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RockridgeNews

THE
www.rockridge.org

VOL 38   •   NO. 9   •   ISSUE  NO. 390   •   OCTOBER 2, 2021                 CIRCULATION: 5,800 Residences; 200 Businesses

Rockridge Built A
Library, 25 Years Ago
by Annette R. Floystrup
Firestorm Preparation:
Then and Now
by Annette R. Floystrup
R
“R
ecently, the Berkeley City Council
and the Berkeley Fire Department
issued an advisory to all residents
of the Berkeley Hills to “Be ready
to leave the hills when the Berkeley
Fire Department proclaims ‘Extreme
Fire Weather’ due to forecasted low
humidity and high winds.” It is likely
that the Oakland Fire Department
(OFD) and the Oakland City Council
will follow suit, as precisely the same
conditions exist throughout the
Oakland hills.
Firestorms have occurred in the
same hill areas in 1923, 1970 and
1991. Due to extreme and ongoing
drought conditions from climate
change, the next one may happen
sooner rather than later.
Now that we’ve reached the 30-year
anniversary of the ’91 Oakland
Firestorm and held the joint disaster
preparedness Town Hall with the
NCPC and RCPC, I thought I could
offer some perspectives to share with
ockridge is the only community
in the nation to finance and
drive to completion the building of a
local library.” — Kevin Starr, Califor-
nia State Librarian (September 1996)
The above statement is as true today
as it was 25 years ago when Rockridge
neighbors raised $3.5 million to build
a 15,000 square foot library with two
large community meeting rooms and
approximately 75,000 books, CDs,
DVDs, audio books, video games,
magazines and newspapers for visitors
of all ages.
The original Rockridge branch
library opened in 1919, and moved
into a storefront at 5701 College
Avenue, across from Claremont Junior
High, in 1924. That space, now Ain’t
Normal Cafe, ran the length of the
building from its College Avenue
frontage down Miles. This small
The BART Firestorm Tile Wall consists
of 3,000 handmade tiles created by
those impacted by the wildfire.
our friends and neighbors.
I once taught disaster preparedness
seminars to corporations under the
aegis of the National Safety Council,
together with Henry Renteria, the
Oakland City official responsible
for disaster preparedness during the
Firestorm and Loma Prieta.
For those who missed the Firestorm,
following are a few quick facts.
The Oakland Hills Firestorm was
LIBRARY, see page 14
FIRESTORM, see page 12
LATE-BREAKING NEWS:
The Halloween Parade Is On!
by Ronnie Spitzer
Legislative Update
by Stu Flashman, RCPC Land Use
Committee Chair
Continuing our neighborhood’s
great, ghoulish tradition, the
Rockridge District Association
(RDA) and the Rockridge Com-
munity Planning Council (RCPC)
invite you to celebrate Halloween
on College Avenue.
Join the holiday fun for kids of
all ages, rain or shine, on Sunday,
October 31, from noon to 2pm.
Participating merchants will host
trick-or-treating on along both
sides of College Avenue.
To join in the costumed pageant,
meet at the BART station by noon.
You can also start trick or treating
from any location along the Avenue
at noon.
At 1pm, come to the Rockridge
Library for games and entertain-
ment. Masks for all participants,
young and old, are required.
The event will be canceled if air
quality is poor on parade day. n
Of the three bills The Rockridge
News previously focused on in
the July 2021 issue, SB 9 and SB 10
have been signed while the third, AB
1401, addressing off-street parking
requirements, died at the end of the
session. All three bills were supported
and/or co-authored by Rockridge’s
legislators: Senator Nancy Skinner and
Assembly Member Buffy Wicks. n
See Rockridge.org for the full report.


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page 2
OCTOBER 2021

What You Need To
Know about Video
Footage When Filing
A Police Report
by Angela Moore, Neighborhood
Services Division, OPD
Ttake it to the DA for possible charges
should they catch the criminals.
If you see a car break-in and capture
it on video, can you report it if it’s
not your car? Sorry, no, you can’t. It’s
only a valid report if the victim calls
it in — in this case, it would be the
car owner. This is less likely to be an
issue with footage from a home secu-
rity camera unless your system gets
a photo of a burglar breaking into
your neighbor’s house. In that case,
your neighbor has to file the report,
but when they do, you can submit
the video, with the incident number.
Without the incident number, they
can’t use the video in evidence.
This is very significant for auto
break-ins, which tend to be done by
gangs all over town. So, if you have an
official report of a break-in and a solid
license plate number for the criminals’
car, OPD could use that information
to charge someone who may have
done this elsewhere in Oakland (or
even surrounding communities).
Two other points: If the victim
of a crime doesn’t file a report, it
never happened. And, if you, a crime
victim, do file a report, you have to
be willing to go to court and press
charges against the criminals. Other-
wise, the DA can’t charge the crime,
even if there is an official report with
an incident number.
To get an incident number,
call OPD at (510) 777-3333, their
non-emergency number. You can
also get an incident number by
filling in the Report a Crime link on
the OPD website. The majority of
crimes in Rockridge are for property
crimes that have already happened.
Don’t call 911 (iffy if dialed from
cell phones) or (510) 777-3211 for
this type of crime as the emergency
number is swamped with reports
from more violent sections of town. 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.
he Greater Rockridge NCPC had a
very interesting discussion at
the August meeting about crime
reporting with personally captured
video. With a lot of input from our
Community Resource Officer, Meeran
Gichki, several points emerged.
First, posting a report of a crime
on Nextdoor is not reporting it to the
police, even if you include a video.
The police can’t see the posts you put
on Nextdoor.
Second, we found that some people
have obtained our Community
Resource Officer’s (CRO) email
address (well, it is on the NCPC
website), and have sent him videos of
crimes they’ve witnessed. The videos
varied from home security camera
footage of house invaders to hand-
held footage of car break-ins.
Although this is helpful, Officer
Gichki made it clear — he can’t act
on a video unless it’s associated with
an incident number for that crime.
The incident number is the official
record of a reported crime, and with-
out an official report, the police can’t
Rockridge News Production
Anna L. Marks ........................ Editor & Layout Artist
Jo Ellis........................Assistant Editor & Ad Manager
Susan Montauk................................Business Manager
Judith Doner Berne................................... Staff Writer
RCPC Board of Directors, 2021-22
Leonora Sea..........................................................Chair
Robin McDonnell..................................... Vice-Chair
Casey Farmer................................................ Secretary
Ashley Pandya.............................. Assistant Secretary
Ken Rich........................................................Treasurer
Stuart Flashman, Annette Floystrup, David Garcia,
Kirk Peterson, Ken Rich, Ronnie Spitzer
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? We’d love to hear from you.
All articles and letters submitted for consideration
should be emailed to: editor@rockridge.org, and
must be limited to 600 words. Please be sure to
include the author’s name, email address, and city
or neighborhood of residence. All submissions are
subject to editing for clarity and brevity.
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, CA, 94609
Display Advertising
Deadline for the Nov. 2021 issue is: Oct 21st
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.
RCPC Land Use Committee Meeting
The next Land Use Committee
meeting will be held on Wednesday,
October 27, at 7:30pm, via Zoom.
To attend, email landuse@rockridge.
org, or call (510) 652-5373. The meeting
is open to the public, check www.Rock-
ridge.org for details.
The Rockridge News reserves the right to refuse any
articles, display ads, or classified ads.
Views expressed in published articles 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
OCTOBER 2021

What’s Happening
At The CCA Site?
“Quite a Lot!”
by Myrna Walton, Upper Broadway
Advocates (UBA)
The ongoing conversation
continues to evolve between
the Rockridge community and site
developer Emerald Fund regarding
the redesign of the now-closed Cal-
ifornia College of the Arts (CCA)
campus. Although the Oakland
Planning Department has declined to
provide a date for the draft EIR to be
publicly available, the developer, Emer-
ald Fund, thinks it will be released
before the end of the year. Meanwhile,
work is proceeding in three key areas.
Artist’s Concept, by Michael Reardon
of the trees are nearing the end of
their lifespan or are suffering from
the effects of climate change. UBA
is committed to saving as many as
possible so that when this project
is built, some old trees will remain,
supplemented by new ones.
CMG emphasized the need to
bring the community into the
proposed park through interesting
programming which would preserve
and continue its arts history. This
might include studio classes in the
two historic buildings to be retained,
outdoor art workshops, sensitive
placement of many of the beautiful
and interesting art works scattered
about the site, art fairs and sales, and
historic markers.
Emerald hired SiteLab Urban Studio.
Their charge is to develop criteria
that “will build on the retained
character-defining features and
support contextual development that
is influenced by the surrounding
neighborhood.” We sincerely hope
this means that the design criteria
will recognize the largely traditional
aspects of the residential neighbor-
hood as well the history of arts and
crafts at the CCA site.
Recognizing the severe need for
affordable housing, UBA remains
committed to a dense development,
no higher than seven stories, with
20 percent of the units slated for
low-income residents. We will con-
tinue to make our views known to the
developer and appreciate Emerald’s
willingness to listen and respond.
Architecture
Recently, the developer noted
that in order to create a design that
would recognize the context of the
surrounding neighborhood, Emerald
is bringing in a new architectural
firm. “Mithun is widely recognized
for deep community engagement and
excellence in architectural design,
particularly in the 7- to 9-story
typology,” according to Emerald.
While there is a wide variety of
building styles and sizes in Rock-
ridge, including many multi-unit
buildings, the overwhelming context
is traditional, human-scale and open
to the street. It is quite a challenge to
translate this welcoming neighbor-
hood character into two 7- or 8-story
buildings, but it certainly is possible.
(See the drawing on this page as an
example of how that challenge could
be met.)
Design Standards
In the meantime, at the request of
The Design Review Subcommittee of
the Oakland Planning Commission,
Send comments to UBAOakland@
gmail.com. n
Landscaping and Trees
There has been a great deal of brush
clearing and tree removal on the
site recently. According to the City
Arborist Tod Lawsen, the only trees
he authorized for removal were those
he inspected and found to be dead or
very near death.
We also toured the site with Kevin
Conger, Founding Partner of CMG
Landscape Architects, a sub-contrac-
tor to Emerald. He noted that many


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page 4
OCTOBER 2021

Rockridge Resident
Releases Homemade
Rock Album

Conversations Towards
Solutions — Stand Up
For a Safe Oakland
by Angela Moore, Neighborhood
Services Division, OPD

C
J

ames Utterbeck is a PhD chemist
and solar researcher during the
day, but at night he’s a rock pro-
ducer with a passion for music. His
debut album, Fire Whale, including
his new single “Breath Smoke,” is now
available on streaming platforms.
“I have been chipping away at a
home-recorded concept album for
the past 15 years, and I’ve used the
pandemic in my Rockridge apart-
ment bedroom as an opportunity to
finally make it a reality. I spent a lot
of time walking and biking around
hief LeRonne L. Armstrong is
continuing his “Conversations
Towards Solutions” in Beats 12Y and
13X. This is the Chief’s mission for a
#SAFEOAKLAND, building off the
momentum of the “Stand Up For A
Safe Oakland” march and rally at
Lake Merritt.
On October 21, from 6pm to 7pm,
we’re focusing on Rockridge. Come
for the conversation and leave with
solutions. Let’s gather, unite and
reclaim Oakland and put a stop
to the violence. The goal is to visit
different neighborhoods each week
holding smaller, more intimate con-
versations with the community.These
conversations will continue until
meetings have been held in every
beat in Oakland.
Please register in advance for this
upcoming Zoom meeting: https://
us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/
tZcod-iprzIpHdcos_h7SV4YW9ySS-
kVzPXqk.
Rockridge listening through draft
versions and working out edits. The
song is about unrequited love and
how reading Moby Dick inspired me.
The lyrics and intense emotion paint a
clear picture of madness and longing
in the high seas.”
The video appears on Fire Whale’s
YouTube channel as of Oct 8. Follow @
firewhalemusic on all social media. n
For information, contact Karen Ivy
at: secretary@rockridgencpc.com. n
Chabot Fall Carnival:
A Rockridge Tradition
Experience * Knowledge * Performance
The Fall Carnival fundraiser for
Chabot Elementary School will
be held Sunday, October 17, from
12:30 to 4:30pm, at Chabot’s Upper
and Lower Yards, at 6686 Chabot Rd.
Events include DJ and dancing,
bake sale, game booths, messy arts
and crafts projects, puppet show,
costume contest, pumpkin decorat-
ing, balloon animals, tasty food, and
prizes.
All Rockridge residents and neigh-
bors are welcome to join in the fun,
and, as always, admission is free. All
proceeds benefit the Chabot PTA. n
With Over 300 Real Estate Transactions
Available and Coming soon;

-2BD 2BA updated condo w/private balcony, open plan, 5340BroadwayTerrace.com: Listed $665,000
-1BD 1BA upper floor condo, wood floors, updated kitchen, shared 'English garden' 3050CollegeAve.com. Listed $495,000
-4BD+ 2.5BA stately & updated colonial beautifully sited on double lot, bay & golden gate views, detached studio cottage, office &
garage, play yard, garden, patios nestled in trees. 5636 Golden Gate Listed $1,995,000
-Impeccably maintained, landscaped & updated fourplex w/4 1 bed units, great rents, 1 vacant, 2 blocks from BART/Market Hall
578 Forest @ Ayala Listed for $1,895,000
-4BD 2BA Tudor home, detached garage, level in, sweet yard, gorgeous architecture, 3 blocks to College Ave, 5809 Ross, coming soon

October is Awareness Month for > Breast Cancer, Emotional Wellness, Financial Planning, Italian-Americans, Adopt-a- Dog
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 5
OCTOBER 2021

Apples to Apples

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Market-Rate Housing Helps Reduce Overall Rents

EDITOR: In his letter in last month’s
The Rockridge News, “Some Housing
is Better Than None,” Ken Rich
states, “let’s not confuse ‘trickle-
down economics’ with ‘supply
and demand’” as it relates to the
housing market. This assumes that
there exists a single unified housing
market, but that is a fallacy: supply
and demand are different in different
price ranges of housing.
The “housing market” actually
consists of multiple, non-intersecting
sub-markets delineated by price.
Just as increasing the production of
Porsches has little effect on the market
for Toyota Corollas, significant afford-
able housing is not created as a result
of market-rate construction.
There is solid econometric evidence
of this as shown in “The Maze of
Urban Housing Markets” by Jerome
Rothenberg, et al. There is a summary
along with some information from
this book and from other sources on
my website, www.PreserveRockridge.
com (click on “Trickle-down”).
Overriding current R-1 zoning to
build large market-rate apartments in
Rockridge would benefit real estate
developers and speculators, but not
those who need affordable housing.
EDITOR: Thanks to The Rockridge
News for one last opportunity to
engage with Jon Gabel on the issue of
housing affordability and the part that
our neighborhood can play in address-
ing the issue. I trust that after this,
we will give other readers a chance to
weigh in on this important topic.
Mr. Gabel argues in his latest letter
to the editor (see article on left) that
building more market-rate housing
will not contribute to a reduction
of housing prices overall and on his
website cites a book published in 1991
for evidence on this. Our readers will
be interested to know that there is an
increasing body of much more recent
academic work on this subject.
A paper found here, for example,
https://www.lewis.ucla.edu/research/
market-rate-development-impacts/
reports that of six recent academic
studies on the subject, five find that
new market-rate development lowers
rents across the income spectrum in
the same neighborhood. The other
one reaches mixed conclusions.
In my original article, published in
the June 2021 edition of The Rockridge
News, I simply argued that new
market-rate apartments in Rockridge,
as relatively expensive as they may
be, are still much less expensive than
buying a house of the same size; and
thus, we should support them as a way
to welcome a wider range of people to
our neighborhood. It’s nice to know
that these new apartments might
also help reduce existing rents in the
neighborhood too.
Ken Rich
Manila Avenue
Have an opinion you’d like to
share with our readers? Send
it to: editor@rockridge.org.
Jon Gabel
Ocean View Drive


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page 6
OCTOBER 2021

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, cont’d
Not All Technology
Is Accessible
No Tree Removal
At Ivanhoe
and sold this June to Genasys Inc.,
maker of LRAD, a sonic weapon used
to disperse crowds, which is a bit wor-
risome as well, as the technology does
have the potential for abuse.
Zonehaven provides software-as-
a-service. What happens down the
road when Zonehaven inevitably
decides to maximize profits in obli-
gation to its owners? This geographic
division system needs to be under
public ownership. The Zonehaven
system was developed with public
money from FEMA, after all. Ideally,
zoning would be firmly rooted in
local ownership, for the greatest
community engagement. This crucial
public communication function must
be put out for public bid.
On the tech side, it’s easy for a single
database to translate a multitude of
brain-breaking unique identifiers into
humanly relatable names. That would
be a far more rational system design
than expecting a multitude of humans
to learn yet another agglomeration
of letters and numbers, and recall it
without warning in a crisis. Perhaps
zone residents could elect their own
identifier, a process that would simul-
taneously engage the community in
disaster preparation?
EDITOR: I’m impressed yet con-
cerned by the new Zonehaven
emergency evacuation system (Rock-
ridge News, Sept 2021). The hitch is
that the last mile is problematically
underdeveloped for a crisis.
The first concern is reliance
upon everyone learning a novel,
esoteric, 7-character alphanumeric
identifier for their particular zone,
e.g. the library’s zone identifier is
“OKL-E029.” It’s just not realistic to
anticipate everyone remembering such
an identifier for themselves, dependent
friends or relatives, or schools and
workplaces. They may not remember
where they wrote it down, let alone
be able to look it up in an emergency
when communication networks may
well be damaged or overloaded.
Secondly, I was wondering about the
possibility of marking the identifier
publicly on municipal property, like
fire hydrants. However, who owns
these geographic divisions? Zonehaven
was incorporated in Delaware in 2019
EDITOR: I want to add my voice of
distress about the 20 or more trees,
mostly Live Oak, to be removed from
a private property on Ivanhoe Road
and Miles. As a neighbor, I don’t
know what power my objections
would hold, but as a Rockridge
citizen, I can protest the removal
of a sizable carbon sponge from my
immediate environment and its resul-
tant loss of mitigating the effects of
pollution and climate change.
I hope the permitting department
has the power to persuade them that
that is a way too ambitious wipe-out
of an oak grove — a bold grab of our
history. Thank you for reading this.
Harriet Gulassa
Harwood Avenue
NEIGHBORHOOD ALERT
At the corner of Ivanhoe and Miles,
34 trees are being considered for removal
to make room for a development.
Neighbors are encouraged to send
comments to Brittany Lenoir (blenoir@
oaklandca.gov), and Cecilia Garcia
(cgarcia@oaklandca.gov), who’s in charge
of tree removals.
The opinions represented in the Letters
to the Editor do not necessarily reflect
the views of the Rockridge News, the
Rockridge Community Planning Council,
or the RCPC Board of Directors.
Eric Neville
Thomas Avenue
UPDATE: The permits are currently
on hold pending review of the application.
JUST SOLD!  2 Fieldbrook Place,Oakland
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lush, colorful gardens and patios, on a quiet cul-de-sac.
  Originally offered at $849,000
Represented the Buyers - Ten Offers All Over Asking
.
Anne D. Brandon, Realtor
510.682.6644 | 510.339.9290
AnneDBrandon.com
Anne@TheHighlandPartners.com
DRE# 01877719


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page 7
OCTOBER 2021

The Relevance Of
Redistricting
by Casey Farmer and
Louise Rothman-Riemer
Itwo public input hearings: the next
one will be held on at October 12, at
noon, and will occur online at https://
bos.acgov.org/broadcast/.
Voters approved the City’s Inde-
pendent Redistricting Commission
in 2014. This cycle will be the first
in which City Council districts, and
corresponding School Board districts,
are drawn by an independent com-
mission, not by elected officials.
An interesting note about District 1
(Rockridge) is that it encompasses the
most politically active residents of the
city. According to research by Julie
Lo, a graduate student at the Goldman
School of Public Policy, it had the
largest number of registered voters
(44,681) and a whopping 80 percent of
them voted in the 2018 election cycle.
The Commission is holding public
hearings on Oct. 13 and Nov. 10.  At
the last public meeting, the Commis-
sion heard testimony from folks about
Communities of Interest (COI) that
should be considered when redrawing
the districts. The Commission has
until the end of the year to approve
and finalize new district maps. It
meets at 5pm on the second Wednes-
day of the month.
The Board seeks your input on
“Communities of Interest,” or
geographic areas where residents
share common economic, social,
or cultural interests. Input can be
submitted through the website’s
mapping program, written testimony,
by phone, or during its upcoming
hearings. The Board of Supervisors
will publish a draft map on October
26. Subsequently, residents will have
five weeks to weigh in before a final
vote on the map.
t’s that time again, when every ten
years our political districts are
redrawn. Redistricting occurs to
adjust for population changes and to
ensure that districts comply with laws,
such as the Voting Rights Act. Redis-
tricting provides the framework for
our voice in our political process.
Census data is currently being
analyzed to evaluate which districts
are over and underpopulated. Now
is an important time for the public
to express what their communities of
interest are, where they are located,
and why they should be maintained in
the same districts.
Thanks to voter-approved ballot
measures, California and Oakland
must redraw their districts through
independent redistricting commis-
sions. A commission that strives
to keep the districts balanced and
respectful of existing communities
is less likely to create gerrymandered
districts to suit the demands of any
political group or party.
State of California:
https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/
The California Citizens Redistrict-
ing Commission just completed a
listening tour of COI input hearings
and will begin line drawing soon.
Input is still welcome and encouraged.
Want to learn more? The Oakland
League of Women Voters (LWV) is
hosting a webinar on Redistricting
on Monday, October 4, from 6-7pm.
Register at: https://bit.ly/3kpEk0D
Alameda County:
1,682,353 people ÷ 5 Districts =
~336,000 people per district
https://redistricting2021.acgov.org/
Casey Farmer serves as the Director
of Community Engagement for
Alameda County’s Redistricting
2021 as well as Secretary of the RCPC.
Louise Rothman-Reimer has operated
her small business on College Avenue
for 26 years and is a previous-past
President of the LWV, Oakland. n
Under new State law (The FAIR
MAPS Act), the process will be more
transparent and accessible through
required noticing, language access,
and public hearings. The Board of
Supervisors launches its process with
Oakland: 440,646 people ÷ 7 Districts =
~ 62,900 people per district
oaklandca.gov/boards-commissions/
redistricting-commission


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page 8
OCTOBER 2021

Firestorm 30:
A Personal Story
by Annette R. Floystrup
We had been in Tahoe for a week,
returning on Saturday, October
19, 1991, just as the fire was starting
up. Driving home, we listened to the
Big Game (Cal vs. Stanford) on the
radio and heard interspersed reports
of a fire in the canyon by the stadium.
Sunday morning, I called my parents
to let them know we were home and
that the sky was the same golden color
as in Rome which, I realized, was for
the same reason — smoke and air pol-
lution. I told them that the little fire in
the canyon must have blown up again,
and we needed to get busy.
We spent hours filling forty
30-gallon garbage bags with pine nee-
dles from the 145’ tall Monterey pine
just outside our front door. We swept
the roof and scraped the ground
clean, then wet the roof and the area
around the house thoroughly. We had
Oakland-Berkeley hills firestorm: Pearman collection.
Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room.
to wear double canister facemasks to
breath because the sky was dark with
swirling smoke, soot and ash all day
that Sunday.
Our cats were stashed in the kitchen
with their carriers while we method-
ically packed our personal papers,
including the all-important insurance
documents and my business papers.
Then we packed the pictures (no
digital papers or pictures back then),
meaningful mementos like handmade
gifts from family, and finally valu-
ables like jewelry, etc. We threw open
cupboards, closets and drawers and
took lots of pictures for the insurance
company — you will never remember
what you had unless you do — and
then went shopping for food at the
Lucky’s.
On our way home, we stopped and
watched the fire from the Claremont
schoolyard fence. We watched as tree
after tree was fully outlined by fire
and then exploded from top to bottom
like torches. And we saw house after
house afire. The entire area was on fire
as far as the eye could see. Prepared
to evacuate, we had benefitted from a
wind shift that stopped the fire from
spreading further down Chabot Road
and along the freeway edges. The
fire came very close, to Golden Gate
Avenue at Hwy 24, and to Margarido
Drive above Broadway.
We spent days and nights listening
to thousands of loud explosions — car
gas tanks, electrical transformers and
ruptured gas lines booming night and
day. And all day long we heard heli-
copters flying back and forth scooping
up water from Lake Temescal, and
we tracked the fire’s progress. Hwy
24 was closed, and hundreds of fire
vehicles were parked there. Volunteers
prepared food for the firefighters, and
exhausted firefighters could be found
resting here, there and anywhere
before starting out again.
A Personal story, see next page
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REFILL SHOP
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ReUpRefills.org
6025 COLLEGE AVE. OAKLAND


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page 9
OCTOBER 2021

agencies and insurance companies
needed to help Firestorm victims
begin the process of recovery.
Afterward, Levin’s great idea
became the model for FEMA’s Disas-
ter Recovery Centers nationwide. It
was also Levin, along with Oakland
Heritage Alliance’s Annalee Allen,
who was the impetus behind the
Firestorm memorial wall at the Rock-
ridge BART station.
In the aftermath, we put our
passports and all-important life doc-
uments in a bank safety deposit box.
We bought archival negative sleeves
and stored them there as well. Now
most of our older photos have been
scanned and we have our devices all
backed up to the cloud as well as por-
table hard disks, but none of that tech
existed 30 years ago. n
canvases from the Society of Six
painters.
A friend’s mother, just widowed,
lost her home and all its contents.
As she and her mother later sifted
through the ashes, they found her
mother’s platinum wedding band,
totally blackened by fire, but intact,
and Michael Endlich’s staff jewelers
at Pavé spent weeks cleaning and
restoring it without charge. Many
similar kindnesses were extended to
the wildfire survivors.
Brooke Levin, who had gone to
work for Mayor Elihu Harris after her
term as RCPC Chair, had a brilliant
idea that was quickly implemented.
The old Safeway on Claremont
Avenue was turned into a one-stop
disaster recovery center with rep-
resentatives from all the utilities,
A Personal story,
from previous page
Driving the barren and desolate
moonscape left behind just a few
weeks later, I saw many shiny, silver
rivers of melted aluminum engine
blocks and burned-out hulks of cars.
All that was left of most houses was a
chimney or just a foundation. Dozens
of my friends or their families lost
homes in those three days.
Many lost precious works. Noted
author Maxine Hong Kingston, who
daily walked by our windows through
St. Albert’s on her way to coffee on
College, lost a newly completed man-
uscript. An architectural historian
friend on Chabot Road lost his slides
and picture collection — his entire
life’s work. Many precious works of
art were destroyed, including many
law office of
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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
• Special needs trusts
Please contact me during regular business hours to
      schedule an appointment.


THE
page 10
OCTOBER 2021

Unrepresented Patients
Discover a Very
Unlikely Ally
by Judith Doner Berne
Solder people may have started when
his mom “dragged him” (his words
not mine) to play piano for residents
of Merrill Gardens and Piedmont
Gardens senior living centers several
years back.
“I didn’t like my parents listening
when I practiced,” the once-shy teen-
ager said as we sat in the backyard
of his Rockridge home.  But after he
played background music while the
residents dined, “a lot of them stopped
by and told me how much they
enjoyed it. I guess I was breaking the
monotony a little bit.”
He grew up in Rockridge, attending
Chabot Elementary before going
to Black Pine Circle in Berkeley for
middle school. His dad, Mark Davis,
is Canadian and a retired math
professor. His mom, Judy Chang,
is Taiwanese and an optometrist at
Kaiser Oakland.
Davis’s affinity for older people also
comes from a close relationship with
his grandparents, particularly his
mom’s parents, who live in Orinda.
“They did a lot of work helping to
raise me,” he said. That included
picking him up for swim lessons and
practices that resulted in his becoming
a competitive swimmer and making
him homemade potstickers. “I’m so
glad they live so close and are able to
play such a large role in my life.”
Indeed, it was helping his grand-
mother learn to use her new cell
phone that gave Davis another idea.
He set up a tech support booth at
Merrill Gardens. “It was me and some
eniors in high school aren’t likely
to give much thought to senior
citizens. But 17-year-old Aaron Davis,
who attends The College Preparatory
School in Rockridge, seems to have
made the elderly his focus, now and
perhaps for the future.
I connected with Davis thanks to
an email from Nancy Epstein, his
Rockridge neighbor. “I’m 66 years old
and find Aaron a joy to be around,”
Epstein began. “But he’s not just a
thoughtful and wise teenager. He’s
an activist. He regularly helped our
single 92-year-old neighbor with light
house cleaning, medications, and
getting to bed.”
That 92-year-old neighbor, Agos-
tino Isola, is now 97 and living in an
assisted living facility in San Fran-
cisco, according to his niece, Marie
Crociani.
“I think Aaron’s an amazing young
man,” she told me. “To be so young
and have that kind of patience with
someone who is older. Aaron and I
talked about when he can come to
visit,” since the Covid restrictions
have been lifted. “My uncle just loved
his neighbors.” But Davis also enjoyed
knowing Isola. “He told me about
growing up in Italy.”
The teenager’s interest in helping
Photo: Judy Berne
This past summer, Davis launched
an informational website for
“unrepresented patients.”
Cal students, one was my cousin,”
he told me. “We helped them access
photos or post on Facebook. But they
(Merrill Garden residents) really came
mostly to talk to us.” That came to a
halt when Covid hit.
Covid also made staying in close
touch with his grandparents more
difficult. Although he and his family
continued to visit, they were careful to
mask and maintain social distancing.
“It definitely felt like our relationships
were really strained,” he told me. “My
grandmother was texting a lot more
frequently.”
With that in mind, he came up
with “Operation Valentines” to con-
nect with residents of senior living
facilities, many of whom were still
confined to their rooms. He asked via
ZϬϭϮϲϱϴϳϯͮϬϭϳϵϴϲϱϴ

Competition Drives Price in August
Closing date
BR
BA

Address                                Original price         List price
DOM
Selling price
8/4/2021
4
1.5

451 62nd St                           $1,199,000
        $1,199,000
1
$1,400,000
8/5/2021
4
2

5310 Boyd Ave                       $1,795000
         $1,795000
13
 $3,075,000
8/13/2021
3
2
         5252 Lawton Ave                  $1,125,000
        $1,125,000
16
$1,400,000
8/16/2021
3
2

5863 Chabot Ct                     $1,295,000
        $1,295,000
15
$1,855,000
8/20/2021
2
2
         5340 Broadway Ter                $795,000
           $795000
 17
$835,000
Homes sold in August closed 38% over the asking price on average.
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tĂŶƚƚŚĞŚŝŐŚĞƐƚƉŽƐƐŝďůĞƉƌŝĐĞ͍ĂůůƵƐĂŶĚǁĞǁŝůůƐŚŽǁLJŽƵŚŽǁǁĞǁŝůůŐĞƚŝƚ͊
ŽŵƉĂƐƐŝƐĂƌĞĂůĞƐƚĂƚĞďƌŽŬĞƌůŝĐĞŶƐĞĚďLJƚŚĞ^ƚĂƚĞŽĨĂůŝĨŽƌŶŝĂĂŶĚĂďŝĚĞƐďLJƋƵĂů,ŽƵƐŝŶŐKƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJůĂǁƐ͘>ŝĐĞŶƐĞEƵŵďĞƌϬϭϴϲϲϳϳϭ͘ůůŵĂƚĞƌŝĂůƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĞĚŚĞƌĞŝŶŝƐŝŶƚĞŶĚĞĚĨŽƌŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶĂů
ƉƵƌƉŽƐĞƐŽŶůLJĂŶĚŝƐĐŽŵƉŝůĞĚĨƌŽŵƐŽƵƌĐĞƐĚĞĞŵĞĚƌĞůŝĂďůĞďƵƚŚĂƐŶŽƚďĞĞŶǀĞƌŝĨŝĞĚ͘ŚĂŶŐĞƐŝŶƉƌŝĐĞ͕ĐŽŶĚŝƚŝŽŶ͕ƐĂůĞŽƌǁŝƚŚĚƌĂǁĂůŵĂLJďĞŵĂĚĞǁŝƚŚŽƵƚŶŽƚŝĐĞ͘EŽƐƚĂƚĞŵĞŶƚŝƐŵĂĚĞĂƐƚŽĂĐĐƵƌĂĐLJŽĨ
DAVIS, see next page
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page 11
OCTOBER 2021

DAVIS, from previous page
Elder Services in Oakland
Nextdoor if “you and/or your kids can
help me make Valentines. They don’t
have to be slick or professional, as it’s
the thought that counts.” Subsequently,
residents of Pacifica Senior Living
in Oakland Heights and Redwood
Gardens in Berkeley received over 400
valentines this year.
This past summer, Davis launched
an informational website for “unrep-
resented patients,” many of whom are
senior citizens who have no friends
or family to advocate for them. It
emphasizes the importance of having
an Advanced Heath Care Directive
and includes links to medical and legal
experts.
A highlight is his video interview
with Dr. Karl Steinberg, an experi-
enced geriatrician, bioethicist, and
hospice/palliative care specialist
Aaron Davis’s website for the
unrepresented patient:
https://adavis4377.wixsite.com/
unrepresentedpatient
Alameda County Adult
and Aging Services:
www.alamedacountysocialservices.org/
510/577-1900
Meals on Wheels of
Alameda County:
https://www.feedingseniors.org/
Center for Elders Independence
based in the East Bay:
https://cei.elders.org/
I contacted is Self Help for the Elderly
in San Francisco, which focuses on
helping low-income Chinese immi-
grants,” Davis said. “My work has been
completely virtual, so I haven’t been
able to act as a chaperone to any elders
in the community.”
To Davis, living in Rockridge
has made him “really grateful to
have been able to grow up in such
a relatively tightly knit community.
Having an atmosphere conducive to
learning is another huge plus.” He
remembers going to the Rockridge
Library when he was younger for
their storytimes. “Now I mostly visit
to pick up ACT prep books or movies
for family movie night.” He hopes to
stay within California for college with
an eye toward an eventual career in
geriatrics.
After spending the end of his soph-
omore year and most of junior year in
online classes. “I feel it’s a lot easier to
learn in person,” Davis said, echoing
most students’ and teachers’ senti-
ments. “But I got to be pretty good at
ping pong,” referencing the game table
set up in his yard. “This past year has
been kind of an escape.”
To comment on this column, please
email judyberne@att.net. n
in San Diego County. The website
includes this note from Davis: “Please
excuse my ‘ums’ and repeated ‘thank
you’s,’ I’m pretty new to interview-
ing.” You can access the website at:
https://adavis4377.wixsite.com/unrep-
resentedpatient.
“Not many teens would devote the
majority of their summer to working
on such an important and relevant
topic,” Epstein said. “He is truly
committed to helping the elderly
population.”
That commitment extends to the
Asian American and Pacific Islander
community (AAPI) as Davis saw
attacks, particularly against AAPI
elderly, grow and happen as nearby as
Oakland’s Chinatown. He interned
this summer with the Stop AAPI Hate
Youth Campaign, creating social media
content and lesson plans for educators
on racism and youth mental health.
Currently, he’s working with a
team of college students interviewing
organizations that provide escorts or
meal delivery for AAPI elders to try to
identify best practices. “The program
Editor’s Note: This column marks
Judy Berne’s 10th year writing for The
Rockridge News. Thank you, Judy, for
all your wonderful contributions.


THE
page 12
OCTOBER 2021

down during the 1991 Oakland
Firestorm, that wildfire could have
burned all the way through West
Oakland to the Bay. According to
my friends in OFD who worked
the Firestorm, multijurisdictional
firefighting teams put a great effort
into keeping the Claremont Hotel
from catching fire. The backside of
the hotel did catch fire in a smaller
wildfire in the fall of 1970, but had
the Claremont Hotel burned in the
Firestorm of 1991, the next fallback
fire line to hold was Shattuck Avenue.
It was estimated that, at a minimum,
all of Rockridge and Temescal would
have been destroyed.
Many people also falsely rely on
the idea that “firebreaks” will keep
the fire from spreading. We now
have ample evidence that large fires
generate their own weather, and that
includes their own winds. It is dif-
ficult to imagine a larger and wider
firebreak than Hwy 24 below the
Caldecott tunnels, but wildfire-
generated winds easily lofted flaming
twigs, embers and small branches of
eucalyptus (a particularly flammable
non-native tree along with its cousins
the acacias) from the northern side
into upper Rockridge and Montclair
on the south side. At the top of
Birch Court, one block from College
Avenue, burning eucalyptus debris
landed in our garden and driveway
for days. In point of fact, ash from the
fire rained down on San Francisco.
The winds were so intense and
the area was so dry that within an
hour close to 800 buildings were on
fire. The wind then blew southwest,
pushing the fire toward San Francisco
Bay. In some places, the temperature
reached 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit,
making it virtually impossible to fight
the fire effectively.
Homeowners attempted to hose
down their roofs, but were often
thwarted when water pipes burst
from the fire. Also, many homes
had wooden shingle roofs that were
particularly susceptible to fire — it
took only 10 minutes in some cases
for a house to be brought down by
the flames (see https://www.history.
com/this-day-in-history/fire-sweeps-
Firestorm Memorial
Picnic at Lake Temescal
Firestorm, from front page
brought under control after three
days, but today’s urban wildfires
often burn for weeks. A study by
UC Berkeley researchers applying
the 1991 Firestorm conditions to the
Berkeley Hills concluded that it would
take at least two hours for everyone to
evacuate. Oakland hill neighborhoods
are very similar.
At its height, 1,500 firefighters and
450 engines from all over Northern
California fought the Oakland
Firestorm. By the time it burned out,
it had consumed 2.5 square miles,
or 1,600 acres, of mostly residential
neighborhoods. Twenty-five people
were killed, including an Oakland
police officer and an OFD Battalion
Chief. One hundred fifty people were
injured. The fire destroyed 3,469
homes and apartment units and 2,000
automobiles. Ten thousand people
were evacuated.
Rockridge, both hills and flats, has
a number of quite narrow streets,
often only one lane in each direction,
which make orderly evacuation very
difficult. The 25 people died trying to
escape flames that moved so fast they
barely had time to react. The deaths
occurred in and near the Hiller High-
lands neighborhood, just above Upper
Rockridge, on two narrow roads,
Buckingham and Charing Cross Road.
People were killed in their cars when
they were blocked by falling debris,
including burning cars falling from
hillside roads above them, and many
died overcome by the fire as they were
running or crawling downhill after
having to abandon their cars.
First and foremost, we must let
go of the idea that this is a “hills
problem” that does not affect those of
us living in the flats. While the Wild-
land-Urban Interface (WUI) areas
of the Oakland/Berkeley Hills and
foothills (respectively designated by
CAL FIRE as “Very High” and “High
Fire Hazard Severity Zones”) are at
particular risk, much of Oakland is at
risk of a wind-driven firestorm from
the Diablo winds that come from the
inland valleys.
Had the Diablo winds not died
by Sarah Kidder
October 20 marks the 30th
anniversary of the hills
Firestorm — an event that sub-
sequently brought many people
together as they rose out of the
ashes to rebuild homes and recon-
struct lives.
On Sunday, Oct. 17th from 11am
to 3pm, the North Hills Com-
munity Association (NHCA) is
hosting a gathering that will bring
friends and neighbors together
once again for a day of fun and
tribute at a Community Comeback
Picnic. Enjoy a beautiful day at the
lake with loved ones, neighbors,
and new friends as this will go a
long way to rebuilding the sense of
community so needed right now.
The event is open to all and
free to attend. There will be food
trucks, music and a tribute to those
we lost in the fires. Fire safety pre-
paredness groups will also be on
hand. For more info, visit north-
hillscommunity.org. n
through-oakland-hills).
Fire-hardening of structures is
another comforting myth — once an
urban wildfire takes hold, very little
can stop it. Current State building
codes on the subject, often a decade
or more old, are proving inadequate
in the face of the fires we have seen
in the past 4 to 5 years. Whole towns
and entire sections of cities have
burned to the ground.
After the 1991 firestorm, the few
surviving houses stood like lonely
sentinels dotting the blackened
landscape here and there, few and far
between, and their survival was usu-
ally a matter of sheer luck.
In my life, nothing has compared
to the sheer terror and trauma of the
Firestorm. Nothing. The reality that
you may lose your home to fire is
frightening, and today, it is very real.
Be prepared. n


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page 13
OCTOBER 2021

MORE RESOURCES
Alameda County alerts
https://www.acgov.org/emergencysite/
Oakland Emergency Preparedness
and Response Guides
https://www.oaklandcpandr.org/guides/
Oakland CERT (Community
Emergency Response Team)
https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/
oaklandcert
U.S. CERT
https://www.ready.gov/cert
CDC: Creating and Storing an
Emergency Water Supply
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/
emergency/creating-storing-emergency-
water-supply.html
The Blue Water Barrels
by Rachel Hollowgrass
steps two, three and four on our own,
which took each of us about two
hours.
After five years, the inside of each
barrel remained pristine. The water
treatment had done its job well. I
would happily drink water from
either barrel. The process was fun,
and it felt good to do something
constructive together. Now the twin
barrels are back on their perch in the
earthquake shed.
Having a plan is important, but it’s
easy to get overwhelmed by the many
possible and recommended tasks for
emergency preparedness. By doing
one thing, I felt better. I could even
imagine doing another.
If you have concerns about earth-
quakes, fires, or other emergencies,
pick one simple thing and do it. We’ll
all be better off if we are each a bit
more prepared. n
Fresh Water Pump: Specs
https://www.pentair.com/en-us/products/
residential/water-supply-disposal/
recreational-vehicle/shurflo-slv-fresh-
water-pump.html
Slosh, slosh, slosh! “That’s great! Do
it again!” My wife pushed the blue
barrel back and forth, to get the
diluted bleach to wash over all of the
inside surfaces.
It had been five years since we
filled our twin 55-gallon barrels with
potable water, kept in reserve for
earthquakes and other emergencies.
But once the recommended time limit
for storing water has passed, what
comes next? Get new barrels, refill the
old ones, or something else? I started
talking with neighbors and looked
around for other information.
The neighbors came through.
One had an electric pump, modified
perfectly for draining a water barrel.
Another shared tips, and together we
found a good recommendation on the
web: Refilling Water Containers Safely
Fresh Water Pump: Purchase
https://www.camperid.com/shurflo/1-
0-gpm-12-vdc-3-chamber-water-pump-
mpn-105-013.html
Simplified steps
1. Drain
2. Inspect
3. Disinfect
4. Refill
Even with an electric pump, step 1,
draining, took about 25 minutes for
each barrel. With a hose attached to
the pump, we were able to water our
parched garden. A few days later, I
helped neighbors do the same with
their barrels and garden. We did


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page 14
OCTOBER 2021

November 1990, and 81.6 percent of
voters approved a $25 per year parcel
tax for 30 years — far surpassing the
required legal threshold of a two-
thirds vote.
In October 1991, shortly after the
Oakland Hills Firestorm, residents
bused to Sacramento for a little
“Christmas library shopping.” Wear-
ing Rockridge Library badges sporting
colorful flames, they lobbied the State
Library Committee for funding. Only
12 applicants out of 48 were approved,
and Rockridge was one of them,
receiving $2.4 million.
Over the next four years, commu-
nity involvement determined the
footprint of the new facility. Rock-
ridge residents were involved in every
step of the process, and Rockridge’s
reputation as an “urban village” was
solidified. Every conceivable effort
was made to raise money for import-
ant equipment, and $140,000 was
raised to buy books.
They selected architects and chose
color schemes, furnishings, books, art
and equipment. At the request of the
community, a large meeting space that
could be divided into two meeting
rooms and a dedicated children’s wing
were mandated. Unlike many other
libraries, Rockridge is designed to
allow the community space to remain
open while the rest of the library stays
securely locked up, allowing for after-
hours gatherings.
Construction began at the ground-
breaking on February 11, 1995, and
the doors officially opened on August
3, 1996, with a well-attended Grand
Opening and Dedication Ceremony
that included Mayor Elihu Harris,
California State Librarian Kevin Starr
and City Library administrators.
The diligence and perseverance of
all those involved cannot be over-
stated. Over 100 volunteers put in
thousands of hours over a total of 11
years before the doors opened. The
willingness of the community to come
together and offer their time, energy
and money, plus the leadership of
RCPC and a handful of very dedicated
individuals created something that
will continue to serve Oakland and
our community long into the future. n
Library, from front page
library served the community for 63
years.
The library closed in September
1987 because the building needed
extensive structural repairs, and the
Rockridge Community Planning
Council (RCPC) acted quickly to form
a Library Committee — first to find a
temporary site for what was then the
second busiest library in Oakland, and
then to find a new permanent home.
With cooperation from OUSD,
the Director of Libraries, the
Oakland City Manager’s Office,
the Department of Public Works
and then-Councilperson Marge
Gibson-Haskell, a double-wide
portable was placed on the grounds
of Claremont Middle School at the
corner of College and Birch Court.
In these temporary accommodations,
the already small library (1,731 square
feet) became even smaller, just 1,400
square feet, with only 1,000 square
feet accessible to the public.
Around that time, the Windmuller
house at the corner of Manila and
College and the adjacent storefront
came on the market and was pur-
chased by the City. The neighboring
vacant lot, once occupied by the
Longo Art Stone and Pottery Works, a
manufacturer of ornamental concrete
fixtures such as bird baths, statues
and fountains (some of these are still
seen around the neighborhood), also
came up for sale. Although outbid at
first, the City ultimately succeeded
in acquiring the properties through
a combination of eminent domain
and purchase with the Merchant Off-
Street Parking Fund (which is why the
parking at the library is metered).
Photo: Don Kinkead
Nancy Dutcher, with granddaughter
Sophie Wurm, trying out the new
Storyteller’s chair in the children’s
wing at the library’s grand opening
in August 1996.
Money was still needed for con-
struction of the new branch library
as well as other enhancements, and
Rockridge residents were intensively
polled and surveyed through The
Rockridge News to determine priori-
ties for the new facility.
The lobbying and fundraising needs
of the library project called for a sepa-
rate institutional structure. Neighbors
for a Rockridge Library, led by Nancy
Dutcher, was formed, and became
the official fundraising and advocacy
group, with RCPC acting as fiscal
agent. In cooperation with the Col-
lege Avenue Merchants Association
(CAMA), the Neighbors proposed to
form a Mello-Roos special assessment
district, to levy an annual fee on each
residential parcel within designated
boundaries in Rockridge.
Volunteers hand-addressed 6,000
letters to residents of the greater
Rockridge area, asking if they would
consider an increase in their prop-
erty taxes to fund the local library.
Signs were printed and thousands
of phone calls made to educate the
public on the benefits of the library.
Measure L appeared on the ballot in


RN

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page 15
OCTOBER 2021

Holiday Season at Bambino
will be filled with whimsy, tradition and
elegance to grace your home, your table,
your tree. Nov 7 – Dec 21,  T,  Th, F,
11-3, Sat & Sun 11-4, 5290 College Ave.
510/658-7473 Bambinothriftshop.org. n
Smart Home Done Right!
Immersive home theater, lighting,
shades, HVAC, locks, cameras & more
in one simple world.  Easy retrofit into
existing homes. Rockridge-based, decades
of experience, we make the experience
fun! www.performingartsaudio.biz  Ben
Stiegler 510/823-0850
ClassifiedAds
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” in the
memo line.
Mail to: RCPC, 4900 Shattuck Ave., PO
Box 22504, Oakland, 94609-20131.
The deadline for the November 2021
issue is October 21 (available on Nov 6).
For more details, email Susan Montauk at
smontauk@gmail.com.
In Rockridge since 1997
CUSTOM FURNITURE
Upgrade your furniture to works of art.
Will design to your needs. Wood, metal,
fiberglass, and more. 20 years experience.
Call Alison at 510/685-0248 or visit ajm-
furniture.com.
What’s shakin?
Yes we do offer:
Earthquake
Insurance
Handyman Service-House
Repairs & Remodeling
Dry rot, kitchen and bath tile refurbishing
or installation, window installation,
plumbing, fence, deck & handrail repair,
electrical wiring/fixtures, outlets. And
much more. Call Juan 510/692 -6399 or
email: jbahena.info@gmail.com.
Electrical Remodels and Repairs
Need to fix some electrical problems?
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.
Susan Bernosky
510-450-9050
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 Artist Maryly Snow
Hosts Open Studios, with Stocking
stuffers (local honey, potholders, and
greeting cards) along with fine art in her
West Oakland Studio. Nov. 6-Nov. 7, 2021,
11am-6 pm. 3016 Filbert St #14 at 30th
Street. Welcome!
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.
IF NOW’S THE TIME…
for a conversation about REAL ESTATE,
call me! This month for each home visit,
we are donating $100 to the Jewish
Family + Community Services —
Urgent Afghan Evacuation., Eve Levine
347/526-1383 eve@vanguardproperties.
com. DRE#02133046.
INSURANCE SERVICES,  INC
CA License 0D34069
www.strahaninsurance.com
Handyman for Hire
 Multifaceted and well experienced.
Hauling and towing available. No job
too small. Reasonably priced. Lee Self.
707/223-1298-call and text.
Penelope’s Aesthetics 
Now offering a Halloween special! Tired
of the masks? I’ve got the mask for you!
Rejuvenate and refresh with a custom
facial designed for your unique facial
needs. Call for an appointment, 510/594-
1552.
BOOKS PURCHASED
Single Volumes. Entire Libraries. Tavistock
Books. First Editions, Rare & Collectible.
Alameda, CA. 510/814-0480. vjz@
tavbooks.com, www.tavbooks.com.


JUST SOLD IN ROCKRIDGE
5132 Lawton Avenue
4BD | 3BA | Approx. 2,402 sq. ft.
Sold for $3,150,000
5132Lawton.com

THE

FOR SALE
ROCKRIDGE
5343 Lawton Avenue
• 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms
 • PLUS 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom
      Backyard Cottage
 • This home is a little funky, but very

livable.  Flip your own home with your

ideas & passion
 • Close to College & Telegraph
 • Chabot Elementary School

JUST SOLD IN ROCKRIDGE
389 63rd Street
3BD | 2BA | Approx. 1,840 sq. ft.
Sold for $2,020,000
Off-Market Sale
5270 Locksley Avenue

COME VISIT US AT
THE CORNER OF
LIFE & CHANGE

www.ClaudiaMillsRealEstateTeam.com
Claudia Mills
510.350.6419
c.mills@ggsir.com
Lic.#01881682
Each Franchise Is Independently Owned And Operated.
KEVIN BROWN
Broker
654-8707 or 593-4780
PROVIDING

Professional,

Full Service

Real Estate Brokerage

To Rockridge Clients
 For Over 26 Years.
SPECIALIZING IN

OResidential Sales

OIncome Property

OCommercial

OProperty Management
Better Homes
Realty
5353 College Avenue
Oakland

www.5343Lawton.com
FOR LEASE
ROCKRIDGE
• 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms
• Garage w/Opener
• Washer/Dryer
• Modern Kitchen
• Ground Floor Level In
Stay Safe and Well.
Ron Kriss, Broker
Lawton Associates
(c) 510-612-2547
RonKriss@JPS.net
“#1 in Rockridge
Real Estate”
160+ Successful Sales
in Rockridge
DRE# 01417458
www.LawtonAssoc.com