Extracted text · highlighting “Karen Ivy”

VOL. 33        NO. 7      ISSUE NO. 355          July 7, 2018                        CIRCULATION: 5,800 RESIDENCES; 200 BUSINESSES
 ckridgeNews

THE

www.rockridge.org

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

Editor’s Note: Writing to The Rockridge News in March 2013, Molly
Brostrom, Rockridge resident and parent, related her “tears of concern
and frustration” following the family’s decision to enroll their youngest son
in kindergarten at their neighborhood school, Emerson Elementary. She
closed that letter with, “We are grateful and happy to be attending Emerson
Elementary, our neighborhood school.”
Writing to The Rockridge News now, five years later, she brings the
story up to date in the following letter.
Finding Diverse Community in Public School
by Molly Brostrom
Recently I’ve been worrying about when I will have the chance to be part
of a diverse community again. You see, my son graduated this month
from Emerson Elementary, a public elementary school in the Temescal
neighborhood. While he will continue in Oakland public schools (Claremont
and Oakland Tech), I know that it is in elementary where school families are
most bonded in the shared hope of getting our kids a good start in school and life.
At school drop-off each morning, we mingled with children and parents of
all colors, ethnicities, and economic status. Most of the families at our school
were eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch. A majority are African-Amer­
ican, but many are Hispanic, Asian, mixed race, recent immigrants, and a
few of us are white. My son has classmates who live in public housing, whose
parents work the night shift, or pick up shifts at the Gap to make ends meet.
His school offers a glimpse into lives that we don’t often come into contact
with in our otherwise Rockridge lives.
Have you come close lately to being run down by a
speeding cyclist or shaky rent-a-scooter rider on
College Avenue? It’s hard to consider that most cyclists
and scooter riders are careful about in the street when
remnants of The Wild Bunch weave recklessly among
hapless pedestrians who often must crowd up against
nearby buildings to stay whole.
We chose Emerson for this diversity but struggled with the decision.
The school has the low test scores that are too often associated with schools
with mostly low-income student
➧➧Finding Diverse Community, page 12
Contd 14
What to do?
Members of the Neighborhood Crime Prevention

(Literally) Painting the Town in Oakland

The Story of our Ayala/Hermann Mural
by Gabriel Kleinman
Wthe help of neighbors on 57th, Hermann, and
Ayala, Andy and 12 of the neighbors began
the process of determining what they wanted
and how they were going to make it happen:
permits, logistics, fundraising, volunteering,
and creative.
e started with nothing, and ended
with a mural that has transformed
the southwest corner of Rockridge into a
beautiful gateway to our community.
Erin Lenhert handled an overwhelming
amount of the nitty gritty (120 gallons of paint
anyone?), Adam Fishman took on marketing
and crowdfunding (and bookkeeping), Andy
made magic happen with the city, and Molly
Dickens — along with her father Harry, the
Renaissance Man — went for the creative.
It began with a one-sentence email
in October 2017 from Andy Waggoner
to a small group of Ayala and Hermann
Street neighbors: “We gotta do this!” This
was Oakland’s Paint the Town initiative
announced last fall.
Andy, a Rockridge resident since 2010,
had for years been eyeing the sprawling Ayala
Avenue and Hermann Street intersection as
an artistic canvas. When the announcement
came, he knew exactly what to do. Enlisting
Over the next eight months, the planning
came into shape with everyone chipping
in, from bake sales (thank you, Heather
➧➧Painting the Town, page 12


July 7, 2018
2.

Note: The Rockridge News
Does Not Publish in August. The
September Issue Will be Ready
for Distribution September 8.
Recreate at Our Local Parks

by Ashley Cruz
Sincluding hiking (1.1-mile loop trail),
swimming, fishing, wildlife viewing, play
structures, open space and picnic areas with
grills. There are parking fees as well as an
indoor/outdoor facility, the Beach House,
which can be rented for special occasions.
Location: North Entrance — 6500 Broad­
way.
ummer is here! Within a one-mile
radius of the RCPC boundaries lie
acres of public open space to suit you and
your family’s recreational needs. Visit our
Facebook page for an interactive look inside
this article.
The Rockridge News, founded March 1986 by Don
Kinkead, is published monthly (except in August)
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-Temescal Greenbelt: Better
known as FROG and Hardy Park. This
2.16-acre greenbelt provides amenities for
toddlers to teenagers, and pets alike. Play
structures, open space (lawn), basketball
courts, restroom, and interpretative signs
offer experiences for everyone. Location:
371 45th Street.
Mountain View Cemetery: Besides
providing insights into life in Oakland
dating back to the 19th century, this space,
designed by noted landscape architect Fred­
erick Law Olmstead, contains memorials
to local leaders and renowned artists and
authors, while providing many avenues to
walk, view wildlife and catch a beautiful
sunset. There are free tours twice a month,
on the second and fourth Saturdays at 10
a.m.: 5000 Piedmont Avenue.
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
Temescal Swimming Pool: This aquatic
facility is one of six in the city. Summer hours
offer time for
dedicated lap
swim as well
as open public
swim (2-3:30
p.m., M-F, 3-5
p.m. Sat). The
Olympic-sized
swimming
RCPC Board of Directors, 2018-19
Leonora Sea	������������������������Chair
Vacant	����������������������������������Vice-Chair
Vacant	�����������������������������������Secretary
Ronnie Spitzer	��������������������Treasurer
Alden Conner,  ashley cruz,
Stuart Flashman, Eduardo Gutentag,
Chabot Recreation Center: Recently,
the three tennis courts have been resurfaced!
There is also a baseball field and plenty of
open space to kick around a soccer ball.
There is street parking and a small lot next
to the tennis courts: 6848 Chabot Road.
M C Haug, Don Kinkead,
Andrew Masalin,  Sally Smyth, Courtney Welch
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 RCPC with
“Rockridge News Subscription” on the memo
line. Mail to the address below.
pool is sur­
rounded by
lawn to lay
your towel
o u t  a n d
sunbathe, too. Visit the interactive map
to find more about Swim Team and Jr.
Lifeguards for kids ages 6-18 years old:
371 45th Street.
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
Dover Park: This fenced-in park has
two play structures, a paved pathway,
and plenty of open space for creative
play. There is also a community garden
within the park that has active workdays and
potlucks: 5707 Dover Street.
Articles submitted for publication may be
emailed to the editor or mailed to the addresses above.
Submissions are limited to 600 words, must include
the author’s name, phone number, email 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, contact the editor.
Lake Temescal: Located on the north­
east corner of upper Rockridge, this roughly
50-acre East Bay Regional Park provides
passive and active recreational options,
➧➧Enjoy Local Parks, page 13
$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 September issue is:
  September 8, 2018.
  Submission deadline: August 16.
Advertising rates are $26/column inch. Six-
month pre-pay rate available. For display ads,
call Jo Ellis at 653-3210 (after noon), or email
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.
July 7, 2018

More Summer To-Do’s
May We Get You a Street Tree?
You can have it ‘Made in the Shade’
Editor:
T
Reservations are suggested.Email
aallen@oaklandnet.com or call the
tours hotline, 238-3234. It is also
O.K. to just show up. I can also
recommend other tours such as
the Oakland Heritage Alliance
tours (www.oaklandheritage.org)
and Oakland Urban Paths tours
(www.oaklandurbanpaths.org).
hank you for including
information in your June
issue about the free walking
tours offered by the Oakland
Tours Program. I’d like to offer
more information: These free
tours are offered by the City of
Oakland. The tour leaders are
volunteers; I serve as the part-
time tours coordinator. We have
eight different tours repeated
throughout the summer until
the end of October. We also offer
private tours for groups year-round
for a small fee. Learn what tours
are offered by visiting www.
oaklandnet.com/walkingtours.
by Arthur Boone
When the City of Oakland stopped planting trees in 2008,
three local non-profits worked to fill the gap. Urban Releaf
(headquartered on 57th Street) and Trees for Oakland and the Sierra
Club tree team (working out of the Epic School yard on Twenty-Ninth
Avenue) are planting about a thousand trees a year throughout Oakland.
Each organization has different funding sources and screening
rules but all have websites and will be ready to plant when the fall/
winter rains start.
Lastly, the Oakland
Municipal Band will be
performing free concerts in
Lakeside Park in July and August:
www.oaklandmunicipalband.org for
information.
— Annalee Allen, 30-plus-
year Rockridge resident.
If you have an underemployed child over 10 on your hands this
summer, some organizations have summer programs underway:
pruning existing trees; cleaning up trashed tree wells; removing stakes
no longer needed; and so on. Details from our websites: UrbanReleaf.
org; sierraclub.org/sfbay/tree-planting, and TreesForOakland.org.
Questions? Call ARBoone at 510/910-6451.

The next Land Use Committee meeting is tentatively scheduled for July 25th at 7:30 PM in the upstairs meeting
room of the Rockridge Branch Library.  The tentative agenda is an update and discussion on the Rockridge
Housing Study and relevant state legislation.  The August Land Use Committee meeting is tentatively scheduled
for August 22nd, also 7:30 PM at the Rockridge Library.  Check the calendar at https://rockridge.org the prior
week to confirm time, place, and agenda items for both meetings.  Continued page

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July 7, 2018
4.

Claremont Student Band Jazzed by
Trumpeter’s Unexpected Visit
student musicians. As his bold playing filled
the gymnasium, the band kids looked up at
him with mouths agape. The audience of
parents and families were equally wowed.
Says Brown: “This is part of the legacy
of giving. This is what musicians do for one
another. He was given to as a young person,
and now he’s the elder statesman and he’s
giving back”.
by Debbie Berne, Claremont Parent
I
“He just walked into the office and asked
if he could sit in,” recounts Ari Brown,
Claremont’s Director of Bands. “When
the office called me and said, ‘There’s a
musician standing here, name’s John Faddis.’
I said, ‘Shut up!’ I couldn’t believe it. He’s a
trumpet player I’ve been listening to since
I was a kid.”
nternationally known trumpeter John
Faddis made a surprise appearance
at the Claremont Middle School spring
band concert in May. The musician, a
protégé of Dizzy Gillespie and former
leader of the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band,
went to Claremont as a 7th grader in 1965.
While visiting Oakland, he saw news
of that evening’s concert posted on the
school’s marquee along College Avenue.
Claremont Middle School Jazz Band
with trumpeter John Faddis (back
row, right), Band Director Ari Brown
(center row, with beard) and guest
saxophonist, Carlos Vega (front row,
right.) Photo/Eva Helena Vargas
Faddis joined the Claremont Jazz Band
on two numbers, Freedom Jazz Dance and
Groovin’ High, taking solos along with the
ol Jazz
right),
beard)
w, right)


5.
July 7, 2018

Welcome, Again, to Your Library

haven’t been to the Rockridge branch lately,
be sure to visit during the summer months
to enjoy a program or sign up for summer
reading, available for youth AND adults.
(That means even adults get prizes for
reading.) Enjoy the summer at your library.
by Sarah Washburn, Friends of the
Rockridge Library (FORL)
www.RockridgeFriends.org
Tplans for the library. A very popular change
is the return to six days of service (just
typing that phrase fills me with joy!) that
will make an appearance in January 2019.
You can also expect to see new faces around
the library, as a bevy of new staff will be
hired to join our fully-staffed library. You
may have heard that beloved Director Gerry
Garzon retired earlier this year. The search
process is in full swing with a number of
pubic community meetings and surveys that
just wrapped up in June. Lots of changes
coming to the Oakland Public Library.
he Friends of the Rockridge Library,
the Oakland Public Library, and
library supporters and users across the city
were ecstatic with the news that Measure
D passed with almost 77 percent of the
vote. Oaklanders agreed that libraries are
cornerstones of our vibrant neighborhoods,
and we’re so pleased people came out
to support the library with their votes.
Thanks to all of the grassroots organizers,
the phone bankers, the door knockers,
the emails, social media, everyone who
talked about Measure D and encouraged
neighbors to vote in support of our library.
When You Have a
Problem
In April, the City of Oakland launched
OAK 311, a service designed to
make it easier for Oaklanders to report
non-emergency problems and request
infrastructure maintenance for issues
including potholes in their streets, graffiti
on their neighborhood public spaces,
and piles of trash left on their sidewalks.
What won’t change are the creative and
thoughtful programs, the insightful and
smart staff, and the materials and computer
resources each library possesses. If you
There are four basic ways to reach
OAK 311:
With the city’s commitment and the
funds secured, we’re starting to hear about
Phone: Call 311 from any phone
within Oakland. (If calling from outside
Oakland, continue to use the number
(510) 615-5566.)
In Rockridge since 1997
In Rockridge since 1997
Interior • Exterior
Lead-Certified Painters
E-mail: OAK311@oaklandnet.com
Web: 311.oaklandca.gov
App: OAK 311, available free for
Apple and Android smart devices
(powered by SeeClickFix).
Have you reviewed your
business insurance lately?
What’s shakin?
Yes we do offer:
Yes we do offer:
For a free estimate
call Cydney
See the program’s website: https://
www.oaklandca.gov/services/oak311
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July 7, 2018
6.

Eyes on Rockridge
All photos:
Judith Doner Berne
When you read this, you
might wish that you could
live on Upper James
A Rockridge Love Story
by Judith Doner Berne
Tus. And found objects — old license plates,
rusty saws, straw hats and a fishing creel that
was his grandfather’s — line a side fence
above a workbench, hung like artwork in
a museum, although Mick calls them “my
junk.”
her homemade wine cakes. When young
families began to move in, “At one point
there were 24 kids on this block,” Mick said.
“The streets were open for the kids to play
and ride their bikes.”
They have fond memories of camping
trips along the Iowaldnee River with several
families on their block. And when neighbors
needed a sitter, they often brought them to
Louise. “I was like a second Mom,” she
said. “She raised every kid on the block,”
Mick added.
Growing up, he said, “There was no
crime. You left your bicycle out front –
unlocked. We all had paper routes.” For
excitement, kids would walk the six-foot
high storm drains that cut an intermittent
path from behind what is now Chabot
Elementary all the way to the DMV. His dad
owned a shade shop at 5519 College Avenue,
the current home of Phoenix Optical. And,
until the age of five, Mick lived in the nearby
fourplex, still at 5469 College.
heirs is a Rockridge love story. Mick
Kenney found out Louise Markison’s
ring size by wrapping the pop top lever
from a can of Olympia Beer around her
finger. “I need a (engagement) ring that
size,” he said, when he took it to the jeweler.
Everyone sat out on their front porches,
both when he was growing up and “even
when our kids were young,” Mick said. “We
don’t see that at all anymore. I try to say ‘Hi’
to all those high school kids walking by,” but
he finds most are engaged with their phones.
The two Rockridge natives, now married
50 years, met at Claremont Junior High,
dated through Oakland Tech where they
graduated in 1963, and wed in 1967. Their
children, Michael and Karen, and now the
two of their four grandchildren who live in
Rockridge, are following in their footsteps
at Claremont and Tech.
Meanwhile Louise was raised, one
of 11 children, “in a big house up on
Hillegass.” Even today, it is listed as six
bedrooms and four bathrooms. She attended
Peralta Elementary; Mick, the now extinct
Rockridge Elementary (the current site of
Oakland Tech’s Upper Campus). Her dad
ran Markison Plumbers from a storefront
near Dreyer’s Ice Cream on College Avenue.
Marriage vows cover “in sickness and in
health.” And both have had major bouts of
illness. Mick appears robust as he takes his
daily bike rides around the area – trading
a traditional bike for an electric-assisted
version when he is on a hilly route. But he
relies on an oxygen pump at home ever since a
harsh case of pneumonia left him with COPD
(Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).
Family photographs line the cabinets
and walls of their 1913 Craftsman house
on James Avenue — the house his parents
bought in 1950 and where Mick grew up.
And that very block, known as Upper James,
was also where his great-grandmother and
grandmother lived, where his mother was
born and his uncle later owned a house.
“You couldn’t get a plumber to come
today for what we paid for this house,” said
Mick, who first rented, then bought from
his mother in 1972. Faced with the need for
a new foundation, “We built it ourselves.”
Louise was treated for brain cancer in the
mid-80’s, undergoing a series of operations
over the years with neighbors taking turns
bringing them dinners until she recovered.
She doesn’t see well out of one eye and is
being treated for macular degeneration in
the other.
“Our kids were the fifth generation on this
block,” Mick, a retired Consolidated Electric
sales engineer, said, as we sit in their leafy,
eclectic backyard. Two mammoth trees, a
redwood and a red cedar, loom overhead.
Four grills, including the impressive built-in
brick barbeque his dad constructed, surround
“When we moved in here, it was all older
people and lots of Italians,” Louise said. “I
used to take Jello with whipped cream over
to the people who couldn’t get out.” And she
greeted newcomers – and still does – with
Although the down-to-earth Kenneys
➧➧A Love Story, page 7


7.
July 7, 2018

A Love Story
from page 6
might question my calling them foodies,
they spend a part of each day driving around
to various markets for the specialties they
love. The outings, which he calls “Driving
Miss Weazy,” are a way for Mick to make
sure Louise gets out into the world. So it’s
off to Berkeley Bowl for their homemade
potato chips, or to a bakery in El Cerrito “to
get our bread,” or to Alameda “for our wax
peppers. We like to move around. It’s almost
our recreation.”
“They really take care of each other,”
said Catherine Firpo, who coordinates
housing for the city of Emeryville, and who
has been their neighbor for 18 years. “When
Louise was ill, that really changed their life.”
“Mick’s around a lot,” Firpo said. “He
rides his bike. He knows everyone. He’s
really a calming influence on the block.”
She urged me to visit their basement, where I
witnessed a precisely laid out, extensive tool
array. “He’s old school,” Firpo told me. “He’s
an original maker. He can fix anything. He’s
a great historian and super helpful. He’s like
a block ambassador. It’s kind of a blessing
to have them both around.”
“It just worked out. It was so easy
for us,” Mick Kenney says of his and
Louise’s 50-year marriage.
neighborhood.”
Look for Mick along Clifton Street in
early December. He’ll be the one riding his
bike, stopping to decorate the stop signs
and utility poles with holiday garlands as
he has done for the past several years. And,
if you’re sharp-eyed and around Rockridge
BART Plaza, you just might see an ornament
he has placed hanging from the O on the
Rockridge sign.
to the end of the block.”
To comment on this column or to suggest that
you, a neighbor or your neighborhood would make
for interesting reading, email judyberne@att.net.
“Mick and Louise have had a key to
my house for years,” said Brooke Levin,
retired director of Oakland’s public works
department, who has been their neighbor for
32 years. “My parents didn’t live here. She
took care of my kids on numerous occasions.
They are just really down-to-earth people
who are generous with their time and their
knowledge,” she said. “They’re a rock in this
Land Use Committee, from page 3
The June Land Use Committee meeting
held June 27 heard a presentation by local
representatives of Dreyers/Nestle about
potential changes to the retail store on
College Avenue.  More specific information
will be provided as plans become clearer.
“I wouldn’t go anywhere else,” he said,
of their long tenure in Rockridge. “I lean to
the right, but I can get along with everyone.
I like the diversity.” “He gets on his bicycle,”
Louise added, and because he stops to talk
along the way, “it takes him an hour to get
Experience * Knowledge * Performance
Real Estate Market Update: Locally, we still see solid demand in Rockridge. Nearly all new
construction in Oakland in transit areas is earmarked for rent, not purchase. A respected CA
economist predicts single digit appreciation in 2018 after 6 years of double digit appreciation,
followed by flattening in 2019. If interest rates keep rising, they predict soft depreciation begins in
2020. Rockridge has enjoyed more stability/less downward fluctuation in soft years but has had
some single digit downturn.  Basic economics of more demand than supply may continue but the
affordability index could cause a slow down. Let’s face it, no one knows for certain as there are
many factors, but the indicators are there.
FYI, there will be an attempt to reverse the single family and new home construction exemption
from rent control on the November ballot. Multiunits are under rent control.
Happy Summer!
Perry Riani, Senior Associate
“2016 Realtor of the Year”
1900 Mountain Blvd Oakland, CA 94611
1625 Shattuck Ave Berkeley, CA 94709
 C: 510.813.3799  perry@pacunion.com
License # 01402540
Member
www.buttrickprojects.com


July 7, 2018
8.

Letters
  to the
    Editor
when parking at BART, they have seen
and appreciated the tile-work Oakland
Fire Memorial for the first time. I applaud
this environmentally friendly effort and
hope the community and the RCPC fully
embrace it, as well.
— Phillip Rubin
Broadway and Lawton Intersection
Is Confusing
Editor:
I’m confused about the design of the
Broadway and Lawton intersection. It seems
like the new left turn lane is only for turning
left across Broadway to Rockridge Blvd. Do
we enter the same left turn lane if we want
to proceed through the intersection to turn
left on Lawton? If yes, it looks like a head-on
collision waiting to happen (with northbound
cars turning left on the other stretch of
Lawton). If not, then where/how does a car
wait if there’s oncoming Northbound traffic
on Broadway before turning left on Lawton,
without completely blocking all Southbound
traffic on Broadway? The whole intersection
is a confusing mess!
— Sharon Taylor
P.S. I had to look up the rules for cars
when there are alternating blinking red
lights. Perhaps there should be a sign saying
something like “After stopping, proceed with
caution if no pedestrians present.”
City contractor Victoria Eisen
Replies:
Dear Sharon:
The new left turn lane from southbound
Broadway is meant to be used to turn left
onto either Rockridge Blvd. or Lawton
Avenue. This area is considered one large,
5-legged intersection; therefore, the turn
Bikeshare Station Helps People
Focus on Tile Memorial Wall
Editor:
I’ve lived in Rockridge for over three
decades, working here for half that time,
and have witnessed with delight all of the
developments that have contributed to its
livability. Sometimes a week goes by with
my car undriven. From that perspective,
I warmly greeted the introduction of
the bikeshare stations throughout the
neighborhood. I use them almost daily.
Other riders have shared with me that
➧➧Lanes Confuse, page 14

Competition Drives Price in June
 Closing date BR BA
Address
Original price
List price
DOM
Selling price
    6/1/2018

4
2
 6315 Roanoke
$1,250,000
$1,250,000
14
$1,650,000
      6/6/2018
  2
1
 5369 James Ave
$800,000
$800,000
17
$1,105,000
      6/6/2018          4       3.5     6003 Auburn Ave
$1,895,000
$1,895,000
16
$2,605,000
      6/8/2018
  2       2.5     457 Cavour St
$1,095,000
$1,095,000
12
$1,611,000
      6/8/2018
  3       2.5     5355 Manila Ave
$1,495,000
$1,495,000
14
$2,367,340
      6/15/2018   2       2        5405 Carlton St
$835,000
$835,000
16
$895,000
      6/15/2018   3       3        6087 Ocean View
$1,595,000
$1,595,000
15
$1,700,000
      6/19/2018   3       2.5     5637 Ocean View Dr
$1,799,000
$1,799,000
26
$1,850,000
      6/22/2018   4       1.5     6237 Rockwell St
$1,350,000
$1,350,000
24
$1,580,000
      6/25/2018   4       3        6022 Rockwell St
$1,895,000
$1,895,000
15
$2,600,000
      6/27/2018   2       2        5405 Carlton St
$1,100,000
$1,100,000
12
$1,750,000
Homes sold in June closed 30.5% over the asking price on average.

1114 Keeler Avenue ~ Berkeley
Pending sale with multiple offers!
www.KeelerAveHome.com
Ruth Goldstone
510.418.7191
eastbayprop@gmail.com
DRE# 01300164
Marvin Gardens Real Estate
For more details on this sale, or help with any
other local real estate needs, contact Ruth.


9.
July 7, 2018

Mulch Ships Passing in the Day: Lee and Stuart Keep on Rolling
Scenic Streets of Oakland volunteers
made a small dent in the mulch pile
and backlog of street tree weeding during
our annual spring workday on June 16.
Lorrie, Margaret, Andrea and Judy tackled
the trees and made nice out of mess.
Stuart and Lee wheeled countless loads of
mulch from the main pile to the Claremont
Avenue Highway 24 on-ramp, where it will
be deployed later this summer, hopefully
to make weeding there less challenging.
Judy at Work to Make the Tree
Plantings Look Good.
those gateways to our community.
More help is always welcome. The
ramp team usually meets on Wednesday
mornings under Lee’s supervision to make
progress there.
Street tree workers can tackle those
opportunities as time and energy permits.
We usually have a fall workday as well.
If you have a little time each month
to help beautify our neighborhood, please
email Lee at lee.scenicstreetsoakland@
gmail.com for further information.
In addition to keeping the trash picked
up and finishing the street tree weeding,
we hope later this season to add some new
plantings to the ramps. The hard lessons of
experience will shape our choices for a few
additions to the colors and shapes lining
BUYING?
SELLING?
LET ME HELP YOU
ANNE D. BRANDON, REALTOR
BRE# 01877719 | 510.682.6644
ANNE@THEHIGHLANDPARTNERS.COM
E
V
L
U
I
T
X
I
U
S
O
R
Y
P
T
B
S
R
U
A
R
N
T
D
S
O
T


July 7, 2018
10.

Resident Steps in to Aid Fellow Seniors: ‘Wow! You Are Our Hero…’

by Judith Doner Berne
Tbones in two fingers. “You’ve got to be ready
to move and look mournfully at all the cars,”
Schneider, who has not lost his whimsical
sense of humor, said of his regular forays
across Broadway under the former 12-second
walk signal. Looking fondly at Alpert, he
said: “I call Liz the house mother.”
residents are independent. It’s a great outcome
for them and for the community.”
hanks to one of their own, senior citizens
living at Merrill Gardens Senior Living
Center in Rockridge won’t have to try and
scramble across Broadway’s four traffic,
one left turn and two bike lanes to the
count of 12, the signal’s limited duration.
“Wow! You are our hero,” Diane
Kavanagh, secretary of Merrill Gardens’
➧➧‘Our Hero,’ page 13
As of June 13, the time to traverse
Broadway at Coronado Avenue, the pedestrian
crossing nearest to the senior facility, has
doubled – all due to resident Liz Alpert.
“This didn’t have to happen,” said Alpert,
an outspoken member of the residents’ health
and safety committee at the assisted living
center, which opened in April 2017. “We
recognized this problem when the light first
became operational almost a year ago and
tried getting the light adjusted. I believe a
work order went to the city and that our city
council person was contacted, but nothing
had been done.”
The retired 79-year-old computer science
professor, who has grown to love Oakland
since she moved here last year from Santa
Cruz, had tried to contact various city
departments with no success. But, when she
finally dialed 311, Oakland’s newly-minted
non-emergency response number (see related
story, page 5), she got instant action. City
workers extended the timing that very day.
So, directly after Schneider’s fall,
residents sent a letter to their Merrill Garden
general manager imploring immediate
action. “We do see this as a matter of urgency
before another resident is injured. Please let
us know as soon as possible if you/Merrill
Gardens Corporation would like to work with
us to solve the problem.” The response: “I
will see what I can do to get this heard on
behalf of MG (Merrill Gardens).”
“My plea worked,” Alpert emailed to
Rockridge News editor Don Kinkead, who
had suggested, among other ideas, that she
call 311. “I am so ecstatic about this that I feel
like crying. I was living in fear that another
one of our dear residents might one day be
very seriously injured or worse.”
“I was so
afraid that
somebody
would be killed
and I hadn’t
done enough.”
/Judith Doner Berne
Alpert took matters into her own hands,
after she returned from a board meeting in
New York City in early June to find that a
fellow resident, Pete Schneider, had fallen
in his rush to make the walk signal on a trip
back from The Ridge shopping center across
the street.
“GREAT JOB,” Jeri Shields, Merrill
Gardens’ corporate vice president of
operations, emailed to the health and safety
committee members when she learned of
Alpert’s feat. Alpert’s response: “So why
didn’t they take care of it?”
Merrill Gardens
resident Liz
Alpert.
G The GRUBB Co.
“We were working on it,” Shields said,
when contacted by phone at her Seattle office.
“We’ve become aware that that (the short
walk signal) caused problems for people. Our
Schneider, an 85-year-old retired Golden
Gate Bridge staff engineer, was treated for
severe bruises on his forehead and broken
Grand Opening
OF OUR NEW
RESOURCE CENTER
COMPLETE TREE CARE
Proudly serving Rockridge since 1965!
100 GRAND AVE, SUITE 108
(510) 562-4000
Stop by and say hello!
www.treesculpture.com
Fully Insured | Cer5fied Arborists | Lic #655977
UPTOWN | DOWNTOWN


11.
July 7, 2018

Ashby Village: Support and Caring
by Natalie Castelo
Wwith each other and their communities
in dynamic and invigorating ways.
Many members also choose to join
a team of nearly 300 Ashby Village
volunteers, illustrating the mindset that
each village is a reciprocal community
where “villagers” can rely on one
another.
hen you walk into the office
of Ashby Village, you are
likely to be greeted by a small cadre
of volunteers chatting and working
at computers; by Operations and
Volunteer Manager, Pat; and by Lola,
Pat’s friendly 11-pound rescue dog.
“Welcome,” they will say. “How can
we help you?”
Offerings are member-driven, and
neighborhood and interest groups are
member-led. With a single call or click,
you can listen to a speaker, join a class
to improve your balance and strength,
get a ride to your medical appointment,
finally get your garden weeded, get
some meals made, or even have a
companion come over for a walk and
some conversation.
This is a central question at
Ashby Village. Part of the National
Village Movement, Ashby Village is a
membership organization connecting
older adults to a wide variety of
social events, classes, programs, and
services aimed at supporting their
continued growth and independence
as they age. With neighborhood
groups extending from Rockridge in
the south to El Cerrito and Richmond
in the north, Ashby Village offers
members the opportunity to engage
Ashby Village volunteers help in a
member’s garden.       Ashby Village
friendly and casual gatherings — as well as a monthly
Android support group where Rockridge members can get
help troubleshooting issues with their Android devices.
One member recently commented, “I am a new member
and still learning about Ashby Village services. The more
I learn about A.V., the more I realize how valuable and
needed your Village is to everyone involved, both serving
In addition to taking advantage of
the wide array of Village-wide events,
classes, and services, Ashby Village’s
active Rockridge neighborhood group
holds monthly potlucks — always
and being served. You are all well organized,
highly skilled, kind, creative, loving and
dedicated individuals. No wonder Ashby
Village is expanding so rapidly. I will continue
to recruit members & volunteers because at
A.V. everybody wins big time.”
3rd Floor
Market Hall
TM
Learn more about membership or
volunteering: Ashby Village website: www.
ashbyvillage.org, or phone: 510/204-9200.
Ste. 312
rockdent.com
510.653.6677
Bruce D. Fong, D.D.S.
Filippo Cangini, D.D.S, M.S.
Advanced Preventive,  Restorative,  Periodontal  Gum Care,  and Dental Implants.


July 7, 2018
12.

Finding Diverse
Community
often overwhelmed his teachers and they
admitted to not having the bandwidth to
sufficiently address the needs of higher
performing kids. Yet he flourished, grow­
ing into a smart, funny, kind kid. Research
shows that diversity makes us brighter; my
son’s experience attending a diverse school
supports this finding.
schools and social support systems are not
providing this.
I don’t know how the kids who are grade
levels behind will catch up, and I worry for
them and for our country that is so blithely
ignoring them. And I should worry, and we
all should – but it’s harder to feel and main­
tain the urgency of these concerns when our
lives aren’t intertwined. It’s too easy to live
in our separate worlds and only know others
through news or statistics. And while easy,
it can’t be good for our psyches and souls.
from page 1
bodies. I worried for my son, but I knew
that he had access to books at home, piano
lessons and summer camps, and lives in a
safe neighborhood. And I worried for the
kids we’d leave behind by opting out of the
lower-performing school. At that time, I
wrote in The Rockridge News:
And more importantly in my mind, he
gained characteristics that are critical to his
life and future as part of a diverse society.
He is flexible; he talks about race with ease
and describes the complex family and per­
sonal problems that classmates experienced
with empathy and without judgment. He’s
learned that his needs are not more import­
ant than anyone else’s, and maybe less so,
given his relative privilege.
Knowing each other as members of a
shared community builds our understanding
and support for each other. Being a part of
a diverse community at Emerson was not
always easy – learning of the struggles and
divides could be depressing and frustrating.
But the kids showed us that despite demo­
graphic differences, they were classmates
first. And other parents loved my baby as
I loved theirs. We lived community across
the divides and that was uplifting, and an
experience that is hard to replicate in our
society. And I will miss it.
What will he
miss out on by
not being at a
school with more
resources? Will he
lack challenges
by not being in a
cohort of similarly
privileged class­
mates? Will the
family challenges
of some of the stu­
dents [at Emerson]
over whelm his
teacher? The tears
of concern brought
on tears of frus­
tration: Why does
giving your child a
good, public edu­
cation have to be
such hard work?
Why do decisions
to benefit our own
kids have to be
at the expense of
other kids in our city? Why aren’t the
masses of children attending chaotic and
underperforming schools more of a concern
to our country?
Why does giving
your child a good,
public education
have to be such
hard work? Why
do decisions to ben­
efit our own kids
have to be at the
expense of other
kids in our city?
Why aren’t the
masses of children
attending chaotic
and underperform­
ing schools more of
a concern to our
country?
One regret I have is that achievement
at the school, at least as shown on test
scores, did not noticeably improve while
we were there. While Emerson has made
some progress, there are still too many
kids years behind in learning. Leadership
and teacher transitions at the school and
too many OUSD “death by post-it note”
strategy sessions contributed to this stalling;
but the primary cause is the fact that kids
reeling from the trauma of poverty need
intensive and sustained support – and our
Thriving in diverse community is key
to our country’s future. What better time
to learn to do so than in elementary school?
— June 29, 2018
Painting the Town
(‘sup Courtney, John, Maya, and Stella)
and even one volunteer from Santa Barbara
(Uncle Rick!) came. All generations were
able to participate. Pre-schoolers were
painting poppies, elementary-schoolers
took to the trees (thank you, Zentaro Matsui
Hernandez), middle- and high schoolers
and college coeds made big headway with
big rollers (looking at you, Zach and Noah
Beyer), and the rest of us – parents, empty-
nesters, retirees, and more—just tried to
keep up. (The Vaughan-Brekke’s really set
the pace…)
from page 1
Dodge) to GoFundMe campaigns, that raised
over $1,500. The Rockridge Community
Planning Council (RCPC) came in at the
11th hour with a cool $500 from the Kevin
Faugnan Community Memorial Fund to
ensure this mural – hopefully the first of
three key intersections – got fully funded.
Six years later, I can say unequivocally
that it was a good decision. Our son loved
Emerson – his friends, the teachers and
staff. He was always excited to go to school
and wanted to stay until the final minutes
of the after-school program. His sweaty
pink face and blond hair were a fixture on
the basketball court late into the afternoon.
During the school day, he eagerly learned
what was offered, and buried his head in
books when he needed to, developing an
uncanny ability to focus in chaos.
We had two short weekend days – a total
of 20 hours – to transform the concrete slab
for speeders into a traffic-easing tapestry.
Beyond the beauty, there were extraordinary
results in how this community came
together.
We’re seeing the effects already:
more smiling from more neighbors and
slower traffic all around, all thanks to this
community project.
In the coming months we’ll be exploring
our next two intersections: Ayala & Martin,
and Hermann & 58th, for similar attention.
More than 40 volunteers power-washed,
swept, blockaded, chalked, measured, and,
yes, painted. We had visitors from Albany,
friends brought donuts from Temescal
I know he wasn’t always challenged
by the academics. Behavioral issues and
the needs of lower performing students


13.
July 7, 2018

National Night Out
Tuesday, August 07, 2018, 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Details
Organize a neighborhood
block party, barbecue,
ice cream social or other
outdoor event that brings
neighbors together.
To register your NNO
block party, http://solar.
oaklandnet.com/go/nno.
Register by July 20, 2018 to
receive give-aways for the
kids, and a special gift for
the host.
5 OFFERS!
SOLD
37% OVER
LIST PRICE
6003 AUBURN AVENUE
7 OFFERS!
SOLD
58% OVER
LIST PRICE
5355 MANILA AVENUE
(AKA THE “THRILLA ON MANILA!”)
Presented by
MAXI LILLEY
The Rockridge Realtor® with A Designer’s Eye
510.919.8997 · maxi@redoakrealty.com
#01919653

Sponsored by the National
Association of Town Watch,
NNO is America's night out
and a time for neighbors to get
together to build neighborhood
spirit and unity. Research shows
that when neighbors know
each other, neighborhoods are
safer. Planning resources:
Block Party Guide
Sample Program Ideas
Getting to Know You
from page 13
Enjoy Local Parks
‘Our Hero’
from page 13
Bushrod Recreational Center: Want to
play tennis in the evening? This park offers
three lighted tennis courts, as well as an
indoor gymnasium, baseball and softball
fields, a playground and picnic areas. Loca­
tion: 560 59th Street.
Residents’ Council, emailed to Alpert. Later,
she said: “I’m very, very grateful to Liz. She
pushed the correct buttons.”
Merrill Gardens resident Bruce Hunter
uses a walking stick and counts himself as
“pretty moveable.” Still, he said, “You could
only get halfway across” and have to stop
in the median with traffic flowing on both
sides. “She (Alpert) did a good deed.”
Colby Park: A small 0.5-acre park is
nestled in the northern edge of Rockridge.
Offering shade, a play structure and open
space, this is a walkable park to enjoy a calm
afternoon: 422 61Street.
Coincidentally, or not, last week the
general manager announced she was leaving.


July 7, 2018
14.
Lanes Confuse

Gardening Cleanups and
Maintenance
Experienced team of 2, dedicated to the care
and maintenance of plants and trees. Garden
design and restoration, pruning and vegetable
garden installation, affordable rates. Yelp: Chris
Rausch Gardening.  Chris @ 510/655-0157.
from page 8
lane could not be striped closer to Lawton.
Motorists who want to make this turn are
meant to wait for a break in northbound
traffic in the intersection, as one would
while waiting to make a left turn at any
intersection. Left turns from northbound
Broadway to westbound Lawton are not
allowed.
The city is developing signs and other ways
to educate people on the new pedestrian-
activated signal.
— Victoria Eisen
Eisen|Letunic Urban Planning
Your Message Could Be Here
Your 36-word message is $22. (Phone number
counts as one word.) Make check payable
to RCPC and write Rockridge News
Classified Ad on the memo line. Mail to:
RN Classifieds, 4123 Broadway, PMB 311,
Oakland, CA 94611.
The Rockridge News does not publish
in August. The newsletter’s September
issue deadline is August 16. The
September issue will be out on September
8. For information: Email Susan Montauk via
smontauk@gmail.com
House Repairs &
Remodeling, Interior &
Exterior
Plumbing, tile work, decks, dry rot, drainage,
walls, termite damage, doors, windows, kitchen
& bath remodel. Professional work for affordable
prices. Local references available. Juan 510/692-
6399 or Jbahena.info@gmail.com
For Rent: Lovely Rockridge
3BR/1-1/2 BA
Light, bright Craftsman with modern furnishings.
7 blocks from BART and 10 from campus. All
utilities and cleaning service included. Available
for $3950/monthly from 8/15-12/15. 510/693-6700.
Council (NCPC) and The Rockridge
Community Planning Council (RCPC) have
been discussing some promising ideas and
presented them to about 40 attendees at the
annual NCPC-RCPC joint Town Hall held
February 14.
Sunscreen Available at
Penelope’s Aesthetics for
Celebrate Life
Present and Past
Respectfully reuniting loved ones aboard lovely
sailing vessel by scattering ashes on SF Bay
waters. Coast Guard licensed, Funeral Bureau
Certificated, Captain Lee Self of Moonshadow
Cruises. Reasonably priced. 707/223-1298.
Moonshadowsail@yahoo.com
Wendy’s Cleaning Services
Reasonable rates and flexible services. Licensed.
Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly. Offices, homes,
apartments, town houses. Call 510/506-1311
or Email: Marquezw12@gmail.com for free
estimates and excellent references.
the Discerning Client
Summer is here and the time is right for…. a
facial and sunscreen! Visit Penelope, hydrate
and protect the first impression, your face.
510/594-1552 penelopecalef.com
Favored among the ideas was to stencil
messages such as “Walk Your Wheels”
on sidewalks, an approach taken in some
other cities. NCPC and the Rockridge
Business Improvement District agreed to
share the costs. However, when approached
for its approval, the City’s Department of
Transportation (OAKDOT) nixed the idea,
believing bicycle lanes planned for College
Avenue would fix the problem. Audience
suggestions to keep the idea alive included
circulating a city-wide petition, contacting
cycle groups for support, and police support
communicated to OAKDOT. Attendees
agreed with NCPC Secretary Karen Ivy that
the issue should be kept on the organization’s
active list.
Your Rockridge Specialists
-JUDITH GLASS & SHEILA
SABINE- The Grubb Company
Now may be the right time for a move. Your
home says a lot about you and we are here to
listen. Call 510/326-5055 or email SSabine@
Grubbco.com
More Community Calendar  from page 14
or bring friends. $5-10 sliding scale dona­
tion. The Niebyl-Proctor Marxist Library,
6501 Telegraph Ave. Info: squirrellystring­
band.com.
North Oakland Senior Center
5714 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Mon. –
Fri., 9am to 4:30pm. Programs include:
Arts/crafts; health counseling; dancing and
exercise; trips, tours and theater outings;
Alzheimer’s support groups, computer
classes/more.
original 8-hour class. July 26, 9:30am
to 2pm. Keep your insurance discount.
$15 AARP members/$20 non (checks
only, payable to AARP). Register in
advance of class in person at NOSC
or by mail.
•	 AARP Original 8-Hour Driver Safety
Captain Chris Bolton, newly named Area
2 Commander, and presenter of the evening,
introduced himself and explained that
although he had his captain’s bars on now, he
would only be an official new captain after
his swearing in ceremony the following day.
Class: for those who have never taken
the AARP class. Thurs, Aug 16 and
Tues, Aug. 21, 10am to 2pm. Strategies
to keep driving safely and receive safe
driver discount from your insurer.
•	 Seniors age 55+ join for $12 annual
•	 Cane-Do Self Defense Class. Learn
His assignment to Area 2, which covers
most of Rockridge, is not his first. Eighteen
or so years ago, he was assigned here as
a Field Training Officer, or FTO. He has
worked most recently in the OPD’s Office of
the Inspector General, getting a lot of spread
sheet and analysis experience.
how to use your cane for more than
stability! Gentle martial arts for exercise
and self-defense. Canes provided if
you do not use a cane (yet). Thursday’s
9:30 – 10:30am. $5 (first class free).
Pre-register now for classes in the Fall:
in the office or call 597-5085.
•	 Ice Cream Social with music and
dues to get discount and other benefits.
Receive “The North Oakland Senior
Times” for full schedule of classes/
events, lunch menus, and volunteer
opportunities. More info at 597-5085.
Temescal Farmers’ Market
Open Sundays, 9am to 1pm (all year).
Sample the goods; meet the growers. Live
music. Bring reusable bags. 5300 Clare­
mont Ave. (off Telegraph) at DMV parking lot.
At this point in his service, he said, he
has learned a lot continues to have a passion
to serve the community. His definition of
success in police work, he said, is doing
Prescott Circus Theater. August 1st,
1 to 3pm. Free for members- join today.
•	 AARP Driver Safety Class; refresher
for those who have already taken the


15.
July 7, 2018

get tips on what you can do to reduce
exposure. In partnership with Sutter
Health. Tues, 8/14, 5:30pm reception;
program at 6pm. Call 204-5656 to
register.
· Cordell Bank National Marine

Email 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
COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Sanctuary Talk: Few people know about
this “hotspot” for local and migratory
ocean wildlife in the Marin/Sonoma
coastal waters. See the photography
exhibit in the Gallery. Tues, 8/21, 6:30pm.
· American Red Cross Community
District 1 Councilman Dan Kalb
Drop-in Community Office Hours: Temes­
cal Farmers’ Market, 5300 Claremont Ave.
(off Teleg.) at DMV parking lot. 3rd Sunday
each month,10:30am-12:30pm. Times/
locations of other office hrs. or more info:
mmharris@oakland.net or www.dankalb.
net/contactdan.
· Tie Dyed Bookmarks: Using Sharpies
and rubbing alcohol. All supply provided,
7/11, 2 pm.
· Washer Jewelry program: Decorate
washers to make cute and personal
necklaces. All supply provided, 7/25,
2pm.
· W a s h i
T a p e
N o t e b o o k :
Decorate notebooks with colorful Washi
Tapes to celebrate the beginning of a
new school year. 8/22, 2pm.
· Tag Yourself Graffiti Ts: Create your own
Blood Drive: Schedule an
appointment at redcrossblood.org or
call 1-800 RED CROSS (1-800-733-
2767). Sat, 8/25,10am to- 3:45pm.
Gallery:
JULY: Bethany Garland-Wood: collection
of geometrically infused works.
AUGUST: Cordell Bank National Marine
Sanctuary: National Treasure, Local
Jewel: photographs.
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
FREE A’s TICKETS to each person who
signs up for our Summer Programs (all ages)
WHILE SUPPLIES LAST.
FOR CHILDREN
*** Annual Summer Reading Program:
Stop by to get a brochure listing events which
runs thru Aug 4. Kids from birth to age 14 get
prizes when they read (or are read aloud to)
a little every day.
· Family Story Time: Stories/songs/rhymes
T shirt design; use a combination of fabric
painting and applique techniques to apply
shapes, symbols, lettering and your own
unique graphics. 8/29, 2pm.
Library Hours
Tues, 12:30 to 8pm.
Wed, Thurs & Sat: 10am to 5:30pm.
FOR ADULTS
***Adult Summer Reading: Now thru
Aug 4. Read, write reviews, attend library
programs/more. Enter to win raffle prizes.
Details at the library and online: oaklandli­
brary.org/summer.
· eBook Help: Work one-on-one with a
Fri, 12 to 5:30pm.
Closed: Sun & Mon; &, Tues, Sept 4.
East Bay Booksellers Book/Poetry
Readings
FREE and open to the public.
· Tues, 7/10, 7pm. Bay Area
(for all ages); Saturdays, 10:30am.
· Toddler Story Time: Songs, active
rhymes and stories (for 9 months to 2
years), Thursdays, 10:30am, upstairs.
· Pre-School Story Time: Read-alouds,
librarian to download eBooks. Fridays,
2 -3:30pm. Make appt. online or call
597-5017.
·  econd Saturday Book Club starts Sept
songs, and rhymes (ages 2 to 5);
Thursdays, 10:30am.
•	 All story times followed by Play Time;
writer Zoe Samudi: As Black as
Resistance: Finding the Conditions for
Liberation.
· Wed, 7/11, 7pm. Nell Painter: Old in
8. 2nd Sat each month, 3 - 4pm. Get book
selection and more details: 597-5017.
· Writers Support/Critique Group: All
parents and caregivers invited.
PECIAL EVENTS:
Tuesdays at 6:30pm:
 Insect Discovery Lab: 7/10.
 Kenn Adams’ Adventure Theater: 7/17.
 Oakland Symphony Petting Zoo: 7/24.
 Alphabet Rockers: 7/31.
· Fur, Scales, & Tails: Sat, 7/21,10:30am.
· Chess Club: Every Tues, 3:30pm. (All
Art School: A Memoir of Starting Over.
· Mon, 8/14, 7pm. R.O. Kwon: The
Welcome. Bring 15 copies of up to 5
pgs. (double-spaced, MS margins) of any
prose for on-site reading/discussion (OK
to come empty-handed). 3rd Sat. each
month,1 to 5pm; wheelchair-accessible.
Info: 420-8775 or Writefox@aol.com.
Call to confirm.
· Lawyer in the Library: Free legal info
Incendiaries. Joined in conversation
by Nayomi Munaweera.
East Bay Booksellers, 5433 College Ave.
More info abt. the authors, books and other
events: 653-9965 or info@ebbooksellers.
com.
Jazz at the Chimes
Featuring The Dmitri Matheny Group
in a tribute to the iconic jazz trumpeter/
singer Chet Baker. With flugelhornist
Dmitri Matheny are Matt Clark, piano;
Ron Belcher, bass, and Mark Lee, drums.
More info at http://www.dmitrimatheny.
com. Sunday, July 15, 2pm. Tickets $15: in
advance at https://www.brownpapertickets.
com/event/3375670 or at the door (cash
only) beginning 12:30pm (doors open
1:30). Refreshments and reception follows.
Honoring the unique artistry of Bay Area
jazz musicians in a landmarked Julia
Morgan venue: Chapel of the Chimes, 4499
Piedmont Ave. Wheelchair accessible. Free
parking. More info: www.jazzatthechimes.
com, chimesjazz@gmail.com or 654-0123.
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. Come alone
ages - best for 7 to 14.)
· Afternoon Crafts: Every Thurs,
and referral. 1st Tues each month; 6pm-
8pm. Sign-up for lottery starting 5pm;
lottery at 5:45 pm. Call day of program
to confirm.
· Knitting Meet-Up: Third Sat. each
3:30pm
· Annual Paper Airplane Contest:
Thurs, 7/26, 3:30 pm.
· Pen Pal Drop-in: ask at the Children’s
month, 3pm. Bring your project to inspire
or get advice. Beginners learn to knit and
crochet. All levels welcome.
· Mindfulness for Everyone: Techniques
Desk.
FOR TEENS
***Teen Summer Passport Program:
(ages 12 to18) win prizes by exploring Bay
Area Hot Spots, writing book and movie
reviews, or attending library programs. Sign
up at oaklandlibrary.org/summer now thru
August 4.
· Rockridge Teen Advisory Board (ages
to help calm and uplift body and mind.
Sat, 7/28,11am.
·  anctuary Homes and Neighborhood
Workshop: If you work in someone
else’s home or you employ someone in
your home, learn about a new initiative in
Rockridge to build a network of support
for immigrant domestic workers. Sat,
7/28, 2pm.
· Environmental Links to Breast Cancer:
14-18): Help advise the library how to
better serve teens; get community
service credit for school. 2nd Sat.
each month, 1 to 2pm.
· Game & Craft Days: Hang out, make
Take a tour of your home with a scientist
from the Breast Cancer Prevention
Partners (BCCP) to identify common
chemicals linked to breast cancer and
new friends, and play video games; make
simple crafts during the summer. Every
Wed, 2 to 4pm.
➧➧More Community Calendar, page 14


July 7, 2018
16.

SOLD ROCKRIDGE
5257  Manila Ave.
$949,000 Craftsman Bungalow
2+Bedrooms/ 1+Bathrooms
Hard Wood Floors, Fireplace
Sunny Yard, Basement Storage
Detached Home Office
–––––––––--–––––––––––––––––--–––
417 61st St.
$834,000 Facing Colby Park
2 Bedrooms/ 1 Bathroom
Sunny South Facing Backyard
Plus Room for Office
Peralta School Catch Basin
ROCKRIDGE HOME PRICES HIT
$1,000 PER SQUARE FOOT!
Valuing your home might be easier
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Of course, I can get you closer.
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Lawton Associates
direct 510-612-2547
RonKriss@JPS.net
L A W T O N
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