Extracted text · highlighting “Fourth Bore Coalition”

www.rockridge.org

VOL. 28       NO. 5        ISSUE NO. 300        May 4, 2013                     CIRCULATION: 5,800 Residences; 200 BusInesses

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

When an E-Mail is Not Enough: Assessing, Strengthening,
Focussing Rockridge Neighborhood Communication Resources

by Zabrae Valentine, RCPC
Communications Committee member
How do you communicate with other
Rockridge residents about important
local issues?
16
AGENDA: RCPC Town Hall Meeting, May 16
Join us M ay 16 at 7:30 p.m. for
“Communication in Rockridge,” an
inclusive discussion about how the Rockridge
community defines itself, what residents
want for the community in the future, and
what kind of communication tools can best
serve these goals.
This discussion and survey results
(see survey links in the box below, right)
will provide critical data to the RCPC
as it examines how best to support
Rockridge residents in effective, efficient
communication that can further strengthen
our community by, for example, reducing
crime, improving pedestrian safety and
disaster preparedness, greening the
neighborhood, and more.
Bring your ideas, experience and
wisdom to the May 16 Town Hall meeting
to contribute to this effort.
Do you subscribe to a Rockridge Yahoo
group? Have you attended an RCPC Town
Hall meeting? Have you used online
information-sharing apps you think could
be usefully applied in Rockridge if people
knew about them?
Please take a few minutes to share your
experience and advice with the RCPC on
the topic of communication in Rockridge
by taking a survey. (See box at far right for
the survey link.)
Over the next few months, RCPC will
conduct a comprehensive assessment and
analysis of how Rockridge residents receive
and share information, how residents would
like to be able to communicate and work
with neighbors in the future, and what is
the right combination of tools to support
these activities.
This topic will be discussed at the May
Thursday, May 16 | 7:30-9 p.m. Rockridge Branch Library, 5366 College at Manila
16 Town hall meeting. In addition, RCPC
will conduct individual interviews, and host
smaller group discussions.
The data collected through these steps
will allow RCPC to propose a more
responsive “Communications Tool Kit”
which will improve the ability of Rockridge
residents to build and strengthen community
bonds, respond to issues of mutual concern,
and identify and act upon opportunities for
community improvement.
Find the survey here:
Web Address
Scan QR Code
https://www.
surveymonkey.
com/s/RockTalk
If you would like to join this effort,
completing the survey via the link above is
➧➧Communication, page 13

Last Call for Rockridge Kitchen Tour Candidates

Scenic Streets’ Efforts
by Natalie Mehta,
Kitchen Tour chair
A
fantastic variety of kitchens
is what this fall’s Rockridge
Kitchen Tour is all about,
and we need a few more
options to round out the
tour. Do you
have – or know
of – a project that
should be considered?
T h e  pl a n n i ng
committee has been
visiting neighborhood
kitchens and has
been amazed by the
thoughtful designs,
craftsmanship, and
stories that accompany these
projects. We are in the last few
weeks of meeting with candidates
before selections are made at the
start of June, so this is the “last call”
for candidates. If you or someone
you know is putting the final touches
on a kitchen remodel, or if
you are already enjoying
a completed renovation,
please let us know.
Renovation can include
reuse, as illustrated by
this vintage range at left,
incorporated in a redone
kitchen visited by the tour’s
planners. Approximately
Bring Spring Blooms
O F  R O C K R I D G E  K I T C H E N S
A  T A S T E F U L  T O U R
Rockridge
Kitchens
2013
P L A N N I N G  C O U N C I L
ROCKRIDGE COMMUNIT Y
Rockridge Kitchen Tour:
September 29
Volunteer organization Scenic
Streets has made good on its
pledge to perk up the Claremont
Avenue freeway on- and off- ramps.
Pictured above is the on-ramp, now
laden with poppies and daisies instead
of trash. Read more about Scenic
Streets’ work in Rockridge on page 8.
➧➧Kitchen Tour, page 13


2.

May 4, 2013
2.

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.

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.
12:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
12 – 5:30 p.m.
CLOSED

How Old is Claremont Middle School, Really?

Tue: 12:30 – 8 p.m.

Wed, Thu, Sat: 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Friday: 12 – 5:30 p.m.
	Sunday and Monday: CLOSED; Also, 5/28
by Ann Kasdin, Rockridge resident
Claremont Middle School’s presence
at the intersection of Birch Court and
College Avenue dates back to the year 1918,
according to documents obtained from
the History Room at the Oakland Public
Library. It was relocated just five blocks
from its former location at the intersection
of College and Claremont avenues where
it was founded as a one-room schoolhouse
in 1899.
At the time, it was called Claremont
Grade School and was positioned at the
entrance to the expanding neighborhood
on the Berkeley-Oakland border. The name
tells us a lot about the neighborhood back
then, when Winifred and Raymond Perry
famously purchased a substantial amount of
property in the upscale Claremont district
adjacent to Vernon Park, purchasing just over
five acres of the Roselawn subdivision at the
northeast end of the city of Oakland. At the
time, this area was already well known for
the Pagoda Hill Estate and Roselawn Park
Estate, which were considered the largest
and fanciest in Oakland.
Indeed, the Perrys’ choice of location
in 1910, now the site of St. Albert’s Priory,
to build their estate – Brookhurst – at the
end of Birch Court (formerly called Pagoda
Avenue) to constitute a country estate near
the heart of a great city, reflects just how
fine this neighborhood was and how the
addition of Claremont Grade School at the
opposite end of Birch Court would have
been well-received by families moving into
the community. In fact, enrollment was so
great that the lower grades were split off
in the 1920s to form the Claremont School
Annex on Chabot Road, later renamed
Chabot Elementary School.
At some point Claremont Grade School
became a junior high school. I could not find
a date in the history room but when I moved
to Birch Court in 1976, it was known as
Claremont Junior High. It officially became
a middle school in 1985 when a sixth grade
was added and the ninth graders were sent
to Oakland Technical High School. My
oldest son was in that first sixth-grade class.
Today the sign on the side of Claremont
Middle School states, “This school has been
here since 1913.” Unfortunately, the sign is
celebrating the wrong year, as the school
opened for its very first class in 1918 and,
in fact, there is a photograph at the history
room of the first class sitting in front of
the gate that states: “Claremont Grade
School, 1918.”
I believe that, over time, the letter on
the signage eroded and the 8 turned into
a 3. As the mother of three children who
attended Claremont Middle School in the
1980s and 1990s, I wholeheartedly support
and celebrate the school and the excellent
teachers my kids were fortunate to have.
I understand that the Claremont Middle
School community is planning a centennial
celebration. I would, however, like to
suggest that they save the date for historical
accuracy to celebrate this wonderful school,
its dedicated teachers and its place in the
history of this northeastern part of the city
of Oakland.
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
Bernard Baltaxe	�����������������Treasurer
Stuart Flashman	�����������������Chair Emeritus
Virginia Hamilton, Michael Kan, William Kaufner,
Don Kinkead, Lisa McNally,
Greg Pasquali, Zabrae Valentine
Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
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

Editor’s Note: Ms. Kasdin’s article was previously published in The Montclarion newspaper. An article
in a recent issue of the school newsletter, the Claremont Middle School Knightline, also discusses the
centennial date and offers research into the question that supports the school’s centennial celebration
date. That article is on-line at http://www.claremontms.org/archives/2183.

$5 FREE DRYCLEANING with garment orders over $28
or $3 OFF orders over $15
Dry Cleaning only  Present with incoming order
Garden Cleaners
5808 College Avenue, Oakland
601-1188
Mon – Fri  7 – 7 • Sat  8 – 6
Across from Trader Joe’s and Zachary’s Pizza
EXPERT
SHIRT
LAUNDERING!

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/Deadline
Publication date of the next issue is:
  June 8, 2013
  June deadline is May 23, 2013
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.)


3.
May 4, 2013

3.

Rockridge Community
Planning Council
2012 Financial Statement
Fiscal Year January 1 – December 31, 2012
RCPC P&L
All as of 12/31/12
Ordinary Income/Expense
Income
Contributions
2,791
Rockridge News
40,065
Legal Defense
3,815
Total Income
46,671
Expense
Bank Charges
288
Office Expenses
2,314
Committee (Land Use Appeal)
2,000
Contractors
5,635
Events
415
Fundraising
30
Grants / Scholarships
21,610
Library Furniture
615
Maintenance / Cleaning
1,228
Misc Expenses
2,438
Reconciliation Discrepencies
-34
FROG
527
Program	
  Expenses
725
Rockridge News
34,090
Taxes
2,249
Utilities
312
Total Expense
74,441
Net Income
-27,770
RCPC, FROG, Balance Sheet
ASSETS
CDs
FROG
10,390
RCPC
36,842
TOTAL CDs
47,232
Checking/Savings
FROG
27,342
RCPC
39,764
Total Checking/Savings
67,106
Other Current Assets
FROG Restoration Grant
22,022
Prepaid Expenses
1,000
Fixed Assets
3,648
TOTAL ASSETS
141,008
LIABILITIES & EQUITY
Sales Tax
10
Total Liabilities
10
Equity

Bike to Work Day: Rolling Along for 20 Years
Join cyclists from around the Bay Area and
ride your bike to work. The San Francisco
Bay Area’s 20th annual Bike to Work Day
(BTWD) is Thursday, May 9, an event to
encourage cycling as a non-polluting and
healthy commute option.
Bike to Work Day is for everyone. This
event has been growing by leaps and bounds
in the East Bay over the past 5 years, a 285
percent increase in the number of people
riding. Bike to Work Day got its start in the
Bay Area with the first celebration organized
by East Bay Bicycle Coalition members
at Oakland City Hall in 1994. Keep the
momentum going and join us for the 20th
East Bay Bike to Work Day.
Bike Commute Tips

	Obey all traffic laws including stop
signs and traffic lights.

	Ride predictably, conspicuously
and safely.

	Check out your route in advance.

	Make sure your bike is well tuned
and your helmet fits.

	Wear comfortable clothing.
If your ride includes BART, check
BART’s web site at http://www.bart.gov/
guide/bikes/bikeRules.aspx for bike rules,
which have changed recently. Remember
that BART does not permit bicycles on
escalators. They must be carried on the
stairways.
Also, AC Transit bus bike racks may
be fuller than usual on Bike to Work Day;
plan extra time.
Use Energizer Stations
Get refreshed! Hank and Frank Bicycles
is sponsoring our local energizer station
at the Rockridge BART station from 7 to
9 a.m., May 9, providing goodie bags and
refreshments.
Celebrate Together at
Oakland City Hall
Oakland’s 20th annual Bike-to-Work
Day pancake breakfast, a joint project
between the city of Oakland and the East
Bay Bicycle Coalition, will be held on
Thursday, May 9, 7-9 a.m. at Oakland City
Hall, 14th and Broadway.
Enjoy pancakes and coffee, all day valet
bike parking, free bike safety checks, free
downtown rides, Bike Bucks, an awesome
raffle, and more, such as great stuff for
your bike from these Oakland bike shops:
■
■Bay Area Bikes (light set)
■
■Cosmic Cycles (“seat bag with
everything you will need if you break
down on a long ride”)
■
■Fruitvale Bikestation/Alameda Bicycle
($50 gift card for Alameda Bicycle)
■
■Hank & Frank Bikes (light set)
■
■Lakeview Bicycle (On Guard Pitbull
U-Lock)
■
■Manifesto Bicycles (Boombotix
speaker & a gift certificate)
■
■The Spoke Cyclery (Kinderfeets
wooden push bike)
■
■Spokeland (one-year shop use mem-
bership $100 value)
■
■Wheels of Justice Cyclery (two full
bike tune ups)
For more information, see https://
www.ebbc.org/btwd and Oakland’s
BTW Day web site: http://www2.
oaklandnet.com/Government/o/PWA/o/
EC/s/BicycleandPedestrianProgram/
OAK024651.
Cycling Safety
Free East Bay Bicycle Coalition urban
bicycle safety classes are offered in May and
June to teach cyclists how to safely share
the road. Sign up at www.ebbc.org/safety.

There is no Land Use Committee report this month: there are no current
Rockridge issues to report on or progress to discuss; no meeting was held.

Opening Bal Equity (QR)
193,172
Equity Transfer
-54,988
Retained Earning
30,585
Net Income
-27,770
Total Equity
140,998
TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY
141,008
RCPC tax records are on file at the
Rockridge Branch Library for public review.

The RCPC Land Use Committee
meets the fourth Wednesday of
the month at the Rockridge Branch
Library, upstairs meeting room, 7:30
p.m. Next meeting: Wednesday, May
22. Check www.rockridge.org for updates.)


4.

May 4, 2013
4.

City Takes Pothole Fight to the Streets
Annual Public Works “Pothole Blitz” Will Blast Worst Offenders
From Mayor Jean Quan’s Facebook Page:
On your way to the various weekend
events around Oakland, be sure
to look out for and report potholes.
Every year in late April, the city does
a “Pothole Blitz” where we often rely
on residents to provide the locations
of some of the worst potholes.
The blitz started April 29 and goes
until June 6. Find more information here:
http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca1/
groups/cityadministrator/documents/
memorandum/oak040370.pdf.
New
Jules Thin Crust Pizza
Heather Clapp, owner
5804 College Avenue, Oakland
510/597-1859
http://www.julesthincrust.com
Report Your Potholes for City’s ‘Pothole Blitz’
by Don Kinkead
Shortly after Susan Shawl’s informal
pothole survey was published in the
March issue of The Rockridge News, many
of the pavement failures she documented
were filled and paved, including the one on
Claremont Avenue that measured a whopping
3 feet by 4 feet by 3 inches deep.
Coincidence? Possibly.
To be fair, an announcement from
Oakland’s Public Works Department
states that changes in the weather bring an
opportunity for longer-lasting pothole filling:
“When the rains stop, Public Works crews
try to catch up on potholes. For effective
patching and repairs, the more permanent
materials need warmer weather.”
In fact, it turns out that every year in
late April, “the city does a ‘Pothole Blitz,’
filling thousands of potholes and repaving
some of the worst sections,” according to
the announcement.
The city repair crews even build their
repair list from information provided by
citizens as alarmed as Susan Shawl was,
asking residents “to provide the locations
of some of the worst potholes.”
As the Mayor noted in her statement
above, the pothole blitz runs from April
29 until June 6. If you have a favorite – or
particularly egregious – pothole, the city
wants to know about it; or them, if you’re
aware of more than one....
Reporting Potholes
Note the location of your pothole,
then use one of the following three ways
to report it to the city: Call the Public
Works Department at 615-5566; e-mail the
department at pwacallcenter@oaklandnet.
com, or (perhaps the easiest), use the
SeeClickFix app on your smartphone. You
can include photos of the locations needing
repair. To get SeeClickFix, visit the website
at http://seeclickfix.com/. Apps for iPhones,
Android and Windows phones are available
for download from the site.
Anecdotal reports indicate that multiple
reports of the same problem highlight the
areas of greatest concern which may then
draw prompter attention from authorities.
Join SeeClickFix
at: http://
seeclickfix.com/
or find it via the
QR code at right.
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5.
May 4, 2013

5.

Peralta in Bloom! Spring Festival
Correction: Event Contact
Contact information for the person in
charge of advertising and sponsorship
was given incorrectly in the April issue
of The Rockridge News. The correct
information is below. The Rockridge
News regrets the error.
by Daniel Brownstein, Peralta parent
Peralta Elementary School invites mem-
bers of the community to join us in our
annual Peralta in Bloom Spring Festival,
a full-flung celebration on Saturday, May
18, from noon
to 4 p.m.
A s
t h e
f lowe r s  i n
ou r  s cho ol
gardens grow
and bloom,
t h e  s m a l l
North Oakland
school opens
its campus to
celebrate the
achievements
of our student
body at this
Blue-Ribbon
school.
Peralta in
Bloom recog-
nizes the tremendous achievements of our
elementary school students and celebrates
the artistic opportunities we provide to
our kids.
Open to the entire community free of
charge, the event features music, face-
painting, 10 carnival games and more. In
addition to live music, the last two hours
feature a rollicking cake walk presided over
by a master of ceremonies. Many kids will
go home with wonderful cakes – prepared
and donated by school parents – to continue
the afternoon feast and sweets.
Peralta’s active parents have maintained
the school’s strong focus on the arts through-
out its curriculum. Our festival features
arts activities for all ages, emphasizing
art-making as this year’s theme.
As well as
visiting a sta-
tion for recycle
art, a spin-art
t a b l e,  a n d
many crafts,
kids will have a
chance to silk-
screen their
own shir ts,
bags, aprons, or
sweatshirts in
the kindergar-
ten courtyard,
a nd to use
spray-art and
vinyl art. An
added attrac-
tion will be a
pottery station. A local kiln will fire the
created pieces.
Among the many garden games offered,
attendees will find stations to decorate
pots for plants to encourage kids to plant
tomato starts or flowers for their families.
Right next door, a henna-art station, and,
nearby, a paint-the-drum event, asking
kids to decorate a drum to be raffled off
at day’s end. At another raffle opportunity,
the festival offers the chance to win art
educator Ellen Oppenheimer’s most recent
quilt, designed by Peralta kids, and a basket
The Peralta in Bloom Spring
Festival 2013, open to the community,
will be held May 18 from noon to 4
p.m on the Peralta School grounds,
460 63rd Street. The event, “Art
Making,” is built around school and
children and is largely dependent for
success on sponsorships. To help,
contact Tara McCulloch at 510/333-
2580 or tara.mcculloch@gmail.com.
raffle of items donated by community
businesses and theaters.
A tasty activity in the garden is a special
masa-making station, using vegetables
grown in our garden, combining tactile
fun and delicious eating. In the meantime,
those whose appetite strikes will find a rich
variety of sweet fare and fresh barbeque.
We look forward to seeing you at the
Spring Festival “Peralta in Bloom,” Sat-
urday, May 18 from noon until 4 p.m. at
Peralta Elementary School, 460 63rd Street,
near Dana Street and Alcatraz Avenue.
While admission is free, the event is a
fundraiser; proceeds support the school’s
many programs, such as arts and sports.
Festival waste will be reduced through the use
of compostable plates and by sorting trash into
three recycle “monsters”:—Compostina, Lenny
Landfill, and Rerun.


6.

May 4, 2013
6.
FROG Park Earth Day 2013
We had a great community work
day on Earth Day, Saturday April
20. From 9 a.m. to well after noon, the
community volunteers showed up to
clean the pond and spread new gravel in
preparation for the creek to be turned
on. A mountain of new fibar was moved
into the playground area, new sand was
put into the sandboxes and we replaced
pavers, sealed roof structures and
cleaned the area of debris and garbage.
Thanks to all the volunteers who made
the time to help. In particular, thanks
to the city for arranging for the new
materials we needed and coordinating

tools and staff. Special thanks to
Katrina Rozelle, Bakesale Betty’s and
the Temescal Station 8 Firefighters.
Remember that without your help
we cannot keep up with all the park’s
maintenance items. We work with the city
to support our park and our volunteers
to create a clean and safe park for our
neighborhood. Check out the images
of our workers at the Hardy play area.
See you next year.
— Howard Ferrier,
Volunteer Coordinator,
Friends of the Rockridge-Temescal
Greenbelt (FROG) Park.

Thanks to everyone – volunteers, city staff, parents and children – who
came together to take care of our park. Join us in June! See page 9 for more

information about future cleanup work days.


May 4, 2013

7.
After the creekbed was
cleared of trash, weeds,
and tree limbs, the sluice gates
were opened briefly and waders
went to work. The permanent
summer-time creek turn-on
should occur when the drainage
pipes are unplugged.

Photos by Ken Rice
and Don Kinkead.
Photos by Ken Rice
and Don Kinkead.
Specializing in Rockridge Real Estate
with the most real estate transactions in Rockridge from 2011 to 2013

7.

Inventory levels AND rates remain low, making it both a great time to sell or buy. The key if buying during an upside
curve in a market cycle is selling during a future upside curve. Call for market info or a home evaluation!

SOLD:
• 3BD++/2BA with legal in-law, in Chabot District.  Represented Sellers. 5932 Ocean View, Sold at $1,300,000
• 4BD+, 2BA Peralta Dist. w/ FP, large south facing yard.  Represented Buyers. 407 North St. Sold @ $1,011,000.

AVAILABLE:
• 2BD, 2BA Rear Farmhouse cottage + detached mini-barn, Peralta, sweet brick patio/garden. 434 North St. $749,000

COMING:
* 3BD, 2BA with formal liv rm, din rm, family room, yard, close to Farmer’s market and more.  Call for information.
NEEDED
• Any and all properties. There is a shortage of supply in all size homes and investment properties
Happy Mother’s Day!
Call for a real local expert opinion.
Perry Riani, Senior Real Estate Specialist
Lawton Associates DRE# 01402540
510.813.3799
priani@earthlink.net
L A W T   O   N
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R  E A  L    E  S T A T  E
B  R  O  K  E  R A  G  E
LAWTON ASSOCIATES REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE


8.

May 4, 2013
8.

New Trees Spruce up Davita Dialysis Facility
by Tony Bolton, local resident
Scenic Street volunteers planted nine
flowering sidewalk trees around
the dilapidated Davita Dialysis facility
on Claremont Avenue at Clifton Street
last month, but ground-breaking on the
company’s own landscaping improvements
– promised over a year ago – remains to
be seen.
“The new trees will add badly needed
greenery around the neglected property,”
says Peter Lund, founder of Scenic Streets,
the local group coordinating the effort.
“Our goal is to improve the street view of
this prominent property without inhibiting
its business activities” he says. His group
has added a total of 29 new sidewalk trees
to the Rockridge-Temescal gateway in just
the past year, and volunteers water them
regularly.
Last month’s planting was a true
community effort that took months to
arrange, Lund explained. Scenic Streets
had first to negotiate permission from the
property’s landlord. Then-Councilmember

Volunteers from First Congregational
Church of Berkeley install flowering
trees around the Davita Dialysis
facility at 5354 Claremont Avenue.
/Urban Releaf
Jane Brunner provided funds for the sidewalk
cutting last fall. Urban Releaf, a local non-
profit organization, donated the trees and
lined up two dozen volunteers from First
Congregational Church of Berkeley to dig
the holes. Within a few months, decorative
shrubs will be added to boxes with support
Sounds in Rockridge
Spring Stroll brought to you by the RDA
Saturday, May 18, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The Rockridge District Association
(RDA) is proud to announce the Sounds
in Rockridge Stroll. We are looking forward
to another fun-filled afternoon on College
Avenue. Our Valentine’s event was very well
received, with over 12 musical venues and
great shopping and dining.
Join the musical event and support your
local merchants; stroll, sample food, drink
and street music. Consider spending some
time in one of our wonderful restaurants;
many will have in-house music as well as
specials for your enjoyment.
Be on the lookout for the many special
offers during your afternoon stroll.
Also, mark your calendar: the RDA’s Out
and About street festival is Sunday, October
6. We’re looking forward to an exciting,
interactive fair with many activities and
great food and entertainment.
➧➧New Trees, page 13

Bumper Crop of Poppies Not Just Nature’s Doing

by Nancy Schaaf, local resident
Hundreds of orange poppies have
brightened up the Claremont Avenue
highway ramps this spring, but Mother
Nature had a helping hand. Scenic Streets
volunteers spread nearly two pounds of
seeds last fall hoping for lots of color about
now. The on-ramp near Hudson has put on
a particularly good show in recent weeks.
“Even we were a bit surprised.” says
Lee Patterson, one of the volunteers. “Like
many Californians, our state flower has a
mind of its own, and we weren’t sure what
kind of germination rate to expect.” He
notes that the results could have been even
stronger with just a bit more precipitation
earlier this year.
The group also sowed Blue Lupine
seeds that got off to a strong start but then
perished due to lack of water in January.
“Luckily, dozens of daffodil bulbs donated
by Keep Oakland Beautiful helped fill in
some gaps” says Patterson. “But we’ll try
the Lupine seeds again next year. They
look terrific mixed in with the poppies.”
The temporary spring flowers have
added a splash of vibrant color to the
hundreds of drought-tolerant shrubs and
trees the group has planted since forming just
two years ago. Neighbors with green thumbs
are encouraged to volunteer one flexible
hour a month at www.scenicstreets.org.


9.
May 4, 2013

9.

Oakland Tech, Berkeley Kiwanis, Circle K Join in First Saturday FROG Cleaning

clear tree trimmings, remove
ivy, sweep, rake, prune, pick
up debris, clear the area around
the sand box, clean out the pond
bed in preparation for turning
on the creek, and perform other
general cleanup.
Special thanks to:
BuildOn, Oakland Tech; Key
Club, Oakland Tech; Berkeley
Kiwanis Club; Circle K, UC
Berkeley; Luciano Cortes,
City of Oakland gardener;
FROG; and DMV Neighbors
Association.
Join us at a special June
community workday held
jointly with the DMV Neighbors
on June 15, 9 a.m.-noon.
We supply the tools and
gloves, just come over to help
for 30 minutes or more.
Meet at Big Frog Park or
Redondo/Clifton.
Upcoming “First Saturday”
workdays: July 6, August 3,
September 7. All: 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.
‘First Saturday’
Cleanup Spruces
Up Frog Park
Over 30 service club and
community members
worked together during April’s
“First Saturday” work day to
3rd Floor
Market Hall
TM
Ste. 312
rockdent.com
510.653.6677
INTERIOR-EXTERIOR LEAD
CERTIFIED PAINTERS
Professional preparation. Many local
references. All work Guaranteed
(510) 654-3339
Bruce D. Fong, D.D.S.
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Martin Coyle       510-655-8717     Mike Tracy
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Daniel Stea
w w w . c o y l e h o m e r e m o d e l . c o m
Rockridge
& beyond
since 1997
Broker/Owner/
Attorney
See you at the RCPC
Town Hall meeting May 16;
Rockridge Library, 7:30 p.m.
2nd floor meeting room.
510.867.4094


10.

May 4, 2013
10.

Letters to
the Editor

How We Roll: AC Transit Announces New Buses
‘A Better Ride’ is coming your way; your feedback is welcomed

by AC Transit Marketing & Community
Relations: MCR@actransit.org
Great news! Recently, AC Transit
launched the first 10 of 65 new buses,
all of which will be on the road by early June.
These 40-foot buses are made in the
East Bay by Gillig. With a new seat design
and layout, and engines that are 90 per-
cent cleaner than those of the buses being
replaced, they’re already making a big
impression on passengers, based on the
many compliments we’re receiving via
social media and e-mail.
Want to learn more about our new buses?
You can find a promotional video at http://
youtu.be/HKBNmljffmU about them, and
there is a special webpage (http://www.
actransit.org/a-better-ride-on-ac-transits-
newest-buses/) with additional details.
If you’ve had a chance to ride one of
the new buses, we’d like your feedback.
Just e-mail us at abetterride@actransit.org,
“like” us and post on our Facebook page
(http://www.facebook.com/rideact), or
follow us and tweet via https://twitter.com/
rideact @rideact using #aBetterRide.
The new bus roll-out kicks off AC
Transit’s year-long program of service and
performance improvements, called “A Better
Ride.” It includes initiatives for improving
on-time performance and service reliability,
instituting a quality assurance program to
maintain cleaner buses, and bringing other
service efficiencies to our customers.
As part of the A Better Ride campaign,
additional new buses will join our fleet
this summer and fall. Keep up with the
program’s exciting changes by bookmarking
the A Better Ride
web page: http://
www.actransit.
org/betterride.
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.
Caldecott’s Fourth Bore Must be
Last Bore: Plan an Alternate Now
Editor:
How much exhaust fumes are we
expected to take? The Caldecott Tunnel
will be opening soon and some gridlock
relief will occur for a while. But can we
not expect continued population growth in
Contra Costa County? It is time we began
a campaign for another tunnel, midway
between the Caldecott and Highway 580.
There should be support for this on both
sides of the hills.
Such an effort will take years (perhaps
decades) for persuasion, planning and
execution. I suggest RCPC appoint a study
group to attack this issue. Might there exist
a comparable group of allies east of the hills
to join in the effort?
— Marv Tripp
New Gillig bus.
AC Transit Web site.
Announcing a NEW Sunday evening Mass
Faith for the iPod generation!
on the following dates
April 21st, May 26th, and June 30th
Sundays, 6:00 p.m.
Powerful & relevant liturgy
Contemporary music - A new time for busy schedules
Saint Augustine Catholic Church
400 Alcatraz Ave • Oakland, CA 94609
Protect our Pets
Editor:
Also join us Saturdays, 5:00 p.m. Mass and
Sundays, 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Masses

Watch us live via webcam every Sunday (8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. )

Please visit our website: www.staugustineoakland.com
This is a message for everyone who has
or cares about dogs and cats.
Foxtails (pictured below) are out and
ready to spread. They work their way easily
into dogs and cats and are difficult to remove
as they are like fish hooks. They can work
their way into every orifice, eyes too, and
can cause great damage to your pet.
When you see foxtails, pull them out by
the root, trying to get all the parts. Then
put them into a plastic bag, tie it tightly so
nothing can escape and put that bag into
the trash, NOT the green bin. Every foxtail
plant that is not pulled out will turn into
many more foxtails next season. All the
pets will thank you.
— Sari Kulberg
Rockridge Buyer Frenzy Boosts Values

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

4/12/13 3
1
5234 Redondo Ave
$519,000
$519,000
15
$800,000

4/16/13 2
2
5283 Broadway Terrace
$699,000
$699,000
8
$815,000
4/19/13 3
3
6125 Broadway
$699,000
$699,000
8
$760,000
4/25/13 2
2
5888 Chabot Court
$895,000
$895,000
12
$905,000

Average original list price to sales price is currently 116% vs 98% last year · Median sold price
is currently $807,500 vs. $489,500 last year · Properties are selling in an average of 11 days ·
There is a one month supply of active inventory


11.
May 4, 2013

11.

Local Activist Listens and Builds Community

By Judith Doner Berne
Ever the activist, Stuart Flashman didn’t
wait around for dating websites to be
invented. Back in the early 80s he advertised
for his future wife in the San Francisco Bay
Guardian.
“I said I was a politically active, liberal
guy with a friendly dog,” Flashman tells me
as we sit at the table in his sun-lit dining
room. “I got about 50 responses. I started
working through them. We – Jacqueline
(Jacqui) Richter, a geriatrician who know
works for Kaiser Permanente in Walnut
Creek – just hit it off.”
His was not false advertising. Politically
active and liberal continue to ring true today.
And I attest to the fact that their two dogs,
Hestia and Roxie, are friendly.
As you may know, Flashman is often the
public face of the Rockridge Community
Planning Council (RCPC) since, as chairman
of the Land Use Committee, he takes the
lead at public meetings concerning proposed
construction and expansions within the
RCPC’s borders.
But you might not know that the Boston
native who practices environmental, land
use and elections law also has a PhD in
biochemistry and molecular biology from
Harvard.
I first encountered Flashman in February
at an RCPC Town Hall meeting that
included the environmental impact report
for Safeway’s second project at Broadway
and Pleasant Valley Avenue.
He was impressive, both for his in-depth
knowledge of the project and his calm
responses to passionate residents  questioning
whether the proposed Emeryville-style
shopping center is even appropriate for
Rockridge’s southern border.
“He always listens to people with
respect,” says Annette Floystrup, who served
on the board with Flashman. “He’s adept
at keeping meetings moving. He’s pretty
no-nonsense on the one hand, and yet he
has a wonderful sense of humor.”
Emeryville is actually where Flashman,
in the mid-’80s, began honing his skills as
an activist fighting corruption and poor
planning.
While working as a senior research
biologist at Stauffer Chemical Co. in
Richmond and living in Emeryville, he
was elected and later bounced from the
Emeryville City Council, served on the
Emeryville Planning Commission and
founded and co-chaired the Emeryville
Shoreline Committee.
After one heated meeting when a city
official barked at him, “You’re not a lawyer,”
Flashman got the idea to become one. So,
when a company merger led to Flashman
(and the rest of Stauffer Chemical Company’s
agricultural biotechnology research group)
being laid off, he opted for law school rather
than move to the Midwest, where agricultural
biotech research had become centered.
“Having a law degree would be another
tool in my tool belt,” he says. And, “It
actually was a pretty easy transition from
biology to law.”
“It was a very busy period,” he vividly
recalls: “I got elected to the East Bay
Municipal Utility District [he was president
in 1994]; I had to leave a class [at the New
College of California School of Law] to
take my wife to the hospital” for the birth
of their first child.
That would be Sarah, now 23 who is
Stuart Flashman and wife Jacqui
Richter live so close to College that
they often walk or bike to favorite
restaurants and shops.             /Judith Berne
studying for a master’s in social work at
Smith College. Johanna, 17 and a junior
at Bishop O’Dowd High School, was born
after they moved to Rockridge in 1992.
(He and Jacqui already frequented the
Rockridge Café.)
Flashman knew that working in
environmental law wasn’t easy because he
had a brother in the field. But, he decided:
“I’ll hang out a shingle and see what
happens.” After doing contract work for
other attorneys, “I got a few cases. I won
a few cases and what do you know, I had a
practice. I’ve been doing it for 22 years.”
He was appointed to the RCPC board
to fill a vacancy in 2007 after the pro-
development faction of the board lost the
election and another pro-development
person resigned. He rose to the position of
chairman and is now chairman emeritus.
Rockridge citizens in the mid-1970s
prescribed neighborhood commercial
zoning that would be limited to three stories,
Flashman says. “They were very perceptive.”
As a result, “Rockridge is more or less built
out,” he says. “We are basically a two-lane
street. In Rockridge, it’s not more people,
it’s more cars.”
I asked him about potential conflict of










 
­
24


 
	
➧➧Stuart Flashman, page 13


12.

May 4, 2013
12.

Locksley Avenue Rockridge News
Route Available: Are You Ready?
Thanks go to Claudine Jones who has joined our
volunteers as a Marshal, replacing one of our original
Marshals and Rockridge treasure, Nancy Dutcher.
Now there is one remaining Block Captain route
available and needing a delivery person. We hope that
the residents of the 5200 block of Locksley Avenue don’t
go long without their Rockridge News.
You can help spread the word: Call 510/547-3855 or
e-mail smontauk@gmail.com if you are ready, willing
and available to spend about 20 minutes once a month
(except in August, when the newsletter is not published)
delivering the newsletter to:
■
■Route 17F: Both sides of 5200 Locksley Avenue
5321 College Ave
Oakland • CA
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Optometry’s
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Featuring frames from
Marc Jacobs, Hugo Boss,
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Enjoy 30% off frames, snacks and
giveaways!
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3070 Claremont Avenue • Berkeley
510.339.0400
1960 Mountain Boulevard • Oakland
(510) 655-3797
Rockridge design
firm providing
creative, livable
design solutions
•  Residential Remodels
•  Kitchens + Baths
•  Green Building Design
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striving to partner with
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13.
May 4, 2013

13.

Lic. #0670129

optimistic that the city planner assigned
to the project, who he says “is the best one
they have,” will come up with solutions.
His friends are happy that the hours,
expertise and caring that Flashman has
given on behalf of Rockridge are being
written about.
“We got to know Stuart and Jacqui when
our daughters were in Duck’s Nest Preschool
18 years ago,” says Charli Depner. “He’s an
activist in the very best sense, sharing his
extensive knowledge and experience in an
engaging way, meeting people where they
are, listening and building community.
“When I despair that we will never
save the world,” says Depner, who works
on children and family judicial branch
programs, “I take heart that people like Stu
will motivate us to make the present better.”
Stu is just a great guy all around,” adds
Mitch Chyette, who does legal research
and writing and is married to Depner. “He
embodies the aphorism: think globally, act
locally. He has a big heart and I greatly
admire his dedication to our community.”
Stuart Flashman
from page 11
interest between his land use practice and
community work. In the only instance, when
the RCPC was involved in the Fourth Bore
Coalition (FBC) litigation on the Caldecott
Tunnel and Flashman served as the FBC
attorney, he recused himself from RCPC
board discussions related to the litigation.
In his role as land use committee chair,
Flashman has been intimately involved in
the proposed Safeway expansion discussions.
He was one of the people to negotiate a
compromise on the College Avenue Safeway
where he says, demolition should start by fall
and construction around the end of the year.
Currently, he also meets with both the
city of Oakland and citizens on the Safeway
shopping center at Broadway and Pleasant
Valley Avenue. He doesn’t think the big box
stores that are proposed will affect College
Avenue retail. “It’s going to be a different
kind of retail,” he says.
But Flashman is concerned with
neighborhood cut-through traffic, which
“hasn’t been properly addressed.” He’s
Judy Berne welcomes your comments and column
ideas. Contact her at judyberne@att.net.
Kitchen Tour
Communication
from page 1
from page 1
two-thirds of our tour guests are neighbors
who are contemplating their own renovations
and are looking for inspiration. Share your
knowledge and experience with them.
Any questions or submissions may be
directed to Natalie Mehta at 415/279-5148,
or Natalie.mehta@yahoo.com.
an important first step. Next, plan to attend
“Communication in Rockridge” Town Hall
meeting, Thursday, May 16, at 7:30 p.m.
If you have suggestions and questions,
or want to arrange a smaller neighborhood
meeting on this topic, please contact Zabrae
Valentine at zabrae@yahoo.com.
to add more greenery to the property’s
northwest corner. Shortly thereafter, Scenic
Streets provided bids from local contractors
totaling just over $20,000 for the entire
project, but surprisingly little progress has
been made by the $7 billion corporation
since. Davita operates over 1,800 dialysis
treatment facilities nationwide including
three in Oakland, said Lund.
New Trees
from page 8
from a Temescal merchant’s group, he said.
Ideally, the trees would have been
installed after Davita had completed its own
landscaping upgrades to the property, such
as replacing the ragged perimeter fencing.
However those improvements remain bogged
down in red tape, and Lund says the trees
simply couldn’t wait any longer.
Scenic Streets continues to enable Davita
to begin its landscaping improvements.
Beyond new perimeter fencing, a company
spokesperson pledged in October 2011
Davita’s landlord confirmed he is
receptive to the proposed improvements and
is awaiting formal documentation from the
company’s representatives. The paperwork
should be the final hurdle, and Lund remains
optimistic that the company will fulfill its
promise this summer.


14.

May 4, 2013
14.

Property Management and
Leasing Services
Need someone reliable, efficient and available
24/7 to manage your rental property? Bringing
landlords and good tenants together is my job!
Contact George Vassiliades at 510/710-6826.
GvRealtor@gmail.com.
House Repairs & Rehabs,
Interior & Exterior
Kitchen & bath remodel, tile, decks, dry rot,
drainage, walls, termite damage, doors, win-
dows. Professional work at affordable prices.
Lic#458473. Don 510/812-0310.
Personal Assistant
Wish you had a Personal Assistant? I can help
with your project and household or personal
needs. Highly experienced, versatile, and
efficient. Allow me to make your life simpler.
Contact Cynthia 510/326-9985. Cd.warren@
comcast.net.
Helping Seniors
Any kind of help you need, we are there for
you. We live in Rockridge and are a husband/
wife team, compassionate and committed to
providing all types of services. Competitive
rates. (h) 510/654-2267 (c)510/207-3711.
Rockridge Stress Reduction
Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction class
in Rockridge Tuesday mornings, 9-11:30.
8-week series validated by research includes
meditation, gentle yoga, education, and
communication exercises. Register: www.
centerforstressreduction.com, 510-594-8224.
Excellent Housecleaning
Worked in Rockridge over 20 years. Call Ana at
510/501-1895. For a reference from a Rockridge
resident call Kathy Eisman at 510/654-8438.
Wanted: Personal
Assistant
For semi-retired professor/psychologist.
Research and computer skills, excellent work
and character references a must. Student work-
ing on independent study OK. All expenses paid
to Central Mexico for July. Dr. Gabi Kramer,
510/841-8242, gabik8@aol.com.
Relationship Muse Has
Good News 4U
Feeling tired, lonely, frustrated or discouraged
about life and relationships? I can be of assistance
to you. I offer 15-20 minute free consultations.
510/917-0299. Barbara@thelovemuse.com.
Resume Writing
A marketing pro will advocate for you with
imaginative layouts and high-energy writing
to get you more interviews. Specialize in
executives, professionals, and people in career
transition who must present their best. 510/590-
0110, marilyn@deltastrategies.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.
June deadline is May 23.

For information: smontauk@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.
It’s Spring at Penelope’s
Aesthetics!
Refresh, rejuvenate, renew and enrich with
an Express facial for only $49! www.penelo-
pecalef.com. Please call for an appointment,
510 594-1552.
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.
Spectacular Service
Housekeeping
We provide excellent housecleaning ser-
vice with greatest attention to detail. Local
recommendations. *Let us create free time
for you* WWW.spectacularhousekeeping.com
510/228-5704. Free estimate.
There’s a
new broker
in town.
Susan Bernosky
Strahan
Insurance
Services, Inc.
510-450-9051
What’s in your
home videos?
“Grandpa Maurice insisted we children
refer to him as the auteur.”
c i n e m a  a r t
from home videos
EricPomert.com
510 •409 •5515
Life Stor y Video Editing



15.
May 4, 2013

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

lalon will host. Readings by local contributors Molly
Giles, Alexandra Teague, Aaron Jae-Ho Shin, and
Marianna Cherry. Wine and snacks.
■
■Thurs, 5/23, 7pm. Local author Scott Johnson: The

Community Calendar

Wolf and the Watchman: A Father, a Son, and the CIA.
■
■Sun., 5/26, 3pm. Poetry Flash with Tim Kahl and
Joshua McKinney.
Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council (NCPC)
Residents and business members engage in discussions
about crime and public safety with representatives
of OPD. 2nd Thursday each month, 7pm. Rockridge
Library, upstairs meeting room, 5366 College Ave.
Confirm mtg. info at www.rockridgencpc.com or chair@
rockridgencpc.com.
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
***Free computer tutoring for all ages: Download
e-books. Help with e-mail and basic computer skills.
Tuesdays from 3:30-7pm. Call 587-5017 to make an
appointment.***
FOR CHILDREN
FOR TEENS
■
■Fri, 5/31, from 7 – 9pm. Local acoustic band Smooth
Toad. Veterans of three art forms: music, poetry, and
theater. Hear them on www.myspace.com/smoothtoad.
DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. More info
(and other events and discussion groups): 653-9965
or events@dieselbookstore.com.
Book Reading
Rockridge author Elizabeth Fishel will read from her
new book When Will My Grown-Up Kid Grow Up? Loving
and Understanding Your Emerging Adult (coauthored
with Jeffrey Arnett) on Wed., May 22, 7:30pm at Mrs.
Dalloway’s, 2904 College Ave. B. Info: 704-8222 or
info@mrsdalloways.com.
Rockridge Artist Open Studio
■
■Teen Advisory Board: (ages 14-18) Advise the library
how to better serve teens. Get community service credit
for school. Snacks provided. (NOTE: May mtg. on
5/18 instead of 5/4) – otherwise 1st Sat. each month,
1-2 pm. Confirm: 597-5017.
■
■Rockridge Ninjas: watch Anime, 2nd Tues each
month (5/14, 6/11) from 5-6:30 pm.
■
■Teen ‘Scape: Play video and board games; make
crafts; light snacks provided. Every Wed., 2 to 3:30pm.
■
■Tie-Dye workshop: Make your own tie-dye t-shirt.
Materials will be provided. 5/15 at 2 pm.
FOR ADULTS
■
■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.
Liz Maxwell, participating in ProArts Open Studios,
welcomes visitors to her studio to view her paintings
prints and drawings: Sat. and Sun., June 1 and 2
and June 8 and 9, 11am to 6pm. 5808 Chabot Road.
lizmaxwell@prodigy.net. Information about other local
artists and ProArts East Bay Open Studios 2013 at www.
proartsgallery.org.
Wisteria Ways House Concert
Round Mountain: Folk music from around the world
with brothers Char and Robby Rothschild. Sunday,
June 9, 3pm. Outside venue; wheelchair accessible.
Bring a blanket, lawn chair and picnic. $15-20 donation
for musicians (cash only at the door). 383 61st Street.
For reservations (highly recommended), RSVP to info@
WisteriaWays.org or 655-2771.
Jazz at the Chimes
The Claudia Villela Duo with Brazilian vocalist Claudia
Villela and guitarist Bob Basa. Sunday, May 19, 2pm;
followed by artists’ reception and refreshments. Tickets
at the door (cash only) beginning 12:30; doors open
1:30pm: $15 general; $10 seniors (60+) and students -
for concert and reception. Chapel of the Chimes, 4499
Piedmont Ave. Wheelchair accessible. Free parking.
Info: www.jazzatthechimes.com, chimesjazz@gmail.
com or 654-0123.
Flea Market at North Oakland
Senior Center
Sat, June 8, from 8am to 3pm. – Rain or Shine. Vendors,
rent your space now at the reception desk. $12 per
space for Sr. Center members; $18 for non-members.
Cash Only – No Refunds – No Vendor Food Sales. More
information, 597-5085.
■
■Family Story Time: Stories/songs/rhymes (to age
5); Saturdays, 10:30am.
■
■Pre-School Story Time: (ages 2 to 5); Thursdays,
10:30am.
■
■Toddler Story Time: (up to age 2); Thursdays,
10:30am, upstairs.
All story times followed by Play Time; parents and
caregivers invited.
Special Events:
■
■Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice and
referrals. First Tues. each month (2/5, 3/5), 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:
May: Merritt College Figure Drawing Class.
June: “Tunnel Visions” Photographs of the Caldecott
Tunnel Fourth Bore by Rebecca Rosa.
Lobby Display Case:
May: Merritt College Figure Drawing Class.
June: Lori Fischer; Dolls 4 Artsake.
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, 5/28.
Diesel Book Readings and Events
■
■Celebrate Asian & Pacific Islanders Heritage
Month. Tuesday, May 7th, 7pm. Kamishibai stories &
treats from Japan. All ages welcome, best for children
ages 4 to 10. Kamishibai set funded by Friends of the
Rockridge Library.
■
■Bananas Parenting Workshops Series: New and
expectant parents; three classes by Bananas experts:
yy Yoga With Baby: Saturday, May 11th, 11:15 am. Led
by Sonia Roberts, mother and expert in parent/
baby yoga practice. Bring your pre-walking baby
and a yoga mat.
yy Baby Massage: Saturday, May 18th, 11:15am. Bring
your baby. Learn benefits of infant massage with
Bananas expert Tsadae Neway.
yy Language & Brain Development: Tues, June 4th,
7pm. Essential information for parents of children
from birth to age 5.
All FREE and open to the public.
■
■Thurs, 5/9, 7pm. Publication party for Samuel Sattin:
League of Somebodies.
■
■Fri, 5/10, 7pm. Elizabeth Graver: The End of the Point.
■
■Sat., 5/11, 7pm. James Kelman: Mo Said She Was
Quirky.
■
■Mon, 5/13, 7:30pm. Amnesty International Meet-
ing (2nd Mon. each month): All invited to exchange
ideas on action.
■
■Fri, 5/17, 7pm. Release Party for ZYZZYVA’s Spring/
Summer issue. Editors Laura Cogan and Oscar Vil-
Norman H. Burg, DDS
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
A Prevention Oriented Practice


16.

May 4, 2013
16.

Wondering what your home is worth
in this supercharged “sellers” market?
Visit RockridgeHomeValue.com
for a FREE Market Analysis
of your home.
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,

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Real Estate Brokerage

To Rockridge Clients
 For Over 26 Years.
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Open 7 Days
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We Need More Rockridge Homes to Sell
As of press time, there were only 10 Homes for
Sale in Rockridge. Normally there would be approx.
30-34 Homes actively on the market right now
in Rockridge. Sellers are seeing multiple offers
and over asking offers  because of the continued
tight supply of homes for sale.  If you had thought
about selling in the past, but thought prices were
too low, you might be surprised as prices have
increased significantly. Call me for an evaluation of
your home and its value in today’s seller’s market
32
SPECIALIZING IN

OResidential Sales

OIncome Property

OCommercial

OProperty Management
SOLD IN ROCKRIDGE
30 Roanoke Rd, Claremont
 $699,000
2 Bed/ 1+ Bath
Fabulous European Feel to this 2 story home.
Loads of updating & newer systems.
Rockridge feel w/Berkeley Schools.
www.30Roanoke.com
Sold
         $843,000
Better Homes
Realty
5353 College Avenue
Oakland
PENDING IN ROCKRIDGE
5373 Shafter Ave.
$599,000
2 Beds/ 1 Bath + a Studio in Back
On the cozy side, but very well located.
Bring your ideas and make it yours.
Award Winning Chabot Elementary School
www.5373Shafter.com
Pending
Playing? Start in Oakland!
+Discretely offered for sale
5500 block of Lawton Avenue above College
3+ Beds/ 1.5 Baths  One story
Hardwood floors, fireplace, amazing detailing,
office, many upgrades
Award Winning Chabot Elementary School
Call Ron for Details   510-612-2547
FOR SALE CLAREMONT
14 Eucalyptus Rd.
$949,000
Dramatic Spanish Mediterranean.
Remodeled Eat-in Kitchen, Mstr. Suite
Plus Room & Magical Garden Spot.
Berkeley Schools.
www.14Eucalyptus.com
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 130 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

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