Quick Response) Codes.
Looking like little more than pixelated
graphic images, the codes are passive
containers of Internet connections, waiting
for activation via a smart phone and its
translator app.
Originally designed to monitor automotive
production, the little tags have spread to the
commercial world. Advertisers, especially,
use them for web links to stores, special
offers, and marketing.
Rockridge storekeeper Fred Womack of
Maison d’Etre, 5640 College Avenue, believes
QR codes have uses beyond mere commerce.
He has designed a storefront window
display that subtly illustrates informative and
Coexistence Cycling
from page 2
streets with sharrow lanes (autos and cycles
coexist) or dedicated cycling lanes.
Public officials, our NCPC groups and
cycling associations must continue to stress
the hazards of cycling on sidewalks.
/D. Kinkead
educational sites he offers to passersby via
QR code images posted on the glass.
On your way to BART or while enjoying
windowshopping, point your smart phone
camera at each code to read it. You’ll need a
translating app, available for free on the Web.
View code listings: http://www.municode.
com/library/CA/Oakland
Cycling information:
See Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
QR_code for more information.
Google Bicycling associations in the East
Bay. Two examples:
East Bay Bicycle Coalition (EBBC); http://
www.ebbc.org/
Bay Area Bicycle Coalition: http://www.
bayareabikes.org/content/bay-area-
bicycle-clubs
In Memory
Ruth Isaacson, a beloved Lawton Avenue resident since 1956, was born Ruth
Ettlinger on July 28, 1921, in Karlsruhe, Germany. To escape Nazism, she immigrated to
the U.S. by way of England, then married Robert Isaacson in
New York, and raised five children while living in Utah, New
Mexico, Colorado, and the Rockridge neighborhood.
A volunteer and employee with the Oakland Public Schools,
Ruth received the Marcus Foster Distinguished Educator
Award while working as secretary at Claremont Middle School.
In retirement Ruth became a healer and masseuse, hosted
visitors from around the world, and was often seen zipping
around on her bicycle, long gray braids flying, while shuttling
food from a local café to a women’s shelter.
Confined by a heart ailment during her later years, Ruthie continued to see friends
and give massages. She passed away June 17, 2012, with family and friends by her side.
Memorial gifts may be given to Claremont Middle School PTA, 5750 College Avenue,
Oakland, 94618, or may be made online at:
http://www.claremontms.org/claremont-pta/online-contributions.
Design, Installation and Maintenance
Native Plant Gardens & Stonework
Andrea Hurd, Horticulturist and Stonemason
License #883905 h tel. 510.558.8429
www.mariposagardening.com
G
Inventory Continues to be Low in Rockridge
Closing date BR BA
Address
Original price
List price DOM
Selling price
GRUBBCO.COM
8/28/12 2
1
5394 Bryant Avenue
$459,000
$459,000
2
$461,700
9/7/12 3
2
5845 Lawton Avenue
$625,000
$625,000
12
$670,000
9/20/12 1
1
5625 Broadway
$250,000
$125,000
193
$150,000
9/20/12 3
1
5615 Broadway
$679,000
$600,000
193
$450,000
9/21/12 2
1
355 Glendale Avenue
$699,000
$699,000
12
$837,000
Average original list price to sales price is currently 94% vs 99% last year ·
Median sold price is currently $461,700 vs $736,500 last year
Properties are selling in an average of 82 days · Currently a 10 day supply of inventory
510.652.2133
3070 Claremont Avenue • Berkeley
510.339.0400
1960 Mountain Boulevard • Oakland
October 6, 2012
13.
organization. Non-profit status gave RCPC
certain privileges, including fundraising
and handling funds for the library. Using
the authority of the Community Facilities
District Act, commonly called a Mello-Roos
taxation district, the petition was eventually
signed by 1,214 residents, well above the 10
percent needed, and Measure L was placed
on the ballot in November 1990.
None of the many volunteers had ever run
a political campaign before, but signs were
printed and thousands of phone calls made
to educate the public on the benefits of the
library. This intense campaign resulted in
81.6 percent of voters within the assessment
district approving a $25 per year parcel
tax for 30 years. The law required a two-
thirds vote to pass the measure. Thanks to
the tireless efforts of dozens of committed
citizens, that threshold was far surpassed.
With one source of funding secured,
and the commitment of the neighborhood
made clear, volunteers began the process
of seeking additional funding from the
State Library Committee. The economy
was struggling, and funding was drying up.
Projects already planned and funded were
being eliminated. A community effort was
needed to lobby the state and ensure that
the funding needed would be approved for
the Rockridge project.
For the next year, a letter writing
campaign was waged and telephone calls
were made. Shortly after the Oakland
Hills Firestorm in October 1991, residents
trekked to Sacramento wearing Rockridge
Library badges sporting colorful cellophane
flames to lobby personally for funding for
the Rockridge Library. In early 1992, the
state allocated the funds.
For the next four years, community
involvement was harnessed to determine the
footprint of the new facility, the architecture,
the color scheme, furnishings, books and
equipment.
At the request of the community, a large
community meeting space and a dedicated
children’s wing were included. The expertise
of Rockridge residents was involved in every
step of the process. Merchants also helped
raise money by donating food and material
for fundraising events. Great Harvest Bread
Co., Market Hall and Rockridge Café were all
instrumental in assisting the project. Granite
pavers in the lobby and walkway were sold
as fundraisers and engraved with whatever
people requested, including family names,
the names of parents and grandparents
and faithful pets. Every conceivable effort
was made to raise money for important
equipment including what one article in The
Rockridge News referred to as a “MacIntosh
multi-media computer,” which itself cost
$4,000. A total of almost $158,000 was
raised to buy books, furnishings and other
enhancements for the library.
The diligence and perseverance of those
involved cannot be overstated. Over 100
volunteers put in thousands of hours for 11
years before the doors opened in September,
1996. The willingness of the community to
come together, offer their time, energy and
money, plus the leadership of RCPC and a
handful of dedicated individuals, created a
prized and heavily used community asset
that will stand for decades to come.
RCPC Projects
from page 9
income, be built at 5380 College Avenue.
This proposal did not require creation of a
parcel tax. However, as pointed out in the
article I did on zoning issues in Rockridge
(The Rockridge News, September, 2012),
creating a multi-story apartment building on
College Avenue was not what RCPC or area
residents wanted. The village atmosphere
of the neighborhood was at stake and the
library project would have to be done without
a large apartment building to provide the
funding.
A petition drive was organized to
obtain signatures from at least 10 percent
of the residents within specific boundaries.
Those boundaries later formed the first
boundaries for RCPC, which, at around the
same time, was incorporated as a non-profit
Special thanks to Don Kinkead and Annette
Floystrup for providing the history and material
needed for me to research and write this article.
Soundwalls and
Rockridge
from page 1
projects. Most other comments were either
neutral or supportive of the study process.
Several speakers urged consideration of more
aesthetically pleasing transparent soundwalls
such as found in Europe and Asia.
Before year’s end, the city will identify
relevant property owners and distribute
official petitions. Soundwall studies may
proceed if sufficient support is shown by
the end of the petition period, probably
next September.
INTERIOR-EXTERIOR LEAD
CERTIFIED PAINTERS
Professional preparation. Many local
references. All work Guaranteed
(510) 654-3339
Information from the meeting will be available
on the Fourth Bore Coalition or RCPC websites.
Shopping? Shop Oakland, First
October 6, 2012
14.
Property Management and
Leasing Services
Need someone reliable, efficient and available
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
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.
November deadline is October 18, 2012
For information: smontauk@gmail.com
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 or www.saintpetersoakland.com
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.
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. 415/419-7090
or e-mail kit@musickit.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.
Repairs
Kitchen & bath remodel, tile, decks, dry
rot, drainage, walls, termite damage, doors,
windows. Lic#458473. Don 510/812-0310.
Spectacular Service
Housekeeping
We provide excellent housecleaning service
with greatest wention to detail. Local rec-
ommendations. *Let us create free time for
you* WWW.spectacularhousekeeping.
com. 510/228-5704. Free estimate.
Tutor/Writing Coach in
Rockridge
Is your child or teen struggling with reading,
writing, or school in general? Highly
experienced, credentialed teacher helps
students become more successful learners.
College essay writing, too. 510/655-2468.
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.
Have a Toddler?
Try a 6-week instructional/discussion group
with Jess Levith, MA. Explore the ins and
outs of raising a little one. Class starts Nov
6. Limit 10 parents. Call now for more info!
510/883-3073.
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.
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.
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.
Rockridge: 5400 College Avenue
Elmwood: 2930 College Avenue
Weekend Brunch in Elmwood
Henry C. Levy & Co.
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Certified Public Accountants
and Consultants
A Professional Corporation
■
• tax preparation • estate planning
• tax planning
• business valuation
5940 College Avenue, Suite C
Oakland, California 94618
510.652-1000 FAX 510.654-2363
Wonderful, ongoing,
weekday classes for
babies or toddlers
A
Mov
e
m
e
nt
Prog
ram f
or
Drop-ins or sign ups
for ALL families: songs,
slides, tunnels, parachute play,
bubbles, a fab ball pit, rocking
horses & more!
A
L
L
Fa
mi
lie
s
For 9 months up to 3 years with an adult
Dawn Margolin | 510.547.7726
Temple Beth Abraham
327 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland
(near the Grand Lake Theatre)
.
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
Lic. #0670129
October 6, 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.
DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. More info
(and other events and discussion groups): 653-9965
or events@dieselbookstore.com.
Halloween Parade on College Ave.
Sun, Oct 28, from noon to 2pm. Kids of all ages, put on
your costumes and meet at 11:45am at “Halloween
Central” in front of the College Ave Presb. Church,
5951 College Ave, to join the parade. See story pg. 1.
Claremont Middle School
6th Annual Auction
Sat, Oct 27, from 6 to 10pm. Halloween Party and Auc-
tion: a festive Halloween-theme fundraiser (for adults
only). Costumes are encouraged. Freaky food, deadly
drinks, mad music and fabulous items to bid on. Tickets
(also available at “Out & About”): $20 in advance; $25
at the door. Proceeds support enrichment programs
for band and orchestra; digital media and film; garden;
art; library and much more. Uptown Body and Fender,
401 26th Street. Info and to purchase tickets: Michelle,
917-1780 or mdb.pta.oakland@gmail.com or
www.claremontms.org.
Chabot Elem. School Fall Carnival
Sunday, Oct 21, 11am to 3pm. Performances and activi-
ties for all ages: Craft Fair with creations from the local
community. Chabot School, 6686 Chabot Road (cross
street Patton). More info: www.chabotelementary.
org. See story p 5.
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.
Wisteria Ways House Concert
Mozaik Vocal Ensemble: Women’s group with a unique
style and harmonies from world-wide folk traditions.
Saturday, Nov 3, at 8pm; doors open 7:30pm (inside
venue; not wheelchair accessible). $15-20 donation
for musicians (cash only at the door). 383 61st Street.
Sample tunes at www.myspace.com/mozaikvoices.
For reservations (highly recommended), RSVP to info@
WisteriaWays.org or 655-2771.
Oakland Tech Centennial
Celebration
CALLING ALL BULLDOGS— All alumni, teachers and
staff are needed to be volunteers to plan and staff a
series of events to honor the 100 Year Anniversary of
Oakland Tech. The Centennial will take place over the
2014/2015 academic year. Planning meeting on Sat.,
Oct 20, 11am in the school Library. Add your name to
the growing list of volunteers (which so far span the
classes of 1943 to 2013). More info at 740-8030 or
ot100years@gmail.com.
Compiled by Jo Ellis
Community Calendar
Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council (NCPC)
Residents and business members can voice their con-
cerns about crime and public safety. 2nd Thurs each
month, 7pm. Rockridge Library, upstairs, 5366 College
Ave. Confirm mtg. at www.rockridgencpc.com or chair@
rockridgencpc.com.
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
FOR CHILDREN
margins) of any prose for on-site reading/discussion
(also welcome to come empty-handed). Third Satur-
day each month; 1 to 5pm. Sponsor: the California
Writers Club, Berkeley branch. Info: 420-8775 or
Writefox@aol.com.
y
y Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice and refer-
rals. First Tues. each month, 5 to 7pm. (Advance sign-up
starts 4:45pm at adult reference desk). Volunteer
lawyer leaves before 7pm if no more people present.
y
y Volunteer DVD Work Party: Saturday, Nov 3, 9:30-
12:30. Many great DVDs donated. The Rockridge DVD
Project needs volunteers to put them in cases and
attach labels. Bring a friend. Call to sign up: 597-5017.
ART EXHIBITS (subject to change; call to confirm)
Gallery:
Oct: Eric Grbich; figurative oil paintings.
Nov: Irving Wiltshire; photographs.
Lobby Display Case:
Oct; Lorie Fischer; Dolls for Art’s Sake.
Nov: TBD
y
y Pre-School Story Time: (ages 2 to 5) Every Thurs,
10:30am.
y
y Toddler Story Time: (up to age 2) Every Thurs,
10:30am, upstairs.
y
y Family Story Time: Stories/songs/rhymes (to age
5). Every Saturday, 10:30am.
All story times followed by Playtime.
Special Events:
y
y Re-Create Art Session with MoChA: Thursday, Oct
18, 3:30 to 5pm. Make art out of recycled stuff; enter
work in the Annual Re-Create Art Contest. All ages:
kids under age 8 must be accompanied by an adult.
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, 10/9.
Diesel Book/Poetry Readings, Events
All FREE and open to the public.
y
y Altar-Making for Dia De Los Muertos: Tues, Oct
23, 7 to 8pm. Local artist Rachel-Anne Palacios
teaches how to make an altar for Day of the Dead. Bring
mementos to put on the altar in our children’s area.
y
y Historical Fiction Presentation: Saturday, Oct 27,
3pm. Readers ages 10 to 16, teachers, and adults
invited to a presentation of a Historical Fiction reading
list. Historical snacks will be served. RSVP to Erica at
597-5017, or stop by the Children’s Reference Desk
to let us know you’ll be coming.
y
y Mon, 10/8, 7:30pm. Amnesty International Meeting
(2nd Mon. each month): All invited to exchange
ideas on action.
y
y Wed, 10/17, 7pm. Ayelet Waldman and Robin Levi:
Inside This Place, Not of It: Narratives from Women’s
Prisons.
y
y Halloween Stories: Tues, Oct 30, 7pm. A slightly
spooky story time for children: Everyone is invited to
come in costume and get some early treats.
FOR TEENS
y
y Sun., 10/21, 3pm. Poetry Flash with local poets Lucille
Lang Day and Katherine Hastings.
y
y Wed., 10/24, 7pm. Publication Party for local author
Rachel Neumann: Not quite Nirvana: A Skeptic’s
Journey to Mindfulness.
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. 1st Saturday of
each month from 1-2 pm, starting Oct 6. To confirm,
call Vicky Chen, 597-5017.
y
y Fri, 10/26, 7 – 9pm. Live Music with local acoustic
band Smooth Toad (music, poetry and theater).
Preview the band on myspace.
y
y Sun., 10/28, 3pm. Publication Party for Mariah K.
Young: Masha’allah and Other Stories.
y
y Rockridge Ninjas Anime Club: Watch and talk about
anime. Oct date change: Tues 10/16, 5 to 6:30pm.
y
y Fri, 11/2, 7pm. Publication Party for local music jour-
nalist Steven Roby: Hendrix on Hendrix: Interviews
and Encounters with Jimi Hendrix.
y
y Rockridge Teen ’Scape: Play video and board games;
make crafts; light snacks provided. Every Wed from
2 to 3:30pm during school days.
FOR ADULTS
y
y Sun., 11/4, 3pm. Poetry Flash with Kathleen Fraser
and Laura Walker.
y
y Writers Support/Critique Group: All writers welcome.
Bring 17 copies of up to 5 pgs. (double-spaced, MS
y
y Thurs, 11/8, 7pm. Poetry Reading with Norma Cole,
Sarah Riggs and Rebecca Farivar.
Norman H. Burg, DDS
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
A Prevention Oriented Practice
October 6, 2012
16.
pending sale
aboutface&body
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mulTiple offers in 9 days
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serving you since 1981
AVEDA PRODUCTS
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Call Today! (510) 682-5917
RockridgeHomeSales@Gmail.com
www.Rockridge-RealEstate.com
Over 400 homes sold -
Experience Counts
3190 college avenue
at alcatraz
berkeley, ca 94705
p 510.428.2600
www.aboutfaceandbody.net
KEVIN BROWN
Broker
654-8707 or 593-4780
Rockridge
Located on Market Hall’s Lower Level
Entry on Shafter Avenue
510-655-8808
sun-tues 10:30-5:30
wed-sat 10:30-8:00
PROVIDING
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For Over 26 Years.
SPECIALIZING IN
O Residential Sales
O Income Property
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www.curvesrockridge.com
Free Parking!
Across from BART
Open 7 Days
Mon- Fri 6:00 -7:30
Sat & Sun 8:00 - Noon
FOR SALE – ROCKRIDGE
5451 Broadway - Fixer Call for price*
2++Beds/1 Bath
Nice Period Arch Detailing intact. Ready for
your TLC & Ideas.
Award Winning Chabot Elementary School
www.5451Broadway.com
31
5394 Bryant Avenue Call for price*
2 Beds/ 1 Bath
Perfect Craftsman on the hill. New Designer
paint, Kitchen, and casita opening to a
stunning yard.
Award Winning Chabot Elementary School
www.5394Bryant.com
FOR SALE – TEMESCAL
4701 Manila Avenue $595,000
2 Beds/1Bath
Charming Craftsman Bungalow. Split-level
w/hardwood floors and awesome wood
detailing. Updated eat-in-kitchen and
detached garage.
www.4701Manila.com
COMING SOON
ROCKRIDGE/TEMESCAL
473 55th Street $495,000
3Beds/1Bath
Craftsman Bungalow w/Remodeled kitchen
and bath. Built-ins and Hrwd flrs. Charm!
www.473-55thst.com
Better Homes
Realty
5353 College Avenue
Oakland
Playing? Start in Oakland!
PENDING!
PENDING – ROCKRIDGE
5748 Ivanhoe Road $1,500,000
4 Beds/ 3 Baths
Amazing Mediterranean Revival in Perfect
Condition.
www.5748Ivanhoe.com
**note: because of Rockridge Newsletter lead time, all priices are not
available at print deadline.
Ron Kriss, Broker
Lawton Associates
L A W T O N
ROCKRIDGE
5327 College Ave
510.622.8300
ELMWOOD
2991 College Ave
510.883.7000
510-547-5970 Ext. 55
ronkriss@jps.net
“#1 in Rockridge Real Estate”
A S S O C I A T E S
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www.LawtonAssoc.com
R E A L E S T A T E
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Living? Love it in Oakland!