Extracted text · highlighting “Chris Jackson”

RockridgeNews

www.rockridge.org
THE

VOL 36   •   NO. 5   •   ISSUE  NO. 375   •   MAY 2, 2020                      CIRCULATION: 5,800 Residences; 200 Businesses

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

Documentary Features
Long-Time Rockridge
Residents and Disability
Rights Activists
— by Neil Jacobson
On March 25, the film “Crip
Camp – A Disability Revolution”
was released on Netflix shortly after
its debut at Sundance where it won
the Audience Award. It’s directed and
produced by Nicole Newnham and
Jim Librecht, along with Sara Bolder,
and in conjunction with Barack and
Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground
Productions.

Neil and Denise Jacobson both starred in the film “Crip Camp” which
was an audience favorite at the Sundance Film Festival this past January.
Crip Camp, see page 12

School’s Out, But Claremont Middle School
Keeps On Keeping On

Looking Back, Moving
Forward: An Author’s
Recollections
— by Shona Armstrong
— by Judith Doner Berne
In the wake of the abrupt closure of
Oakland public schools on Friday,
March 13, Rockridge’s local middle
school perseveres. Principal Jonathan
Mayer, along with the district and his
team of determined and caring staff
and teachers, has since put together
distance-learning programs for
students that the teachers continue
to refine and improve in cooperation
with Claremont families. Students are
It’s hard to have your “Eyes on Rock-
ridge” when you are confined
to your house. I never imagined
being dependent on Instacart and a
daughter for groceries, and the daily,
almost hourly worry about far-flung
family, embedded in coronavirus
hotspots like New York City, Chicago,
Washington D.C., Massachusetts and
Detroit.
Claremont, see page 11
In fact, my eyes are the only uncov-
ered part of my face as I venture
onto neighborhood streets in a daily
attempt to get exercise, fresh air and a
taste of spring that awakes my senses.
My eyes delight in the arrays of
Eyes on Rockridge, see page 14


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page 2
MAY 2020

Help Keep Our First Responders Safe

— by Angela Moore, Oakland Police Neighborhood Services Coordinator

The Rockridge News was founded March 1986
by Don Kinkead, and is published monthly (except
August).  It 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.
The COVID-19 pandemic is
affecting us all, personally and
professionally. Much of what we once
took for granted has been impacted
in some way. Even though many of
us have the option of telecommuting,
many City of Oakland employees
are still required to provide essential
services.
The two departments that we con-
tinually depend upon to keep our city
safe and provide emergency services
are the City of Oakland’s police and
fire departments. These front-line
workers risk their health and wellbe-
ing on a daily basis to make sure we
stay safe and get the help we need.
These men and women are to be
applauded for their commitment
and dedication to their jobs, and it’s
important to make sure they have the
equipment they need to keep them-
selves healthy and safe as well. As
the pandemic spreads, masks, gloves,
and other protective safety items
are in short supply. It’s time for the
community to reciprocate their dedi-
cation by providing them with much
needed safety items. We are looking
for latex and latex-free gloves, hand
sanitizers and masks.
If you are a seamstress, and willing
to make and donate cloth masks,
please do so. If you don’t have your
own pattern, but would like to help,
there are instructions throughout the
internet. n
If you would like to make a donation/s
or have questions, please contact
Angela Moore, Neighborhood Services
Coordinator, at (510) 773-0473, or
email amoore@oaklandnet.com.
Rockridge News Production
Anna L. Marks ........................ Editor & Layout Artist
Jo Ellis...................................................Assistant Editor
& Community Calendar
Judith Doner Berne.......................Eyes on Rockridge
Susan Montauk................................Business Manager
RCPC Board of Directors, 2019-20
Leonora Sea..........................................................Chair
Vacant......................................................... Vice-Chair
Casey Farmer......................................... Co-Secretary
Andrew Masalin.................................... Co-Secretary
Ronnie Spitzer...............................................Treasurer
Stuart Flashman...........................Assistant Treasurer
Michelle Boyd, David Garcia, Mary Catherine
Haug, Matt Levy, Eric Lombardo, Robin Zimpfer
McDonnell
Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
OakDOT Seeks Feedback on Slow Streets
T
Contacting The Rockridge News
Are there community issues you’d like to see
covered in The Rockridge News? Have questions
about newsletter distribution? Want to volunteer
to be a Rockridge News block captain? Want to
write a letter to the Editor?
Articles submitted for publication should be
emailed to the editor. Submissions are limited
to 600 words, and must include the author’s
name, phone number, email address, and city or
neighborhood of residence.
he City of Oakland is rolling out
the Slow Streets program in
response to the need for additional
space for Oaklanders to have space
to practice social distancing while on
essential outdoor trips, and to reduce
foot traffic at parks and outdoor trails. 
Solutions that work for Oaklanders
need neighbors’ participation. The
City is seeking out and inviting ongo-
ing community feedback, and will
work to make responsive adjustments
to the program implementation, as
possible. All are encouraged to take
the survey at https://tinyurl.com/oak-
landslowstreets. n
All submissions are subject to editing for clarity
and brevity. To submit content, or for reprints of
an article, contact: editor@rockridge.org.
Newsletter Subscriptions
To subscribe to The Rockridge News, send your
check for $20, payable to RCPC with “Rockridge
News” noted on the memo line.
Mail payment to:
The Rockridge News,
4123 Broadway, PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94611
Display Advertising
Deadline for June issue: May 21, 2020
Advertising rates are $28/column inch. Six-month
pre-pay rate available. For display ads, call Jo Ellis
at 510-653-3210 (after noon), or email joellis1@
hotmail.com. RCPC reserves the right to refuse any
display or classified ad that it deems inappropriate.
Email smontauk at smountauk@gmail.com for
information on classified ads.
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.


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page 3
MAY 2020

Sharing The Love
Through Baby
Clothing Donations
pital and headed straight to a shelter
with little to keep warm other then a
hospital-issued blanket motivates me
to keep going.
I never thought a one-time baby
clothing collection drive would turn
into a successful nonprofit that has
donated over 2 million garments
to infants living in crisis. Due to
Covid-19 , we now have a contact-free
drop-off site open in Lafayette. Mon-
etary donations can be made on our
website. Sign up for our volunteer
network. n
— by Lisa Klein
The idea of Loved Twice began in
September 2005 when I was
watching the heartbreaking news of
Hurricane Katrina. That event was
especially devastating to disadvan-
taged mothers who simply needed to
keep their babies warm. Having just
had my first child, I was deeply moti-
vated to help.
To date, more than two million
essential garments have been delivered
to underserved communities. Visit
www.lovedtwice.org or email info@
LovedTwice.org for more information.
After seeing a posting on Craigslist
from a church in Louisiana requesting
donations of baby clothes to help
displaced newborns, I sent an email
to my network. I collected over 200
pounds of baby clothing in four days
from friends and neighbors and
mailed them to the church. Witness-
ing the impact this had, I realized this
simple idea could expand as a result of
the overwhelming local need.
We collect gently used baby clothes
(sizes 0-12 months only), sort these
essential garments into boy and
girl one-year-wardrobes-in-a-box,
and distribute the boxes through
licensed social workers in hospitals,
shelters, and clinics in underserved
neighborhoods. Each baby receives
approximately 75 items, including
newborn onesies, sleepers, hats, boo-
ties, books, and a warm soft blanket.
Keeping babies warm and reusing
Rockridge resident Lisa Klein
donates boxes of clothing for
newborn babies through her
nonprofit, Loved Twice.
these items accomplishes two essential
goals: Support vulnerable families by
helping meet their basic needs while
simultaneously recycling thousands of
baby items that would otherwise end
up in landfills.
The stories I hear from social
workers that distribute our boxes of
baby clothes are heartbreaking. For
example, I received a box request for
a 15-year-old mother whose parents
threw her out of her house for getting
pregnant; another for a baby whose
father was just murdered; still another
for struggling parents who just lost
their jobs. The stories go on. Knowing
I can help a newborn leaving the hos-


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page 4
MAY 2020

City of Oakland
Announces New
COVID-19 SMALL
Business Resources
The City wants to share a
variety of resources to sup-
port small businesses and work-
ers during the pandemic, and
has launched a www.oakland-
businesscenter.com to serve as a
portal for all of the local, State
and Federal resources available
to support small businesses and
workers. Businesses, nonprofits
and self-employed individuals
that have been impacted should
visit https://www.ed.ca.gov/
about_edd/coronavirus-2019/
pandemic-unempoyment-assis-
tance.htm.
To request one-on-one assis-
tance, take the City’s COVID-19
Business Impact Survey. This
serves as the intake method for
businesses seeking assistance.
An online survey is in English,
Arabic, Chinese, Spanish and
Vietnamese. Additionally, The
City is sending out weekly
business updates, and business
owners, entrepreneurs and non-
profits can subscribe at: https://
oaklandca19202.activehosted.
com/f/8.
Check back regularly for
new info at https://www.
oaklandca.gov/resources/
coronavirus-2019-covid-19-busi-
ness-and-worker-resources.

FEDERAL, STATE & LOCAL RESOURCES
The Paycheck Protection Program 
PPP offers cash-flow assistance with
a 100% federally guaranteed loan to
employers, self-employed and independent
contractors who maintain their payroll
during this emergency. Check with your
local bank for info.
These loans may be forgiven if bor-
rowers maintain or restore payroll. SBA
guidelines are pending publication, but the
program will be available through SBA’s
7(a) lenders. The Paycheck Protection
Program will be available through June
30, 2020.
Oakland Undocumented Relief /
OUR Fund 
Provides $500 grants to undocumented
immigrants and those in mixed-status fami-
lies who’ve lost jobs / income.
One Fair Wage Emergency Fund 
Serves very-low-income service and tipped
workers. The fund has a grant from the
Oakland COVID-19 Fund of $100,000 dedi-
cated to Oakland residents.
State of California’s Small Business
Finance Center
Provides loan guarantees and direct loans
for small businesses that face difficulties
accessing capital through its Disaster Relief
Loan Guarantee Program.
KIVA.org
A City of Oakland partner, offers
zero interest loans via crowdsourcing
to entrepreneurs and small business
owners. In response to the COVID-19
pandemic, KIVA has raised its maximum
loan amount to $15,000, has expanded
eligibility for loans, and has extended the
repayment grace period up to six month’s
post-loan disbursal for greater financial
flexibility. 
There are other local business providers
who offer loans and technical assistance
specifically to Oakland small businesses,
including Main Street Launch, Working
Solutions and Pacific Community Ven-
tures, among others. 
AnewAmerica is offering counseling
sessions with telephone appointments,
including support for SBA loans.
State Unemployment & Disability
Insurance Benefits – Waiting Periods
Waived
Governor Newsom’s Executive Order on
March 12, 2020, waives the one-week wait-
ing period for people who are unemployed
and/or disabled as a result of COVID-19 to
seek unemployment and disability benefits.
Please direct affected workers to the Cal-
ifornia Labor & Workforce Development
Agency’s website to review what benefits are
available including sick leave, paid family
leave and workers’ compensation benefits.
Additional information and resources can
be found at CA Gov’s website here.
Self-employed workers, including inde-
pendent contractors, may be eligible for
benefits and are encouraged to apply for
unemployment insurance at https://edd.
ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019.htm.
Oakland COVID-19 Relief Fund 
Addresses food insecurity, homelessness,
community health & education, and eco-
nomic security of workers, nonprofits and
small businesses.
more resources, see next page
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Thoughts & Prayers To All While We Shelter In Place
Closing date
BR
BA

Address                                Original price         List price
DOM
Selling price
3/04/2020
2
1

5340 Broadway Terrace        $675,000
        $675,000
 13
$725,000
3/12/2020
3
2

5645 Broadway                    $1,150,000
     $1,150,000
   7
$1,530,000
3/20/2020
2
2
         5416 Broadway                       $779,000
        $779,000
 12
$890,000
You may be considering how you can sell your home in this market... We have
some creative & safe ideas. Call us... There are lots of buyers still looking for a home.
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THE

page 5
MAY 2020

Rockridge Business District Responds to COVID-19
Childcare Resources

D
First 5 Alameda County has put
together a list of great resources
for children and families to cope
during the COVID-19 pandemic
and order to Shelter-at-Home. 
Resources include:
• Talking to Kids about COVID-19
• Distance learning resources
(including free Internet services)
• Food assistance
• Financial aid
uring this time of Shelter-In-
Place, local restaurants have
altered their hours and services to
meet the needs of our community.
The Rockridge District
Association maintains updated
information on local restaurants
offering take out and delivery
serivces. Be sure to call ahead to
confirm the services provided as
information remains fluid and some
business may be open that are not
included. Please help keep this list
updated at https://www.rockridge-
district.com/covid19, and thank you
for supporting Rockridge merchants
during these unprecedented times.
— Chris Jackson, Operations Manager
more resources, from previous page
hours of paid sick leave and expanded paid
childcare leave when employees’ children’s
schools are closed or childcare providers are
unavailable. Employers with fewer than 50
employees are eligible for an exemption from
the requirements to provide leave to care for
a child whose school is closed, or childcare
is unavailable in cases where the viability of
the business is threatened. Employers receive
100 percent reimbursement for paid leave
pursuant to the Act. Health insurance costs
are also included in the credit. Self-employed
individuals receive an equivalent credit.
Reimbursement will be quick and easy to
obtain. An immediate, dollar-for-dollar tax
offset against payroll taxes will be provided.
Other Measures to Preserve Cash Flow
Employers experiencing a hardship as a result
of COVID-19 may request up to a 60-day
extension of time from the State of Califor-
nia’s Employment Development Department
(EDD) to file their state payroll reports and/
or deposit state payroll taxes without penalty
or interest. A written request for an extension
must be received within 60 days from the
original delinquent date of the payment or
return. For questions, employers may call the
EDD Taxpayer Assistance Center. Toll-free
from the U.S. or Canada: (888) 745-3886
Hearing-impaired (TTY): (800) 547-9565
CLICK HERE to access these and
other resources.
Employers with less than 10 employees must
allow employees to accrue up to 40 hours of
paid sick leave at a time and larger employers
with 10 or more employees must allow employ-
ees to accrue at least 72 hours of paid sick
leave. Employers who have questions should
email minwageinfo@oaklandca.gov.
Resources to Support Workforce
Reductions
If you’re reducing your workforce, please con-
sider the state’s Work Sharing Program that
helps employers minimize or eliminate the
need for layoffs, keep trained employees and
quickly prepare when business conditions
improve. The program helps employees whose
hours and wages have been reduced to receive
Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits.
State Franchise Tax Board
Has postponed until July 15, 2020 the filing
and payment deadline for most businesses.
City of Oakland’s Paid Sick Leave
Requirement for Workers
The City of Oakland is reminding all employ-
ers and workers of Oakland’s voter-approved
sick leave benefits. During the COVID-19
pandemic, it is important that workers have
the ability to take paid time off when they
are sick. Measure FF, voter-approved in
November 2014, requires the accrual of paid
sick leave for any individuals employed in
Oakland. The minimum rate of accrual is one
hour paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.
U.S. Treasury Department, IRS, and
U.S. Department of Labor
Announced that small and midsize employers
can begin taking advantage of two new
refundable payroll tax credits, designed
to immediately and fully reimburse them,
dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing
leave to their employees. For COVID-19
related reasons, employees receive up to 80
Engaging the City’s Rapid Response Team
Meets with affected workers before the layoff
will allow your employees access to services
and programs to help them through this
difficult time. Rapid Response is carried out
in partnership with Oakland’s American
Job Center. To access these Rapid Response
services, contact Tamara Walker at twalker@
oaklandca.gov or (510) 238-3630.
Hang in there, Rockridge!
We’ll get through
this together
Help with Mounting Housing Costs and
Residential Displacement
Through the Keep Oakland Housed Program,
services are available to all Oakland residents
who are at risk of losing their housing. In
addition to emergency financial assistance to
help with rent, utility payments, and other
housing-related costs, the program offers
supportive services and legal representation
for tenants with an active eviction lawsuit. If
you or any of your employees are at-risk for
residential displacement, please connect with
Keep Oakland Housed.
–Daniel–
510.843.6400
more resources, next page


THE
page 6
MAY 2020

More resources, from previous page
Eviction Moratorium
On Friday, March 27, 2020, the Oakland
City Council passed an eviction mora-
torium for residential renters, nonprofit
organization renters, and small business
renters (generally those with fewer than 100
employees).
This moratorium will prohibit most
evictions, effective immediately and con-
tinuing through May 31, 2020, unless the
City Council extends that date. The full
text of the ordinance is available at: https://
bit.ly/2UQl52b Commercial tenants and
property owners with questions about the
eviction moratorium should email busdev@
oaklandca.gov.
Oakland Chamber
The Chamber has launched “Oakland’s
Open,” a crowd-sourced list of organizations
providing modified services during COVID-
19. Support #OAKPROUD organizations
where and when you can. Email the Chamber
to be included. View the List of Open Restau-
rants, and #StayInOrderOut. Email Ashleigh
Smallwood at asmallwood@oaklandchamber.
com.
Grants and Financial Assistance
Attention Literary Arts, Performing Arts,
Visual/Media Arts, Freelance Artists, and
Nonprofits, resources for artists and non-
profit arts organizations are now available
here.
Rapid Relief Fund for Kids and Schools 
To purchase healthy food for students,
distance learning materials, and to ensure
school facilities are safe when students
return. Contribute online or text “Oakland”
to 31996.

East Bay FeedER 
Purchases meals at full price plus tip from
local, independently-owned restaurants and
delivers those meals to feed frontline workers
at five East Bay hospitals. Get your restaurant
involved, donate, or volunteer to drive.
“Prep is Love!”
Youth Video Contest
— by Doug Mosher  OCP&R Program
Manager Oakland Firesafe Council
Volunteer Your Time
We’re seeing a generous outpouring of volun-
teer support from Oaklanders. Volunteers are
needed to help Seniors, low-income families
and other vulnerable populations in Oakland.
Sign up here to support.
Help still is available for those experiencing
domestic abuse. The Alameda County Family
Justice Center (ACFJC) is a Division of the
Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. It
provides legal, health, and support services for
victims of domestic abuse.
Hey you(!)th, stuck at home?
Don’t you love watching
funny videos? Or videos that
show an insanely simple way to do
something? If your kids or grand-
kids love watching videos that get
lots of “likes” or “shares,” chances
are they can make one themselves.
Enter this super fun, super easy
“Prep Is Love!” video contest, and
win one of the following gift card
prizes to be awarded:
Testing for COVID-19
The City of Oakland is operating a COVID-19
test site to serve essential service providers
such as healthcare workers, grocery store
employees, homeless outreach workers, and
others working directly with the public
during the pandemic. If an organization
operates within one of the listed areas and
has not yet made arrangements for testing,
they should email covid19testing@oaklandca.
gov . In order to use this testing service,
individuals must be exhibiting COVID-19
symptoms or have had confirmed exposure to
COVID-19. n
• One $200 1st Prize gift card
• Three $100 2nd Prize gift cards
• Ten $50 3rd Prize gift cards
Please pass this along to your
neighbors, friends and family with
kids ages 21 or under. This is their
chance to create a short video on
any topic related to emergency
preparedness and response and
enter to win!
Thank you Keira Williams, Harry
Hamilton, and the Business Devel-
opment Team at the Economic &
Workforce Development Department,
City of Oakland. You can Reach Keira
at kwilliams@oaklandca.gov; (510)
387-8003.
Sponsored by the Oakland Firesafe
Council’s Oakland Community
Preparedness & Response program.
For details go to: https://oakland-
cpandr.org/videos.
Experience * Knowledge * Performance
Be healthy, Be safe, We are all in this together!
Sold, multiple offers! 5340BroadwayTerrace.com Unit 208 ~1,100sf condo  $805k
Coming on in May: 2 Parcels on Ocean Ave w/homes in front & accessory bldgs in back
Coming post SIP:    2 Parcels on corner of 57th & Telegraph, 4 residential/1 commercial unit
May is awareness month for ALS, Melanoma, Mental Health, BBQs & Bikes!
Thanks family, friends, neighbors, healthcare providers, essential service workers!
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!!
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.Riani@Compass.com
License # 01402540


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page 7
MAY 2020

For the First Time,
Ever
encourage you, our readers, to do the
same.
We realize that not all Rockridge
residents are on an email list and that
a substantial number of them will not
know to access our online edition,
and we would like to fix that problem.
If you or someone you know in Rock-
ridge is not on a block email list, we
ask that you sign up at RCPC’s website
Rockridge.org. Click on the link at the
top right-hand of the home page to
join our Constant Contact list so you
will automatically receive the link to
the online newsletter each month.
Our sincere thanks go out to the
more than 150 volunteers who deliver
The Rockridge News. You are indis-
pensable to the continued success of
our newsletter that is funded essen-
tially by its advertisers. We ask that
you, our dear readers, please reach out
to these advertisers to thank them,
or use their services now, while we
shelter-in-place, and again when we
come out of it. A click on most ads
will direct you to their web page.
We wish you all continued health
and safety. n
Thank You
Speaking as the Chair of the
Rockridge Community Planning
Council Board, I’d like to thank
all the volunteers for your
commitment to distributing The
Rockridge News. Thanks also
to all those volunteers who
printed out the special front
page flyer and posted it widely
in the neighborhood and shared
it with their contacts to make
sure the Rockridge community
was aware of the postponement
of the RCPC Annual Meeting.
Your ongoing support is much
appreciated.
— Leonora Sea
— by Susan Montauk, The
Rockridge News Business Manager
So much happened this April, for
the first time. There were first-
time virtual seders and Easter celebra-
tions, first-time hiring of a personal
shopper, first-time standing on a line
outside a grocery store, first-time
walking with friends while keeping
six feet between you, first-time
turning away your family member
who wanted to hug you, first-time
mourning a friend or relative who
succumbed to the virus.
It was also a first for The Rockridge
News. For the first time in 35 years,
the newsletter did not land on neigh-
borhood doorsteps. This month will
be a repeat of April — no printed
edition of The Rockridge News.
We hope that this new practice of
publishing online-only will not con-
tinue for long, but, in the meantime,
we still depend on our cadre of loyal
volunteers — Block Captains, District
Captains, and Marshals — who
under normal circumstances, do the
hard work of getting the newsletters
directly to your home or business.
This month, we’ve asked them to
spread word via email, along with the
link to the digital May issue, to their
lists and social media outlets. We also
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THE
page 8
MAY 2020

An Unexpected Adventure On The Journey Home

SOLD
BEFORE THE FORMAL
MARKETING WAS EVEN STARTED

— by Kaitlyn Johnke

My neighbor Kaitlyn Johnke, 24, was a research volunteer in a rural town in
Sierra Leone when the nonprofit she was working for told her to return home
due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Five days later, she began her 50-hour
journey, returning to her Rockridge home on March 24. Here, edited for space
considerations, is her story. — Judy Berne

T
Sunday, still appeared to be intact.
This started a new wave of panic
that I might get stuck partway in my
journey back to the USA. It made
absolutely everything feel uncertain.
I bought myself a new ticket from
Ghana to Dubai even though it left
me with more than a 48-hour layover
in Ghana. I began wondering if I
should leave at all. There still was no
virus in Sierra Leone, and I would be
heading to an area of high infection.
I had support in Sierra Leone, but no
one if I somehow got stuck in Ghana
or Dubai.
The two days before my flight
passed with general sadness and
anxiety. It’s a long trip by ferry to the
airport. A few minutes before board-
ing they made the announcement
that I had feared — the Ghana flight
was cancelled. One last flight was still
scheduled, Kenya. Despite having no
ticket, I got on the ferry and, thank-
fully, was able to use my laptop to
secure a seat on that plane.
They wouldn’t allow me to check
in until I bought my revised tickets,
again via my computer, for the series of
flights back to San Francisco. Finally,
I checked my baggage and headed for
Kenya where I had a 16-hour layover
spent scrolling the news, taking naps,
making new friends and eating expen-
sive airport food.
No one was allowed to leave the
airport — another COVID restriction
— and many cancellations and delays
were announced. Luckily, my flight
wasn’t among them. After Kenya, I
went to Dubai, and then finally got a
flight to Seattle. But by the time I got
off the plane and tried to transfer my
luggage, my flight to SFO was depart-
ing. I waited for another few hours for
the next plane.

here weren’t any cases within
Sierra Leone at the time, but there
was a worry that if or when it got there,
the health infrastructure is so unable
to support its population against basic
health disparities like malnutrition,
malaria, and typhoid, COVID could
wreak havoc on West Africa. And if
that happened, we would be stuck in
Sierra Leone — indefinitely.
My two co-volunteers and I were on
hold for hours on end with airline’s
and third-party booking companies
as we frantically tried to change
flights originally booked for months
later. They found flights that would
leave within 48 hours. Mine would
leave three days after theirs. We said
goodbyes in our community that were
too hasty for the deep ties that we had
built over the last six months.
Together, we took a company
vehicle to the capital city of Freetown,
about five hours away. The next day,
Sierra Leone made the announcement
that they would be closing their
airport the day before my evacuation
flight. Did that mean my flight was
cancelled?
As we rushed to the downtown air-
lines office, in front of every building
were hand-washing buckets. I had
washed my hands at least four times.
They assured me that the flight would
leave — the last out of Sierra Leone
— and there was no space available
on the flight that would be leaving
sooner. I wasn’t very reassured.
My flight was in three legs out of
Sierra Leone; first to Ghana, then
Ghana to Dubai, and finally Dubai
to San Francisco. Overnight, I was
informed that my second flight to
Dubai was cancelled and my flight
from Dubai to San Francisco was
delayed by two days.
My first flight, to Ghana on
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THE

page 9
MAY 2020

Journey, from previous page
I arrived at SFO, exhausted and
disoriented, to be greeted by my mom
and sister. I wasn’t sure if I should hug
them, as I had no mask while traveling
all those hours and was aware of how
often I had touched my face or gotten
close to strangers. I came from a place
that was still awaiting its first case and
where life was still “normal” to a place
that was much farther along in COVID
response than almost anywhere else in
the United States. 
I am glad to be at home and healthy
and weathering this out with my family,
though my heart aches for the people
and countries who do not have the
privilege of taking needed precautions
or have limited access to health care.
For all of us, I eagerly await the day that
we can go on to a new “normal.” n
On the last leg of her
journey, from Seattle to San
Francisco, Kaitlyn Johnke
had the plane mostly to
herself, in contrast to her
three other flights which
were jam-packed.
Aurora School Navigates
Social Emotional
Distance Learning
Fourth- and fifth-grade teachers
assigned writing exercises, including
the “Time Capsule,” in which students
write letters to other students or to
their future selves, to be opened much
later in life. While the exercise makes
a yearly appearance, these children
clearly will not forget this year’s exer-
cise. Some student reflections were
wistful. “I miss hanging out with my
friends in real life,” or “I sometimes
dream I’m still at school, happy.”
Some saw a silver lining. “I’ve been
getting into cooking by myself and
Experiential, collaborative, intentional
— more concerned with the “why”
than the “what.”
Notwithstanding, Aurora teachers,
led by Abbie Koss, rose to the occasion.
They leapt into online learning on
March 16, when Aurora, like so many
schools and districts across California,
began sheltering-in-place. Kindergar-
ten and first-grade teachers filmed
seven-minute daily reading lessons
over the first two weeks; and heard
from parents that their children would
watch them repeatedly and respond as
if their teachers were in front of them!
— by Robert Movradinov
Every Tuesday morning before the
onset of COVID-19, Aurora School
would host a school-wide assembly in
its auditorium, including all of its K-5
students and teachers, along with most
staff and many parents. No assem-
bly was complete without singing,
announcements, and the occasional
dance. For the closing song, music
teacher Eve Decker would invite com-
munity members to hold hands.
Every classroom would kick off each
day with a morning meeting for stu-
dents and teachers to connect socially
and emotionally by sharing, playing
games, or practicing mindfulness.
Then teachers would lead students
in reading and writing, science, and
math. Perhaps these rituals explain
why the transition to distance learn-
ing was so jolting.
As if it weren’t enough that teachers
and students had to adapt classroom
learning to virtual platforms over-
night, they would also have to forgo
the visceral, human ties that make
progressive education what it is:
Aurora, see next page


THE
page 10
MAY 2020

Aurora’s Tips for Parents,
Students & Teachers:
Differentiated Learning & Social
Connections While Zooming
Some people connect better
one-on-one than in larger groups.
For this reason, teachers are pro-
viding one-on-one Zoom meetings
with students. To help your child
focus on Zoom instruction and
foster the connection with their
teacher, pin the teacher or switch
the view to Speaker View.
Breakout rooms have helped
tremendously with remote teach-
ing. As second- and third-grade
teacher Regina Sorey notes,
“Breakouts allow the students
to interact and work with each
other, and also enable me to
check in with small groups and
more easily give support and
assess learning. Letting the kids
work together allows them to
stay connected rather than only
listening to the teacher during a
large Zoom meeting.”
If your child is feeling shy, switch
off their video until they are more
comfortable with being seen.
If your child connects best
through touch, allow them to have
a stuffed animal or favorite pillow
nearby while in a Zoom lesson/
meeting to hug and hold onto, if a
parent is unable to be nearby.
To encourage one-to-one con-
nections with peers, let your child
have Zoom play dates with one
other friend. Rotate these friends
throughout the week, so your
child can remain connected to a
number of their peers during this
time off-campus. n

Joined by students and parents, teachers and staff, Tuesday Morning Assemblies
are a tradition at Aurora. Pictured above is a recent virtual assembly.

Aurora, from previous page
The effort was not lost on one fifth-
grade parent, who recently remarked:
“Thank you for all that you are doing
for our Aurora kids. My partner and
I are so grateful for how effectively,
seamlessly, tirelessly, and warmly you
are reinventing the wheel.
I know that the energy and time you
are putting forth is above and beyond
our imagination. We cannot imagine
our child thriving without you.”
Whether in the classroom or
virtual, thriving educationally will
always depend on relationships. The
Power of Small has allowed this com-
munity to stay connected and close
— despite the distance. At a recent
Tuesday assembly, held via Zoom,
the music teacher gave her standard
prompt for students to reach out and
hold someone’s hand before singing
the closing song. At that moment,
one 4th grader held his hand to the
camera of his device, making himself
invisible and saying, “I want to hold
everyone’s hand” — humbling the
adults in the Zoom assembly.
Don’t we all. n

painting which is really amazing.” All
showed an awareness that we’re in
uncharted waters.
If recent months are any indication,
Aurora will come out of this stronger.
The school’s tagline, “The Power of
Small,” is more evident now than ever.
Despite distance learning, the size
of the school allows its tightly knit
community to look after one another.
Through virtual parent coffee hours
and one-on-one conversations, teach-
ers and administrators partner with
parents in a steady loop of feedback to
refine the delivery of its curriculum
and ensure that student needs are met.


THE

page 11
MAY 2020

Claremont, from page 1
Mr. Watson, the grade-level deans,
Lacy Lefkowitz, Eric Galvan, and
Deniz Thacher, and all the staff and
teachers are doing their utmost to
make sure students continue to learn
and to keep the community intact
and healthy in anticipation of hitting
the ground running once schools are
back in session for the next school
year.
The Claremont PTA continues to
work on behalf of the school commu-
nity as well. Along with everyone in
the world, the PTA is reassessing its
budget and priorities for what prom-
ises to be a challenging coming year.
Please support the continuing
success of one of our neighborhood’s
bedrock public institutions by con-
tributing to the PTA’s interrupted
fundraising efforts at https://www.
claremontms.org, or by sending a
check to the Claremont PTA at 5750
College Avenue, Oakland, 94618.
Many OUSD families struggle with
instability and hunger, even in the
best of times. The shutdown of the
economy is impacting these fami-
lies the hardest. Many families are
sheltering-in-place together, scraping
together money for food and shelter
— all of which makes managing the
continuing education of their chil-
dren extra difficult.
If you would like to donate any
part of your stimulus check to assist
those in greater need, consider
joining Oakland’s teachers in the
“Stimulus Pledge,” to donate stimulus
funds to families at high need in
Oakland schools (https://stimulus-
pledge.org/schools-partners/). n
being held accountable for the work
they do this spring, though semester
grades will be Credit/No Credit.
During the first confusing weeks
before spring break, many students
felt bewildered and anxious. One
student expressed the prevailing
sentiment aptly: “Everything is so
scary.”  Teachers reached out to
students with weekly calls home to
check in and maintain contact as the
entire community scrambled to cope
with the alarming and ever-evolving
new circumstances.
Teachers and administrators began
meeting virtually to strategize even
as they struggled to adjust to their
own families’ disrupted patterns.
First, the school worked hard to
identify students who needed extra
support in the form of more personal
contact or to access technology. To
help everyone access online learning
tools during this emergency, The
Community Schools Manager, Edana
Anderson, delivered Chrome Books
to students who did not have access
to a computer, and Comcast is pro-
viding 60 days of free Internet.
This contribution is generous
and welcome, but it is temporary.
It has not solved the issue of access
for every student, so teachers and
administrators remain open to
suggestions about how to ensure uni-
versal Internet access.
Claremont has now begun to
implement its educational programs
online and virtually. Teachers con-
tinue to meet and share ideas, hold
office hours, post video links and
assignments on Google Classroom,
and host student Zoom and Google
Hangout sessions with updated secu-
rity.
The school webpage features a
“Continuity of Learning” homepage
and invites students to ask for addi-
tional help with instruction, or with
computers and computer access. The
local school sites, like Claremont, are
working with the district to deter-
mine how students earn credit for
the work they do during this unusual
and challenging spring semester.
Mr. Mayer, Assistant Principal
The Claremont Knightline newsletter
provides a wealth of updated informa-
tion, resources, and links for students
and families about what is happening.
Please subscribe by entering your
email and clicking the link at https://
www.claremontms.org/.
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THE
page 12
MAY 2020

Crip Camp, from page 1
a camper at nearby Camp Oakhurst. I
knew of many other camps for people
with disabilities, similar to Oakhurst,
where most of the counselors were
young college students who wanted
to help people less fortunate have a
good summer experience. Counselors
had a room separate from where
campers slept. Activities were always
well planned, and schedules strictly
followed. People formed close rela-
tionships, but most of these ended
when people returned home.
Camp Jened was very different. The
grounds were shabby. Water came into
the cabins through the ceilings when
it rained. There were many days when
there was no hot water. Many of the
staff were former campers themselves.
Most camp workers were hippies from
the Woodstock era and conscientious
objectors of the Vietnam War.
Campers and staff were all there to
have fun together as equals. Activity
schedules were made but loosely
followed. After evening activity,
campers went with their girlfriends
or boyfriends unaccompanied by a
counselor. If you have any doubts
about what we did, watch the film.
Relationships formed at Camp that
often lasted for decades. Many still
exist. My wife, Denise, and I re-united
here years later through a mutual
friend, Judy Heumann, who is also
featured in the film.
The free, open, equitable, and loving
environment found at Camp Jened
undoubtedly is why so many of us

Spanning the years from the late
1960s to the present, it tells the story of
14 disability activists, mostly consisting
of campers and staff members at Camp
Jened, which was located upstate New
York in the Catskills until it closed in
1977. Many campers went on to lead
the Disability Rights Movement.
The film highlights the struggles
for the civil rights of disabled people
through numerous video clips,
photographs, interviews, and the
discussions regarding the 504 Demon-
strations (disability rights sit-ins) and
protests that occurred throughout
that time.
Before going to Camp Jened, I was

went on to have our own families;
successful careers in academia; busi-
ness, and government; and as civil
rights advocates. The shabby, run-
down campus taught me that I don’t
need to be overprotected or handled
with kid gloves. Being one of the most
conservative people at Camp Jened, I
had many heated political discussions.
I learned that regardless of political
views, injustice to anyone is an injus-
tice to everyone. We all must combat
prejudices in any way we can.
Throughout my childhood, my
body caused me physical and emo-
tional pain. At Camp Jened, I got to
see that everybody is beautiful and
that my body can be pleasurable to
other people and to me.
I urge you to watch “Crip Camp.”
Afterward, please let me know what
you think. Nowadays, does a place
such as Camp Jened exist? If not,
where do young people with disabil-
ities learn the many life lessons the
Camp offered?
Have fun watching it! n
Neil Jacobson retired from Wells Fargo
after 29 years where he served as VP
of System Automation Management &
Wireless Technology. He is currently the
founder and CEO of Abilicorp whose
mission is to increase employment
opportunities for entrepreneurs with
disabilities. Denise Jacobson recently
completed her memoir, “My Camp
Jened Summer: A Teenage Misfit’s Tale
of Love, Heartache, and Belonging.”
Email Neil at neil@abilicorp.com.


THE

page 13
MAY 2020

To All Rockridge Residents: Please Remove Any
Foxtail Grasses In Your Area

— by Linda Zunas
Getting out and about may be a
necessity, and gardening and
walking your dog are wonderful ways
to get some well-needed exercise
and fresh air. This time of year, it is
especially important to be careful of
foxtails.
As a weed, foxtail grasses shed
thousands of seeds that dry out and
get blown around the neighborhood,
endangering our pets. Many will
sprout again next year, compounding
the importance of removing them
safely and completely each year.
Foxtails can be a health hazard for
dogs, cats and other domestic ani-
mals, as well as a nuisance for people.
In pets, they can become irreversibly
lodged into their bodies after being
picked up in their fur. Foxtails often
enter the nostrils and ear canals of
many animals. When this happens,
the foxtail can physically bore into
their bodies via muscular movements
or, in the case of nostrils, air flow, and
ultimately cause the foxtails to burrow
through soft tissues and organs,
causing infection and physical pain
or disruption, and in worst cases can
even result in death.
The best way to remove them from
the soil is to dig out the root bundle
with a simple garden tool. Cutting
or breaking off the seed stems is less
effective and may need to be repeated
several times since this may miss
many of the seeds. Mowing them and
leaving the clippings on the ground
or sidewalk is the worst way to deal
with it.
Please place all foxtail remains in a
plastic refuse bag, seal it tightly, and
place it in your trash. Do not place
it in the green yard waste container,
as this will spread the seeds into any
resulting mulch.
Take care of yourself, and your
pets… and stay safe. n

COME VISIT US AT
THE CORNER OF
LIFE & CHANGE


THE
page 14
MAY 2020

Eyes On Rockridge, from page 1
Housework and the increase in
cooking bring to mind an earlier life.
Frankly, I haven’t done my own house-
keeping in decades. Who knew about
Swiffers and other such cleaning devices
and supplies that I now buy for our
wonderful housekeeper and her crew,
but am still not sure how to use. How
did upright vacuum cleaners suddenly
become so heavy? I promptly ordered a
canister version. Cleaning turns out to
be good exercise, especially when you
do it at an advanced age.
I also find myself gravitating towards
comfort foods. A headline in The New
York Times says it all: “I Just Need
the Comfort: Processed Foods Make
a Pandemic Comeback.” I haven’t
resorted to the tuna noodle casserole
that I made regularly when my hus-
band was in graduate school and when
I had my first job as an underpaid
journalist, but it’s on the horizon.
Mahjong, which my mother enjoyed
with friends at a card table set up in
our living room, is a hobby I took up
two years ago at the behest of a Rock-
ridge tennis friend. It was a substitute
way of getting together when our game
got rained out, although decidedly less
active. With tennis off limits, I play
either online with random people or
set up private games with Oakland
friends. By adding Zoom to the pic-
ture, literally, it’s almost like the old
days (back in February!) when we
gathered together at someone’s house.
neighborhood closed and my parents
kept us from home from parties and
playgrounds. I remember going to
visit good friends of my parents whose
young son was hospitalized with the
disease. He spent almost a year in an
iron lung in the same facility where
President Franklin Roosevelt, who was
infected as an adult, had recovered.
Like Roosevelt, he was confined to a
wheel chair, but through determination
and intelligence led a highly successful
life.
Grocery delivery is something I
haven’t experienced since childhood.
In those days, milk delivery, placed in
our built-in milk box with both inside
and outside access, was a given. But
we also ordered groceries and had
them delivered from a small nearby
market. Even when we drove there
to shop, many of the products were
stacked on high shelves behind the
counter. That required the grocer to
collect them for us, like the brave men
and women who are shopping for
many families today.
California poppies. Even behind a
mask, the lush smell of wisteria lulls.
And it’s worth removing my earphones
to substitute bird song for Pandora.
Yet my eyes are also wary of the
passing runner, oncoming pedes-
trian, the front-yard gardener and a
bicyclist, as my mind calculates how
to keep a safe distance. I have never
lived through a time as personally
terrifying as what the COVID-19 virus
has wrought. But the way in which
my daily life has changed conjures up
memories.
I obviously wasn’t alive when the
poliovirus first haunted both Europe
and the United States during warm
weather months around the early
1900s. But I remember its peak in
the summer of 1952 when it infected
57,879 people, mostly children, causing
paralysis and 3,145 deaths.
Although it didn’t compare to the
length and breadth of our current
confinement, swimming pools and
movie theaters in my suburban Detroit
Eyes On Rockridge, continued next page
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THE

page 15
MAY 2020

Greater Rockridge Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council Held April Meeting via Zoom

Eyes On Rockridge, from previous page
A final memory is more recent. My
husband and I returned from a 20-day
Caribbean cruise on March 2. If we had
been boarding that cruise ship rather
than getting off, we would have found
ourselves on the open seas as the virus
pounced — fortunately, that ship ended
up virus-free. But it was on board that,
ironically, we had a small taste of what it
means to shelter-in-place.
After a few days of personally
experiencing intestinal problems, and
my husband’s hacking cough (no con-
gestion), we went to the ship’s doctor.
She remanded us to our suite for 24
hours, with food delivered on paper
and plastic by a masked crewmember,
later bagged and taken away. Having
no temperature the next day allowed
us to resume our shore excursions and
a normal shipboard life.
I’m sure neither of us had the virus
but it’s hard to know whether the
ship’s medical team was even looking
for it. I do know that boarding the
ship took a longer time than usual
since they paged through our pass-
ports to determine whether we had
been in China recently.
We all have our stories, our mem-
ories. Luckily we live in a state and
community where early action by
forward-thinking politicians and
brave medical and food service
workers, among others, has allowed
the majority of us to be safe. For now,
sheltering-in-place is our contribution
to the COVID-19 virus story. We look
forward to the day when this experi-
ence is a distant memory. n
— by Karen Ivy, NCPC Secretary & Information Officer
The Greater Rockridge Neighbor-
hood Crime Prevention Council
(NCPC) met with Dan Kalb and
other concerned Rockridge residents
via Zoom last month to review the
current crime data. The statistics
show that during the shelter-in-place
order, as a result of the coronavirus
pandemic, crime in the area has been
reduced, but not eliminated. 
Not shown in chart above, auto-
related property crime in 12Y took
the most spectacular dive, from 80 in
February, down to 33 in March. That’s
still slightly more than one a day. The
only increase in March was Property
Crime in 12Y, up from 16 to 19
instances. Crimes Against the Person
were flat in 12Y and nonexistent in
13X. Quality of Life crimes in 12Y
(mostly vandalism) dropped from 23
in February to 10 in March; in 13X
they increased slightly from 3 to 4.
Updates for the latest monthly
crime statistics for beats 12Y and
13X are now available for viewing
on the NCPC website. Please note
that the NCPC will not meet in May.
For more information, visit http://
rockridgencpc.com, Rockridge Crime
Trends can be found at http://tinyurl.
com/y5mc2suu. For the direct link
to the Crime Stats document, visit:
https://tinyurl.com/va2xnl7. n
If you have comments on this column
or, better yet, confinement-triggered
memories of your own that could be
part of a future column, please email
judyberne@att.net.


THE
page 16
MAY 2020

Rockridge Businesses Use GoFundMe For Support During the Pandemic

Right-Way Shoe Repair
Child’s Play
Rockridge Day Spa
Right-Way Shoe Repair has been a
family owned business for the past
16 years. As the third owners of this
shop, we appreciate the love and sup-
port of our surrounding community.
Unfortunately, this unexpected virus
has caught us unprepared financially.
We are doing all we can to collect as
much income as possible to get during
this hard time. We feel lucky to be a
family business, and united we will
get through this.
For over 20 years Child’s Play has
been a staple in the Rockridge commu-
nity and we would love to continue our
legacy of providing great second hand
children’s apparel and goods to fami-
lies in the area for years to come. Due
to the recent
COVID-19
impact we,
Child’s Play,
are not able to
keep our doors
open and had
to furlough our beloved and dedicated
employee, Lillian, until further notice.
This is not what we want to do but we
are left with no choice. We are doing
our best to keep business going by
updating products on our website,
www.childsplayoakland.com in an
attempt to “keep the lights on”.  We
will not be able to make it without you!
Our business relies on servicing our
guests, in person, face to face. Touch
is healing, but during this time we
continue to stay closed in an attempt
to keep our community safe from
the spread of COVID-19 and the
shelter in place order. Last year, most
of you know, I made a very difficult,
expensive and oh-so-time-consuming
decision to switch our entire staff over
to Employees.
We have no renters, no independent
contractors, and we are a wonderful
beautiful team of 18. I am forever
grateful for the decision I made,
because during this trying time my
employees are able to file for unem-
ployment and be supported with their
loss of income. 
We love you, we love Oakland, and
we’ll get through this one day at a
time.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/sup-
port-for-right-way-shoe-repair
https://www.gofundme.com/f/
your-community-oasis  n
Gerardo learned the business from his
father when he was in his 20s.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/childs-
play-relief-fund
RNClassifieds
Working student seeking home-
share scenario
Garden Care, Clean-up,
Maintenance & Design
Prefer live-in with older adult.
Will provide companionship,
transportation, errands in exchange
for housing in Rockridge area. Local
references available. Trustworthy,
reliable, organized & compassionate.
Contact: elizabethdburr@gmail.
com (503) 713-3592. n
Experienced team of two dedicated
to the art of gardening. Garden
restoration, pruning, veggie bed
installation at affordable rates.
Call Chris: (510) 655-0157 or
email yourgreengardeners@
gmail.com. Check us out at www.
yourgreengardeners.com.
List your 36-word message here
for only $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 deadline for the
June issue is May 21, which will be
available on June 3, 2020.
For more information, email Susan
Montauk at smontauk@gmail.com.
Handyman for Hire
Neighborhood Says Sad
Goodbyes to Local Favorites
Multi-skilled and well experienced.
Hauling and towing available. No job
too small. Reasonably priced. Lee Self.
(707) 223-1298, call and text.
Bica Coffee Shop
Located across from the Rockridge
BART for the past 10 years, the
shop is now closed for business.
Penelope’s Aesthetics Skin Care
Salon
HARDWOOD FLOORS
Ruby’s Garden
Install, sand/refinish, repair, re-coat
existing. Large jobs or small. Twenty-
plus years in Piedmont Ave/Rockridge.
Bruce Williams Woodfloors. Please
call or text Bruce at (510) 652-8121.
www.blwfloors.com.
is located in a serene garden setting
in the Rockridge neighborhood and
specializes in professional beauty
needs. Facials, waxing and much more!
Open for business again soon! www.
penelopecalef.com (510) 594-1552.
After 14 years in Temescal, Ruby’s
Garden will be closing on May 31,
and will offer 50% off online until
then, with free curbside pickup.


THE

page 17
MAY 2020

Signs of the Times:

Special thanks to neighborhood photographers: Leonora Sea, Judy Berne, Star Lightner, Julianne Sherback and Audrey Liu