Extracted text · highlighting “FROG Park”

VOL. 31     NO. 3      ISSUE NO. 331      March 5, 2016                 CIRCULATION: 5,800 Residences; 200 BusInesses
 ckridgeNews

THE
c
o
k
Rr
i
e
30
d
h
g
Te
Ne
w
s

www.rockridge.org

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

The Rockridge News Marks 30 Years of Headlines

development and city planning proposals, and news of events of
community interest for 30 years. With your continuing support, we
look forward to an enduring Rockridge.      Don Kinkead, Editor.
Yesteryear’s Headlines; Still Today’s News
Expanding from telephone pole broadsheets to today’s 16-page
publication, The Rockridge News has offered analysis of
VOL. 31     NO. 2    ISSUE NO. 330    February 5, 2016                 CIRCULATION: 5,800 RESIdENCES; 200 BUSINESSES
 ckridgeNews
www.rockridge.org
THE
Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council • 4123 Broadway, PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94611
Surrounding Multi-Unit Projects:
Many New Neighbors for Rockridge
The Kingfish Project
Claremont/Telegraph
Sq. Ft: No information available
Housing: 5 stories, 33 condo units
with ground floor commercial space.
Approved by Council on appeal (per
settlement agreement 10/07 with
RCPC). Completion: July 2016.
The Nautilus Group 51st and
Telegraph Project
Telegraph Ave/Clark Street
between 51st and Claremont Avenue
222,720 sq. ft.
Housing: 204 units +33,800 sf. of retail)
Completion: Unknown. Project not yet
approved; still under review.
Merrill Gardens Senior
Housing/Mixed Use
West side of Broadway north of
51st Street
174,000 sq. ft.
127 units senior housing +7,743 sq. ft.
ground floor retail
Completion: Possibly by Dec 2016.
Baxter on Broadway/Temescal
Apartments (SRM Development)
West side of Broadway, south of 51st
Street
210,393 sq. ft. total, including housing
units: 126 market-rate apartments; 4
2-story townhouses; and 8,642 sq. ft. of
ground floor retail.
Completion: Construction to begin
shortly; no permit issued yet.
February Town Hall: RCPC Community Grants Program
Thursday, February 18: 7 p.m. pizza; mtg 7:30, in the Rockridge Branch Library upstairs meeting room.
R
S
|
Va
z
Pz
:
i
p
i
Come
at 7 for
pizza and
n
Following the successful 2015 Rockridge Kitchen
Tour, the RCPC board voted to establish a fund to
support small community-led projects within Rock-
ridge. Join your neighbors at the February Town
Hall; RCPC board members will present the grants
program: What it is, how it works, who is eligible, and how to apply.
r
f
o
The RCPC Board Announces a Community Grants Program
Do you have an idea for a way to improve our neighborhood but
aren’t sure where to begin or how to fund it? RCPC hosts a
Town Hall at the Rockridge Library, Thursday, February 18 at 7 p.m.
for pizza, meeting 7:30, to introduce the new Rockridge Community
Grants program.
o
f
@
s
u
r
o
n
friends
i
c
o
k
Jr
i
d
g
g
e
r
.
o
Some observers refer to aspects of Presidential
campaigns as the “silly season.” While
these quadrennial exercises can be silly
at times, the
To be considered as a candidate, email info@
rockridge.org not later than close of business
March 2, to tell the board of your interest and to
receive an informational package. The election will
be held April 21 at the RCPC Town Hall.  More☛
RCPC Invites Candidates
for April Board Election
➧RCPC Elections, page 15

RCPC Presents, Discusses Community Grant How-to

Rockridge Music Festival; and a suggestion
for upgrading overlooked potential green
spaces such as the Claremont median near
Hudson. A few attendees said they had
glimmers of ideas, but wanted to think
about them a little longer before sharing.
If you live in Rockridge, have an
inspiration for a grant and want to apply,
here’s the date to remember: April 1, 2016.
Applications must be received by the RCPC
board by this date. Send your grant idea
to info@rockridge.org. In total, $2,500 is
available for grants in 2016. The maximum
award will be $750.
Please follow the links to the handout
and presentation at rockridge.org for more
in-depth instructions before applying.
Further questions may be directed to info@
rockridge.org.
found at www.rockridge.org, but the
audience also wanted to know:
“I’ll Grant You That...”
■
■What kind of projects WON’T be
funded? Political campaigns or anything
promoting a specific religious orientation.
by Leonora Sea, RCPC boardmember
A
dozen Rockridge neighbors gathered
at the most recent Rockridge Com-
munity Planning Council (RCPC) Town
Hall on February 18 to learn about the new
Community Grants for Community-led
Projects initiative of the RCPC board.
The program is rooted in the concept
that the people who live in an area often
have the best understanding of how to
make it better. The assembled group amply
illustrated how true this is, as participants
listened, asked excellent questions, and
exchanged some great ideas for using
the first round of funds for improving
Rockridge.
Guidance about the program can be
■
■Can service providers who don’t live
in Rockridge be hired? Yes, but please do
try to find someone who lives or works
in the neighborhood first.
■
■Will projects only for neighborhood
beautification be considered? No, RCPC
hopes for a wide range of interesting ideas.
Suggestions and ideas coming out of
the Town Hall include a parent-student-
merchant landscaping project at Claremont
Middle School; improved monitoring
systems for some problematic areas around
Chabot School, notably under Highway 24
at Presley; a Rockridge Running Festival; a


March 5, 2016
2.

Part 2: A Look at the Past. Rockridge Residents
Recall Impact of the Coming of BART and Highway 24

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
                  5366 College Avenue
                   at Manila | 597-5017
Library program details/hours: Calendar, page 15
The Rockridge News, founded March 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
Jo Ellis	�����������������������������������Asst. Editor
Judith Doner Berne	������������Eyes on Rockridge
Jo Ellis	�����������������������������������Advertising &
Community Calendar
Susan Montauk	�������������������Business Manager
Don Kinkead	�����������������������Graphics & Layout
RCPC Board of Directors, 2016-2017
Stuart Flashman	�����������������Chair
Kevin Faughnan	������������������Vice Chair
Noah Rosen	������������������������Secretary
Ronnie Spitzer	��������������������Treasurer
Brendan Havenar-Daughton, Don Kinkead,
Mike Lin, Greg Pasquali, Laura Schlichtmann,
Leonora Sea
Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
Newsletter Subscriptions

Three neighborhood boys survey likely play opportunities amongst the
construction debris of BART and Highway 24 between Keith and Miles avenues.

From “Temescal Legacies,” by Jeff Norman. Rockridge BART station
 and  freeway under construction, January, 1968. “Courtesy of BART.”
by Edward Guthmann
This is the second half of a two-part
oral history of Rockridge and the con-
struction of BART and the Grove-Shafter
Freeway in the mid- and late 1960s.
Last month, a number of current and
former residents recalled the years leading
up to the construction, the displacement of
homeowners and the extensive demolition
of homes, shops and commercial buildings.
This month we continue with the
beginning of construction in 1966: Fifty
years ago.
That went on forever.
Annette Floystrup, RR resident 1955-
1972, 1981-present: A huge amount of space
was taken up by staging areas for dirt-moving
equipment and demolition equipment.
Greg Brennan, R R resident
1957-present: It was kind of a mess with
the dirt and dust. We were kids, we didn’t
care. I don’t know what our parents were
going through at the time.
Camille Trentacoste: There were
constantly big trucks going up and down on
Keith. I remember the pink cement mixers
from Kaiser and big semis that hauled away
the rubble.
Ron Fujie, RR resident 1965-1986,
1991-present: The construction site was
a great playground for kids, with large
open spaces and a huge pit that filled with
water. We’d throw rocks into the pond.
My friends and I got caught only once
by construction workers and we were just
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
Camille Trentacoste, Rockridge
resident 1964-1971: Demolition and
construction were a constant background
noise of my childhood, since we were just a
block away. I remember using the repetitive
sounds of the pile driver as a metronome
when I practiced piano.
Claire Lomax, RR resident 1945-1979,
1987-present: Pile drivers. BONG! BONG!
Articles submitted for publication may
be e-mailed or mailed to the above addresses.
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. Views expressed in articles accepted for
publication do not necessarily reflect those of The
Rockridge News, its editor, or the board of directors of
the Rockridge Community Planning Council. To reprint
a Rockridge News article, please contact the editor.
➧➧Rockridge Evolution, page 12
$5 FREE DRYCLEANING with garment orders over $28
or $3 OFF orders over $15
Dry Cleaning only  Present with incoming order
Garden Cleaners
5808 College Avenue, Oakland
601-1188
Mon – Fri  7 – 7 • Sat  8 – 6
Across from Trader Joe’s and Zachary’s Pizza
Newsletter Advertising/Deadline
Publication date of the April issue is:
  April 2, 2016
  April deadline is March 17.
Advertising rates are $26/column inch. Six-
month pre-pay rate available. For display ads,
call Jo Ellis at 653-3210 (after noon), or e-mail
joellis1@hotmail.com. RCPC reserves the right
to refuse any display or classified ad that it deems
inappropriate. (Classified ad contact, page 14.)
EXPERT
SHIRT
LAUNDERING!


3.
March 5, 2016

Rockridge	
  Community	
  Planning	
  Council
2015	
  Financial	
  Statement
Fiscal	
  Year	
  January	
  1	
  –	
  December	
  31,	
  2015
RCPC	
  General	
  Fund	
  
P&L	
  DATA	
  
Income	
  
(cash	
  basis)
Rockridge	
  News	
  
$41,807
Kitchen	
  Tour	
  
$32,833
Interest	
  Income	
  
$16
ContribuBons	
  
$1,323
Merchandise	
  Sales
$239
Total	
  Income
$76,218
Expenses
	
  
Rockridge	
  News
$34,684
Other	
  Program	
  Expenses
$1,110
Kitchen	
  Tour
$7,585
Contractors
$6,294
Insurance,	
  Permits	
  and	
  Sales	
  Tax
$1,738
Misc.	
  AdministraBve	
  Expenses
$2,915
Grants	
  /	
  Awards	
  /	
  Scholarships
$5,100
Total	
  Expenses
$59,426
Net	
  Receipts
$16,791

The next Land Use Committee meeting is Wednesday,
March 23, 7:30 p.m. at the Rockridge Library. (Note:
The library may be closed for several months for repairs.
Check with the library or for updates at rockridge.org.)
avenues, wants to lease the large space at
the southern tip of the building – closest to
the intersection – to Fremont Bank. Under
the site’s CN-1 zoning, this will require
obtaining a Conditional Use Permit from
the city. The Land Use Committee met
with representatives of Fremont Bank and
Terramar to discuss the proposal. Fremont
bank is a local and privately owned bank
Land Use Update
by Stuart Flashman, RCPC Land Use
Committee co-chair
■
■College Avenue
Safeway Project:
College & Claremont Avenues
Terramar Retail Centers, the current
owner of the retail building in the Safeway
Shopping Center at College and Claremont
➧➧Land Use Committee, page 13

Appointment Adds to RCPC Board Count
A
month ahead of the RCPC election to
be held in April, the organization’s
board appointed a new member to fill
out the remaining term of a member who
had resigned prior to the completion of
his term. This brought the boardmember
count to 8, six short of the 14 prescribed by
RCPC bylaws. The appointee’s statement

Friends	
  of	
  the	
  Rockridge	
  Greenbelt	
  (FROG)
Income
DonaBons
$23,485
Interest	
  Income
$17
Total	
  Income
$23,502
Expenses
Playground	
  New	
  ConstrucBon	
  &	
  Planning
$834
Playground	
  Maintenance
$818
Misc.	
  	
  Expenses
$1,109
Total	
  Expenses
$2,760
Net	
  Receipts
$20,742
Scenic	
  Streets
Income
DonaBons
$1,184
Total	
  Income
$1,184
Expenses
Misc.	
  AdministraBve	
  Expenses
$548
Total	
  Expenses
$548
Net	
  Receipts
$635
Locksley	
  Gardens	
  No	
  acBvity	
  in	
  2015
BALANCE	
  SHEET	
  DATA
RCPC	
  ASSETS
RCPC	
  Savings/Checking
$88,758
RCPC	
  PayPal
$130
TOTAL	
  RCPC
$88,888
FROG	
  Assets	
  (1)
FROG	
  CD
$10,399
FROG	
  Savings/Checking
$80,313
FROG	
  PayPal
$1,832
TOTAL	
  FROG
$92,545
Scenic	
  Street	
  ASSETS
Savings/Checking
$41,426
PayPal
$0
TOTAL	
  Scenic	
  Streets
$41,426
	
  
Locksley	
  Gardens	
  ASSETS
$749
Total	
  Assets	
  	
  (1)
$223,608
LiabiliVes	
  &	
  Equity
FROG	
  LiabiliBes,	
  MIG	
  invoice
$9,727
Equity
$213,881
Total	
  LiabiliVes	
  &	
  Equity
$223,608
(1)	
  Excludes	
  	
  $100,000	
  of	
  Fourth	
  Bore	
  
CoaliBon	
  se]lement	
  funds	
  towards	
  FROG's	
  
playground	
  improvements

of his interest in board service and his
photograph follow below.
Election Note: The application period
for Rockridge residents to declare their
interest in board candidacy closed March
2. The election will be held April 21 at the
RCPC Town Hall. Watch for information
in the April issue of The Rockridge News.
My name is Mike
Lin and I join
RCPC with 20 years
of brand, marketing,
and innovation expe-
rience. I’ve spent the
last seven years at
Kaiser Permanente
working with a team
of designers to design
better care experiences for KP’s members
and the staff who serve them.
My wife and I have lived in Rockridge
for 3-1/2 years, and I decided to join
the board because  – simply put – I just
wanted to help out. I’m grateful for all the
work that past community members have
put in to make Rockridge what it is today.
As a new board member, I am excited
to learn more about where my skills can
be of the most value to the work of the
RCPC and the community.
Mike Lin


March 5, 2016
4.

donations and pledges for their ride. The
funds raised go equally to six Oakland public
schools: Emerson Elementary; Claremont
Middle School; Westlake and Edna Brewer
Middle Schools; and Oakland Tech and
Oakland International High Schools. Each
of these schools serves a diverse student
population, and all of them need the funds
that the ride generates.
Ride for a Reason helps provide the kind
of wrap-around student support services at
these campuses that the state budget cannot.
California is well below average in the United
States for funding its public schools on a
per-student basis. Many public schools in
Oakland do not have a PTA group to help
provide educational basics such as a library,
after-school care and activities, support for
music and art, or psychological counselors.
Although they might seem to be basic school
services, the state does not provide those
things, and many districts and regions must
rely on private fundraising to enhance their
schools.
Ride for a Reason tries to change this way
of approaching public school funding. The
R4R organizers believe that for California
to continue to be a vibrant place to live, our
public schools must be more than minimally
funded warehouses to train students for
standardized tests.
The Ride has grown over the last few

Join Oakland Cyclists — Teachers, Parents, Students,
Volunteers — in a Ride to Improve School Funding

by Paul Vetter, ride organizer
How many bake sales does it take to
pay the salary of a full-time school
teacher or counselor? The depressing result
of that calculation pushed some Oakland
residents towards a political engagement to
help schools more broadly instead of just
through the endless cycle of fundraising and
volunteering. The Ride for a Reason event is
designed to raise awareness of and to change
how the state allocates funds for public
schools, while raising money for Oakland
public schools.
Now in its eighth year, the Ride for a
Reason (R4R) — to be held this year on
May 14 — is a fully-supported bike ride
from Oakland Technical High School to
the Capitol in Sacramento, 109 miles. A
second course option of 45 miles rides from
Vacaville to the Capitol and is designed
for families, students, and novice long-
distance riders. Whichever route you choose,
organizers provide all the support you will
need to prepare for, have fun on, and go the
distance on the ride.
Riders are encouraged to solicit
Triumphant
R4R cyclists
raise their
bikes aloft
in front of
the Capitol
upon their
a r ri v a l  i n
Sacramento.
/Courtesy R4R
law office of
dave karlinsky
725 washington st., suite 313  oakland, ca 94607
(510) 788-5700    www.davekarlinskylaw.com
Practicing exclusively in the area of trusts and estates:
• Estate planning

• Probate / trust administration

• Dispute resolution
• Special needs trusts
Please contact me during regular business hours to
      schedule an appointment.

➧➧Schools: A Reason to Ride, page 4
MAXI
LILLEY
THE ROCKRIDGE REALTOR® WITH A
designer’s
eye
My background in interior design is one
of the reasons buyers and sellers choose me
for their real estate transactions.
With 14 years of living in Rockridge, and 80% of
my business in the neighborhood,
I’m a true expert on this local market.
510.919.8997
maxi@redoakrealty.com


5.
March 5, 2016

piece of paper into the meter’s coin slot. The
paper is attached to a fine thread, which
blocks the coins from falling into the coin
box. Later, an accomplice, the “ripper,”
comes by with a specialized hook and fishes
the coins out. The rub for the public, aside
from the revenue loss, is that Parking Control
views the meter as unpaid and tickets the car.
Hutzol reported the scam can net $800-
$1,000 per day for the crooks, a figure based
on the net loss reported by the electronic
parking meters.
“Data drives deployment,” Hutzol said.
He thus got an undercover team posted
to watch for the team in action, but the
scammers weren’t out that day.
Police advice: If you see someone fiddling
with a meter and there’s no car in the metered
space, it’s probably the scammers. Report the
evident tampering, if you can do so without
attracting the scammers’ attention.
Next NCPC Meeting: The Greater Rockridge NCPC meets
only in even-numbered months on the second Thursday of each
meeting month. Next meeting; April 14, 7:30 p.m. Location:
to be announced. (The Rockridge Library – our regular location
– may be closed for renovations.) Email the NCPC at chair@
rockridgencpc.com if you have items to add to the NCPC agenda.
Go to http://bit.ly/1LgW9JC for the current agenda.
NCPC Notes and News
NCPC Has an Open Volunteer Position
for Treasurer
We’re looking for a volunteer to take
on the NCPC treasurer position. The new
treasurer will manage the organization’s
small bank account and likely work with the
city as they decide how to handle providing
funds to NCPCs – what paperwork has to be
done, what reports filed, and so forth. The
treasurer will be an officer of the NCPC
board. If you are ready to fill this position,
email chair@rockridgencpc.com.
 At the February Meeting
the status of recent Residential Permit
Parking (RPP)  fee increases and the process
to bring RPP to a given street. Kalb said
the fee issue was settled. The city decided
to raise fees from $35 to $82 for the 1st
permit and $59 for annual renewals. One day
permits are now $5 (the city wanted $9, but
Kalb successfully pushed for a reduction); a
two week (14 day) permit is now $25. More
streets in the neighborhood now have permit
parking, Kalb said. A street can get permit
parking if the residents petition the city for
it. District 1 has half the permit parking in
the city, Kalb said. Residents interested in
establishing Permit Parking on their street
can learn more at http://www2.oaklandnet.
com/Parking/#RPP.
■
■7-11 Presentation of Plans for a Store
at 6606 Telegraph Avenue, site of
White Horse Liquors
Two representatives from the 7-11
corporation presented renderings showing
the company’s proposed plans for façade
and interior layout changes to the building,
and discussed security concerns and
plans for the 24-hour operation. Officer
Hutzol and audience members questioned
aspects of the plan and offered staffing
and security suggestions. An audience
member suggested the proposed plans
should also be discussed with RCPC’s Land
Use Committee. See the RCPC Land Use
Committee report, beginning page 3, for
more information.
■
■Residential Permit Parking
In attendance at the meeting,
Councilmember Dan Kalb was asked about
■
■Report: Community Resource Officer
Anthony Hutzol
Officer Hutzol described a parking meter
scam that is lucrative to its practitioners
and annoying at best, costly at worst, to its
victims. A driver feeding the meter may be
tipped to the scam when money put in the
meter does not register and no time is added.
The hapless driver will likely either chance
a ticket or move to a functioning meter at
another space.
Hutzol explained that the scam generally
involves two miscreants. One puts a rigged
Norman H. Burg, DDS
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
A Prevention Oriented Practice
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A private high school for grades 9-12
Our approach to learning requires collaboration, patience,
and creativity—all within a kind and joyful community.
Be inspired. Refine your thinking. Express yourself.

The College Preparatory School     6100 Broadway    Oakland CA 94618     510.652.4364   college-prep.org


March 5, 2016
6.

Eyes on Rockridge
It’s 30 years and Counting for Your Rockridge News

by Judith Doner Berne
From a cozy garret not much bigger
than a walk-in closet on the second
floor of his longtime Rockridge home,
Don Kinkead gathers material for,
edits, lays out and often writes for The
Rockridge News.
Kinkead, a retired Alameda County
social worker whose journalistic
training was a semester’s course at
Berkeley High School, is founding
editor of the newsletter you find on your
doorstep each month – which celebrates
its 30th anniversary with this issue.
Yes, I write for The Rockridge News
– but only for the past few years. And, as
a Judy-come-lately, I didn’t know how
the paper came to be which, as it turns
out, is also why it remains relevant in
this age of online journalism.
That inaugural issue of March 13,
1986, printed on both sides of an 8-1/2
by 11 inch sheet, and many of those
that followed, were meant to alert residents
to development proposals that could be
inconsistent with the “pedestrian and retail
friendly” zoning the Rockridge Community
Planning Council (RCPC) had proposed and
the city had approved in the 1970s.
Realizing that the initial system of
placing meeting notices on utility poles
wouldn’t reach the broader neighborhood
audience, Kinkead, his wife Bobbie Kinkead
title is a working title and subject to
change,” and invited readers to phone
in suggestions. No one called and the
name stuck.
As a tool to enhance community
involvement and to ensure uniform
delivery of the newsletter, Bobbie and
Rockridge resident Barbara Anderson,
who became RCPC chair later that
year, spent weeks mapping out a block-
by-block distribution system staffed by
Rockridge neighborhood volunteers
that – though expanded – is still in use.
“Don Kinkead deserves every
single kudo for slogging through those
early years of production, issue after
issue, month after month,” Anderson
told me. “Looking back at the first three
issues of The Rockridge News, you
can already identify the professional
tone, even-handedness and attention to
detail which has marked his editorial
leadership.…”
 “There is no question that we would not
have been able to be as informed as citizens
had it not been for The Rockridge News,”
adds Annette Floystrup, who grew up in
Rockridge and was also an RCPC leader at
that time.
What was at stake, Floystrup says,
was whether Rockridge would continue to
develop as a low-rise, pedestrian-friendly
Bobbie and Don Kinkead leaf through archives
of The Rockridge News.               /Judith Doner Berne
and a concerned group of neighborhood
activists – who reinvigorated the then-
passive RCPC – came up with the idea of
a regular newsletter to be sponsored by the
organization.
Armed with a Macintosh IIe computer
and the newly available PageMaker software,
Don, careful to foster community input,
christened the newsletter The Rockridge
News. But, he told readers: “The newsletter
➧➧Thirty Years, page 7


7.
March 5, 2016

Thirty Years
Selected Headlines and Issues: Rockridge News;
March 12, 1986 – January 11, 1992
from page 6
neighborhood with a majority of individually
owned businesses.
 “I think The Rockridge News has been
incredibly responsible for the sustaining of
the neighborhood,” she emphasized. “The
paper immediately filled a niche.”
And as I leaf through the archives, that is
evident by the newsletter’s seemingly organic
growth. The second month’s issue was a wee
bit larger, printed on both sides of an 11 by 14
sheet. By the third month, it had expanded to
four pages and, for the first time, announced
its circulation as 4,000 residences and 200
businesses. It is now up to 5,800 residences,
reflecting RCPC’s expanded boundary.
Less than a year later, in January 1987,
the newsletter grew to six pages, and that
April, to eight. It swelled to 12 pages with
the January 1994 issue and to its current 16
pages in September 1998.
Everyone told me, in one way or
another, that the RCPC’s function as a
community watchdog and Don’s and other
editors’ commitment to communicate
that information paved the way for the
neighborhood that Rockridge is today.
Cy Gulassa, editor for all but two
years between 1997-2008, reports that “to
produce an issue, the editor collaborates
with RCPC, the community, the city and
local schools.” That means attending RCPC
meetings, identifying newsworthy items
and soliciting articles from RCPC and
community members.
Dreyer’s Plans Final, Ready for City Submission.
Presentation to Neighborhood Scheduled
March 12, 1986
Neighbors Quick to Save Engine 19
December 13, 1986
Rockridge Moving Toward Library Funding
February 13, 1986
Dreyer’s New Development Concept: No Factory
March 12, 1988
Community Forum Slated to Help Shape the Future of
Rockridge
October 15, 1988
Rockridge Attacks Dreyer’s Project EIR
May, 1989
Why is RCPC Suing the City of Oakland? Staff Report
Disregarded
September 16, 1989
Planning Commission Certifies Dreyer’s EIR
June 17, 1989
Dreyer’s Site Leveled; RCPC Presses Court Action
January 13, 1990
Dreyer’s Suit Judgment Goes Against RCPC
November 17, 1990Park                         ing
➧➧Thirty Years, page 11
➧➧Selected Headlines, page 11
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March 5, 2016
8.
Scenic Streets Update and
Invitation to Volunteers

■
■Maintenance of the Claremont Avenue sidewalk trees and
trashcans (including the landscaping beside the DaVita Dialysis
property);
■
■Renovation of the Hardy Dog Park;
■
■Beautification of the Claremont Avenue median strip under
the freeway crossover between the Hwy 24 on- and off-ramps.
Spring is upon us. We and other volunteers are weeding, pruning
and applying mulch to the planted areas. Additional help would
get the tasks done sooner. If you have a free hour or two, and are
interested in joining the effort to sustain Rockridge community
landscaping, contact Lee Patterson (510/923-1084) or Judy Weiss
(judy_b_weiss@yahoo.com).
by Judy Weiss
After Scenic Streets founder and leader Peter Lund moved out
of state in November, four Scenic Street volunteers — Lee
Patterson, Robert Firehock, Betsy York and Judy Weiss — created the
Scenic Streets Steering Committee early in 2016  to provide oversight
and direction for the organization’s four outstanding projects:
■
■Maintenance of the landscaping on the Highway 24 on- and
off-ramps;
Claremont Avenue trees,
trashcans and landscaping
beside DaVita Dialysis
Landscaping of the Highway
24 on- and off-ramps.
Hardy Dog Park
Renovation.
Christopher Ames
and Buddy at Hardy Park.
Help Scenic Streets
maintain this main entry
point into Rockridge.
See above to learn
how you can help with
weeding, pruning and
mulching to keep this
urban oasis vibrant.
Beautification of the Claremont
Avenue median strip under the
freeway crossover.
Foxtail Season:
Problems for
Animals and Their
Guardians
This is the beginning of Foxtail season,
This means big problems for animals
harmed by contact with the barbed plant. You
can help by watching for foxtails – see picture
below – when out walking and yanking them
out by the roots, putting them in a plastic
bag and then into the trash (not the green
bin). – Sari Kulberg, 653-6432.
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since 1992
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9.
March 5, 2016

Calendar Love for Your Local Park:
April 23 is Frog Park Earth Day Cleanup
With February’s spate of warm, sunny
days Frog Park has been teeming
with families. We’ll have an update soon
on plans for new swings and play features
to be installed in 2016, but right now we
need to keep the current park clean —
especially with all the El Niño rain and
recent heavy use.
Plans are coming together for our annual
Earth Day celebration and cleanup of Frog
Park. Please contact us at info@frogpark.org
if you or a group you’re involved with wants

Schools: A
Reason to Ride
from page 4
years to become a fun event with more than
200 cyclists — teachers, parents, students and
community members — supported by dozens
of volunteers. Late springtime weather and the
satisfying exertion of a tough athletic endeavor
generate great feelings. Gathering on the
steps of the Capitol at the end of the ride gets
everyone fired up to support public schools.
Further information about signing up for
the ride, volunteering to help, or pledging
for a cyclist is on the R4R website: http://
rideforareason.dojiggy.com. Contact ride
organizer Paul Vetter (pavetter@comcast.
net) for further information.

to volunteer Saturday, April 23, from 9-12
for our annual Earth Day Cleanup. We’ll
have opportunities for everyone to take part
in our ongoing efforts to keep Frog Park a
safe, clean and fun destination for Rockridge
residents and all our Oakland neighbors.
Volunteers are needed year-round
to help with Frog Park’s fundraising,
communications and planning efforts —
tasks big and small — many of which can be
completed from the comfort of your home.
Contact us at info@frogpark.org.
Mayor Libby Schaaf, FROG representatives and city Parks staff at Earth
Day in Frog Park, 2015.                                   Photo/Kenneth Rice Photography
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March 5, 2016
10.

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5315 COLLEGE AVE.
OAKLAND, CALIF.
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Learn DIY Bike Repair on College Avenue
Photo/Alexis Colin

PLANNING, TRUST ADMIN & PROBATE
WWW.KYLEMJOHNSTON.COM
by Don Kinkead
When Rockridge resident and seven-
year bicycle commuter Cindy Warner
saw one day that she had a flat tire, she did
what she had always done when the rim hits
the road: She visited her nearby bike shop.
Pushing the bike into Hank and Frank’s
on College Avenue, she was pleased to learn
that not only could the flat be repaired, she
could learn to take care of future flats on
her own.
Store manager Karin Austin explained
to The Rockridge News that the bike shop
has a business relationship with Liv, a
subsidiary of Giant bicycle company, that
sponsors repair clinics at selected bike

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Dr. Larry Sarver
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510-655-3797
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shops. The clinics are taught by women
for women, she explained. Tools and
materials are supplied during the clinic.
The company’s goal, of course, is to spread
ridership among women, but also to give
them the ability to repair a breakdown on
their own when cycling away from handy
repair shops.
Pictured above are store manager
Karin Austin, left, and newly trained bike
rider cum bike fixer Cindy Warner, both
displaying hands appropriately dirtied
during the clinic. Another bonus: After
the clinic, participants break for adult
beverages, chips and hummus at nearby
locations where such rewards are available.
February Love Heats up Sales!

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

2/3/2016

3
2
5812 Canning St.
$995,000
$995,000
12
$1,400,000

2/10/2016   3
2
5236 James Ave.
$889,000
$889,000
14
$1,243,050

2/16/2016   3     3     5116 Miles Ave.
$1,275,000
$1,275,000
1
$1,525,000

2/19/2016   3     2     6033 Chabolyn Ter.
$849,000
$849,000
14
$1,107,250

• Median sold price is $1,321,525
• Average price per square foot is $876
• Currently 30 day supply of inventory


11.
March 5, 2016

”It’s such a unique avenue to the
community,” says Havenar-Daughton.
“Not many neighborhoods have their own
newsletter.” The 35-year-old, who grew up
in Rockridge, delivered the newsletter as a
youngster “as one of my chores.”
That gives him first-hand knowledge of
the importance of the 150-plus volunteers
who bundle and who hand-deliver the paper
door-to-door each month.
“Using Bobbie’s innovative and efficient
distribution system, our volunteers get 6,000
papers on their way to everyone in Rockridge
within a few hours,” says Jo Ellis, assistant
editor and advertising manager, whose large
dining room table serves as ground zero
for bundling and boxing the newsletters for
monthly delivery.
The paper is self-supporting, thanks to its
advertising revenue. Ellis has a waiting list
of display advertisers and gives first dibs to
Rockridge businesses and residents.
 Of Don, she says: “He loves putting out
the paper and makes it fun. It never seems
like a chore. You can often see his whimsical
sense of humor reflected in the headlines.”
To Susan Montauk, the newsletter’s
long-time business manager and a former
RCPC chair, Don and the other Rockridge
News editors and staff have sustained a
newsletter that is an important means of
communication and has helped Rockridge
to be a unified community. “The more
I’m involved with it, I see that no other
neighborhood has our kind of cohesion.”
For my part, it was hard to get Don to
agree to this story. He kept reminding me:
“It’s not just me. It’s a neighborhood group
effort. The article should be more about the
community and the newsletter and less about
the current editor.”
The father of two and grandfather of
three, however, did want those who have
moved to Rockridge more recently to know
that RCPC and the newsletter were not
obstructionists. “Nobody ever said, ‘Don’t
build,’” Don told me. “Just do it in a way
that works for the neighborhood.”
He is pretty satisfied with the results.
“I think it (the Rockridge neighborhood)
turned out as people thought it would in the
beginning – and then some. Nobody ever
heard, back then, of a walk score.”
Thirty Years
from page 7
“Don’s job as editor,” Gulassa explains,
“is to prioritize these views and squeeze them
into 16 pages along with volunteered articles
and community feedback. Before going to
print, a committee of RCPC members, past
editors and writers of articles review all the
copy for fairness and accuracy.”
“The Rockridge News helped organize
the community on many local issues,”
current RCPC Land Use Committee
co-chair Stuart Flashman says. These range
“from land use struggles including the
Dreyer’s project, the two Safeway projects
and the continuing efforts to keep College
Avenue retail alive and vibrant, to supporting
community projects like the library and
FROG Park, to addressing ongoing issues
like traffic, crime, and noise.”
In his mind, “Don and the other editors
over time made The Rockridge News one
of the most effective community newsletters
in the East Bay. They, and the efforts of the
Rockridge News, have been instrumental
in making Rockridge one of the East Bay’s
most widely known and most successful
neighborhoods.”
“It has also been a forum for community
discussions long before there were online
forums like Facebook and Nextdoor,”
Flashman says. “In spite of those faster
media, residents continue to eagerly await
each new issue of The Rockridge News.”
Even so, current RCPC chair Brendan
Havenar-Daughton says RCPC is exploring
the design and launch of a more up-to-date
website “to increase community awareness
and inspire community engagement.” The
board is also looking to provide the paper
in digital format, in addition to its hard copy
version, to offer “a more mobile, friendly
access to The Rockridge News 30 years later.”
Email judyberne@att.net to comment on this
column or to suggest ideas for future stories about
your Rockridge neighbors and neighborhood.
Selected Headlines, from page 7

EIRs Invade Rockridge: BART Pursues Massive Parking
and Development Plans for Station
June 15, 1991
RCPC Opposes BART Parking Expansion Development
November 16, 1991
Schools, Neighbors Work Together to Rebuild Routine
After the [Oakland Hills] Fire
November 16, 1991
Rockridge Station Garage Plan Will be Reevaluated, Says
Agency
November 16, 1991
Rockridge Library Funding at Risk; Committee asks
Community Support
December 14, 1991
Library Funds Approved!
January 11, 1992

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More headlines from past issues of The Rockridge News
will appear in future issues of the newsletter.


March 5, 2016
12.

loss. I don’t know why we stuck it out.
the freeway so she got a deal.
Kim Richards, RR resident 1969-
1976: My parents paid $40,000 for our
4,200-square-foot Tudor home on Mendocino
Avenue, which seemed astronomical to them
at the time.
Marti Fischer, RR resident 1955-1967:
I left for college in the fall of ’67, then got
married and moved to the East Coast. I
came back in ’72 and was totally shocked
by the freeway and BART and how much
the neighborhood had changed.
Rockridge
Evolution
E. G.: In September 1969, the freeway
was completed from the Caldecott
Tunnel to the MacArthur Freeway and
27th Street off-ramp. BART construction
continued until 1972.
from page 2
told not to play there again.
Greg Candler, RR resident 1955-1973:
Myself and two of my buddies actually got
to ride in the trucks as they took loads up to
the areas being built up for the freeway. We
got to pull the levers that opened the doors
and released the dirt. That was a big thing
as a 10- or 11-year-old.
Eric Clausen, RR and Temescal
resident 1959-2009: We used to climb the
big concrete towers that hold the freeway,
stand in the middle of them and look around.
Greg Candler: There was dirt
everywhere, especially along Hudson. These
big brown water trucks had a giant spigot
on the back, and would spray water as the
truck went down the street and flooded it.
The water rushed down the curbs and we’d
start at the top with little boats and see whose
would make it to the end of the block first.
Pat Nolan, RR resident, 1957-present:
They made such a wide hole; they were
creating more than just a new freeway. You
could see for blocks and blocks.
Eric Clausen: It was kind of like living
in a suburb when they’re building it from
scratch, but instead of building houses they
were building a freeway. Suddenly you had
all this land where there was nothing.
Annette Floystrup: I think the hardest
part for people to understand today is that
eventually this became the highest crime
neighborhood in Oakland.
Catherine Griffing, RR resident
1957-present: It just didn’t look welcoming.
A lot of storefronts were closed, and College
Ave. was really kind of sketchy. I remember
being dropped off by my middle school
teacher on College Avenue and saying, “Oh,
I can walk the rest of the way home.” He
didn’t think it was a safe neighborhood for
me to walk alone.
Claire Lomax: In 1966, I got a job
carrying mail for the post office, and
worked out of the Temescal station. I would
leave the house at 5:30 a.m. and walk down
Claremont. There was no freeway or BART,
but everything was torn up. And the only
noise was the plastic tags attached to the
stakes in the ground marking things off. That
snapping sound in the wind.
Pat Nolan: There was a real feeling of
Camille Trentacoste: The BART
parking lots were finished very early in the
process and they were great for roller skating.
When the freeway was mostly complete but
not open to cars, we walked as far down as
Children’s Hospital.
Greg Candler: It was kind of exciting,
the whole idea of BART. You look at the
trains now and they’re outdated, but as a kid
it was such an incredible “Wow” factor. They
looked so sleek and shiny. Futuristic, almost.
Camille Trentacoste: I remember my
parents being very pleased when the freeway
actually opened. It made the traffic on
Broadway much lighter.
Annette Floystrup: A huge number of
people left the neighborhood because they
lost their homes, and other people because
they just couldn’t deal with it. All the mess,
the noise.
Catherine Griffing: My school went to
sixth grade, and after sixth grade [in 1969]
the majority of my friends all moved to the
suburbs.
E.G: Recovery was slow and gradual
after BART and the freeway cleaved
the neighborhood. In the late ’80s,
Market Hall was built kitty-corner to the
BART station and ushered in an upscale
demographic and identity for Rockridge.
Annette Floystrup: We didn’t roll over
and play dead. Rockridge is pretty darn pro-
active and [after the freeway construction]
we eventually started what became the
Neighborhood Watch Program.
Marti Fischer: Even though it’s come
back in a big way, it’s not the same quiet,
middle-class neighborhood.
Catherine Griffing: The choices of
restaurants, upscale dress shops — that’s
completely different than when I was
growing up. I was not keen about Market
Hall coming in. I didn’t like the height of
the building, and I thought it was just going
to take the character away. But I use it. It’s
pretty lah-dee-dah.
E.G.: College Avenue was hit badly.
Freeway construction bored through
the heart of the business district, and
the avenue was closed to through traffic
for several years. Shoppers avoided
Rockridge.
E.G.: A half century makes a world of
difference. The College Avenue shopping
district devastated in the late ’60s is
thriving today, and houses that sold for
$40,000 are asking $1.5 million and up.
For long-time residents the memories of
a pre-BART, pre-freeway Rockridge are
distant and sweet, the past irretrievable.
Annette Floystrup: College Avenue
was at least 50 percent boarded up, and
there were giant gaping holes where the
staging areas had been. This had always
been a really vibrant shopping area – a real
solid neighborhood – and when that feeling
disappeared it took a long time to come back.
Eric Clausen: We used to go inside the
stores on College Ave. that were closed down.
There was a hat store and the old guy who
ran it just left everything behind. Wooden
blocks all over the place and hundreds of
hats in different colors and sizes.
Claire Lomax: You could pick up
property here for nothing.
Dav id Jacobs, R R re sident
1968-present: In 1968 my single mom
bought our two-story, five-bedroom house
on Hardy Street for $18,000. It was close to
Thank you to these Rockridge residents
who shared their memories of that
seminal time in Rockridge history.
Greg Brennan
Greg Candler
David Chilimidos
Eric Clausen
Evelyn Clevenger
Scott Donaldson
Marti Fischer
Annette Floystrup
Ron Fujie
Catherine Griffing
David Jacobs
Michael Kan
Jeannette Lakness-King  Claire Lomax
Pat Nolan
Kim Richards
Camille Trentacoste


13.
March 5, 2016

Land Use Committee
Caldecott Projects
from page 3
Underway
with several East Bay locations, but none in the Oakland-Berkeley
area. They would propose to make their space available for community
meetings, and to have evening events for their customers and the
community.
The committee felt that, given the difficulty in finding a retail tenant,
the bank use would be acceptable, and is recommending that RCPC
not oppose the use. The board will vote on this at its March meeting.
■
■Proposed 7-11 Convenience Store: 6606 Telegraph
Avenue, Site of White Horse Liquors
A proposal has been submitted to the City to place a 7-11 convenience
store at the site currently occupied by White Horse Liquors. While the
site is outside RCPC’s boundaries, it is just across 66th Street from
RCPC’s area. Therefore, RCPC has concerns about the project. The site
appears to have adequate parking; would perhaps be a convenient place
for local residents to pick up a quick bottle of milk or loaf of bread;
would no longer sell hard liquor, although it would sell beer and wine.
The main concerns expressed were about the store’s proposed 24-hour
operation. 7-11 stores sometimes become an attractive nuisance, and
have been the site of armed robberies at other locations. The committee
therefore recommended that, to address those concerns, RCPC ask that
the store have a security guard in the evening hours, and that, if it is to
be open 24 hours, it be staffed by at least two people in the late evening
and early morning hours.
Bicycle lane striping, a part of the Caldecott
settlement funded projects, is underway on
Upper Broadway.                               Photo/Ronnie Spitzer
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March 5, 2016
14.

Mindfulness in Rockridge
8-week class in mindfulness-based stress
reduction (MBSR). Learn tools to increase
focus, effectiveness, and well-being. www.
stress reduction at work.com. 415/767-5252.
Near Rockridge BART.
Gardener
Over 15 years of service to the Rockridge
area. Maintenance and gardening restoration.
Reasonable rates and excellent references.
Please call Chris. 655-0157.
Strategic Organizing in
Real Time
Clutter crisis-or opportunity to catch up
with yourself. Decompress and have more
vitality. It’s like a breath of fresh air. Nancy,
510/834-6120.
House Cleaning by Idelvan
and Denise
Home or office. Reasonable rates. Call
510/734-0717, or 510/253-5309 for a free
estimate.
Are You Struggling with
Anxiety?
Have you suffered from a panic attack? I
understand how difficult it can be. I am a
psychologist on College Avenue. Call me at
510/473-5083. Visit www.drellisedmunds.
com, email drellisedmunds@gmail.com.
House Repairs & Rehabs,
Interior & Exterior
Kitchen & bath remodel, tile, decks, dry rot,
drainage, walls, termite damage, doors, win-
dows. Professional work for affordable prices.
Local References Available. Lic#458473. Don
510/812-0310.
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.
April issue deadline is March 17.
For information: smontauk@gmail.com
It’s Spring at
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Refresh, rejuvenate, renew and enrich with
an Express facial for only $49! www.penelo-
pecalef.com. Please call for an appointment,
510/594-1552.
On Call Notary Public,
Melissa Parker
Commission 2009150. Call for immediate
service 415/706-7888 or email melissab-
parker@gmail.com
Caitlin Crawford
Your Rockridge Neighbor
and Home Specialist
Interior • Exterior
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call Cydney
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15.
March 5, 2016

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

DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. More info (other
events and discussion groups): 653-9965 or events@
dieselbookstore.com.
Wisteria Ways House Concert
Ya Elah: ensemble of vocalists, harp and percussion
perform Balkan and Middle Eastern style spiritual music
and original compositions. Sat, Mar 12, 8pm (house
opens 7:30). Sample tunes at http://magnatune.com/
artists/albums/yaelah-each?song=1. Inside venue; not
wheelchair accessible. $15-20 donation for musicians
(cash only at the door). 383 61st Street. For reservations
(highly recommended), RSVP to info@WisteriaWays.
org or 655-2771.
Jazz at the Chimes
CD release event with vocalist Mary D’Orazi and pianist/
composer Marcos Silva, performing songs on their recent
recording “To Brasil and Bacharach: A Tribute”, joined
by electric bassist Scott Thompson, drummers Phil
Thompson and Greg German and saxophonist Zack
Pitt-Smith. Sunday, Mar 20, 2 pm. Tickets at the door
(cash only) beginning 12:30pm (doors open 1:30): $15
general; $10 srs. (60+) and students or in advance at www.
brownpapertickets.com/event/2493540. Refreshments
and reception follows to meet the performers. Info at
http://www.marydorazi.com. The concert series honors
the individual stories and unique artistry of Bay Area jazz
musicians in a landmarked Julia Morgan venue: Chapel
of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave. Wheelchair acces-
sible. Free parking. More info: www.jazzatthechimes.
com, chimesjazz@gmail.com or 654-0123.
North Oakland Senior Center
Programs include: Arts/crafts; health counseling;
dancing and exercise; trips, tours and theater outings;
Alzheimer’s caregivers support groups, computer
classes/more.

Community Calendar

Greater Rockridge Neighborhood
Crime Prevention Council (NCPC)
Discuss crime and public safety with reps of OPD. Meets
on the 2nd Thurs, in even-numbered months, 7:30pm:
Next mtg. Apr 14. Rockridge Library, 5366 College (at
Manila). Confirm info at: www.rockridgencpc.com or
chair@rockridgencpc.com.
District 1 Councilman Dan Kalb
Drop-in Community Office Hours at the Temescal
Farmers Market, 5300 Claremont Ave. (off Telegraph) at
DMV parking lot on the 3rd Sunday each month,10:30am-
12:30pm. For times and locations of other Office Hours
and more information from Dan Kalb: www.dankalb.
net/contactdan.
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
For all ages: Computer Tutors. Get help with basic
computer skills, email, and e-book & audio book
downloads. You can bring your own electronic devices.
Drop-ins welcomed every Saturday, 2 - 4pm.
FOR CHILDREN
drawing 15 minutes beforehand to determine who may
see the lawyer. (Advance sign-up starts 5 pm at adult
reference desk, must be present for lottery drawing
at 5:45. Call day of program to confirm: 597-5017.
y
y Lit Club: Pick up a copy of Rex Pickett’s novel
Sideways from the Library, then meet at the Barrel
Room (5330 College Ave.) to enjoy discussion and
a complimentary wine tasting. Learn more about
the rivalry between Pinots and Merlots and see if
you can taste the difference. Due to the size of the
venue, only the first 35 people to sign up in person
at the Rockridge Library will be able to participate.
Sat, Mar 12,1pm.
y
y Writers Support/Critique Group: All writers
welcome. Bring 15 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 Sat. each month (3/19), 1 to 5pm; wheelchair-
accessible. Sponsored by the Calif. Writers Club,
Berkeley branch. Info: 420-8775 or Writefox@aol.com.
LIBRARY HOURS
Tues, 12:30 to 8pm.
Wed, Thurs & Sat: 10am to 5:30pm.
Fri, 12 to 5:30pm.
Closed: Sun and Mon.
Friends of the Oakland Public
Library Spring Book Sale Fundraiser
Thursday 4/7 - Members’ Preview - 50% off
For all other book lovers:
Friday 4/8 -- 30% off
Saturday 4/9 -- 40% off
Sunday 4/10 -- 50% off
Special sale hours: 10:30am – 5:30pm.
The Bookmark Bookstore (open every day), 721 Wash-
ington St., 444.0473.
Info: bookmark_bookstore@yahoo.com; FOPL Mem-
bership & Board: info@fopl.org.
Diesel Book/Poetry and Events
FREE and open to the public.
y
y Family Story Time: Stories/songs/rhymes (to age
5); Saturdays, 10:30am.
y
y Pre-School Story Time: (ages 2 to 5); Thursdays,
10:30am.
y
y Toddler Story Time: (up to age 2); Thursdays,
10:30am, upstairs.
All story times followed by Play Time; parents and
caregivers invited.
SPECIAL EVENT:
y
y Eat Smart. Live Strong. FREE 4 sessions nutrition
class for seniors presented by UC cooperative Exten-
sion. Tuesdays, 3/8, 3/15, 3/22, 3/29 from 10:30am to
noon. Pre-register at 597-5085.
■
■Chabot Star Lab: Tues, Mar 22, 7pm. Come into the
dome of the Chabot Space & Science Center’s mobile
planetarium to hear stories about the stars. All ages
welcome. Details: Erica Siskind, 597-5017
CALLING ALL ‘TWEENS: 6:30 - 7:45pm. A monthly,
tween-directed writing, reading, crafts, and community
volunteer group. Each month we will plan the next 3
months of tween-choice activities. March 8 and April
12 Agenda: Pen Pals, Friendship Bracelets, and Cre-
ative Writing. Art supplies, snacks, and camaraderie
provided free to all participants ages 9 to 12 years.
FOR TEENS
y
y FREE AARP Income tax prep help. Call or walk
in for appointments. Thursdays, through April 14.
y
y AARP Refresher Driver Safety Class. Thurs, 3/31,
9:30am -2pm. $20. (AARP members $15).
y
y AARP Original Safe Driver Class for first – timers. 4/5
and 4/7, 9:30am -1:30pm. $20 (AARP members $15).
Receive DMV certificate for safe driver insurance
discounts.
Annual $12 membership entitles seniors 55 + to discounts
on activities and trips. Mon. – Fri., 9am to 4:30pm. 5714
Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Subscribe to “The North
Oakland Senior Times” for full schedule of classes/
events, lunch menus, and volunteer opportunities.
Info: 597- 5085.
Square Dance In North Oakland
Music by The Squirrelly String Band. Calling by Jordan
Ruyle. 1st Fridays each month, 8–10pm. All levels
welcome; all dances taught on the spot. $5-10 sliding
scale donation. The Niebyl-Proctor Marxist Library, 6501
Telegraph Ave. Info: squirrellystringband.com.
Temescal Farmers’ Market
Open Sundays, 9am to 1pm (all year). Locally grown
fruits and vegetables; fresh ranch eggs; home-made
bakery items; fresh cut flowers; unique prepared
foods, fresh locally caught fish, handcrafts and more.
Sample the goods; meet the grower. Live music. Bring
reusable bags. 5300 Claremont Ave. (off Telegraph)
at DMV parking lot.
y
y Tues, 3/8, 7pm. Local author Wes “Scoop” Nisker:
You Are Not Your Fault and Other Revelations: The
Collected Wit and Wisdom of Wes “Scoop” Nisker.
y
y Teen Advisory Board (ages 14-18): Meet with other
teens, plan and organize library activities, and get
community service credit for school. 1st Sat. each
month, 1 to 2pm.
y
y Thurs, 3/10, 7pm. Charlotte Shane: Prostitute Laundry.
y
y Fri, 3/18, 7pm. Melissa Broder: So Sad Today:
Personal Essays. Joined in conversation by
Katie Assef.
y
y Teen ‘Scape: Play video & board games; make crafts;
do homework. Snacks provided. Tues, Thurs, and
Fridays: 3:30 -5:00 pm and Wednesdays: 1:30 - 5:00 pm.
y
y Sun, 3/20, 3pm. Poetry Flash with Laurel Blossom
and Brian Komei Dempster.
y
y Thurs, 3/24, 7pm. Calif. Author Tracey Helton Mitchell:
The Big Fix: Hope After Heroin.
y
y Video Game Tournament & Pizza Day: Super
Mario Smash Tournament. Pizza will be served.
March 12, 12:30pm.
y
y Sun, 4/3, 3pm. Michael Reardon: instructional art
book Watercolor Technique: Painting Light and Color
in Landscapes and Cityscapes. A discussion and
demonstration of his painting techniques.
y
y Teen Tech Week: Make Galaxy Goo on Mar 16 at 2pm.
FOR ADULTS
y
y eBook Help: download eBooks to your Kindle, Nook,
smartphone, or laptop. Tuesdays (by appointment),
6 - 7:30pm. Make appt. at the library or online at
www.oaklandlibrary.org. Call 597-5017 for more info.
y
y Tues, 4/5, 7pm. Publication Party for Rachael Herron:
The Ones Who Matter Most.
y
y Wed, 4/6, 6:30pm. Escape from Reality- Freud’s Bar
(monthly talks given by local Bay Area psychoanalysts
aimed at students ages 16-25, while enjoying drinks
and snacks). Michael B. Donner, Ph.D. presents
Wrecked by Success.
y
y Lawyers in the Library: Free legal information and
referrals. 1st Tues each month, NOTE: New times
and procedures: 6 - to 8pm. We will use a lottery


March 5, 2016
16.

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