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R  ckridgeNews

THE

www.rockridge.org

VOL 36  •  NO. 11  •  ISSUE  NO. 381   •   DECEMBER 5, 2020               CIRCULATION: 5,800 Residences; 200 Businesses

Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC)  •  4900 Shattuck Ave., PO Box 22504, Oakland  94609

Meet Our Local
Beekeepers
by Skip Fogarty
Message
From The Chair
RCPC
Looking Back —
Moving Forward
Monitoring the hotline at the
Alameda County Beekeepers
Association, Elinor Levine had no
idea she’d be adopting a new colony
of bees later that day. She answered a
call from the maintenance department
at Alta Bates Hospital reporting bees
coming and going from an under-
ground utility box in an adjacent
playground. Levine, who lives nearby
in lower Rockridge, sprang into action.
“When I got there, I thought it was
something I could handle, so I went
home and got my beekeeping gear,”
Levine recalls. When she opened the
box, she discovered a small colony
using the box as their hive. The bees
had formed vertical combs that were
hanging from under the box’s cover.
by Leonora Sea, RCPC Board Chair
Last December, I contributed a
couple of paragraphs to a longer
article by Judy Berne for the Janu-
ary 2020 Rockridge News about the
challenges I foresaw facing Rock-
ridge in the 2020s, and my hopes
for the neighborhood.
When I wrote my first paragraph
about how resilient the neighbor-
hood already is, and how we could
improve on that, I was thinking of
earthquakes, wildfires, and power
outages. We kind of know what to
expect from those, and what will
be needed to take care of ourselves
and each other ­— first aid training
and kits, go-bags, emergency con-
tact lists, etc.
I did not foresee a pandemic, but
here we are, 10 months into one.
Covid-19 has changed so much
about how we work, shop, recreate,
and relate to our neighbors. It is a
disaster, but an ongoing one — as
if an earthquake lasted from March
to December. Rockridge, along with
the rest of the world, is figuring it
out on the fly. Nevertheless, neigh-
bors are still helping neighbors all
over Rockridge.
While we’re fortunate that the
94618 zip code, which encompasses
most of Rockridge, has one of the
lowest rates of infection in Alameda
County, Covid-19 hasn’t left us
unscathed.
In a January 2020 Rockridge News
Maryly Snow turned her property
into a haven for honey bees.
A Landscape Rich in Bee Food
Our neighborhood provides plen-
tiful pollen and nectar sources for
honey bees. Street trees like Brazilian
Pepper, Bottlebrush, and
Crepe Myrtles are preva-
lent and good nutritional
sources. Urban gardeners
also cultivate a variety of
pollinator plants. Surpris-
ingly, Eucalyptus trees,
which blossom in Decem-
ber, give hungry bees a
winter boost.
Artist and retired UC
librarian Maryly Snow
bought her Chabot
Canyon home in 2012
and turned her property
into a wonderful habitat for her three
colonies of honey bees.
On a recent afternoon visit to
Snow’s garden, she and neighbor
Charlie Carlson were inspecting
her horizontal Langstroth-style hive
(one of many hive configurations)
to make sure the queen was present
Carla Haimowitz and Hal Helfand’s garage
showcases a mural by artist Pete Lee ­— there
are about a dozen beehives on top of it.
“This rescue was pretty easy,” she
said. “I just took the lid home with the
comb right on it and plopped them
it an empty box.” Levine has been
nursing the small colony with sugar
syrup and extra pollen. She hopes
they’ll start to produce harvestable
amounts of honey next year, alongside
her larger hive.

Beekeepers, see page 14
Message From the Chair, see next page


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page 2
DECEMBER 2020

Message From the Chair, from front page
and Chabot, Peralta, and Claremont
Middle Schools are eerily quiet.
In that same column from last
January, Chris Jackson, Operations
Manager of the Rockridge District
Association, noted College Avenue’s
low storefront vacancy rate and his
hope that it would continue. While
many stores and restaurants have been
able to adapt, some beloved businesses
have closed or moved away. In addi-
tion, the long-overdue College Avenue
repaving project has been delayed from
March 2020 to sometime in early 2021.
Unsurprisingly, Covid-19 has pre-
sented challenges to the RCPC Board
and The Rockridge News. A major
objective was balancing a competitive
board election with the need for
distancing and safety procedures.
Another was how to produce and pub-
licize an online-only newsletter until
it could be safely bundled and deliv-
ered. Thanks to a lot of brainstorming,
creativity, Zooming, and plain hard
work, the board election came off
admirably, and The Rockridge News
is now available online and in print.
My hopes for 2021 are that a safe,
effective, and affordable Covid vac-
cine will be available to everyone, and
that people will take it. Second, that
despite “pandemic fatigue” Rockridge
residents will continue to look out for
each other and for our neighborhood
businesses and institutions. And,
finally, that as a community, we will
continue to assist people who need
our help, including those who live
outside the RCPC boundaries. n

article by Judy Berne, Jody London,
then president of the OUSD Board,
wrote of her hope to expand quality
education to include every child in
Oakland. Now, Oakland schools have
had to pivot to try to reach every
child through distance learning —
Remember RCPC in
Your Year-End Giving
Planning your end-of-year
charitable giving? Even a small
donation can have a large impact
on improving our Rockridge neigh-
borhood. For example, 24 residents
donating $10 each per month will
fund the RCPC Community Grants
Program for a full year; five resi-
dents donating $10 each month will
fund the Halloween Parade (let’s
do it in 2021!) or provide funds for
hosting services for the rockridge.
org website. And the list goes on.
It’s easy to donate: Make your
yearly contribution in 12 monthly
installments or as a one-time
donation in full via PayPal (see
rockridge.org), or send check to
4900 Shattuck Ave, PO. Box 22504,
Oakland, CA, 94609). This allows
us to enhance and strengthen our
community, bring neighborhood
concerns to City Hall, and keep
residents connected to each other
and to our city representatives.
Thank you for your support. n

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.
Rockridge News Production
Anna L. Marks ........................ Editor & Layout Artist
Jo Ellis...................................................Assistant Editor
Judith Doner Berne.......................Eyes on Rockridge
Susan Montauk................................Business Manager
RCPC Board of Directors, 2020-21
Leonora Sea..........................................................Chair
Robin McDonnell..................................... Vice-Chair
Casey Farmer......................................... Co-Secretary
Michelle Boyd........................................ Co-Secretary
Ronnie Spitzer...............................................Treasurer
David Garcia, Stuart Flashman, Annette Floystrup,
Matt Levy, Eric Lombardo, Andrew Masalin, Kirk
Peterson
Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
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 consideration should be
emailed to the editor. All submissions are limited
to 600 words max (300 words for letters), and
must include the author’s name, email address, and
city or neighborhood of residence.
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:
RCPC, 4900 Shattuck Avenue,
PO Box 22504, Oakland, 94609
Display Advertising
Deadline for Jan 2021 issue: December 17, 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. Email Susan Montauk at smontauk@
gmail.com for information regarding classified ads.
The Rockridge News reserves the right to refuse any
articles, display ads, or 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
DECEMBER 2020

Rockridge Community Planning Council — Land Use Committee
RCPC
The December Land Use Committee meeting will be held on Monday, December 21
[note date change], at 7:30pm, via Zoom. Please check the RCPC Facebook
page the week before for details. The meeting is open to the public. Send an email to
landuse@rockridge.org or call (510) 652-5373 to receive a link/phone number to attend.

Will There Be A 2021
Rockridge Kitchen
Tour?
by Leonora Sea, RCPC Board Chair

RCPC Land Use Committee Update —
December 2020

Right about now is the time that the
call for Rockridge Kitchen Tour
participants goes out to homeowners,
architects, contractors, and real
estate brokers throughout the neigh-
borhood. The Kitchen Tour, which
takes place every other year, has been
the Rockridge Community Planning
Council’s major fundraiser and has
always received wide community
support and enthusiasm. There are
always many kitchens submitted for
consideration from which to select
the usual nine on the Tour.
But, like everything else right now,
preparation for the 2021 Kitchen
Tour is going to be different. The big
question is: “Will it even be possible
and safe to have an in-person Kitchen
Tour?” The event is traditionally held
on the last weekend of September or
the first in October, so it’s hard to
predict what the pandemic will be like
nearly a year from now.
Another question is: “If it is safe to
have an in-person Tour, will home-
owners be willing to open up their
kitchens to guests, and will people
want to come to an event in which
distancing may be difficult in some
places?”
A virtual Kitchen Tour is a potential
option. RCPC Board member Annette
Floystrup, longtime Kitchen Tour
Brochure writer, is investigating how
this could be pulled off. She is in
contact with other organizations that
moved their house or garden tour
fundraisers online to find out how
they made them work. The Board will
then discuss and evaluate the feasibil-
ity here in Rockridge.
So will there be a 2021 Rockridge
Kitchen Tour? The answer, for now,
is: “It’s under consideration.”
— By Stuart Flashman, RCPC Land Use Committee Chair
Rockridge Housing Study
CCA Campus Redevelopment Project
The Committee, with help from local
resident and housing consultant Daren
Smith, has been evaluating options for
adding housing in Rockridge. A pre-
liminary report is available at https://
rockridge.org.* RCPC will hold a
Town Hall to present and discuss the
study’s results, as well as other hous-
ing-related issues, early in 2021.
The report reaches several con-
clusions. Most surprising is that
replacing a single-family Rockridge
home with multifamily housing on
the same site doesn’t pencil out,
at least under present conditions.
That means “upzoning” Rockridge
would not likely make more housing
available. New multifamily housing
is unlikely, even for larger lots within
Rockridge, or by combining sin-
gle-family lots to “assemble” a larger
lot. It is possible housing would work
at either the vacant “Shops at the
Ridge” site or the former California
College of the Arts campus, but each
site has unique additional problems.
The study doesn’t rule out adding
accessory dwelling units (ADUs)
on existing lots or subdividing a
single-family home into multiple
units. Work is in progress to look at
whether providing additional incen-
tives would change the results, but
at the moment, the pricing of both
Rockridge residential and commer-
cial properties appears to rule out
adding new large-scale housing.
Earlier this year, the RCPC Board
retained a traffic consultant to cri-
tique the transportation analysis in
the EIR for the CCA Redevelopment
Project. Changes to the project put
that work on hold, but with a new
project design in place, the commit-
tee recommended, and the Board
has approved, to have the consultant
review existing traffic studies of the
area to prepare for release of the
draft EIR in the next month or so.
College Ave Safeway Project
Settlement Fund Use
Safeway allotted $400,000 of set-
tlement money to address impacts
from its College Avenue project. The
settling groups, including RCPC,
identified bicycle/pedestrian safety
improvements. RCPC received
preliminary pricing estimates from
OakDOT for the improvements.
The groups hope to nail down costs
enough to present a formal proposal
to Safeway around the end of the year.
Red Cross use of The Levant Building
The Red Cross wants to move its
blood donor center to the former site
of The Levant on College Avenue (see
separate article in the November 2020
issue). However, a City use permit
would be required. At the committee’s
recommendation, the Board has asked
the Red Cross and the property owner
to present their plans for the building
at the Board’s December meeting.
After review of those plans, RCPC
will decide whether or not to oppose
the proposal during the City’s use
permit process.
Please send comments on any topic
to landuse@rockridge.org. n
* Note: The RCPC website is
temporarily down due to technical
problems. We hope it will be restored
soon. In the meantime, the full
report can be accessed at https://bit.
ly/3nDwG1w.
We want to hear from you. To
contribute to the conversation, please
submit your questions, comments, or
ideas, to kitchen@rockridge.org. n


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page 4
DECEMBER 2020

Rockridge Community Planning Council
— Committee Updates
RCPC Community
Grant Applications
Now Being Accepted
by Robin McDonnell, RCPC Vice Chair
Examples of past projects include
median plantings, community
gardens, trash cleanup, murals, and
street painting. Brainstorm with your
neighbors to come up with some-
thing special for your street. Working
on a local project is a good way to
interact safely outdoors with neigh-
bors while at the same time doing a
little good for the neighborhood.
The application process is fairly
simple, and we encourage applica-
tions from all corners of Rockridge
to help reinforce a sense of commu-
nity and pride.
Applications are being accepted now
through January 4, 2021. Contact us at
info@rockridge.org for information. n
The Rockridge Community Plan-
ning Council (RCPC) is pleased
to announce that applications
are being accepted for the Kevin
Faughnan Community Grant Pro-
gram. Now is the time to put your
creative side to work and improve
your neighborhood. The program
will provide up to $750 per project
and is designed to accommodate
block/neighborhood needs.
Volunteer For
Rockridge Parks
community’s outdoor opportunities.
Whether you enjoy daily strolls
through FROG Park, take your kids
to Colby Park, or soak up sun on the
Rockridge Park green, we have all
appreciated the nature around us a
little extra this year.
I look forward to seeing Rockridge
neighbors outside this winter — and
please remember to wear a face cov-
erings and stay physically distanced
while enjoying the outdoors.
Do you have an idea or a desire
to volunteer? Please reach out to
me at eric@ericlombardo.com for
information on future opportunities. n
by Eric Lombardo, RCPC Parks Chair
I
’ve had the pleasure of serving on
the RCPC board for about a year
now, and I am currently working to
revitalize our Parks Committee to
celebrate open space in our neighbor-
hood. I walk in the footsteps of many
volunteers who have come before me
in creating, improving, and cleaning
up our parks, and I plan to build
off of these efforts to grow our
ZϬϭϮϲϱϴϳϯͮϬϭϳϵϴϲϱϴ
Wishing You Happy Holidays & A Prosperous New Year
Closing date
BR
BA

Address                                Original price         List price
DOM
Selling price
11/3/2019
2
1

422 62Nd St                           $1,095,000
        $1,095,000
   4
$1,500,000
           11/3/2019
3
1

6553 Chabot Rd                     $1,279,000         $1,279,000
  11
 $1,350,000
           11/3/2019
3
3
         5328 Locksley Ave                 $1,495,000         $1,495,000
  10
$2,350,000
           11/6/2019
2
2

5290 Broadway Ter                 $599,000
           $599,000
  12
   $650,000
           11/6/2019
3
2
         5440 Manila Ave                   $1,249,000
        $1,249,000
   4
$1,500,000

11/9/2019
2
1

5373 Shafter Ave                     $948,000
           $948,000
  13
$1,151,000

11/12/2019
3
2

5830 Clover Dr                      $1,295,000
        $1,295,000
  14
$1,900,000

11/12/2019
4
2.5

446 65th St                            $1,595,000
        $1,595,000
  12
$2,050,000

11/13/2019
4
1.5

444 59th St                            $1,175,000
        $1,175,000
  14
$1,475,000
Homes sold in November closed 30% over the asking price on average.
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page 5
DECEMBER 2020

Shop Local and “Keep Oakland Alive”

by Anna L. Marks
Rburden off lots of shops means that
we have economies of scale that the
individual shops wouldn’t have on
their own.
Will you pay more to use their web-
site? The answer is “no,” and delivery
is free.
“We pick up many orders from
many different
shops, consolidate
them as we go, and
drop them all off at
a customer’s door
while only running
one delivery route.
The shop owners
still set all the
prices, but we do
take a very small
percentage of every
sale to offset the
delivery costs.”
Keep Oakland Alive is still getting
up to speed, they and want to expand.
Have a store in mind that you’d like
included? Brett would love to hear from
you. Email brett@keepoaklandalive.
com; and visit keepoaklandalive.com
for more information. n
ockridge resident’s often cite easy
“walkability” to nearby stores and
restaurants as a major reason why
they love it here, yet the pandemic has
kept many folks at home, opting to
shop online instead. The safety, com-
bined with convenience, is hard to
compete with in these days of Covid,
and, as a result, many
Oakland stores now
suffer from lost sales
— and the City, in
turn, from a loss of tax
revenues these sales
generate.
Problems often
create opportunities,
and Brett Rounsaville
is determined to keep
it all local with his
brand new website
“Keep Oakland Alive.”
After testing the waters, the site
launched a short while ago featuring
17 shops and more than 20,000 items
from five neighborhoods.
Rounsaville told The Rockridge News,
“I hated the feeling of shopping on
Amazon during lockdown for things
I knew I could get locally while my
favorite neighborhood shops are closed
or are starving for business. My par-
ents owned an upholstery shop for 33
years and I know how hard it is to keep
a small business going, even in the best
of times. Pandemic or not, there’s no
reason why it should be more conve-
nient to shop from an online behemoth
in another state than it is to shop from
places down the street.”
The website lists all available
products and participating shops in
an easily navigated website where
one can search individual stores
(and get a profile of the purveyor)
or by individual products. You can
even purchase gift cards. Currently,
three Rockridge businesses are par-
ticipating, including Nathan & Co.,
GoldenBug and Bella Vita.
“Being able to do local deliveries
from the shops relieves them of a huge
burden, and being able to take that
BUYING?
SELLING?
LET ME HELP YOU
ANNE D. BRANDON, REALTOR
35+ YEAR ROCKRIDGE RESIDENT AND HOMEOWNER
DRE# 01877719 | 510.682.6644
ANNE@THEHIGHLANDPARTNERS.COM
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page 6
DECEMBER 2020

Audubon Christmas & Backyard Bird Counts
by Annette Floystrup

Celebrate Urban Birds
Become a citizen-scientist
by observing birds in your
neighborhood and sending the
data to scientists at the Cornell
Laboratory of Ornithology in
Ithaca, NY. Sign up and they’ll
send you a free Celebrate Urban
Birds kit. Or, download mate-
rials directly from the website:
https://celebrateurbanbirds.org/
explore/idea/distribute-cele-
brate-urban-birds-kits/.
Birding is a fun outdoor activity for
adults and kids alike. My personal
backyard list is now up to 32 species
— all seen from my home’s windows.
They run the gamut from a Great Blue
Heron, attracted by my back fence
neighbor’s koi pond, to an Anna’s
hummingbird at my feeder.
Every December and February,
there are two excellent opportunities
to participate in crowd-sourced sci-
ence projects that provide researchers
with essential information on the
effects of climate and habitat change
on all bird species.
Climate change has altered the
normal territorial areas of many
bird species, and habitat change has
significantly reduced the number of
birds throughout the world. Knowing
where and how birds are impacted
helps us formulate science-based
policies for our environment to help
these descendents of dinosaurs con-
tinue to fly and give us joy with their
beauty and songs.
The Audubon Society’s 121st
annual Christmas Bird Count takes
place from Monday, December 14,
2020, through Tuesday, January 5,
2021. Local participation is organized
by the Golden Gate Audubon Society,
and the Oakland count will take
place on Sunday, December 20, 2020.
It contains everything you need
including two beautiful color
posters, data sheet, sticker, and
seed packet. By participating, you
assist studies on the effects of
climate change and global warm-
ing:
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/.
Anna’s hummingbirds nest at the
front door of Rockridge resident
Stu Flashman.
(GBBC) which takes place President’s
Day weekend each February. You can
count the birds for as little as 15 min-
utes in your backyard or community
and then enter the results online. For
more information on the GBBC, visit
the Audubon GBBC page.
Each count takes place in an
established 15-mile-wide diameter
circle, and volunteers follow specified
routes through the circle, counting
every bird they see or hear all day.
All birds are counted all day, giving
an indication of the total number of
birds in the circle that day. Beginning
birders will be able to join a group
that includes at least one experienced
birdwatcher.
You must be signed up to partici-
pate and special COVID rules apply.
For more information, go to https://
goldengateaudubon.org/.
To learn more about birds, pick up a
“Field Guide to Western Birds” at one
of our local bookstores or go online to
the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Color
pictures, maps and recorded bird songs
make the site lively and interactive
— and Cornell offers a free birding
app for all platforms called Merlin,
available at https://www.birds.cornell.
edu/home/. n
In February, you can participate
in the Great Backyard Bird Count
Calling the Bay Area home for over 55 years.
Visit us at College & Claremont Avenues.
6300 College Avenue, Suite 160
(510) 851-7741
Equal Housing Lender | Member FDIC | NMLS #478471 | DEP-1435-0220
www.fremontbank.com


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page 7
DECEMBER 2020

Italy is Worlds
Away, and Right
Around the Corner
— by Jorja Siemons
For Enoteca Molinari’s owner Joe
Madison, nothing is more import-
ant than the dinner table. Growing
up, the world orbited his grandpar-
ents’ dining room where the family
would gather every Sunday to eat
homemade pasta.
Madison’s great-grandparents
immigrated to San Francisco from
Italy in the early 1890s, establish-
ing “deep roots” in the Bay Area.
Nevertheless, that did not stop his
grandfather from traveling back to
Italy multiple times. “The story was
that my great grandparents couldn’t
find good coffee here,” Madison said.
Madison has a deep connection to
cooking. As a teenager, he decided to
work with his brother at the Rock-
ridge French restaurant La Crème
de la Crème — and thus began his
career. He went on to work in various
local restaurants, however, Madison
believes it was visiting his extended
family’s home of Liguria, Italy,
throughout the years, that solidified
his vocation. “Right after high school,
I started traveling back and forth to
visit cousins in Italy,” Madison said.
“That’s when I got the real bug.”
In 2010, Madison opened Enoteca
Molinari at 5474 College Avenue
(at Taft) to provide the local com-
munity with freshly made Italian
food and the close-knit community
he felt growing up. The menu takes
advantage of local and seasonal
ingredients, but always includes
house-made pasta. Some dishes
include pork tenderloin with pro-
sciutto and sage, Gnocchi with
basil-pine nut pesto, and baked
cauliflower with mozzarella and
peperoncino.
Madison treasures Enoteca Moli-
nari’s atmosphere because, he says,
there is something for everyone.
Angelo Verde, the restaurant’s
executive chef since 2012, is from
Enoteca owner Joe Madison (right) with Chef Angelo Verde (left)
serve up homemade pasta and other fine Italian creations.
Naples, and often speaks Italian with
patrons. Madison, with his family’s
deep roots in Rockridge, helps bol-
ster the “neighborhood feel.” “We’re
small,” Madison said. “We’re fami-
ly-oriented.”
During the current pandemic,
Enoteca Molinari has continued to
provide takeout options for residents,
and recently Madison and his team
have worked to provide outdoor
dining that remains suitable for
social distancing. Though the city
is moving towards allowing indoor
dining once again, he remains
hesitant and wants to make sure he
continues to put health and safety
first. “I’m going to wait and see how
it goes,” he said.
Though Madison has witnessed
changes in Rockridge over the years
as a result of a new influx of young
people, he believes the community
has remained constant. In his par-
ents’ neighborhood, six blocks away
from the restaurant, Madison has
noticed an emphasis on inclusivity
and warmth. “They are very com-
munity-oriented.” Even if conditions
are different than he anticipated, this
makes Madison confident about the
future of Enoteca Molinari.
“We can’t be the same as we were
before, but there’s a great number of
regulars,” he said. “It’s been really
nice to reopen and have all these
people who have been coming for
years come back and reconnect.” n


THE
page 8
DECEMBER 2020

East Bay Men’s Circle
Fosters Intimacy,
Growth
land resident who formerly lived in
Rockridge, provided some historical
background. The owner of an Oak-
land-based design and construction
company, he was an early member
of the self-run men’s support and
community service organization
formed in 1991 and open to adult
men of all races, religions and sexual
orientations. Billed as “non-political,
non-religious and
non-spiritual,” it
began with a dozen
men and over the
years has grown to
more than 100.
“We took what really worked (from
a previous iteration),” McAleer said,
and expanded upon it. What resulted
is a monthly business meeting fol-
lowed by a Sacred Circle in which
men can share and be heard in a con-
fidential setting. That breaks down
into teams of four to eight men who
generally meet weekly to develop even
deeper connections and support for
one another.
Each team, with names like, The
Nuts and The Journeymen, takes its
turn at steering the meetings and
providing breakfast, as well as taking
part in charity work and EBCOM’s
special events.
They have this armor,” Randall said.
“The Circle is a new way for men to
be with each other.”
Because meetings are for members
only, I had to turn to their monthly
newsletter for insight into the inti-
macy and growth the organization
aims to foster. In the August edition,
filled with essays on the pandem-
ic-induced theme “The Masks That
We Wear,” here’s
a snippet of what
members had to say:
“One of the biggest
masks that I wear is
‘the people pleaser.’”
“Some time ago, I learned that I don’t
just wear a mask, I don a complete
costume for the role I wish to play for
my own benefit.” “Can I change my
mask of a quiet mellow guy to another
mask I am becoming?” “Probably the
biggest mask in my life right now is
the mask of heterosexuality.”
In the July issue, a number of men
tackled “What Does Black Lives
Matter Have To Do With Me?” Here
are some excerpts: “I feel a bit like a
toddler bumping into stories that have
been around me my whole life and
discovering them for the first time…”
“Never mind that I have some Black
acquaintances, brought some Black
members into our Circle, work with
some trusted men of color…and have
dear non-white friends, racism lives
in me.” “Throughout my entire life,
I’ve considered myself one of the least
racist and sexist (thanks, Dad) white
men that I know, yet I am still racist
and a sexist.”
“Diversity, that’s an issue for us,”
Randall, the group’s membership
chairman, acknowledged. “We’re
mostly white guys.” Just nine of
EBCOM’s 102 members are African
American, Latino or Asian. And, with
an average age of about 63, the Circle
is focused on bringing in younger
members. “We have one team in
which the oldest member is 35. Our
vision is to reflect the community of
Oakland. It’s a process.”
EBCOM’s marquee event is an
annual three-day fall retreat open to
all members. “What happens is in
by Judith Doner Berne
“W
e are a special community
in which men come
together in a safe place to share and
be supported in their struggles, engage
together in community service, cele-
brate their victories, and grow in all
aspects of their lives.”
— East Bay Circle of Men
When Jeff Randall returned to
his Rockridge home in 2012 after
living for nearly 20 years in Israel,
he was missing male companionship.
Although he met and had married
Miriam while there, and happily
gained five stepchildren, he felt like
“I was the outsider in Israel. It was
hard to connect with men who had
the same values as I did.”
So Randall, who trained and
worked as both a teacher and family
therapist, turned to the Internet
where he saw an ad for the East Bay
Circle of Men (EBCOM or “The
Circle”). He attended one of their
monthly Saturday morning meetings,
“held rain or shine,” near the marina
at Lake Chabot Regional Park. “I
knew within five minutes that these
were my people.”
One of them joined us for this
interview. Garner McAleer, an Oak-
What Happens Within The Circle
Stays Within The Circle
The groups go well beyond the ste-
reotypical bonding of men on the golf
links or watching sports. “Most men
have learned to protect themselves.
510.843.6400
5830 Clover Dr.
3 bed / 2 bath / 1,590 SF
Circle of Men, see next page


THE

page 9
DECEMBER 2020

“What we’ve created has come to
fruition in this time of Covid,” he
said. ”How we are really there for
everyone.” Discussions include not
only the burden of the pandemic but
also the bright spots such as added
time with the family, starting a new
hobby or more hours to volunteer.
“We call it ‘finding the gold’ — what
you have learned about yourself that’s
beautiful and useful for you.”
It all works, Randall said, because
“I’m very intimate with my team. I
feel safe. No one’s out to get me. We
learn and grow from each other.” For
McAleer, “We want one another to
win. These men are so much family.
I can’t imagine my life without this
level of intimacy with men. It’s about
becoming whole.”
For additional information on the
East Bay Circle of Men, call (510) 898-
8475, email info@eastbaycircleofmen.
org or visit them at www.
eastbaycircleofmen.org.
To comment on this column or
suggest ideas for future columns,
email judyberne@att.net. n
‘What we have created has
come to fruition in the time of
Covid,’ said Rockridge resident
Jeff Randall.
NCPC MEETING
The Greater Rockridge Neigh-
borhood Crime Prevention
Council will have its regular
bi-monthly meeting on
December 10, 2020, at 7pm.
Circle of Men, from previous page
confidence,” McAleer said. “It’s a lot
of fun combined with a lot of deep
work. It’s also a great training ground
for learning and practicing leadership
skills.” A summer Community Cam-
pout brings the men and their families
together for a themed weekend. Last
year the event revolved around music,
including workshops, group singing, a
talent show and dance jams.
Although Covid-19 has meant
virtual group and team meetings
and cancellation of their retreat and
campout, Thanksgiving brought com-
munity service as usual. A thousand
turkeys and fixings were purchased,
bagged, and distributed to needy
families and homeless shelters in
conjunction with the East Oakland
Boxing Association. They have also
created a Covid Relief Fund for Circle
members who need financial help. “So
far no one has applied,” Randall said.
“But it’s there.”
To join the Zoom meeting, go to:
https://zoom.
us/j/96226418819?p-
wd=UkRGWDBhKzRCNkd1U-
ENjdDVkNGtodz09
Meeting ID: 962 2641 8819
Passcode: 12102020
Mobile and other access
available online at:
https://rockridgencpc.com.
Join us and hear your Com-
munity Resource Officers
report on neighborhood crime
and NCPC priorities, discuss
your own neighborhood
issues. There is no speaker
scheduled this week.


THE
page 10
DECEMBER 2020

The Dish On
Takeout Food in
Rockridge
by Terre Beynart
(a.k.a. “The Green Celiac”)
The Green Celiac reviews Rockridge
eateries that offer takeout with a
focus on ease of ordering; clarity of
the menu for those on special diets;
and a critique of the sustainability
of takeout packaging.
Ramen Shop’s Veggie Curry Plus Ramen is reasonably priced at $12.50.
Iwas thrilled when Ramen Shop
finally opened at 5812 College
Avenue for takeout. PC (pre-COVID)
they served a dish on weekends that
was out of this world — their very
own interpretation of Oakland’s
classic Chicken and Waffles. This
gluten-free dish has rice flour-based
waffles that are laced with seaweed
and umami flavor. The chicken is
reminiscent of Chicken Karaage. I
get a little shaky remembering my
near orgasmic reaction to eating this
memorable bit of heaven.
Generally, I think of the Ramen
Shop as an expensive eatery, but
the current takeout menu has some
pretty good deals on it. The Japanese
Veggie Curry is $12, which I find very
reasonable. My eating partner almost
always gets the ramen. Pretty expen-
sive for a bowl of noodles, but what an
excellent bowl of noodles!
vegan (like the fried tofu, for exam-
ple.) They will take questions about
the menu via phone. The website
ordering process was glitch-free.
Ramen Shop takeout was delivered
in a paper bag, and the curry and
non-broth parts of the ramen both
came in cardboard. Understandably,
they use plastic for the hot broth
container so the broth will remain
hot when delivered. However, I
would prefer they not use plastic and
simply alert customers ahead that
they will need to re-heat the soup at
home. Additionally, cylindrical card-
board soup containers are often not
accepted for recycling. An even better
option is to prepare ahead and bring
your own container for the broth.
They do, however, get a point for not
including cutlery. A restaurant that
asks ahead of time if you need cutlery
is doing a good deed for the planet.
Yimm (6048 College Avenue)
is a relatively new addition to the
local restaurant scene. The previous
He also ordered the Miso Ramen
with housemade noodles, pork
chashu, cabbage, onions, Blue Heron
Farms blanched bok choy, shoyu mar-
inated egg, and shungiku ($20) with
added mushrooms (+$5). He liked it,
but prefers the broth on the Hot Clas-
sic Shoyu Ramen ($20 for the base
dish and you can spend a lot more if
you add additional ingredients).
I ordered the Veggie Fried Rice
($17) a few weeks back and felt it was
not up to their usual quality. This
time, the Japanese Veggie Curry ($12)
was delicious and featured sturdy, not
nuclear, but nearly nuclear spice. The
vegetables were soft, as they should be
in a curry, and the garnishes comple-
mented the curry nicely.
The takeout menu is available
at Ramenshoptogo.com and they
require credit card payment before
they prepare your order. The online
menu is uneven in its labeling for
special diets. One dish was labeled
“vegan,” but it seemed like there
were other items that were also likely
The Dish, see next page


THE

page 11
DECEMBER 2020

Message From
Dan Kalb,
District One City
Councilmember
T
The Dish, from previous page
along with my colleagues continuing
on as council members, and with
Mayor Schaaf to address our serious
challenges including important deci-
sions on our FYs 2021-23 budget.
There will also be some Rock-
ridge-specific matters to work on next
year. For example, BART is in the
very early stages of planning for the
development of housing on part of the
Rockridge BART’s west parking lot.
I want to take this opportunity to
acknowledge and offer my thanks
to D-1 candidates Upper Rockridge
resident Stephanie Walton and Long-
fellow resident Tri Ngo, each of whom
ran passionate campaigns to serve the
people of Oakland. They put them-
selves out there, shared their thoughts
and ideas, and kept me on my toes.
Finally, I am thrilled our country
has elected a new President and
Vice-President. With the pandemic
still in full force, we need all the
assistance we can get from the federal
government.
To receive my newsletters directly,
visit https://www.oaklandca.gov/
officials/councilmember-dan-kalb, or
email me at dkalb@oaklandca.gov. n
occupant at this location was Osman-
thus, and long-timers will recall it as
the home of the beloved Nan Yang.
Yimm serves innovative and inex-
pensive Thai food.
My favorite go-to dish is the Green
Avocado Curry ($15 with choice
of chicken, pork, beef, tofu, veggie,
shrimp (add $3) or seafood (add $3).)
Who knew that avocado could go so
perfectly well with curry? My dining
partner loves the Lord’s Noodles ($14)
and the Fresh Rolls ($8); you get three
of them with each order.
The online menu at yimmoakland.
com has good identifiers for vegetar-
ian and spice levels. You need to call
ahead if you have any other dietary
restrictions. They will take your order
over the phone and let you pay when
you pick it up. If you order online,
there is a mechanism to write special
requests/instructions to the chef for
each menu item, which is very helpful.
The food was placed in a paper
bag for pickup. The Lord’s noodles
and the Fresh Rolls both came in
cardboard. The curry was in a plastic
bowl. They get dinged on that as well
as for the plastic wrap around the
Fresh Rolls and the plastic portion
cups for the peanut sauce and other
condiments. Those single-sized por-
tion cups pose a serious problem for
the environment, and I see no solu-
tion to that on the near horizon. They
did not include cutlery, so they get a
point for that.
Happy eating!
o say that this has been quite a
year is an understatement.
As we all know, the Covid-19
pandemic is a public health crisis
unmatched within the last 100 years.
And the economic consequences of
the pandemic — including dramatic
increases in unemployment — have
impacted so many people.
As you are aware, most of the state
has seen a recent increase in cases.
Please stay safe and help keep others
safe during the holiday season by
respecting the advice (https://covid-
19.acgov.org/covid19-assets/docs/
health-safety/holiday-recommenda-
tions-2020.11.09.pdf) from our local
public health officials.
With ballots counted and the
November election behind us, we are
looking ahead to the realities we will
face in 2021. My staff and I are pre-
paring for the new year and working
diligently to address the most critical
issues facing our district and the city
overall, including housing affordability
and homelessness, violence prevention
and public safety, and of course the
Covid-related economic impacts facing
Oakland. We take our responsibility
to serve District 1 and the entire city
with seriousness, focus, and pride.
I am looking forward to working
with our newly elected city council
members Carroll Fife and Treva Reid,
For more detailed reviews and
information, see https:\\thegreenceliac.
wordpress.com. n


THE
page 12
DECEMBER 2020

Reflections from
Outgoing School
Board Director
school and the District work together
on the new building. That project in
2009 was the first in California to
receive matching State grants for fol-
lowing green-building guidelines.
When Kerry Hamill asked me to
run for her seat on the School Board in
2008, I did, even though the District
was in State receivership. I had seen I
could make a difference, even under
State control, and didn’t want to be
asking myself “what if.”
I served twice as Vice-President
and then President of the Board, in
2011-2012 and again in 2019-2020.
Under my leadership this year, the
School Board unanimously extended
the contract of Superintendent Dr.
Kyla Johnson-Tramell through 2023.
This will bring her service as Super-
intendent to six years, making her
the longest-serving Superintendent
by Jody London
Ifirst became involved with OUSD
when my older daughter was in
kindergarten at Chabot Elementary
(she’s now a senior in college). At the
time, 16 of the 22 classrooms on the
campus were portables, with nine
of them dating back to the 1940s. It
became clear the only way to replace
the portables was to help the District
pass the Measure B bond in 2006, so I
co-chaired that campaign.
After the bond passed, I joined the
District’s Bond Oversight Committee
and went back to Chabot to help the
Outgoing District 1 Oakland
School Director, Jody London,
served for 12 years.
in 60 years. This stable leadership is
crucial to the long-term success of
our District.
In October, I led the School Board
in declaring a climate emergency and
outlined what the District is doing,
and will do, to develop a comprehen-
sive plan to increase the District’s
environmental sustainability. The
Board passed a resolution establishing
a goal of transitioning the school
district to 100 percent clean energy
by 2030, and completely off of fossil
fuels for heating and transportation
by 2040. It also laid the groundwork
for a more holistic and comprehensive
ecological sustainability policy, and its
implementation.
The resolution is rooted in OUSD’s
values of equity and justice, and high-
lights the need to keep the concerns of
Black, Indigenous and People of Color
central in the implementation of its
goals. This effort was supported by a
coalition of students, families, teach-
ers, and district staff in collaboration
with Sierra Club’s Climate Parents
program.
With the Board passing the resolu-
tion, OUSD joins other school districts
across the country, including Los
Angeles and Salt Lake City, which have
committed to 100 percent clean energy
and other aspects of sustainability.
I’m planning now to focus on my
job as the Sustainability Coordinator
for Contra Costa County where I
lead the County’s work on climate
issues. Thank you for the honor and
adventure to represent District 1 on
the Oakland School Board for the past
12 years. n
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THE

page 13
DECEMBER 2020

A Tree for The Neighborhood
by Rachel Hollowgrass
Friends and neighbors Vladimir (left) and Evan (right)
planted trees on Dana St.
H
He approached the landowner, St.
Augustine’s Church, where the priest
formally gave his blessing to the
project.
Over a dozen neighbors stepped up
to donate time, soil, water, electricity,
money, and the use of two trucks. A
month later, Fairview Park had a new
tree for the neighborhood.
Vladimir says, “It’s a triple win:
Carbon dioxide is absorbed, oxygen
for two people is produced, and the
street will look much nicer.” Vladi-
mir and Evan will continue to help
make Fairview Park ever greener, and
hope they inspire other neighbors to
make their own natural environmen-
tal enhancements. n
ow does a street become a neigh-
borhood? For many, the answer
includes trees.
Rockridge resident and Fairview
Park neighbor Vladimir Novak had
lived with his wife Martina Novak
on Dana Street for just two years
when the pandemic hit. Under the
strict lockdown, he used his week-
ends to investigate ways to improve
his community. Martina and
Vladimir looked at their concrete-
and-stone verge, chiseled it away,
and planted flowers. That was not
enough. Soon, they planted a beau-
tiful six-year-old, male (non-stinky)
Ginkgo Biloba.
Next door, Evan Bradfield had
been concerned about his dying plum
tree. He asked Vladimir if he could
help. Together, they removed the
hollowed-out plum tree and planted
two trees in Evan’s verge: a flower-
ing ornamental pear and another
Ginkgo. Through the process, the
neighbors became friends.
Seeing new life growing around
them, other neighbors spoke up,
wanting more trees. Vladimir and
Evan were ready to help. In three
months, eight new trees lined Dana.
At the end of the street, a tree had
failed to thrive. Using the City of
Oakland’s tree list, Vladimir found
a hearty, quick-growing maple.

Congratulations to Sgt. Josiah Ladd,
who covers the Greater Rockridge NCPC
Beat 12Y/13X.
Best wishes on his new promotion ot OPD.
May this success lead to greater achievements
in the years to come.
May you always be safe... today, tomorrow
and forever.


THE
page 14
DECEMBER 2020

Beekeepers, from front page
and healthy. She was spotted quickly,
identified by a painted blue dot on her
back, and she looked good.
“I learned from another keeper that
my yard was well situated for hives,
and I wanted to support our threat-
ened bee population,” Snow said. She
now maintains a healthy and pro-
ductive group of hives and shares her
eponymously branded “Snow Honey”
with friends and neighbors alike.
She explains how different neigh-
borhoods produce a wide range of
flavors. The discerning taster also
notices a “seasonality.” Sampling her
spring harvest, one notices a distinc-
tive herbaceous flavor with a hint of
Eucalyptus.
Elmwood resident Jim Veitch
agrees that a healthy hive can be very
productive. “Once I learned how to
keep my bees healthy, I’ve been get-
ting about 75 pounds from each box
annually.”
Veitch also found his bees made
him more aware of environmental
issues. “My bees mean improved pol-
lination for everyone around. In my
own yard, I now get avocados from
trees that I first planted in the late
’80s. I’m also more attuned to pesti-
cides, flowers, and pollinators.”
explains Rockridge resident Sue
Donahue, Secretary for the Alameda
County Beekeepers Association.
Donahue got started with bees after
a beekeeping friend gave her some
honey. “I’m a chef by trade and I was
blown away by the flavor,” she said.
“It’s a completely different experience
than commercial products.
I got hooked.”
Donahue says the association “sup-
ports beekeeping, not bee-having.”
Carelessness in tending bees can lead
to problems for neighboring colonies.
“When one colony is stressed, at a
certain point it creates problems for
everyone.” Hungry bees invade nearby
hives for pollen and honey, bringing
pests and disease with them.
Want to Learn More?
The Alameda County Beekeepers
Association (alamedabees.org) offers
classes (presently online), mentor-
ship, and swarm removal services.
$10 annual membership.
Biodiesel Oasis, 1441 Ashby Avenue,
(biofueloasis.com) also offers classes
and sells a full array of beekeeping
equipment and supplies, including
starter colonies.
Bee Healthy, 2950 Telegraph
Avenue, (beehealthyhoneyshop.com)
offers a variety of products including
wax candles, diverse varieties of
honey, edible combs, and more.
What You Can Do to Support Our
Local Bees
Buy honey from local suppliers at the
farmers’ market.
“When one colony is
stressed, at a certain point
it creates problems for
everyone.”
Maintain year-round flowers and
other pollinator plants.
Stop or reduce use of pesticide. If you
must use it, apply it at night when
bees are dormant.
Buy organically raised plants. Some
outlets pre-treat their nursery stock
with pesticides.
How to Get Involved
There are many ways to get
involved with bees, with or without
the hard work of establishing and
maintaining your own hives.
On Manila Avenue, Carla Hai-
mowitz and Hal Helfand’s garage
door is somewhat of a landmark,
graced with colorful multicultural
imagery by local muralist Pete Lee.
Less visible to the street, on top of
the garage, the couple hosts about a
dozen hives.
 “We’ve worked with a series of
beekeepers over the years,” said Hel-
fand. “Currently we’re working with
Khaled Almaghafi who lives nearby
and operates the Bee Healthy store
on Telegraph Avenue.” He nurtures
the rooftop colonies and harvests the
bees’ production to supply his honey
business. “Khaled does all the work,
we feel good about helping our local
environment, and of course we get
some honey in the deal. We’re like an
Airbnb for bees!”
Megan Smith, a psychotherapist
who lives off of Broadway Terrace,
discovered Bee Healthy honey at the
Montclair farmers’ market. It’s there
she met Khaled, whose family has
been beekeeping in Yemen for four
generations. He eventually helped her
set up her first bee box and provided
the original swarm.
“I’ve been doing this for ten years
now. It’s a wonderful connection to
nature,” Smith says.
When you encounter bee people,
you recognize they form a familial
connection with their colonies. Which
makes sense, because tending to these
complicated insects is an enduring
and endearing commitment. n
Environmental Threats
Beekeepers are ever vigilant for a
variety of threats to their colonies. In
the 1980s, American beekeeping took
a dark turn. That’s when a dreaded
parasite known as the Varroa mite, an
Asian native, started to appear in the
U.S. Mites attach themselves to larval
and young adult bees, weakening the
bees and shortening their life span.
Also lurking is a dangerous virus
known as American Foul Brood.
There is no effective medication,
so affected hives and all equipment
must be destroyed to control spread.
Also, colonies are often stressed by
the effects of climate change, severe
weather, drought, and the over-use of
garden pesticides.
“As much as we need to support
our bee populations, having too
many hives in a constrained urban
environment is another stress factor,”
CORRECTION to November 2020 issue:
Sandra Toscano, Rockridge Library’s new branch manager, previously worked
at the Brooklyn Public Library in New York City, not Oakland.


THE

page 15
DECEMBER 2020

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Each year at this time, the Annual Oakland Tech Christmas Tree
Fundraiser supports and serves our community with both baseball and
softball programs for the youth. Due to Covid-19, the fundraiser will not be
happening this year, and as a result, the school is reaching out directly to
the community. To make an online donation, please visit them at:

Mail to: RCPC, 4900 Shattuck Ave., PO Box
22504, Oakland, 94609-20131. The deadline for
the Jan 2020 issue is December 26 – available
on Jan 8, 2021. For more information, email
Susan Montauk at smontauk@gmail.com.
https://oaklandfieldofdreams.org/product/donation/.
Garden Care, Clean-up,
Maintenance & Design
Experienced team of two dedicated to
the art of gardening. Garden restauration,
pruning, veggie bed installation at affordable
rates. Call Chris: 510/655-0157 or email
yourgreengardeners@gmail.com. Check us
out at www.yourgreengardeners.com.
law office of
dave karlinsky
725 washington st., suite 313  oakland, ca 94607
(510) 788-5700    www.davekarlinskylaw.com
Practicing exclusively in the area of trusts and estates:
• Estate planning

• Probate / trust administration

• Dispute resolution
Electrical Remodels and Repairs
Powering up an ADU? I can help with that.
I’ve been doing electrical work in Oakland
and Berkeley for over 35 years. Sutorik
& Company. www.sutorikandco.com Lic
#397149. 510/655-3677.
• Special needs trusts
Please contact me during regular business hours to
      schedule an appointment.
Chabot Canyon Raquet Club
Your neighborhood Tennis Club is
accepting new membership applications.
Six new lighted tennis courts. 7040
Chabot Road, Oakland. 510/652-6060.
www.chabotcanyon.org.
Rockridge Apartment for Rent
2299/first/2299 last. Available July
26th, 2020. 1-bedroom apartment, lower
Rockridge. Downstairs unit in 8-plex
building. Laminate flooring, open kitchen
and living room. Close to Rockridge
BART. Call Melissa Parker, 415/527-7647/
melissabparker@yahoo.com.
Experience * Knowledge * Performance
Get Coaching. Get Results.
•Want to exponentially grow your
business? •Ready to fast-track your
corporate job? •Considering starting
a new career venture? Schedule a
complimentary session now. Call (800)
322-5610 or visit DaisukiCoaching.com.
With Over 300 Real Estate Transactions

Enormously grateful to all my family, friends, clients, colleagues and service providers for a
wonderful year!!   Yes, even this 2020! THANK YOU!  Be safe, stay healthy!

Free PREPAREDNESS workshops
online with OCP&R
Learn the most important steps to
prepare for (and respond to) disasters and
disruptions such as wildfire, earthquake,
power outages. Arrange for your
neighborhood, community group, faith-
based organization. www.oaklandcpandr.
org/contact; 510-575-0916. n

Awareness Month for > Human Rights, Volunteering, Safe Gifting, Hi Neighbor,
Write a Friend, Read a New Book, Cookies and Pie, Give a Hug.
Happiest Holidays to You & Yours!
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


L A W T O N
A S S O C I A T E S
R E A L   E S T A T E
B R O K E R A G E
Ron Kriss, Broker
Lawton Associates
(c) 510-612-2547
RonKriss@JPS.net
DRE# 01417458
“#1 in Rockridge Real Estate”
160+ Successful Sales in Rockridge
www.LawtonAssoc.com

THE
Happy Holidays
Wishing you and your family health, happiness and prosperity
this holiday season and through the new year.
Claudia Mills
510.350.6419
c.mills@ggsir.com
Lic.#01881682
www.ClaudiaMillsRealEstateTeam.com
Each Franchise Is Independently Owned And Operated.
COME VISIT US AT
THE CORNER OF
LIFE & CHANGE