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The Rockridge News, September 2018, page 1

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VOL. 33 m NO.8 m ISSUENO.356 ao September 8, 2018

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COLLEGE AVE.

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CIRCULATION: 5,800 RESIDENCES; 200 BUSINESSES
Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council ¢ 4123 Broadway, PMB 311 °¢ Oakland, CA 94611

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september Town Hall Meeting

@« Local Transportation Issues: ~
Getting From Here to There... In One Piece

And: In October...

Know Your Ballot: Pros
and Cons of November

Ballot Measures; | ) N i

7:30 to 8:30

. . p.m. Thursday,
7:30 to 9 p.m., Thursday, September 20: Rockridge Branch Library} October 4, LEAGUE OF
a - _ Rockridge VOMEN VOTERS

Rental Scooters
¢ What is the best way to ensure
the safety of pedestrians — and
scooter riders — and prevent
sidewalk obstruction? Possible
City regulations and how they
would affect Rockridge.
° Note: See letter to the editor,

page 8, and the link to city
rules pertaining to scooters.

¢ Changes to
Broadway and

plan.

4

Traffic Safety

Lawton intersection

¢ Traffic concerns at
51st and Broadway.
¢ Telegraph Avenue
Complete Streets

Library. Presented by
the League of Women
Voters (LWV) of Oakland;
Co-Sponsored by the
Rockridge Community
Planning Council. LWV
speakers will provide
nonpartisan, unbiased
information on all
Oakland, regional, and
State measures, and
answer questions.

Bicycle Use
and Safety

¢ Reconfiguration of
the GoBike bicycle
station on the west

side of College under
the BART station.

¢ Bicycle safety on
College Avenue.

i. L

Opportunity: A Last, Longing Goodbye to Summer...

Chabot Elementary
Fall Carnival

T Chabot Elementary
Fall Carnival has been a
Rockridge tradition for years.

This year’s event will be 11 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Sunday, October 14,

on the Chabot school campus,

6686 Chabot Road. The event
is a fundraiser for Chabot Ele-
mentary School, and residents
and neighbors are invited to
join in the fun and festivities.
As always, admission Is free.

Enjoy a family lunch pro-
vided by the Chabot Dad's club,
offering a new, expanded menu

with vegetarian and gluten-free
options in addition to their
famous pulled pork sandwiches
and hot dogs or pizza. Then, sat-

b Chabot, page 10

Come One, Come All to

Rockridge Out & About:
- Sunday, September 16

by Samee Roberts, Heart of the Town Events.org
he Rockridge District Association will welcome thousands

from all over the region

to shop, dine and explore its
12th Annual Rockridge Out
& About street fair, noon to
6 p.m. Sunday, September
16. The free, family-oriented
Street fair features the annual
Picnic with Market Hall, live
jazz, Kinetic Arts Circus
Tent, kid-friendly carnival,
artisans, community booths
» Out & About, pageio

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Get Ready: Creek to Bay Day, September 15

Cr to Bay Day is Oakland’s version of International Coastal
Cleanup Day, a worldwide effort to make our planet’s
waterways cleaner and healthier. Closer to home, you can volunteer
at the annual Temescal Creek and FROG Park cleanup beginning
9 a.m Saturday, September 15. Join with DMV Neighbors
Association and the Friends of the

> Creek to Bay Day, page 3

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Rdckridge News

Enforcement Is a Structural Problem
by Jon Gabel, Former RCPC Board Member

|? Sensi Permit Parking (RPP) zones
ave not been well-enforced by the
City of Oakland for many years. City staff
has been requesting additional parking
enforcement officers and more modern
technology, such as automated license plate
readers. The message has been that a larger
budget would produce better enforcement.
However, it appears that the real issue is an
inherent structural problem in the way RPP
enforcement is carried out.

I stumbled upon this when I tried to have
non-permitted vehicles cited for parking all
day for months at a time near my house in
RPP zone C. Even when | notified the City
of the location and the make, color, and
license plate information of offenders, the
vehicles were not cited. I got some clues from
conversations with enforcement officers.
This led to questions for supervisory City
staff. When they failed to respond, I filed a
Public Information Request. The following
information came from the response to that
request.

According to Michael P. Ford, Interim
Manager of the City’s Parking & Mobility
Division, Department of Transportation,
City of Oakland, “Enforcement occurs

approximately one hour after each shift

begins and ends approximately one hour
before each shift ends, with interruptions
for breaks and meals.” Those shifts and
their hours are:

A) The 7 a.m. — 3:30 p.m. shift, which
actually does RPP enforcement from 8 a.m.
— 2:30 p.m.

B) The 3 p.m. — 10:30 p.m. shift, which

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5808 College Avenue, Oakland

actually does RPP enforcement from
4 p.m. — 6 p.m. (since the RPP limits apply
only up to 6 p.m.). Because the shortest time
allowed for parking without a permit in any
RPP area is 2 hours, the B) shift cannot cite
any RPP violations on its own. It can only
issue citations if it has been informed that
vehicles lacking permits parked earlier.

C) The 9 a.m. — 5:30 p.m. shift, which
actually does RPP enforcement from
10 a.m. — 4:30 p.m.

How does one shift notify another shift
about non-permitted vehicles parked earlier?
There are no written or computer-based
records. The only inter-shift communication
is verbal. In practice, this means virtually no
communication between shifts.

Assuming perfect enforcement (i.e., that
any vehicle parking in an RPP zone is noted
and ticketed immediately when its time is
up), a lack of communication between shifts
means vehicles monitored by the A) and B)
shifts could park from 12:30 p.m. until 10
a.m. the next day in a 2-hour RPP zone; or
could park from 10:30 a.m. until noon the
next day in a 4-hour RPP zone without any
risk of being cited.

Again, assuming perfect enforcement
and no communication with other shifts,
vehicles under observation by the all-day
shift C) could park from 2:30 p.m. until
noon the next day in a 2-hour RPP zone; or
from 12:30 p.m. until 2 p.m. the next day in
a 4-hour RPP zone. Of course, enforcement
isn’t perfect, so non-permitted vehicles park
even longer than this with little risk.

> RPP Monitoring Falls Short, page 12

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September 8, 2018

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Library program details/hours: Calendar, page 15

RickridgeNews

The Rockridge News, founded March 1986 by Dor,
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 ang
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.....--ss-cecscerees Editor

© Ellis ..ccccccccessecocscscsececesessores Asst. Editor

Judith Doner Berne ......1.. Eyes on Rockridge
© Ellis ........-cecscecssoreceresessssenee Advertising &

7 Community Calendar

Susan Montauk......sevesreeree Business Manager

Don Kinkead......eceseeneeeeees Graphics & Layout
RCPC Board of Directors, 2018-19

LEOMOLA SOA ..cescesesesereneeneeees Chair

Alden Connor. ....e-sccserveesees Vice-Chair

Sally Srmyth ......+--sscssseeneeesenes Secretary

Ronnie SpitZer.....----v-reer-ree Treasurer

Ashley Cruz, Stuart Flashman, Eduardo Gutentag,
M C Haug, Don Kinkead, Andrew _.o

Courtney Welch

Contact the board: chair@rockridge.o
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.

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,4/ 23 Broadway, PMB
311, Oakland, CA 9461 |

Articles submitted for publication may be
emailed to the editor or sent to the address 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.

Newsletter Advertising/Deadline
Publication date of the October issue Is:
m@ October 6, 2018.

@ Submission deadline: September Ae

Advertising rates are $26/column inc
month pre-pay rate available. For display #4%
call Jo Ellis at 653-3210 (after noon), or email
joellisi@hotmail.com. RCPC reserves the right
to refuse any display or classified ad that it deems

inappropriate. (Classified ad contact, page 14.)

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September 8, 2018

Réckridge News 3.

Lacking enough new information to make a productive meeting, there was no

meeting in August. The next meeting is Wednesday,
below. Land Use Committee meetings are held in the
room. Check the calendar at rockridge.org the prior week to con

land Use Committee

September 26, 7:30 p.m. See agenda

Rockridge Branch Library upstairs meeting
firm time, place and agenda.

RCPC Land Use Committee Update/Agenda - September 2018

Agenda: Reuse Plan for the California College of the Arts (CCA)
Oakland Campus, East side of Broadway between the north end

of Shops at the Ridge (aka, Rockridge Shopping Center) and
Broadway Terrace.

Discussion: A year ago, the California College of the Arts
announced it planned to move its campus entirely to San Francisco.
Currently, first- and second-year students spend part of their time
at the school’s historic Oakland campus, located along the east
side of Broadway adjacent to Rockridge. Plans for reuse of the
Oakland campus were made public at RCPC’s September 2017
Land Use Committee meeting, and then were presented formally
to the Rockridge community at the RCPC October 2017 Town Hall.

At both meetings, audiences offered a generous amount of
comments and suggestions to CCA and the development team tt
brought in to plan the reuse of the site.

Now, CCA and its development team are ready to present revised
and updated plans for the Oakland campus reuse. An initial
presentation will be given at the September 26, 2018, Land Use
Committee meeting, which will, as usual, be open to the public.
A more complete and formal presentation will follow at RCPC’s
November 2018 Town Hall (November 15, 7:30 p.m.). Please plan
to attend one or both meetings to hear what is planned for the
reuse of this important historic, scenic, and strategic resource for

North Oakland.

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Rockridge Temescal Greenbelt to clean
our Rockridge neighborhood park. Much
of the litter discarded on land ends up in
our waterways, so when we clear trash
and debris, our park looks better, and litter
is kept out of the creek, bay, and oceans.
This year, the annual College Preparatory

for children.

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School (CPS) Park Service Day will also
participate on Creek to Bay Day. CPS
students helped with the 2001 initial build of
the play structure; this year they will re-seal
the play structures and replenish the soft
surface material underneath. Their yearly
efforts keep the structures safe and attractive

Other volunteer tasks include trash
pickup, weeding, pruning, raking and
sweeping. Families and groups are welcome.
Students needing school service hours

or years, volunteers have turned out annually to celebrate
Creek to Bay Day, Oakland’s version of International

Coastal Cleanup Day. The group pictured at left helped make
the day a success in 2012. You are invited to join your friends
and neighbors once again and contribute toa cleaner Oakland
and, in particular, a cleaner Rockridge Temescal Greenbelt.

credit will receive a signed letter verifying
participation. Tools and gloves provided, or
bring your own, well-marked as yours. Find
sign-in tables at Cavour and Redondo, for
creek and path maintenance between Clifton
and Clarke, and at Big Frog, for pond and
greenbelt maintenance above Clifton. Coffee
and snacks available for volunteers.

More info: contact Leonora Sea, DMV
Neighbors Association, LeonoraSea@
comcast.net, or FROG, info@frogpark.org.

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Longest Serving
Rockridge Library
Staffer Retires

by Alona Rivord, Friends of the
Rockridge Library (F ORL)

hen Senior Library Assistant Alan

Howe started working for the
Oakland Public Library in 1990, he had no
idea that his part-time job would blossom
into a rewarding 28-year-long career. Given
his deep love for books and his dedication to
meeting the needs of others, it was a natural
fit for Howe, who had studied at seminary
and served for eight years as a pastor.

His history with the Rockridge Branch
dates back to the days when there was
no dedicated library building on College
Avenue; only a lowly trailer.

“There are times I miss that trailer,”
Howe said during a recent conversation
reflecting on his retirement. “It was
small and manageable and we had air
conditioning!”

Such remarks can be expected from
Howe, who can, at times, assume a cranky
persona. He likes to compare himself to
Eeyore from the Winnie-the-Pooh books.

“He is self-effacing,” said Children’s
Librarian Erica Siskind, who has worked
with Howe for 22 years. “He is a soft-hearted
person who is sweet with people. He is
respectful and empathetic to his colleagues
and the public.”

Howe’s favorite role at the library has
been at the reference desk doing what he
calls “detective work” for patrons.

“People come with all kinds of questions.
Some of them very simple, some of them
more difficult to find,’ Howe said. “Giving
somebody the information they need and
knowing that they are pleased with it — that
is probably one of the best things about the

Rockridge Dental.

rockdent.com

510.653.6677

Rdckridge News

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job. [regret sometimes when I haven't bee

able to provide the service some people need.
Then, as soon as they leave, the light bulb
goes on. Sometimes I'll chase after them;
sometimes they’re already gone,” said Howe.

“He is one of those library staff that iS
dogged,” Siskind said. “If he gets a question
from a patron he is going to stick with it until
he gets an answer.”

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While diligent and detail-oriente d, Howe
is certainly not serious all the time. Bra
staff members have en yoyed his clever i
and humorous T-shirts, which show off his
lighter side. One shirt reads: “Google ae:
give you 100,000 answers, a librarian can
give you the right one. |

“1 would say, ‘help you to find the r; ght
one,” Howe said.

Despite his scholarly appearance, Howe
also has a reputation for being fearless. He
once chased an alleged laptop thief into the
street, which led to recovery of the patron’,
computer. Another time, he de-escalateq 5
assault while biking to work. Howe also once
rescued two squirrels that became trapped
in a branch drainpipe.

» Rockridge Librarian Retires, page 14

4 A magazine cover reveals future

birding plans of retiring Senior Library
Assistant Alan Howe. /FORL

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September 8, 2018

@arket Hall, BART Team up to Replace Sh

by Roberta Klugman

HH: you seen the row of newly
planted trees along Shafter Avenue
across from Market Hall? These are the
result of a collaboration between BART and
Market Hall that began in 2017 after BART
commissioned a hazard tree assessment
by arborists of the International Society of
Arboriculture. The assessmentrecommended
the removal of 16 red ironbark eucalyptus
trees along Shafter and Keith Avenues.

BART originally planned to have new
trees planted by late spring, 2018. However,
the transit agency found it would only be
able to plant very small trees on an uncertain
timeline. The Wilson family, owners of
Market Hall, contacted BART when they
learned the eucalyptus trees were being
removed, and BART suggested they partner
to replant larger trees along Shafter.

Market Hall and BART worked with
an arborist to select a replacement street
tree that would provide shade, aesthetic
value, microclimate regulation, and visual
fering from the parking lot, BART
Sacks, and freeway. They were also
strongly guided in their tree selection by
feedback from the community: Preliminary
plans were presented at the January 2018
Rockridge Community Planning Council
(RCPC) meeting, and public comments
were taken through February |.

Based on comments from the Rockridge
community, BART and the Market
Hall team chose Chinese elms Ul/mus

parvifolia as replacement trees, a hardy,
low-maintenance, drought-tolerant tree.

Larry Sarver, OD

Scott Yokoi, OD
Cindy Sakai, OD
Jasmine Junge, OD

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Réckridge News a as
after Street Trees

trees to ensure they are healthy and have
the resources they need to thrive. John was
a resident of Rockridge and 1s a former
member of RCPC. Julia Mandell, AIA, of
Wilson Associates, brought her expertise as
a landscape designer to the project as well,
Planting was done by the Market Hall team.

Sara Wilson noted, “We believe these
trees will add to the beautification of our
community in myriad ways, and Rock-
ridge Market Hall is pleased to make this
investment.

Attractive trees with lacy foliage and a
graceful shape, Chinese elms can grow
up to three feet a year and at maturity can
be over 60 feet tall. The average height of
the trees as now planted is about 13 feet;
in five years they could be almost 30 feet
tall. They are semi-evergreen In California,
an important consideration from the public
comments. The trees will provide shade and
visual buffering year-round.

Phase I of the replacement project began
with BART removing the tree stumps in
early August. Now
that the trees are in,
Market Hall will
plant drought-toler-
ant perennial grasses
in front of the trees
along the sidewalk
edge. Market Hall will
continue to water and
maintain the trees for
about a year, at which
time BART will take
over maintenance.
BART expects to plant
the remaining trees on
Keith Avenue as Phase
II work in early 2019.

Throughout the
construction process,
BART consultant
John Potis, Landscape
Architect of Merrill
Morris Partners in San
Francisco, advised on
the installation of the

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Réckridge News September 8, 2018

am
Puoto: JupITH DONER Big

Local Tennis Pro
Overcomes Injury,
Earns Spot in USTA

NorCal Hall of Fame

by Judith Doner Berne
H* parents wanted him to be a singer
— he took voice lessons all through
high school. His community college professor
tried to talk him into studying dance — she
wanted him to transfer to Cal Berkeley.

But Wendell Pierce, who lived in the
Alameda projects until the age of 10 when
his parents bought a home in Oakland,
held out for tennis. He played locally for
Oakland’s Castlemont High School, Merritt
Community College and Cal State Hayward
(now Cal State East Bay), where he graduated
with a bachelor of science degree in physical
education.

Post-college and a 10-year stint working
at Plaza Tennis and Sports Shop in Albany,
Pierce headed for Europe where he roamed
France and Germany playing tournaments
for two years. “That gave me a lot of match
play on different surfaces — and I learned to
speak French.”

He returned to make his mark as an
older player, rising to national rankings in
United States Tennis Association (USTA)
tournaments, in which players compete by
age groups. Among his many titles, he was #1
nationally in Men’s 45 singles in 2000 and #2
in Men’s 50 singles in 2004 and 2005. Pierce,
who will be 64 in October, is most recently
ranked #61 nationally in Men’s 60 standings
and #8 in Northern California.

Wander past Chabot Canyon Racquet
Club (CCRC), on Chabot Road in Rockridge,

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Wendell Pierce, right, on the Chabot
Canyon Racquet Club courts, holds
the framed photo congratulating him
on his induction into the Northern
California Tennis Hall of Fame.

and you will most likely see the lanky,
baseball-capped Pierce in action. As head
pro at CCRC since 1988, most mornings
he gives members lessons. In spring and
fall, late afternoons are spent coaching the
boys’ and girls’ tennis teams from nearby
College Preparatory School (CPS), which he
has done since 1991. Most of his own play
and tournament practice takes place at the
Berkeley Tennis Club where he has been a
member for 40 years.

“That’s what I like to do — help people
improve their skills to enjoy tennis,” Pierce
told me. “I love the variety of teaching the
kids and the adults.” But at any age, he said,
“players can fail because they are trying too
hard. It’s so important to be able to stay loose.
Tennis is a test of the mental, physical and
the technical.”

As we sat on the patio overlooking the
Chabot Canyon courts, the Oakland resident
was still savoring his recent induction into
the USTA Northern California Tennis Hall
of Fame. His name is now listed alongside
tennis luminaries such as Brad Gilbert, Helen
Wills, J. Donald Budge and Alice Marble.
“I was surprised,” he said, at the honor. “I
thought, maybe, it would happen in a few
more years.”

A contingent of 90 supporters flocked
from the East Bay to a luncheon ceremony

at the Peninsula Golf and Country Club in
San Mateo where Pierce was introduced by
his longtime friend and doubles partner Jeff
Jue, retired Alameda County Court Clerk
and current coach of Berkeley High’s boys’
tennis team.

Pierce’s acceptance speech included a
nod to his older sister, who let him use the
racquet she received for Christmas at age 15,

> Tennis Pro, page 7

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September 8, 2018

RdckridgeNews

(é

eins Pro

from page 6

and to his grandmother, who although she
never saw him play, always told him, “Hit
that ball Wendell,” a mantra he continues to
invoke today.

He also was in good immediate company.
Fellow inductees for 2018 include Oakland
native Mike Bauer, who ranked #25 in the
world in doubles and #29 in singles in the
mid-1980s; former Piedmont High tennis star
(she played on the boys’ team) Dana Gilbert
Heinemann, who retired from the WTA tour
in 1984; and Ted Taube, whose family name
adorns Stanford’s tennis stadium.

But I dare say none of the more than 170
NorCal Hall of Fame members changed
from being a right-hander to a left-hander in
their late 50s, while still competing in major

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tournaments. “I hurt my right wrist in 2006
demonstrating a volley during a high school
practice,” Pierce explained. It turned out he
had ruptured a ligament. No matter, a month
later he was part of the United States Men’s’
Over 50 team that won the Fred Perry Cup in
South Africa. “We beat France in the finals.”

Diagnosed with Slack Wrist Syndrome,
he had surgery to fuse his wrist. “I played
right-handed for another few years and
developed a two-handed backhand,” Pierce
detailed. But in 2010, he decided to become
a lefty. “I basically had to build all my skills
again” — strokes, footwork and a whole new
spatial awareness. It took him nearly four
years to be able to volley effectively.

“Now I am really playing well,” Pierce
told me, with a smile of satisfaction. “I can
serve well. My arm has gotten stronger. My
immediate goal is to keep improving. I was
a serve-and-volleyer; now I am more of an
all-court player.”

Although his titles include both singles
and doubles, “I still like singles better —
you only have to call one person.” When
we spoke, he was preparing for the USTA
National Indoors Men’s 60 tournament in
Seattle.

“Wendell has been a wonderful coach and
mentor for hundreds of College Prep students
over the past 28 years,” CPS athletic director
Rich Mazzola wrote in an email. “He’s a great
coach who draws upon his vast experience in
and deep passion for tennis to do more than
just teach skills, strategies and techniques.

“A quick scan of the walls of our gym
lets you know that Wendell has built a

very strong tennis program,” Mazzola said,

referring to the numerous banners reflecting

Wwe =~ .

championships the school has won. “But, like
any great coach, in my conversations with
him, he explained that each season "s success
is measured by the progress and improvement
that each player makes, and by the quality of
the experience shared by the team.

“Wendell is the quintessential nice guy
and this niceness extended to his teaching
technique.” said CCRC member Gail Unno,
who has been taking lessons from Pierce
for more years than she cares to count. “He
makes you feel good about your own game.
But the most amazing thing about him 1s
that when he could no longer use his right
hand to play competitively, he taught himself
to play with his left. And even to this day
tries to improve his all-around game with
his left hand.”

“He has really improved my doubles
game,” says CCRC member David Steinberg,
who started taking lessons from Pierce
in 2012. “So now people even may say to
me when I hit a good volley, “Good hands,
David!’ I owe that to Wendell’s teachings.
He believes in being repetitive by doing the
same action and movement over and over
again. That is, if you do it enough times, it
will become natural for you.

“His life story is inspiring and should
be told on one of those sports documentary
TV shows.” Steinberg said. “He overcame so
much to do something that he really enjoys
doing — playing tennis all the time.”

Full disclosure: I am a member of CCRC
and have had the privilege of taking lessons
from Wendell Pierce.

To comment or to suggest a future column on
a Rockridge neighbor or neighborhood, email
judyberne@att.net.

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20139 «2014S 2015) 2016 = 2017 = 2018 (vt)

510.867.4094

$315 CoLLeGe AVENUE

Oaxtann, CA 94618 LLL

‘DEMAND” |

2013. 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 (rtp

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Letter
to the
Editor

Scooters A HAZARD

Epitor:

My wife and I were almost run down on
College Avenue by high speed electric
scooters this morning. Please inform on

the current law considering this dangerous
episode.

Larry and Doris Benjamin

Epitor’s Rep ty:

Thank you for your letter. The following link
to the City’s website contains a discussion of
scooters and the City’s work toward a scooter

Closing date BR BA Address

8/02/2018 y ae 5486 Kales Ave
8/06/2018 2 15 #£38851st

8/13/2018 6 3.5 6389 Colby St
8/13/2018 3.1 5256 James Ave
8/14/2018 3-51 446 59Th St
8/15/2018 3< 3 6110 N Rockridge Bivd
8/21/2018 3 3.55 5589 Lawton
8/22/2018 3 2 459 59th Street
8/24/2018 2 1 568 Martin St
8/24/2018 4 1 5776 Vicente St

&
.
;

\

MOTLEY TEAM NT SANATIONAL

REALTORS*

‘Competition Drives Price in August

Homes sold in August closed 26.5% over the asking price on average.
Specializing in Rockridge | 510.459.4338 | MotleyTeam. com

Want the highest possible price? Call us and we will show you how we will get it!

Réckridge News

September 8, 2018

——— a

policy. The questions and answers in Section
3 of the discussion speak to riding scooters
on sidewalks, and are:

3, Where are people allowed to ride and
park e-scooters?

E-scooter users are required to follow the
rules of the road. Under state law, motorized
scooter users should:

= Ride in the street, and stay to the right.
(California Vehicle Code 21228.)

m Use the bike lane if there is one. If
the street has a posted speed limit
greater than 25 mph, they must be
ridden in a bike lane. (California
Vehicle Code 21229.)

Not ride on sidewalks.

=m Scooters are allowed to ride on multi-
use pathways, such as the Lake Merritt
Trail (California Vehicle Code 21230).

m Scooters may be parked on side-

PACIFIC
UNION

Original price List price DOM Selling price

$1,198,000 $1,198,000 16 $1,696,000
$730,000 $730,000 27 $851,000

$1,895,000 $1,895,000 23 $2,025,000
$995,000 $995,000 12 $1,500,000
$899,000 $899,000 15 $1,290,000
$1,349,000 $1,349,000 14 $1,675,000
$2,550,000 $2,550,000 60 $2,700,000
$995,000 $995,000 14 $1,400,000
$795,000 $795,000 14 $1,201,000
$699,000 $699,000 15 $975,000

BROADWAY PET HOSPITAL

Teel

walks, so long as they do not block
driveways, building entrances, Ci
ramps, color curbs (such as blu,
yellow zones) OT utilities such as fire
hydrants. Make sure to leave at least
6 feet of sidewalk space for people
walking or rolling.

Link: www.oaklandca.gov/services/
dot/bicycle-services/bikeshare/e-scoot-
er-frequently-asked-questions.

A discussion of scooter safety and reg-
ulations is a major topic for the September
RCPC Town Hall meeting to be held at the
Rockridge Branch Library. See page 1.

(,|The GRUBB Co.

OF OUR NEW
RESOURCE CENTER

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100 GRAND AVE, SUITE 108
Stop by and say hello!

UPTOWN | DOWNTOWN

Curling up with a good book
Gardening together

Making lots of biscuits

_—

Local caregivers who want

to help make great memories.

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK.

910.653. 0212

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September 8, 2018

pinda Zunas, Dog Park Volunteer
fter a summer of navigating per-
mits and regulatory roadblocks,
Hardy Dog Park Group is ready
to kick off fundraising and further
the design of our park renovation.
mw Do you have expertise in fund-
raising?
gm Do you want to help with organiz-
ing or applications? Please send us

an email, or come by on any park
cleanup day.

Too overwhelmed by the crazy world to
help us with renovations? Great news!

rdy Dog Park Seeks Volunteers

Volunteering is good for your health.

with a pressure washer, so you can come

to any park cleanup day and have fun with
the pressure washer.

donations so all the dog owners can keep

the park poop-free: drop off clean bags at
either entrance to the park.

Saturday of every month, 9-10:30. We
love extra sets of hands to help keep the
park clean and inviting.

Email us: HardyDogPark@yahoo.com

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RéckridgeNews

A generous donor recently gifted us

As always, we love newspaper bag

Park cleanup days are the first

A dog park volunteer pressure washes a
park gathering area.

/Harpy Doc PARK

Cleaner Home, Cleaner Energy

Energy Upgrade Program Can Save Money, Add Comfort

Jeffery Liang, Senior Program Services Specialist, StopWaste, Alameda County

| © Lesesivie residents Paul and Hilary
new they had to do something
about their drafty home. Paul professionally

/@™ scientist at UCSF. However, they found
. surprisingly difficult to upgrade their own
old 1912 home to align with their values.

Hilary says, “As many do who live in
older homes, we used space heaters upstairs
at night. Our entire home was drafty and
we were overpaying on heating bills.

Napare clean energy, and Hilary works as a

tractor approved by the Bay Area Energy
Upgrade program (www.bayareaenergyup-
grade.org) from a nine-county listing of
approved contractors), to assess and diagnose
the issues in their home. They learned they
had a vertical wind tunnel pulling cold, dirty
air from their crawlspace up through the
house and out the attic, which lacked suf-
ficient insulation. In addition, their heating
duct system lost 90 percent of airflow due
to severe leaks.

We also had a With
rodent prob- : $4,000 in
lems and a rebates
musty smell from the
throughout Bay Area
the house. Energy
White Upgrade
energy program,
efficiency Paul and
provides Hilary
clear envi- engaged
ronmental! their pre-
benefits and vious
cost savings, contractor

our journey was more about being comfort-
able and improving the indoor air quality

for our young kids.”
In 2013, Paul and Hilary contacted an

Oakland-based home performance con-

to seal the leaks throughout the house and
tightly insulate the attic and walls. Final
testing revealed they reduced the leakage
throughout their home by 57 percent and to
2 percent leakage in their duct system. Their

®@.. more about energy programs and resources available to Rockridge residents:
attend a free workshop presented by the City of Oakland and StopWaste, an Alameda

County public agency: The Futur

e of Your Energy Bill and What You Can Do About

It; Saturday, September 22, 2 — 3:30 p.m., Rockridge Library, Upstairs Meeting Room,
5366 College Avenue. Register at: www.FutureOfEnergyOakland.eventbrite.com

—o

home heating bills went down significantly
while they increased comfort and air quality
in their home.

Recently, they decided to take it another
step and switch their gas furnace and water
heating systems to ultra-efficient electric heat
pumps to further reduce their use of dirtier
natural gas. The heat pumps modulate their
energy use to take advantage of upcoming
time-of-use rates that reward homeowners
for reducing energy use during early evening
hours, when solar is not as plentiful.

Paul says, “I learned a lot from talking to
our contractors. I appreciated their scientific
process in taking a whole-home, system-wide
approach. The furnace, water heater, appli-
ances, ducts and the shell of the house need
to all work together and, over time, need cal-
ibration. By increasing the efficiency while
shifting to a nearly 100% electric home, our
next step is to essentially zero out our entire
home’s footprint with solar panels.”

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TREE SCULPTURE

COMPLETE TREE CARE
Proudly serving Rockridge since 1965!

(510) 562-4000

www.treesculpture.com
Fully Insured | Certified Arborists | Lic #655977

——— ee ——— 7 —

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10.
Out & About

from page |

and tons of great food and libations.
This year’s event arrangements are planned
to create an easier stroll along College
Avenue from Claremont to Lawton. The
ever-popular festival’s leisurely stroll will
take festival goers past Rockridge’s more
than 100 street-level shops, galleries, food &
drink establishments, services and amenities.

2018 Festival Highlights:

@ Annual Picnic with Market Hall: delicious
foods, tastings, demos, music, prize wheel
and photo booth. Live music on Shafter
will feature Big Blu Soul Revue and the
Fancy Dad rock/jazz band. Festival goers
will enjoy food booths from The Cheese
Counter and Delicatessen of Market Hall
Foods; Hapuku Fish Shop; Highwire Coffee
Roasters; Marin Sun Farms; Market Hall
Bakery; Market Hall Produce; Paul Marcus
Wines; and Cactus Taqueria.

M@ Live music and entertainment clusters
dotting College Avenue will include festival
favorites such as The Clifton Street

Regulars and JR Dreads Band, plus many
more.

M@ Rockridge establishments and local
food vendors offer a feast of great eats in
the festival food courts.

M Scores of artisans showcase handcrafted

art, clothing, jewelry, soaps, artifacts,
mementos, and more.

M@ Aerialists, acrobats and contortionists
thrill audiences at the Kinetic Arts Center
circus arts stage.

M@ Kids can frolic in the family zone
featuring arts & crafts, face painting, and the
annual kiddie carnival complete with rides,
inflatables, games, climbing wall and more.

@ Skilled practitioners demo a range of
wellness services such as yoga, massage,
Ayurveda, and aromatherapy. Also,
Namaste Yoga + Wellness will again host
a Mindfulness Lounge.

CYDNEY ORTZOW

Interior * Exterior
Lead-Certified Painters

For a free estimate
call Cydney

510 * 652 * 4034 |

_ R&ckridgeNews
Chabot

from page |

isfy that sweet tooth by grabbing a treat from
our Benefit Bakesale or candy giveaways at
the DJ/Dancing booth.

To burn off some of those calories, the

s —a

@ More than 100 community, artisan
and business booths will combine
with Rockridge’s plethora of existing
businesses to offer a wide array of shopping
opportunities.

Find full event details at RockridgeOutand-
About.com. The Festival is presented free
of admission through contributions from the
Rockridge District Association, Market Hall,
Fremont Bank, John Muir Health/UCSF
Health, Henry Levy Group, Strahan Insurance
Services, DHR Investment Counsel, First
United Credit Union, The Golden Squirrel,
Temescal Works, McGuire Real Estate, Kids
Gym Berkeley, Savvy Rest Natural Bedroom,
Oakland Magazine, East Bay Express, BART
and the City of Oakland, with additional sup-
port from area businesses and organizations.

Festival organizers are seeking additional
sponsors. Contact Samee Roberts, samee@

rockridgeoutandabout.com, or call

510/550-4804, ext. 1. Your support will be
acknowledged in festival marketing and on-site
during the event.

FISHMAN

September 8, 2018

Eee

Carnival offers a variety of games for kids
of all ages. Plan on winning some mr
testing your bravery on the Jumpy S| és
and decorating pumpkins and sugar skyf}x.

The Chabot Carnival also offers |o¢< of
fun entertainment. Don't miss the Hippity
Hop Dance class with Mr. J at 12:39.
followed by great music with live DJs, ang
costume and dance contests,

Rockridge resident and Chabot dad Pay}
Erskine will bring back the amazing Wobbly
Toggle Puppet Show for a second year at two
event times: noon & 2p.m. in the library,

Please join us in celebrating all the fun
that Fall has to offer — games, food, prizes,
music and crafts — there is something
for everyone. All proceeds from this
family-friendly event benefit the Chabot
Elementary PTA and fund enrichment
programs like the library, music, art, science,
Spanish, and the garden; coordination of
numerous after-school programs; help in
the classrooms; and much more.

Special thanks to our sponsors for
supporting the Chabot community: Ist

United Credit Union, MPR no od

Piedmont Dental by Design, Yovino-Yo
Inc., and Cole Coffee, who will provide free
coffee at our Bakesale.

See www.chabotelementary.org for
more information.

Reverse

i

Cell 510-981-9799
910-528-2255

ee

REALTY

iid ADVOCATES

Financial Group

Incorporated

David Herrenbruck
david@fishmanfinancial.net

Time Flies!

Realty Advocates opened its office in Rockridge. With
several hundred sales in the area to our credit, one

thing has not changed over time: our consistent deliv-

ery of top-notch Service, highest market prices, and as
a bonus: the lowest commissions!

brett@realtyadvocates.com 510-428-0757

Mortgage

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NMLS# 1384117

It’s been 30 years now since

Brett Weinstein, Broker

HIGHEST SALES PRICES + LOWEST COMMISSIONS

—,

September 8, 2018 Réckridge News

11.

—

f Coffee with Cops and a Couple of Horses at Safeway Plaza

In early August, Oakland Police officers, mounted and
unmounted, convened a “coffee with a cop” get together at
the College Safeway plaza. Coffee flowed, horses were admired
and Police brass and staff could talk directly with the public.

~wry .

AVANNIM NOC/

| erap-t resident A. Kassal came across the photo
at left the other day, and offered it to The Rockridge

News to print in the spirit of community interest.

An old photo, it did not scan well. The written note at
the bottom of the page is helpful: “College at Claremont.”

In the distance are the Oakland/Berkeley Hills. The
foreground shows a corner likely unfamiliar to many
residents today: A gas station with pumps in the foreground
and several cars in front, probably being serviced.

Surely most unfamiliar to residents today are the two
“Dodge” signs posted on buildings next to the garage and
visable on a building to its rear. A dealership? No doubt.

When could the photo have been taken? A clue could be
the wood-sided station wagon parked in front of the farther
Dodge sign to the left. A Woody! A brief internet search
indicates they went out of production in the early 1950s.

If you have lived in Rockridge longer than most, you
may have more information about this photo’s location.
Take a moment; write to editor@rockridge.org.

Courtesy of 98-year-old Rockridge resident A. Kassal.

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Ruth Goldstone
510.418.7191

eastbayprop@gmail.com_ |
DRE# 01300164

For more information, or if you're thinking
of selling or buying, contact Ruth.

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2.
RPP Monitoring
Falls Short

from page 2

Mr. Ford has acknowledged that these
calculations are correct. I asked him how
the City could justify taking money for RPP
permits without providing the service that
purchasers thought they were paying for. His
answer was to quote the Oakland Municipal
Code section on the process for having RPP
signs removed.

Wlad Wlassowsky, who heads the
Oakland Department of Transportation, did
not respond to my request for an interview.
Had he done so, I would also have asked him
how the City could justify this deception, and
if and how it will be remedied.

This enforcement system has been in
place since 2011. The cost of renewing RPP
permits has gone from $35 per year per
vehicle to $59. A letter to the Editor of The
Rockridge News (July 2, 2016) by District
1 Councilmember Dan Kalb stated his
“belief that this [the apparent lack of parking
enforcement on some streets in RPP zones in
Rockridge] is due to ...the lack of additional
staff to do the ongoing enforcement... My
staff and I will continue to monitor the
enforcement situation to ensure that residents
in RPP zones who have a permit are able to
park on their own street, while those without
permits are limited to the posted number of
hours.” It went on to say that, “Because of my
actions, the RPP renewal fee is $59 instead
of the $82 that had been proposed.”

Many of us who have been paying for
nearly useless RPP permits do not consider
this to be such a great bargain.

Martin Coyle 510-655-8717 Mike Tracy
5221 James Ave. Oakland Ca. 94618

www.coylehomeremodel.com

Temescal Farmers’ Market, Open Sundays
9 a.m. - 1 p.m. All Year. Sample the goods.
Meet the growers. Live music.

Bring reusable bags, 5300 Claremont

Avenue at DMV parking lot.

-_—_——

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I LENE LPL NEE Me EW AAC RO TNE Tae ee ER REA AEE

Rockridge News September 8, 2018

Artists’ Corner: Adele Crawford @

by Caroline Stern, Qaklandartworks.com Fa |
first came across Adele Crawford around the turn o t . century in an article
about decorative painting in the San Francisco Chronicle. Excited to fing anothes

decorative painter in Rockridge, | connected with her.
Over time, I learned about a show she had done in Mill
Valley, her MFA in printmaking from the California Col-
lege of Arts and Crafts (CCAC), and her participation 1n

the De Young Museum’s Artist in Residence program. Her
resumé lists art centers,

colleges, private col-
lections and museums
throughout the Bay
Area and the country.
Adele makes artist
books. She recre-
ates pieces based on
discarded pictures,
vintage photos, post-
cards, and dictionaries that she hand stitches, beads,
paints, embroiders, scans and displays. For example,
she had taken apart a 100-year-old dictionary, gold
leafed the pages, and then bound, threaded, and
installed it as a new book. This one, though, hangs
in pieces on the wall with a story in a new format for
the viewer to decipher and try to read. >

Describing her work, she says: “I am interesw™,
involved in, and aware of what is going on in the
————_—_____— — world — environmentally, politically, socially within
Adele Crawford my community and beyond. But I approach my work
from another place, from my personal truth and the
reality that is my truth. While working on my most recent piece, I referred to it as ‘Weight
of the Word’ — thinking of how words are so often taken out of context and are now often
ignored or ignited, given one’s political leaning. Although when I make my work, my main
emphasis is practice. In my spiritual work we call it Life Practice: Engaging in an activity

(often mundane) while practicing staying present, staying with oneself and with what may |
come up.

“Having traveled to some Southeast Asian countries,

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» Adele Crawford, Artist, page 14

Experience * Knowledge * Performance

SOLD over asking w/ 5 offers: 5589Lawton.com , orig list $2,550,000 Represented Seller
Coming for Sale Soon: Rockridge 3 Bedroom Bungalow 3 blocks from College Ave

Did you know that September is:

Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month - Love and miss you Dad.
Blood Cancer Awareness Month - Love and miss you Mom.
ADHD Awareness Month - So many of us :)

Women’s Friendship Month - There’s a powerful thing!
Subliminal Communication Month - No, nothing here like that.

Happy Fall Equinox!

Perry Riani, Senior Associate P AC I 2 ] ( a

“2016 Realtor of the Year”

1900 Mountain Bivd Oakland, CA 94611 U N ION

1625 Shattuck Ave Berkeley, CA 94709
C: 510.813.3799 perry@pacunion.com INTERNATIONAL

License # 01402540

leet te a ee el

September 8, 2018

RA CAS ae

Réckridge News

i eee i ee gO Me a AD hale ell

4
by Lincoln Spector

KY the biggest nerds have problems
with technology. We all struggle
when our smartphones and other devices
don’t work the way we think they should.

You might find the solution by joining a
user group. Even better, you can help others
with their problems.

In July, l attended the monthly Rockridge
Android Users Group meeting associated
with Ashby Village, a nonprofit that helps
East Bay elders stay in their own homes.

Ashby Village member Alison Colgan
hosted the meeting in her home right in the
center of Rockridge. Colgan and another
member, Sam Duncan, run the group and
provide most of the help. Group members
have dubbed them “The Two Lords of the
Universe.”

Duncan, like me, is a member of Ashby
Village’s Tech Committee. One member
explained that all of them get “a lot of

endly Help With Your Android Phone

Ashby Village User Groups Help Solve Technology Challenges

help from Sam. He straightens out a lot
of problems.” Duncan doesn’t take all the
credit. “Between my daughter and Google,
we can figure most things out.”

This month, the group discussed widgets

— app interfaces that display information
on the phone’s home screen. Duncan and I
(yes, I failed at being the detached reporter
and got into the act) showed people how to
put these sometimes-useful interfaces on
their phones.

ORTRUN NIESAR
510.326.2161

Realtor®
o.niesar@ggsir.com
GoldenGateSIR.com
Lic.# 01161032

Each office is independently awned and operated

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¢ Estate planning
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schedule an appointment.

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Please contact me during regular business hours to

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13.

There was also a discussion on how to
find and listen to podcasts.

The previous month, Duncan introduced
the secure communications app WhatsApp
to the crowd.

| asked the members why they attend this
group, when Ashby Village provides free
tech support help in members’ own homes.
“I find that service very helpful,” a member
told me. “But I get so much more out
of the group. A lot of questions are
small. You wouldn’t want a home
visit to answer one little question.”

But there is another reason:
socializing. “We get to know each
other,” someone explained. “It’s
better than talking about our medical
problems.” To which someone
replied, “It’s similar in some ways.”

Meetings are held at 3:30 p.m.
the second Monday of the month, and run

about an hour.

For more information about joining
Ashby Village as a member or volunteer,
email info@ashbyvillage.org Or call

510/204-9200.

Es

Presbyterian Church
5951 College Avenue | 94618
(510) 658-3665 | www.capcoakland.org

Fite safe | open | real Sty) ty

JASON KALDIS
ARCHITECT

INCORPORATED

510.549.3584

WWW.JKALDISARCHITECT.COM

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14.

Rockridge
Librarian Retires

from page 4

“My most vivid image of Alan is how
willing and ready he is to jump up, to respond
to things,” Siskind said. “If a bird comes in
here, he will not do anything else until it is
safe. He is a committed environmentalist
turning off lights and computers so we don’t
waste energy, and biking to work year-round,
even in the cold or rain.”

In his retirement, Howe plans to spend
time birding, getting more involved in social

causes, and writing poetry. Despite those
robust plans, stepping away from his position
at the branch on September 5 wasn’t easy.

“I’m going to miss just seeing the books
that come in,” he said. “ll probably haunt
the place so that | can keep up and find out
what’s new with the staff and patrons. They
are a real part of my community.”

“This branch has been a part of my life
for 26 years now, and so not ‘living’ here,
not being able to go into the staff area — ['ll
miss that. I’ve known some of the patrons
here since they were bumps and now they are
graduated and in careers. It’s been so neat
watching them grow,” said Howe.

“And now I’m getting a little emotional.”

Pictured in 1992,
now-retiring
Senior Assistant
Librarian Alan
Howe hands
Nancy Dutcher
the first book to
be checked out
from the newly
opened Rockridge
Branch Library.
Dutcher chaired
the neighborhood
committee that
spearheaded a
permanent home
for the Branch.
/FORL

Adele Crawford,
Artist

from page !2

[ often think of what I am doing as similar
to the women preparing offerings outside
of the temples.

“There is a reverence and a giving, not
that different from what my grandmother did
years ago during her quilting bees, Perhaps
in some way | am offering a gift of presence
to the universe.”

information now, What do words and books
mean in our world where truth is distorted
and difficult to convey? She has work for that
too: Mending the World; red thread binding
maps of our fractured planet and a new wall
installation of each state's police killings
over a nine-month period, carefully counted,
pinned and represented on the wall, It shows
her thoughtful reverence for truth, witness to

lives being discarded like material.
Luckily we have artists like Adele paying
attention to the past, mending, threading,
documenting, revering and rebuilding into
new possibilities.
Oh, did I mention her dog portraits? See
below, and visit Adelecrawford.com.

September 8, 2018

= Classifieds

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, 4/23 Broadway, PMB 3Il,
Oakland, CA 946I1. The classified ad
October issue deadline is September
20. The October issue will be out on
October 6. For information: Email Susan

Montauk via smontauk@gmail.com

Penelope’s AestheticsWine

Harvest Special!
Experience a Chianti and honey essential
back and arm treatment. Renew, exfoliate,

nourish and hydrate dry itchy skin. $35. Call
for an appointment: 510/594-1552 www.

penelopecalef.com

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

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. Chris Rausch Gardening. Call Chris
at 510/655-0157.

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 |bahena,
info@gmail.com

Eee Meee me Fee en

Pilates Sessions
Privates, Duets, Groups, with Irving 9.
Wiltshire at Finding Center Pilates, 6214
Florio Street at College Avenue, Very early
6 AM, Midsafternoon 3-5, and

morning
Evening groups 5-7 availability, S10/219-8
iswirving@comeast.net

Looking? Check out Rockridge!

September 8, 2018

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Rockridge News

z 15.
Book Signing and Tastings

Rose Levy Beranbaum’s newest Cook-
book, ROSE’S BAKING BASICS: 100

Email Rockridge News Community Calendar item
cht ' Ss to: joellisi@hotm
(after noon), or mail to: Rockridge News Community Calendar, 4123 Rrondwey, PAB 341 Oaidand,

Y Deadline is the next to the last Tuesday of the month Compiled by Jo Elli
0 S

G

Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017

FOR ALL AGES: Collage & Doodle
Workshop with Caroline Stern and
Elaine Bond. Sat 9/8, 11am -1 pm.
FOR CHILDREN

NOTE: No Story times until 9/15.
e Family Story Time for all ages;
Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.

e Toddler Story Time: Thursdays.
10:30 a.m.

e Pre-School Story Time: (ages 2 to
5); Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.

All story times followed by Play Time;
parents and caregivers invited.

SPECIAL EVENTS: all ages welcome.

e Mix It Up Family Game Night:
Every 4th Tues, starting Sept 25,
6:30-7:45pm.

e Family Craft Night: Every 2nd Tues,

starting Oct 9th, 6:30-7:45pm. Oct:
make Luminarias.

FOR TEENS

Rockridge Teen Advisory Board

(ages 14-18): Advise the library how

to better serve teens; get community

service credit for school. 2nd Sat.
each month, 1 to 2pm.

e Teen'Scape Program: Video games
and crafts; every Tues, Thurs, and
Fri, 3:30 - 5pm; Wed, 1:30 - Spm.

e Study Room Hours: High school
tutor available for homework help.
Tues, and Thurs 4 - 5pm; Wed, 3 -
4:30pm.

e Design Your Tote Bags: We provide
paints and tote bags. 9/12, 2pm.

e Make Bike Tube Jewelry: all supplies

provided. 09/19, 2pm.

FOR ADULTS
*** eBook Help: Work one-on-one

with librarian. Fridays, 2 -3:30pm. Make

appt. online or call 597-5017.

e Second Saturday Book Club; starts
Sept 8. 2nd Sat each month, 3 -4pm.
Get book selection at 597-5017.

e Writers Support/Critique Group:
All Welcome. Bring 15 copies of up
to 5 pgs. (OK to come empty-handed).
3rd Sat. each month,1 to 5pm. Info:
420-8775 or Writefox@aol.com.

e Lawyer in the Library: Free legal

info and referral. 1st Tues each month;

6pm-8pm. Lottery sign-up 5pm.

Knitting Meet-Up: Third Sat. each

month, 3pm. Bring your project. All

levels welcome.

°e The Future of Your Energy Bill
& What You Can’ Do About It:

OMMUNITY CALENDAR

Presented by StopWaste. Sat

9/22, 2pm. Register at www.bit.ly/
FOYEB922.

e The Magic and Mystery of Vincent
Van Gogh: with Marlene Aron. Tues
9/25, 6:15pm.

ART EXHIBIT: Upstairs Gallery
Sept: Beneath the Surface: local artist

Caroline Stern and wildlife photog
Elaine Miller Bond.

Library Hours
Tues, 12:30 to 8pm.
Wed, Thurs & Sat: 10am to 5:30pm.
Fri, 12 to 5:30pm.
Closed: Sun and Mon.

Become a Volunteer Story
Reader in Oakland Pre-schools
Sign up now for OPL's volunteer
program Books for Wider Horizons.
Training series starts early October at
Rockridge Library. Learn to present

storytimes to pre-school classes. Sign
up at www.oaklandlibrary.org/bwh.

East Bay Booksellers Book/

Poetry Readings FREE and open
to the public.

Wed, 9/12, 7pm. J.D. Moyer: The Sky
Woman: From Ringworlds to Earth, an
Epic Struggle of Love and Survival.
Thurs, 9/13, 7pm. Albert Samaha: Never
Ran, Never Will: Boyhood and Football in
a Changing American Inner City.

Fri, 9/14, 7pm. Children’s author Dr.
Golbarg Bashi: P is for Palestine: A
Palestine Alphabet Book.

Tues, 9/18, 7pm. Juliet Blackwell and
Sofia Grant: The Lost Carousel of
Provence and The Daisy Children.
Thurs, 9/20, 7pm. Guadalupe Nettel:
After the Winter.

Mon, 9/24, 7pm. Jane Mount: Bibliophile:
An I/lustrated Miscellany. With Jasmine
Guillory.

Sun, 9/30, 3pm. Poetry Flash, with
Mary Mackey and Maurya Simon.
Fri, 10/5, 7pm. Kai Carlson-Wee: Rail

(Poulin #41), poems.
Sun, 10/7, 3pm. Poetry Flash with

Terese Svoboda.

East Bay Booksellers, 5433 College
Ave. More info abt. the authors, books
and other events: 653-9965 or info@

ebbooksellers.com.

Essential Recipes, with more than 600
Step-by-Step Photos. Taste samples
from recipes. Sat, Oct 6, 2 - 4pm.

Market Hall Foods, 5655 College Ave.
More info: rockridgemarkethall.com OF

250-6001.

Jazz at the Chimes

Featuring Cascada de Flores (Arwen
lawrence and Jorge Liceaga) in
“Ondas del Caribe”, the songs of Mexico
and its neighbors. With Vission Latina
Trio. Reception and refreshments
follow. More info: www.cascadadeflores.
com. Sun, Sept 16, 2pm. Tickets $15:
in advance at www.brownpapertickets.
com/event/3448286 or at the door (cash
only) beginning 12:30pm (doors open
1:30).

Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont
Ave. Wheelchair accessible. Free
parking. More info: www.jazzatthe-
chimes.com, or 654-0123.

Sing with the Oakland Turnverein

Gemischter Chor (OTV)

Mostly folk and some classical. Allages
and voices welcome. Some knowledge
of German and musical traditions helpful
but not necessary. Concerts sched-
uled for Fall and Xmas. No auditions
required. Rehearsals: Wed., evenings
7:30pm at Bjornson Hall, 2256 MacAr-
thur Blvd. More details: call Ortrun
Niesar: 652-6664.

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.

Healthy Living for Seniors: Free
sample of Harvest of the Month
plus a presentation by Habitat for
Humanity’s new home repair program
for seniors. Tues, Sept. 11, 10:30am.
Preview of Friendly Excursions 2019:
affordable, senior-friendly travel from
Southern Delight to Yellowstone and
Canadian Rockies. RSVP to plan ahead.
Thurs, Oct. 4, 10:30am.

Seniors age 55+ join for $12 annual dues
to get discounts and other benefits. More
info at 597-5085.

7

16.

COMING SOON
ROCKRIDGE

3+ /1+ on Ocean View Drive

¢ Traditional Shingle Home

e Spacious Rooms

e Upgraded Kitchen

e A “Real” Family Room

¢ Remodeled Bathroom

e Work at Home Office Space

e Hardwood Floors, Fireplace

e Yard with Patios, Gas Fireplace,
Great Play Space for Everyone

Call for Details

ROCKRIDGE HOME PRICES HIT
$1,000 PER SQUARE FOOT!

Valuing your home might be easier
than you think. Try multiplying the
size of your home by $1,000 per
Square foot and you will be close.
Of course, I can get you closer.

Call Me!

“I know Rockridge”

Ron Kriss, Broker

Lawton Associates
direct 510-612-2547

RonKriss@JPS.net

“#1 in Rockridge Real Estate”

ASSOCIATES) 160+ Successful Sales (=)
REAL ESTATE. NM Rockridge a treerd

BROKERAGE) www.LawtonAssoc.com

Find it in Rockridge!

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Réckridge News

Mortgage solutions tailored to
you and your family.
Local. Knowledge. Integrity

Scott Murray
Loan Advisor
NMLS #1020834
925 743.3512
| smurray@rpm-mtg.com
>» Wwww.rpm-mtg.com/smurray
© 3240 Stone Valley Road West
Stae Alamo, CA 94507

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Hoping? Find it in Rockridge!

September 8, 2018

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PROVIDING

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For Over 36 Years.

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Oakland
ah

Celebrating 30 in Business!

Years 2018

Award Winning Contractor

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Foundations & Additions ADU projects

Frank Silver: 415-722-9805

It is never too soon to begin planning.
If you're thinking of selling your Rockridge
home, maybe even in Spring 2019,

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you're likely to have questions.

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McGuire Partner and Top Producer

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