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VOL. 31     NO. 4      ISSUE NO. 332      April 2, 2016                   CIRCULATION: 5,800 Residences; 200 BusInesses
 ckridgeNews

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www.rockridge.org

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

RCPC’s April Town Hall: The Future of College Avenue Retail

Town Hall and
Annual Elections:
Thursday, April 21,
7 to 9 p.m. at CAPC*
What do you want College
Avenue to look like in
10 years?
Rockridge today is one of the
most successful of Oakland’s
many business districts, the
result of a vision, planning and
hard work by the community
over many years.
That work brought the
Avenue from its days of shuttered
retail buildings and vacant lots
left in the wake of BART and
Highway 24 construction to
today’s bustling success. Still,
today is only a waypoint on a
continuum of change. Growth
and time can undo a lot of work. A “store
closing” sign can be a reminder of darker
times but is not always a sign of a trend.
RCPC invites you to join your friends
and neighbors for an evening exploring the
concerns of College Avenue merchants,
Rockridge residents, and visiting shoppers.
A panel of five speakers will address
the problems, concerns, and current
/D. Kinkead
successes of the Avenue, then take a look
at what the future could hold. Note: The
meeting will be held at the *College
Avenue Presbyterian Church (CAPC),
5951 College Avenue at Harwood. The
discussion begins promptly at 7:30 p.m.
and finishes at 9.
RCPC Board Election
This meeting is also RCPC’s official
annual meeting when board candidates
seeking election or reelection introduce
themselves to the community and speak
briefly of their interest in joining the board.
Plan to arrive at 7 p.m. for board
candidate presentations and initial
balloting. Ballots may be cast before the
Town Hall convenes (7-7:30) and during
the meeting (7:30-9 p.m.)
See full election details and voting
eligibility at left, below.
City to Hold Open House for
Three Rockridge Projects
RCPC Board Election Procedures
At the RCPC Town Hall meeting Thursday, April 21,
Rockridge residents may vote for RCPC board candidates.
At least 25 residents must cast a ballot at the meeting to
establish a quorum. If the quorum is met, residents unable
to attend the Town Hall may vote Saturday, April
23, in the lobby of the Rockridge library, between 11 a.m.
and 2 p.m.
Voter Eligibility: Persons age 18 and over who live within RCPC
boundaries are eligible to vote. Verification will be by driver’s license
or DMV ID card showing an address within RCPC boundaries as
depicted on the RCPC website: rockridge.org.
by Victoria Eisen, project
consultant
The planned design of two
Caldecott Settlement
Agreement projects will be
presented by Oakland staff
and consultants at an open
house meeting set for Monday,
April 18, 7-8:30 p.m. at the
College Avenue Presbyterian
Church, 5951 College Avenue
at Harwood. Motivate, operator
of Bay Area Bike Share, will
also be at the meeting to discuss
upcoming plans for new bike
share stations throughout the
Rockridge district, as part of a
➧➧Projects: Open House, page 3


April 2, 2016
2.

RCPC Election 2016: Statements of
RCPC Board Candidates
ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
                  5366 College Avenue
                   at Manila | 597-5017
Library program details/hours: Calendar, page 15
Mary-Catherine
(M C) Haug
Kales Avenue
Candidate
Wh e n  I  m o v e d
from Berkeley to
Rockridge in 1976, it was still recovering
from the Big Build Through the Middle. My
end of College was quite a sleepy place.
Forty years and three children later, I feel
very lucky to still be here.
In my Rockridge life I have been
employed professionally as a city planner
and elementary school teacher. I retired
from my position as a special education
teacher with the Oakland USD several
years ago.
I have been continually involved in Kales
Avenue block activities and also currently
serve on the California Revels Board.
I appreciate the work that RCPC has
done to try to keep our district livable
and enjoyable. I would like to support that
effort with the perspective of a long-time
resident and Rockridge devotee.
Laura Schlichtmann
Clifton Street
Incumbent
I
have been a member
of RCPC’s board
since 2012. My service
includes participating
on the Land Use Committee, a couple
years as board Secretary, working on most
of RCPC’s community events (including
Out & About and the Hallowe’en parade),
and training and assigning docents for
the 2015 Rockridge Kitchen Tour. I help
with distribution of The Rockridge News,
and volunteered with the Scenic Streets
roadside planting and weed patrol projects
in the Claremont/Clifton/Hudson area.
I am a retired lawyer, have a Master’s
degree in urban planning, worked in
state government for 10 years, and have
experience in dispute resolution. I am
grateful for the contributions of board
members of earlier years and hope to
help continue that strong tradition over
the next two years.
Although I will be away at the time of
the April board election, I would appreciate
the opportunity to continue on the board
for one more term. Thank you.
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
To subscribe to The Rockridge News, send
your check for $20, payable to Rockridge News
Subscriptions, to: Rockridge News Subscriptions at
the address below.
Rekha Rao
Kales Avenue
Candidate
My name is Rekha
Rao, and I’m really
interested in being on the board of the
RCPC. I’ve lived in Rockridge for over two
years. I’m an attorney by training, but I
work in renewable energy policy now. I
have a passion for local politics and I believe
that organizations such as the RCPC have
the power to create positive change in
neighborhoods. I love living in Rockridge
and want to contribute to making the area
a better place to live.
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
Leonora Sea
Miles Avenue
Incumbent
I
was appointed to fill a
vacancy on the RCPC
Board last July, and have enjoyed the
experience so much that I’m now running
for a full term as a board member. Since
joining the board, I’ve done publicity for
the 2015 Rockridge Kitchen Tour, helped
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.
➧➧RCPC Election, page 14
$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 May issue is:
  May 7, 2016
  May deadline is April 21.
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.
April 2, 2016

trucks are restricted to major streets such
as Broadway and 51st Street, and are not
supposed to use smaller residential streets
such as Coronado, Desmond, and Clifton.
If you see a construction truck on one of
these smaller streets, note its license plate
number, or at least the name of the company
on the truck’s side, and what it’s carrying
(for example: cement truck; scaffolding;
construction materials) for a report to
construction company representatives.
Contact the following people designated
to receive and respond to problems:
— Note Changed Meeting Location —
The next Land Use Committee meeting is Wednesday,
April 27, 7:30 p.m., at 5626 Ocean View Drive,  just
up the block from College Avenue.
in retail use, but what kind of retail use do
we need? What kind will be able to hold
its own against big box and Internet retail
competition? Your thoughts on what you
would like to see in the space are solicited.
All serious suggestions will be passed on
to the building owner. E-mail landuse@
rockridge.org, or write to: RCPC Land Use
Committee, c/o 5626 Ocean View Drive,
Oakland, 94618.
Land Use Update
by Stuart Flashman, RCPC Land Use
Committee co-chair
■
■5418 College Avenue (Former
Site of Rockridge Home)
A sign of the times? (See this month’s
Town Hall program, page 1, “The Future
of Retail on College Avenue.”) Rockridge
Home is closing its doors, perhaps a victim
of the changing retail environment. The
owners of the space are now looking for a
new tenant. Could there be an expansion of
the Namaste Yoga studio from its space next
door? Perhaps another hair or nail salon?
Perhaps a real estate or professional office?
RCPC’s long-standing preference has
been to keep College Avenue storefronts
■
■Shops at the Ridge (Swinerton
Construction): Stuart Price, 415/793-
8598 (cell). (To see what this site looked
like in 1962, see  photo and remarks on
page 11.)
■
■Broadway/51st Street/
Pleasant Valley Avenue
Construction Update
With three construction projects
surrounding this intersection, some trucks
may at times stray onto residential streets
where they don’t belong. Construction
■
■Baxter on Broadway [AKA B51]:
Danielle Reyes, 831/277-8680
■
■Merrill Gardens (Peter Friis): 209/666-
7715.
Editor’s Note:
 An article discussing early planning of
these projects appeared in The Rockridge
News July 2015 issue and is available on the
RCPC website at bit.ly/1Pd3THH.
*A HAWK beacon (High-Intensity
Activated crossWalK beacon) is a traffic
control device used to stop road traffic
and allow pedestrians to cross safely.
It is officially known as a Pedestrian
Hybrid Beacon (PHB). [From: https://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HAWK_beacon.]
turn lane)
Projects: Open
House
■
■Adding bicycle lanes on both sides
of the street
■
■Installation of a pedestrian-actuated
“HAWK”* signal at Lawton Avenue
from page 1
■
■Improved, high-visibility crosswalks
at all intersections
larger East Bay expansion (to learn more visit
www.bayareabikeshare.com/expansion).
The purpose of the meeting is to let
neighboring residents and merchants know
what to expect from these projects and to
answer questions.
Also on the agenda is an update on
the status of the Caldecott Settlement
Agreement project list overall.
The projects to be discussed at the
meeting are:
1.  The Upper Broadway Road Diet
will make pedestrian crossing, bikeway, lane
configuration and related improvements to
Broadway between Broadway Terrace and
Ocean View Drive. The design that will be
presented at the meeting takes into account
traffic studies and comments received at two
previous community meetings. The project
is intended to improve safety in the corridor
for all roadway users and will include the
following components:
■
■Constructing bulb-outs at Taft
Avenue, Kales Avenue and Ada Street
■
■No changes to existing on-street
parking
2.  The Rockridge Safe Routes to
Transit (SR2T) project is meant to make
walking across streets near the BART station
safer and to provide bicyclists dedicated
space on College Avenue between Broadway
and Alcatraz Avenue. This project, too,
has been presented at previous community
meetings.
3.  Motivate representatives will
present the Bay Area Bike Share East Bay
expansion, which envisions several stations
to be installed throughout the Rockridge
district, including one at the BART station.
A separate meeting focused on proposed
locations will be scheduled in fall 2016.
For more information about the
Caldecott-funded projects, contact the
city’s Caldecott projects consultant, Victoria
Eisen, at victoria@eisenletunic.com or
510/525-0220. Contact Paolo Cosulich-
Schwartz at paolo@motivateco.com about
Bay Area Bike Share.
Claremont
Avenue Delivery
Route Open
If you live near the route listed below,
we would love to welcome you as a new
Block Captain to replace Tom Sweetser.
(Thanks, Tom.) The job requires about
15-20 minutes each month (excluding
August when the newsletter is not
published) and a desire to get a little
exercise. Call 510/547-3855 or email Susan
at smontauk@gmail.com to sign up.
■
■Resurfacing the roadway
■
■Reducing the number of traffic lanes
from 4 to 3, sometimes referred to
as a “road diet” (one lane in each
direction, with a two-way center
Odd numbers along
the 6000 block of
Claremont Avenue
Route
21G


April 2, 2016
4.

FROG, DNA Join for Earth Day Play
by Leonora Sea, RCPC boardmember;
FROG liaison for RCPC; DNA chair
It’s time to get ready for spring and summer
at our local open space gem, the Rockridge
Temescal Greenbelt and FROG Park. Come
out for a community work day on Earth Day,
Saturday, April 23, 9 a.m. - noon, (8:45 sign-in),
sponsored by FROG and the DMV Neighbors
Association (DNA).
We will be doing a number of maintenance
tasks around the park. Many jobs are kid-
friendly and families are welcome (but
we do not provide childcare). The DNA is
coordinating clearing the creek bed, raking,
weeding, pruning, and collecting trash along
the greenbelt between Cavour and Little Frog,
to get ready for the creek to flow again. Tasks
at Big Frog are to remove trash; rake and turn
fibar (the bark-like cushioning material under
the play structures); clean sand; sweep; and care
for plants in the butterfly garden and along the
path. The pond will be cleared of debris and
redwood duff in preparation for the creek pump
to be turned on.
Each year, we do this to maintain the beauty
and safety of the park for our children and
community members to enjoy. This is your
chance to make a difference in keeping the
park and greenbelt clean and fun for everyone.
There will be tasks for all ages, and if you’d like
to come but won’t be able to wield a broom or
shovel, we can always use help at the sign-in
tables – a wonderful way to meet neighbors.
School and other groups are very welcome,
and we will confirm hours of service for those
who need it.
While the FROG Committee and DNA
members are the visible faces of our Earth Day
cleanup volunteer event, we couldn’t make it
happen so readily without the behind-the-scenes
hard work of the Oakland Environmental
Services and gardening staff. They print posters,
host the city’s Earth Day website, organize
the tool pickup (many of the gardening and
maintenance tools are provided by the city),
and drop by the park many times during Earth
Day to make sure that everything is going
smoothly and we have the help we need. When
you volunteer on Earth Day, you’re giving
them a shout-out and thank you, and they truly
deserve it.
We are looking forward to a fun and
successful Earth Day.
Scenic Streets
Needs Volunteers
to Remove Weeds
The weeds along the Highway 24 on- and
off-ramps and Claremont Avenue street
trees are tall and obscuring the beautiful
flowers and plants. Help us keep these areas
looking neat and attractive. You can help:
Come pull weeds and prune an hour or
two, on your own schedule or with others.
Contact Lee Patterson 510/923-1084 or
Judy Weiss (judy_b_weiss@yahoo.com)
for information.
Rockridge
Optometry
Beginning at 8:45 a.m., sign in
with the DMV Neighbors Association at
Redondo and Cavour for the greenbelt
creek and with FROG at Hardy Park for
the park cleanup. Tools will be provided,
or bring your own, if you prefer. (Please
mark them well as yours.) Snacks and
morning coffee will be available
courtesy of our neighborhood merchants.
Your neighborhood 
family eyecare providers
since 1947
Dr. Donald Sarver
Dr. Larry Sarver
Dr. Scott Yokoi
Dr. Cindy Sakai
5321 College Avenue, Oakland
510-655-3797
www.rockridgeoptometry.com

Join Oakland Cyclists — Teachers, Parents, Students, Volunteers — in a Ride
to Improve School Funding: May 8. http://rideforareason.dojiggy.com. Contact
ride organizer Paul Vetter (pavetter@comcast.net) for further information.

Each office is independently owned and operated.
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5.
April 2, 2016

Finding the Seneca Center
See the map below for location details.
The stub road closest to the site marker
is the Seneca Center’s driveway, which it
shares with an EBMUD yard. Bear right as
you drive up to get to the Seneca Center’s
parking area, which holds about 40 vehicles.
Please note: If you have mobility issues,
come early enough to park in the lot. The
building is fully accessible only if you park in
the lot; overflow parking on Chabot Road
means climbing a long, steep stairway.
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: the Seneca Center multipurpose room, 6925 Chabot
Road, across from Golden Gate Avenue. 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 April Meeting: Calling 911; OPD Guest Speakers
What happens when you call 911? Do
cell phones work for 911 calls? What
does 911 need to know when you call?
Learn the answers to these questions
and more. Join NCPC members and guest
speakers from the OPD Communications
Unit: Police Services Manager Regina Harris
and Communications Dispatcher Eugenia
Oliver. They will describe the workings of
the Communications Unit, sometimes called
Dispatch, and how they handle calls. They
will also answer audience questions.

Caitlin Crawford
Your Rockridge Neighbor
and Home Specialist

Also on this meeting’s agenda are
the usual priorities and police reports and
attendant discussions.
The NCPC Treasurer: NCPC Treasurer
Molly Singer spends her last meeting with us
in April. We’re still looking for a volunteer
to take on the Treasurer’s role; email chair@
rockridgencpc.com if you are interested, or
know someone who may be.
— Karen Ivy, Secretary, Greater Rockridge
NCPC (secretary@rockridgencpc.com)

Seneca Center:
Chabot Road and
Golden Gate Avenue

Working for a safe Rockridge. Left to right: Sgt.Tim Martin, Sgt. Sean Hall,
Community Resource Officer (CRO) Anthony Hutzol and Officer Paul
Phillips all showed up for a “Coffee with the Cops” session held March 23 at the
Rockridge Library. Look for Hall and Phillips as they patrol through Rockridge
on OPD bike patrols. They will be joined in May by a walking beat officer who
will patrol College Avenue full time. Similar assignments will be made in other
Oakland business districts as well. “Coffee with a Cop” meetings were initiated
by the Rockridge District Association and OPD.                                  /Don Kinkead

ccrawford@grubbco.com
510.339.0400/287
Direct: 510.289.7218
Cal BrE liC. # 01951131


April 2, 2016
6.

Eyes on Rockridge
garden, up several more sets of steps, that
rises to a view of the Bay. “I think the steps
keep me healthy,” she says.
“I’ve always been active,” Marian
explains. “I grew up as a dancer and an
acrobat.” A tennis player since high school,
she remembers her tennis coach taking them
to see the legendary Don Budge play. “He
wore white flannels,” she recalls.
Retired from her secretarial posts,
Marian joined CCRC in 1994, shortly after
the death of her husband Bob, a World War
II bomber pilot. “I think I was down there (at
the club) pretty fast. It’s mainly tennis and
that’s what I wanted,” she says of Chabot,
which has six courts and a small clubhouse
with a kitchen and locker rooms.
Initially, “there were six ladies – none
but me still play.” Only one is still living,
she added. “I love Chabot. I’ve met the nicest
people. That’s my salvation.”
“She does love to play,” says Brad
Bradshaw, 81, a Rockridge resident who
is in two of her three weekly games. “One
thing that Marian is really good at is low
short shots, especially if you’re lollygagging
around in the back of the court.”
Marian identifies her backhand as her
best shot and says, “I run but nobody else
does.” “She can and does,” Brad agrees.
“She’s pretty spry.” Then he confides that
“sometimes she makes the mistake of
gardening” the day before their game, which
may leave her at less than full strength.
“I have warned her about the dangers of
gardening,” he jokes.
Marian also plays with Mary Lou
Chapman, whom I interviewed in the living
Tennis Anyone? A Pair of
90-Somethings Prove Tennis Is
a Life-Long Game
by Judith Doner Berne
I
am a lifelong tennis player whose idols
once were Chrissy and Martina and, more
recently, are now Venus and Serena.
But since moving to Rockridge from the
suburbs of Detroit nearly five years ago, my
new tennis heroines are Marian and Mary
Lou, who, well into their 90s, are still playing
doubles.
I met them briefly when I was a newbie
at Chabot Canyon Racquet Club (CCRC), the
tennis facility on Chabot Road, a block and
a half past Chabot Elementary in Rockridge.
Now, when I play, I often see them mid-
morning on an adjacent court, absorbed in
their games and not seeming to care whether
it is cloudy or sunny or 47 or 77 degrees
outside.
“Tennis is invigorating,” Marian Walton
tells me as I sit at her kitchen table after
following the 93-year-old up the 30 steps to
the Mediterranean-style house on Harbord
Drive where she has lived for 53 years. Unlike
me, this mother of two, grandmother of four
and great-grandmother of three didn’t use the
handrail. She does all her own housework
and takes meticulous care of her three-tiered
/Judith Doner Berne

Marian Walton (left) and Mary Lou
Chapman, still playing tennis well into
their 90s, are the pride of Rockridge’s
Chabot Canyon Racquet Club.
➧➧Tennis, Anyone?, page 7
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7.
April 2, 2016

Cross Donut Dolly has been documented in
the book “Extraordinary Lives,” published
by American Express, and through her talks
at local schools.
As a Donut Dolly, her job was to bring a
touch of home to servicemen at their bases
and airfields in England and then on the
Continent by driving up in huge vehicles
known as “Clubmobiles” and serving hot
doughnuts and coffee. Think our modern
day food trucks.
She recalls being taught to drive a
Clubmobile at a facility near the Wimbledon
Tennis Stadium. She asked: “Can we go
past the Wimbledon Tennis Club?” There
she saw that a bomb had made a giant hole
in the grandstands. “Years later, I attended
Wimbledon and they had fixed the hole.”
Indeed, she and her late husband, Max, a
physician whom she met when she returned
from the war to work for the Red Cross in
California, traveled widely. She has been to
all four tennis majors, ranking Wimbledon
as her favorite.
Mary Lou readily admits that she doesn’t
get to the ball the way she once did. “I have
a good backhand if I have time to unwind
it.” Rockridge resident Norma Wynn, who
plays regularly with Marian and has been
on the court with Mary Lou, agrees. “She
has a great swing. That’s how she survives.”
“Mary Lou still has the enthusiasm and
love of the game of tennis that she had when
I first started playing with her about forty
years ago,” says club member Gail Unno.
“Even though her mobility is not the same,
she can still hit winners from anywhere in
the court with her deft spins and down the
line groundstrokes, and she gets such a kick
out of hitting those winning shots.”
“It’s a true inspiration to see players
enjoying the game at that level at their age,”
CCRC manager and director of tennis Steve
Squire says of Marian and Mary Lou. “ I
joke with my students saying, ‘Well, that’s
something you need to work on, but just so
you know, you have another 30 or 40 years
to master that shot.’”
And as Mary Lou quips: “You get to be
old enough, you get to be a legend.”
a member-owned facility today if players
hadn’t fought against both greed and natural
disaster. First, the then owners wanted it to
be a for-profit enterprise and later to raze it
to build condominiums. Then came the 1991
Oakland Hills Firestorm.
“The infamous Oakland Hills Fire razed
the club buildings, toppled one light tower
and melted the nettings, a sorry sight,” Mary
Lou wrote. “However there were players on
some of the less damaged courts the next
day.”
Her own tennis history began when she
was a 12-year-old in upstate New York. Her
town was so tiny, she says, that “I had to
bicycle to the next town to play. When I was in
school, I played every sport there was – from
baseball to skiing.” Now, besides tennis, she
plays golf (as well as bridge) and regularly
drives the steep hills that lead to her house.
Mary Lou’s stint as a World War II Red
Tennis, Anyone?
from page 6
room of her Berkeley Hills home where
flowers and candy, given by friends and
family to celebrate her 97th birthday, were
still in evidence. She too lives 30 stairs up
from the street.
Mary Lou doesn’t discount that climbing
the steps regularly could contribute to her
longevity, but also jokingly cites her love
for chocolate. “My mother,” she adds, “just
missed being 100.”
Although she was recovering from when
a rusted fence post fell and gashed her
leg several days earlier, she energetically
rounded up photos and a short history of
the Rockridge club that she wrote in 2010.
I learned that CCRC opened in 1976 (see
box, below) but probably wouldn’t exist as
The Chabot Canyon Racquet Club
■
■What: A member-owned tennis club
featuring six tennis courts and a clubhouse.
■
■How: The club is owned by its current
96 equity members and further financed
by 130 non equity members. There is a
waiting list – currently at 15 – to join at
the non equity level. In addition, College
Preparatory High School has held 10
equity memberships since 1990 and uses
the courts for its matches. Thirty-two
club members are on inactive status due
to travel or illness.
■
■Where: 7040 Chabot Road in Rock-
ridge.
■
■When: First opened as a for-profit
enterprise in 1976, became a non-profit
in 1989.
■
■Why: “You can discover more about a
person in an hour of play than in a year
of conversation.” (This quote is often
attributed to Plato, but many argue against
his authorship. Nonetheless, it appears as a
raison d’etre in a history of the tennis club
written by Mary Lou Chapman.)
■
■For more information: Call Club Man-
ager and Director of Tennis Steve Squire
at 510/652-6060 (six-love, six love!), or go
to www.chabotcanyon.org.
Email judyberne@att.net to comment on this
column or to suggest ideas for future stories about
your Rockridge neighbors and neighborhood.


April 2, 2016
8.

Lower Rockridge Parents Group
Hosts 15th Annual Yard & Bake Sale
Community Event Helps
Support Two Schools at Once
thrift shops and The Salvation Army.
We accept children’s toys and games,
children’s books, adult books, household
items,sporting goods, bikes, trikes, scooters,
strollers, baby items, furniture and more.
For more information about the sale, how
and where to make donations, or to volunteer,
contact LRPGYardSale@gmail.com.
rite of spring – the Annual Community Yard
& Bake Sale Benefit. The event is now a
long-time great opportunity for friends and
neighbors to do some spring cleaning,
shop for great stuff, meet new friends,
catch up with old friends, and/or have
a coffee and brownie in one of Peralta’s
many gardens.
This Yard Sale is one of the East Bay’s
largest and, over the years, has raised
over $58,500 to help support Peralta
and Claremont schools. Proceeds help
support music, art, science and physical
education. Collaboration among the
schools’ communities, neighbors and
businesses has helped buoy Peralta and
Claremont during difficult financial times.
Donations will be accepted through
Saturday, April 23. Items not sold are
donated to local charities such as Clausen
House, Elizabeth House, Bananas, hospital
by Chris Moraes, LRPG
The Lower Rockridge Parents Group
(LRPG) holds its 15th Annual
Community Yard & Bake Sale Saturday,
April 30, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the Peralta
School playground (enter on Alcatraz Avenue
between Telegraph Avenue and Dana Street).
Your participation nets a double bonus: Sale
proceeds benefit Peralta Elementary and
Claremont Middle Schools.
LRPG was founded in 2001 by three
neighborhood moms who had two specific
goals in mind: To build community support
for Peralta, their neighborhood elementary
public school; and to increase the general
level of community within the Lower
Rockridge neighborhood.
This LRPG event has become a yearly
Treasures for sale at a LRPG Yard & Bake
Sale event.              /Courtesy of event organizers
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9.
April 2, 2016

A New Way to
Look at the
Newberys
Rockridge News includes a monthly listing
of Rockridge Branch library events in the
Community Calendar on page 15.
To learn how you can help the
Friends of the Rockridge Library support
our neighborhood branch, visit www.
RockridgeFriends.org.
Ed. Note: the Rockridge Library will be
closed for interior renovations this spring.
The announcement, dates, and details will
soon be posted to www.OaklandLibrary.org.
room. Three cheers to Erica Siskind
(Rockridge Children’s librarian), Nina
Lindsay (Children’s Services Coordinator,
Oakland Main Library), and the teen library
volunteers who made popcorn for a full
hour to feed the hungry masses. Their super
powers made the event a rousing success.
This year, two of the films were the
brainchild of a 12-year old director who
enjoyed two impressive distinctions: First,
he was the first Oaklander to submit a
film to the festival; second, he co-hosted
the event. He joined James Kennedy, the
creator, author, and host who is passionate
about stoking creativity in young people
and sharing their creations in fun, free
events. Learn more about the event and
see a selection of the films at www.
jameskennedy.com.
Library events aren’t just for kids. The
Rockridge Library hosts loads of fun and
enriching programs for adults, children, and
teens every week. An events calendar for
all branches of the Oakland Public Library
is posted on www.OaklandLibrary.org. The
by Sarah Washburn, Friends of the
Rockridge Library board member
Lights! Camera! Action! The 90-Second
Newbery Film Festival, where kids
craft short films to showcase their creative
take on Newbery Medal books, came to
the Rockridge Library for the third year
in a row. This fun and funky film festival
travels around the U.S. making stops at
public libraries, theaters, and community-
based organizations.
This February, the Friends of the
Rockridge Library helped bring the festival
to Rockridge and made sure there was
enough popcorn to go around. Sixteen of
the best youth-made films of the year were
screened to a packed room of 100 teens,
kids, and adults in the library’s community
Creative play in the library’s upstairs
community room during  the Newbury
Film Festival.             /Festival Organizers

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Thinking of a 2nd unit? Contact FMSProjects
to see how to best achieve this in 2016!
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April 2, 2016
10.

Library Manager: “Dedicated Staff,
Supportive Community”

by Don Kinkead
A
15-year veteran of the Oakland Public
Library system, Paul Schiesser has
worked “all over the city,” including
Oakland Main and the Elmhurst, Eastmont
and Montclair branches. He can add the
Rockridge Branch to that list of postings
since his appointment as Branch Manager
last July.
Contacted by The Rockridge News for
his thoughts on working at the Rockridge
Branch Library, Schiesser said he found
staff to be “dedicated, very dedicated.
They go out of their way to provide service
and to be accessible to library patrons.”
Schiesser himself seems to personify that
ethic as well. At a recent visit, he was seen
helping a wheelchair-using patron work
through the sign-on process for one of the
public computers in the library’s check-out
desk area. Finishing there, he turned to talk
patiently with a staffer who had approached
him with a procedural question.
Schiesser also finds strong community
enthusiasm for the library, from the day-
to-day patron population and from the
Friends of the Rockridge Library (FORL),
the support group formed after the branch’s
construction that is dedicated to “funding
materials and programs for the Rockridge
branch not covered by the city of Oakland’s
budget.” FORL’s goal is to provide funding
for programs, circulated materials, and
➧➧Library Manager, page 14
Letter to the Editor
Street Trees in Peril
Editor:
“I’m glad I’m here,” says Rockridge
Branch Library Manager Paul Schiesser
who came to the position last July.
Although the final dates are still being
resolved, Schiesser is pleased that an
array of maintenance projects to be
paid for by Measure L funding will soon
be underway.                            /D. Kinkead
I know that this winter we have been blessed with long
overdue rain to help us past a four year drought. But there
are three trees at the BART station on College that have
not been so fortunate. For the past two months, I have
been trying to get the city to take a look at the fact that
three mature trees have asphalt that had been laid right
up against their trunks. During a rain, they do not get any
benefit. All similar trees on College have a dirt border
around them…. not these!
For so many reasons, these beautiful trees deserve
better. At this writing [March 16], the city has finally
responded to me and said they would send someone out
to take a look. I hope
➧➧Street Trees in Peril, page 13
YOGA + WELLNESS
NAMASTE
/D. Kinkead
March Madness!

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

3/4/2016

3 1.5
5868 Ocean View Dr.
$1,395,000
$1,395,000 17
$1,710,000

YOGA CLASSES,
WORKSHOPS+MASSAGE
Pre- and Post-natal

3/8/2016
  3
2
5856 Ocean View Dr.
$1,095,000
$1,095,000 12
$1,330,000

3/14/2016    4     3     5401 Belgrave Pl.
$1,150,000
$1,150,000 14
$1,409,500

3/23/2016   3    2.5   6501 Chabot Rd.
$1,295,000
$1,295,000 13
$1,800,000

3/25/2016   3    2      470 61st St.
$899,000
$899,000
16
$925,000

3/26/2016   3    1.5   5671 Ocean View Dr.
$1,100,000
$1,100,000 14
$1,421,000

Homes sold in March closed 19% over the asking price on average.

BERKELEY | GRAND LAKE | ROCKRIDGE
W W W. I L O V E N A M A S T E . C O M


11.
April 2, 2016

Time Capsule: The Bilger Quarry, 1962
Today: The Rockridge Shopping Center/Shops at the Ridge

Photo provided to
The Rockridge News
by Susan Strahan of
College Avenue’s
Strahan Insurance
Services. She had
been given it, along
with a copy of a
site analysis of the
property’s suitabilty
for development, by a
business acquaintance
who was cleaning out
old files.
Claremont
Country Club
California College
of the Arts
Broadway
The Bilger
Quarry
Pleasant Valley Avenue
Chapel of Memories
Columbarium
Bilger Quarry. The Oakland Paving Company mined a
body of traprock (mapped as Franciscan quartz diorite, a
near-basalt), crushed it, and shipped it out via a rail spur
that crossed Broadway at 42nd Street and curved toward
the former depot at 41st and Shafter streets (you can see
the trace in Google Maps).
— From the blog “Oakland Geology, focused on, near and
under Oakland, California,” written by Andrew Aiden,
geology@andrew-alden.com. Used by permission of
the blogger.
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April 2, 2016
12.

Rockridge Masons Host 7th Annual Pancake Breakfast to
Benefit Claremont Middle School Programs and Activities

The gathering also featured a
raffle drawing with some impressive
prizes in the mix. Local real estate
broker Ron Kriss of Lawton
Associates donated an iPad Mini
for the raffle, and District 1 City
Councilman Dan Kalb gave a pair
of box seat tickets to an Oakland
A’s game.
These top prizes generated
considerable interest as Claremont
students circulated among the crowd
selling raffle tickets and the school
jazz band played multiple sets
throughout the morning under the
direction of Claremont’s dedicated
music teacher, Mr. Ted Allen.
Proceeds from
the raffle and breakfast
ticket sales gave a welcome
boost to the Claremont PTA’s
2015-16 annual fund, which
supports a broad range of
educational initiatives at
our neighborhood public
middle school. Programs
and activities supported by
the PTA include a high-
quality digital design lab,
outdoor education field
trips, after-school sports,
and one of the best library
programs of any middle
school in Oakland.
This event would not
have been possible without the efforts of
so many who volunteered their time and
energy to make it happen. Special thanks
go to Ed Stevenson and all of the Oakland-
Durant-Rockridge Masonic Lodge members
who hosted the event and cooked the meal,
and to Chris Jackson and the RDA for the
ongoing support they provide to Claremont
Middle School.
Claremont Middle School is opposite the
Rockridge BART station on College Avenue
between Miles Avenue and Birch Court. The
school has been educating Oakland youth at
this location since 1913, and currently serves
more than 400 students in grades 6, 7 and 8.
More information about Claremont Middle
School is available at www.claremontms.org
Members of the Oakland-Durant-Rockridge
Masonic Lodge dishing up food at the Seventh
Annual Claremont Middle School Pancake
Breakfast on February 27.           Photos/Kenton Lee
by Morris Dye
On a Saturday in late February, the
Rockridge Masonic Lodge on College
Avenue hosted its Seventh Annual Pancake
Breakfast in support of educational programs
and enrichment activities at Claremont
Middle School. This year’s breakfast raised
nearly $5,600 for the Claremont PTA,
including a generous $500 donation from
the merchants of the Rockridge District
Association (RDA). The RDA co-sponsors
the event annually in collaboration with the
Claremont Dads Club.
As in years past, the Masons graciously
opened their historic College Avenue lodge
to the community and dished up hearty
portions of pancakes, eggs, bacon and
sausage. This family-friendly event serves
as an important community-builder for our
neighborhood, as people from the school,
residential and business communities come
together every year for a convivial morning
meal in support of local youth.
The Claremont Middle School Jazz Band played
multiple sets during the breakfast under the
direction of Claremont Middle School music teacher
Ted Allen.
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License # 01402540


13.
April 2, 2016

Emerson Elementary Auction, April 16
Emerson Elementary hosts its 4th Annual
Auction on April 16, 6-9 p.m., at the
Birdland Jazz Club, 4318 Martin Luther
King Jr. Way.
Come support one of your neighborhood
schools and enjoy a fun evening: bid; eat;
drink; dance! Also, the Oakland Tech Jazz
Band will perform live.
Items to bid on include tickets to
Disneyland, autographed Warriors gear, A’s
tickets, restaurant gift certificates, locally
made jewelry and goods, wine tasting and

baking classes and more.
We are still seeking donations. If you
have something (a product or service) that
you can donate, please contact Emily George
(emilyrgeorge@gmail.com).
Tickets for the Auction are $20 at the door;
$15 presale, at www.charityauctionorganizer.
com/emerson/auction.
Emerson extends a huge shout-out to
our Auction sponsor, Ron Kriss of Lawton
Associates, for his continued support:
Thanks, Ron!
Save The Date: Peralta In Bloom: Saturday, May 14, Noon to 4
p.m. An annual spring festival for the entire local community. Live music, great
food, arts and crafts projects, games and prizes, and the exciting emcee’d cakewalk
featuring beautiful cakes donated and designed by parents. Peralta Elementary
schoolyard, 460 63rd Street. More info: 654-7365.
AND...
Street Trees in
Peril (Letter)
from page 10
by the time you read this, they will have
opened up the ground around these trees
and the next time it rains, they will get the
water they need and deserve.
— Camille Reed
Editor’s Note: Ms. Reed demonstrates
perfectly the power of persistence. She
first wrote to The Rockridge News of her
concerns for the trees late in December, 2015.
She had contacted the city but heard nothing.
Taking the suggestion of the editor, she made
a direct call to the City Arborist’s office, but
was told the trees were on BART’s property
and were therefore BART’s responsibility.
When she contacted BART, she was told the
trees were the responsibiltiy of the city. An
Oakland City Arborist ultimately visited the
trees, reporting later that they were, indeed,
offficial city trees, and that the wells, while
tight, did not keep water from the tree roots.
However, the arborist, who had worked
with BART when BART constructed a
planter box around the base of one of the trees
during construction of the BART Plaza, noted
that bark placed then at the base of the tree
had shifted and was now too close to the tree,
adding: “The planter box and the material
are the responsibility of BART, not the city.”
Ms. Reed has forwarded that information
to BART’s arborist.


April 2, 2016
14.

Library Manager
RCPC Election
from page 10
from page 2
improvements to facilities, among other
things, according to the group’s website.
A recent FORL-funded program
coincides with staffing additions planned
to provide fuller service to adults. “General
library priorities have emphasized early
literacy,” Schiesser explained, “but are
starting to expand to include Lifelong
Learning programs and support.” To that
end, and with FORL financial support,
the Rockridge Branch has added an Adult
Librarian position, filled by Emily Weak.
The goal is to provide one adult
program per month, expanding over time as
suggestions for programs are incorporated.
Initially, these educational offerings will
include author talks and book themes. The
March program, for example, was a Lit
Club offering inviting people to check out
and read a copy of the novel “Sideways,”
then meet at the Barrel Club on College
Avenue for a discussion of the book and
complimentary wine tasting.
“The early literacy and children’s
programs are not going to change,”
Schiesser stressed, pointing out that the
branch continues to offer after-school
programming for Claremont Middle School
students as well as the various other teen
and family-oriented offerings already
available.
Another item on the Branch Manager’s
to-do list is to celebrate the 20th anniversary
of the branch’s construction, likely to be
held in September. First, though, three
months of interior repairs and remodeling
financed by Measure L funds – painting,
new carpeting, and electrical repairs –  are
waiting to be taken care of when the work
can be scheduled, work that will close the
library building to the public. To Schiesser’s
dismay, “There is no timeline yet.”
Asked to sum up his feelings about
working in the Rockridge Branch, he says:
“I’m glad I’m here.”
with the Halloween Parade, attended and
spoken at Design Review and Oakland
City Council meetings on land use issues,
especially the Nautilus project; secondary
units; and parking. I’m currently the board
member responsible for the Community
Grants program, and the RCPC liaison to
the FROG committee.
I’m the fourth generation owner of
my family house in Rockridge. I love the
neighborhood that I remember from when
I was growing up, and the neighborhood
here and now. My goal as a member of
the RCPC Board is to help Rockridge
continue to be the lively and welcoming
place it’s always been for both long-term
and new residents.
Your Message Could Be Here
Your 36-word message is $22. (Phone number
counts as one word.) Mail to: RN Classifieds,
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May issue deadline is April 21.
For information: smontauk@gmail.com
Penelope’s Latest Deal!
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Experience an essential back and arm treat-
ment to renew, exfoliate, nourish and hydrate
dry itchy skin. On special for a limited time.
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House Repairs & Rehabs,
Interior & Exterior
Kitchen & bath remodel, tile, decks, dry
rot, drainage, walls, termite damage, doors,
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Need Help Navigating the
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Resident. Call 510/981-9799, david@
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Mindfulness in Rockridge
8-week class in mindfulness-based stress
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stress reduction at work.com. 415/767-5252.
Near Rockridge BART.
Strategic Organizing in
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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.
Gardener
Over 15 years of service to the Rockridge
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Reasonable rates and excellent references.
Please call Chris. 655-0157.
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Lynn, Lgsendme@sbcglobal.net.
Ed. Note: Since this interview, library
staff has announced that the Rockridge
Branch will be closed for renovations
for three months starting in mid-April.
Get updates at www.oaklandlibrary.org.
Hoping? Find it in Rockridge!


15.
April 2, 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

aimed at students ages 16-25, while enjoying drinks
and snacks). Michael B. Donner, Ph.D., presents
Wrecked by Success.
y
y Sun, 4/10, 3pm. Nancy Finley: How Two Baseball
Outsiders Turned the Oakland A’s Into a Dynasty and
Changed the Game Forever.

Community Calendar

y
y Sun, 4/17, 3pm. Alana Apfel: Birth Work as Care
Work: Stories from Activist Birth Communities.
Joined in conversation by Bay Area doula, Jewel
Buchanan-Boone, and local birth activist, Ariel Gore.
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. Note new meeting location:
Seneca Center, 6925 Chabot Road (multi-purpose room).
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 from Dan Kalb: www.dankalb.net/contactdan.
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
The Rockridge Branch Library closes for renovations
in mid-April. During the time we are closed, all our
staff will be working at other branches, and we
hope to see you there. See below for events in early
April. Stop by and check out AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
CARRY (up to 40 items per card), as we will extend
due-dates for items checked out in April, to make it
easier for patrons(you) and our staff. Call 597-5017
after the 1st week in April for up-dated information
about closed dates and events at other branches.
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
check the library’s website (www.oaklandlibrary.org)
for events at nearby branches. Some will occur the
week before or after Saturday, Apr 30. More info on
children’s programs: Erica Siskind, 597-5017
FOR TEENS
y
y Tues, 4/19, 7pm. New York Times economics columnist,
Robert H. Frank: Success and Luck: Good Fortune
and the Myth of Meritocracy.
y
y Teen ‘Scape: Play video & board games; make crafts;
do homework. Snacks provided. Tues, Thurs, and
Fridays: 3:30 -5 pm and Wednesdays: 1:30 - 5 pm.
FOR ADULTS
y
y Fri, 4/22, 7pm. Celebrate the power of the small press
with Scott Esposito, Janice Lee, and Kit Schluter:
readings from their new and forthcoming works.
y
y eBook Help: Tuesdays by appointment, 6 - 7:30pm.
Get help downloading eBooks to your Kindle, Nook,
smartphone, or laptop. Make an appointment online
at www.oaklandlibrary.org or in person at any library
location.
y
y Sun, 4/24 ,3pm. Esmé Weijun Wang and Ranbir
Singh Sidhu discuss and compare their two debut
novels: The Border of Paradise and Deep Singh Blue.
DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. More info (other
events and discussion groups): 653-9965 or events@
dieselbookstore.com.
28th Annual Children’s Support
League (CSL) Heart of the Home Tour
Five beautiful homes, including three in upper Rockridge,
will be on the self-guided tour. Fri and Sat, April 29 &
30,10am – 4pm. VIP ticket holders go to an exclusive
kick-off party Thurs evening at a Piedmont estate and
also visit a sixth home on Fri morning. Buy raffle tickets
for a chance at over 100 prizes, including a Grand Prize
weekend at a Sonoma cottage with dinner, spa, wine
tasting, and more.
The Piedmont Community Center provides gourmet lunch
trucks and shopping at the CSL Pop-Up Boutique. All
proceeds benefit at-risk children in Alameda and
Contra Costa Counties. Get more info and tickets at
www.childrenssupportleague.org.
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.
y
y Lawyers in the Library: Tues, 4/5, 6pm-8pm. Free
legal information and referral. A lottery system
determines who may see the lawyer. Sign-up opens
at 5pm; must be present for lottery drawing at 5:45.
Call day of program to confirm: 597-5017.
y
y Writers Support/Critique Group: All writers wel-
come. 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 (4/16), 1 to 5pm; wheelchair-accessible.
Sponsored by the Calif. Writers Club, Berkeley branch.
Info: 420-8775 or Writefox@aol.com. Call to confirm.
LIBRARY HOURS
Tues, 12:30 to 8pm. Wed, Thurs & Sat: 10am to 5:30pm.
Fri, 12 to 5:30pm.
Closed: Sun and Mon; call 597-5017 for info
on closed days after mid-April.
Friends of the Oakland Public
Library Spring Book Sale
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 Washington St., 444.0473.
Info: bookmark_bookstore@yahoo.com; FOPL
Membership & 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 FREE AARP Income tax prep help. Call or walk
in for appointments. Thursdays, through April 14.
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 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.
y
y CALLING ALL ‘TWEENS: Tues, April 12, 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. Agenda:
Pen Pals, Rubber Stamps, and Creative Writing. Art
supplies, snacks, and camaraderie provided free
to all participants ages 9 to 12 years.
y
y Trips on our new City of Oakland shuttle bus:
y
y SENIOR DAYS AT THE OAKLAND A’s: Playing
the LA Angels, Wed, 4/13; $2.
y
y BASEBALL ART AT THE BEDFORD GALLERY
& LUNCH AT MEL’S DINER: Wed, 4/27; $5 “lunch
on your own.”
y
y Tues, 4/5, 7pm. Publication Party for Rachael Herron:
The Ones Who Matter Most.
y
y OLDER AMERICANS’ MONTH EVENT AT CITY
HALL PLAZA: Free shuttle from NOSC. May 4;
call for time.
y
y Wed, 4/6, 6:30pm. Escape from Reality – Freud’s Bar
(monthly talks given by local Bay Area psychoanalysts
y
y April 30th is Diversity in Action Day – We may be
closed for this international celebration, but please
y
y Vendors for Annual Flea Market (on June 4); sign-up
with details available starting April 27.
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.


April 2, 2016
16.

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