Extracted text · highlighting “Leonora Sea”

RockridgeNews

THE

www.rockridge.org

VOL 39   •   NO. 3   •   ISSUE  NO. 395   •   MARCH 5, 2022                     CIRCULATION: 5,800 Residences; 200 Businesses

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

Coming in April — RCPC Board Elections
by Stuart Flashman, RCPC Board Member
The Rockridge Community
Planning Council (RCPC) will
be holding its annual Board of
Directors election next month. As
usual, there are six seats up for
election. The “Call for Candidates”
closed as of March 2nd. The elec-
tion is scheduled for April 21 and
April 23, and the entire community
is encouraged to come and vote.
RCPC Elections, see next page
As in the past two years,
the organization may
decide to hold the candi-
dates’ forum online, followed
by outdoor voting. Alternatively,
voting may return to the traditional
Annual Meeting with an in-person
Candidate Forum and voting at the
Rockridge Library. Stay tuned.

what’s cooking?
ROCKRIDGE
KITCHEN TOUR
October 2nd, 2022
by Kirk Peterson, RCPC Kitchen
Tour Co-Chair
After plenty of time cooped up 
in our own homes, we now have
an opportunity to visit other people’s
homes. It will be fun to visit neigh-
bors’ kitchens this year. The pandemic
delayed the Kitchen Tour for a year,
but RCPC is resuming this neighbor-
hood tradition in October
The tour is a fundraiser that helps
support various RCPC activities
in the community. And the tour
fits into RCPC’s broad mission of
sharing information and fostering
community and communication here
in our neighborhood. The tour also
provides opportunities for people to
get involved by undertaking volunteer
tasks, large and small, with their
neighbors.
Each kitchen remodel is an exercise
in creating a space that functions well
both as a place to prepare dishes and
meals, from snacks to feasts, and also
as a pleasant place to spend time and
feel at home with friends or family, or
solo with your morning coffee. New
kitchens in existing houses must often
be fitted into small or oddly shaped
spaces. Some kitchens can accommo-
date cooking, dining and lounging,
while others have room only for the
cook. The classic “golden triangle”
of kitchen planning, identified in the
early 20th century, is formed by sink,
refrigerator and stove. A contemporary
kitchen can include multiple sinks,

Jewish Community Center of the East Bay
Moving into Dreyer’s Complex

by Stuart Flashman, RCPC Board Member
Last week, the Jewish Community
Center of the East Bay (JCCEB)
announced via its email newsletter
that it has started expanding some
of its activities to the complex of
buildings at 5929 College Avenue —
formerly the headquarters for Dreyer’s
Ice Cream. The change was also noted
in a recent East Bay Times article.
In late 2019, Nestlé/Dreyer’s sold the
complex to a local real estate concern
(Libitzky Property Companies) after
the company shifted many of its
management offices to the East Coast.
According to Melissa Chapman,
Chief Executive of JCCEB, Nestlé/
Dreyer’s is still using the upper floors
of the main building and has a lease
to continue using that space, and the
former Yoshi’s performance space on
Claremont.
The JCCEB has established some
administrative offices in the former
Dreyer’s complex, but will also con-
tinue to use its current Berkeley site,
although it is well over 100 years old
The JCCEB has just begun to plan
for the future use of the site.
and showing its age. She said that one
building in the complex is already
housing Moishe House — subsidized
rental housing for post-college youth
who wish to connect with and serve
the surrounding community.
Chapman says that the JCCEB has
just begun a planning process for
its future use of the complex and is
seeking input from the Rockridge
and greater East Bay community. She
says that the JCCEB hopes that the
JCCEB, see page 5

Kitchen Tour, see next page


THE
page 2
MARCH 2022

RCPC Elections, from front page
were not written, produced, or pub-
lished by RCPC, and should indicate
that they come from one or more
candidates (with their approval), or
else identify the author/s by name,
with a mailing address and/or web-
site. Finally, if campaign material
recommends a “slate” of candidates,
all those listed on the slate should
have agreed to be included. The
Board expects candidates to forgo
personal attacks and false or mislead-
ing statements about themselves or
others.
For more information, contact RCPC
at election@rockridge.org, or visit
www.Rockridge.org. n

This year, the RCPC is asking that
candidates’ statements identify and
discuss three important issues for
Rockridge. The Rockridge News will
print the candidates’ statements, along
with details about the election pro-
cedures and voting location(s) in the
April issue.
The RCPC Board has adopted some
new guidelines for candidates to
encourage fairness and transparency.
Candidates are asked not to seek or
promote endorsements by elected
officials or outside groups. Campaign
materials should clearly state they
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 & 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
WANTED:
Volunteers & Kitchens
Kitchen Tour, from front page
warming drawers, ovens, cooktops,
wine fridges, computers with screens,
and an array of appliances that all have
to “coexist” and serve the cook effi-
ciently. It’s interesting to see how these
things all come together in a particular
space, for particular people.
What about the “look and feel”
of a kitchen? The potatoes on the
stove don’t care about the room’s
color palette, but we do. What sort of
design works well with the architec-
ture of a house, be it Spanish, English
vernacular cottage or Mid-Century
Modern? Should the new work look
as if it’s “cut from the same cloth” or
The Tour Committee is accepting
kitchen submissions through May 15,
2022, at kitchentour@rockridge.org.
Works in progress are welcome,
although expected completion should
be no later than August 1, 2022.
If you are interested in volunteering
with the RCPC Kitchen Tour, please
come to the meeting on March 14.
Email kitchentour@rockridge.org
for more details.
Mark Aaronson, Andrew Charman, Stuart
Flashman, Annette Floystrup, Kirk Peterson,
Ronnie Spitzer, Zac Unger
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 letters must be limited to 350 words and are
published at the discretion of the Editor. Send
them to: editor@rockridge.org. Please be sure
to include your name, email address, and city and
street of residence. All submissions accepted
for publication are subject to editing for clarity
and brevity.
does it contrast with the existing aes-
thetic? You will see how different
designers approach questions of style.
Most of us are always imaging
home improvement of some sort.
If you are planning or dreaming of
building a new kitchen, the RCPC
Kitchen Tour is an enjoyable oppor-
tunity to see various ways kitchens
are planned, and to see the types
of materials used. Searching for the
right designer and contractor for
your project can be a challenge; the
tour allows one to look at the work of
some of these professionals.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the
choices available for components of
a kitchen; appliances, cabinets, wood,
tile, stone, lighting, storage, colors for
walls floor and ceilings, hardware,
and so on. It’s best to see these things
in a real setting, rather than a show-
room or catalog. n
The Rockridge News reserves the right to refuse any
articles, letters, display ads, or classified ads.
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 April:
March 17, 2022
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.
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.


THE

page 3
MARCH 2022

Oakland General Plan Update, Phase I:
Housing Element

CALL TO ACTION
by Leonora Sea, RCPC Chair
T
1) Sign up for updates at:
https://oaklandca19202.activehosted.
com/f/114.
he General Plan Update for
Oakland’s 2045 General Plan is
a once-in-a-generation opportunity
for all Oaklanders to work together
to create a visionary blueprint for the
future of our city. Once approved in
2025, the Oakland 2045 General Plan
will guide the development of our City
for the following two decades. Phase I
is currently underway, beginning with
the Housing Element, which must be
completed by 2023 and be approved
by the State Department of Housing
and Community Development (HCD).
The Housing element analyzes
Oakland’s housing conditions and
needs for all income levels, including
lower-income households and house-
holds with special needs. It provides
various programs to create a variety
of housing to meet Oakland’s housing
needs. In Oakland (and most major
cities), the Housing Element must be
revised and submitted to State HCD
for review on an eight-year cycle. The
Housing Element must be completed
and approved on time for the City to
qualify for receiving State grants.
This important component of the
General Plan outlines how the City
will meet its housing goals for the
next two decades. To meet the state’s
2) Identify development opportunity
sites. The Housing Element must
identify adequate sites for housing
and demonstrate the availability and
realistic capacity for development on
those sites. There is an interactive map
for community members to input ideas
for opportunity sites at https://new.
maptionnaire.com/q/7iu2obr8j6yi.
3) Attend the next public workshop on
March 12, 2022.
Regional Housing Needs Allocation
(RHNA), Oakland must plan for
26,000 new units that are affordable
for extremely low- to above-moderate
income households.
The City of Oakland kicked off its
first two public workshops on the
Housing Element for the General Plan
Update on February 10 and 17, 2022.
Workshop participants shared their
ideas on major housing issues facing
the city and opportunities to plan for
new housing throughout Oakland.
The next public workshop is on
March 12, 2022.
To receive email updates, visit
https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/
general-plan-update#general-plan-e-
mail-updates. n

Redistricting Update
On Wednesday, February 23, the
Oakland Redistricting Commission
voted to adopt Draft Map F5,
which keeps RCPC’s boundary
within the new District 1.
The map can be viewed here:
https://bit.ly/3HklP5V
Land Use Committee
Meeting
The next meeting of the
RCPC Land Use Committee
will be held on
Wednesday, March 23, 2022,
at 7:30pm, via Zoom.
Email landuse@rockridge.org,
or call (510) 652-5373 to attend.
The meeting is open to the public.
Check Rockridge.org for details.
The Land Use Committee currently
has one vacancy for a member.
If interested, please send a brief
response, including qualifications, to:
landuse@rockridge.org,
or to the RCPC P.O. box (see page 2).
All members must be Rockridge
residents and must be approved by
the RCPC board.
CORRECTION
The Rockridge Community Planning
Council would like to correct an error in
the February issue of the Rockridge News.
On page 3 of that issue, the article, RCPC
Town Hall: A Smashing Success, stated in
its third paragraph that the current lease-
holder shows no interest in developing
housing of any kind at this time.
That statement is incorrect. In fact,
the current master tenant for the site,
TRC, Inc., has repeatedly tried to get
the site’s owner, a corporation located in
San Francisco, to consider a mixed-use
development that would include very
substantial amounts of housing, including
affordable housing. It is the owner, not the
leaseholder, that has been an obstacle to
placing housing on the site.
RCPC offers its sincere apologies to TRC,
Inc. for this error.


THE
page 4
MARCH 2022

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
scenarios for which we RPPP residents
may need visitor permits, and how
ridiculous, inconvenient, unworkable,
and even impossible this new visitor
permit policy is.
Some of us have already protested it
as unacceptable. We noted that Berke-
ley is also moving to license plate
reader technology for its residential
permit parking areas, but Berkeley
— unlike Oakland — has an online
visitor permit purchase option, and its
digital visitor permits can be bought
in advance of need without providing
visitor dates and license plate numbers
until activated online by residents
when used.
PCAC has acknowledged our
complaints as valid and made some
improvements to its new policy. Now
we can buy visitor permits well in
advance and provide dates and license
plate numbers by email or phone as
close as one day in advance of actual
use (see the latest at https://www.
oaklandca.gov/services/apply-re-
new-residential-parking-permit).
But even one-day advance notice
can still be a problem. This may be
an interim policy, however, as PCAC
is also working on a self-serve online
customer portal option, projected
to be available in late spring or early
summer. We RPPP residents hope it
will allow online activation of visitor
permits on the same day we use them.
To add your own concerns or
comments, please email Michael Ford
at mford@oaklandca.gov; Etonde
Faoa (PCAC supervisor) at efaoa@
oaklandca.gov; and our District 1
Councilmember Dan Kalb at dkalb@
oaklandca.gov.
Attention RPPP Residents
DEAR EDITOR: The Parking
Citation Assistance Center (PCAC)
handles the Residential Parking
Permit Program (RPPP) and is
implementing license plate reader
technology that will make our area C
and D residential and visitor parking
permits digital, instead of physical
items. Because of this new tech-
nology, PCAC has stopped selling
scratch-off, hang tag visitor permits,
which we’ve been able to buy in
advance to have available when we
need them. Instead, new visitor per-
mits were to require our submitting
visitor dates and license plate num-
bers at time of purchase, although
the permits are still sold only by mail
or in person.
It takes little thought or imagi-
nation to envision many different
Carole Howard
Regent St. n

Look Around — Nature is Everywhere
by Kirk Peterson

Are plants our neighbors? Oakland
(aka OAKtown) takes its name
from the Coast Live Oak, Quercus
agrifolia (Latin: oak-field/leaf). Roble
(as in Roble Road) means “oak” in
Spanish, and an evergreen oak is an
“encino” (as in Encinitas).
The Coast Live Oak (see photo on
right) grows in California’s coastal
mountains and down into Baja Cali-
fornia. It is a many-branched variety
of tree with a round shape reaching
up to 80 feet in height. These trees
can live to be 1,000 years or older.

In fields, on hillsides, and in City
Hall Plaza, they can spread wide, but
most here are trimmed narrow to fit
urban spaces. Oak seedlings planted
by squirrels and birds can be seen all
over town; in gardens, by freeways, in
cracked paving, and any open ground.
If you find one in your garden con-
sider allowing it to grow up. Or, better
yet, plant one.
Let’s GREEN Oakland! n


THE

page 5
MARCH 2022

Help the Monarchs — Plant Native Milkweed

by Terry Smith
The Western Monarch migration
miraculously rebounded from
the brink this year, but that just
bought us some time to preserve this
amazing phenomenon. Rockridge
gardeners can help the Monarchs
locally by planting pesticide-free
milkweed to feed the caterpillars and
support this iconic species.
The Pollinator Posse (https://polli-
natorposse.org/) is an Oakland based
grassroots nonprofit and is currently
A milkweed seed giveaway
is taking place now at the
Rockridge Library.
distributing seed for narrowleaf
milkweed, free of charge, through
the Rockridge Library. Stop by,
plant some seeds and help save the
Monarchs.
Of course, donations (https://pol-
linatorposse.org/donate/) are always
welcome to cover the cost of seed and
to help fund this important work. For
a list of all Oakland Seed Lending
Libraries, visit https://oaklandli-
brary.org/seed-lending/. n
Monarchs love milkweed.
Plant it in your garden and help
the butterflies thrive.
BART and conveniently located on the
AC Transit 51B line, so it is expected
that many will reach the site by public
transit. However, the site includes a
large off-street parking area which will
continue to be available to merchants
in the ground floor retail spaces.
The site, situated on 2.98 acres
of land, is comprised of multiple
buildings. Chapman says that JCCEB
expects to reuse most of the existing
buildings in the complex, but that
more details will have to wait as the
planning process is still underway.
The JCCEB has a newly redesigned
website at https://jcceastbay.org/
and will be posting an online survey
within the next few weeks to gather
thoughts and opinions from the
community. Chapman also welcomes
emails about the new center at
Melissa.chapman@jcceastbay.org. n
JCCEB, from front page
new complex will serve as a hub for
local East Bay nonprofits, much in
the way that the Fort Mason Center
in San Francisco has done for the
nonprofit community there.
JCCEB currently hosts many
community activities and expects to
move some of them to its new College
Avenue center, as well as to initiate
other new activities there. These could
include childcare and preschool, after
school care for K-5 students, summer
and year-round day camp, a teen
center, a health and wellness center,
parenting classes, outdoor space uses
including a community garden, and
hosting inclusive holiday celebrations
as well as other community events.
This new location is only a five-
minute walk from the Rockridge

NCPC Meeting
The Greater Rockridge
Neighborhood Crime
Prevention Council
will not meet in March
The next virtual meeting will
be held on
April 14, 2022, at 7pm,
(pending further notice).
For Zoom link, or to suggest
meeting topics, send an
email to:
chair@rockridgencpc.com


THE
page 6
MARCH 2022

Broadway Storefront Evolves Into a
Mixed-Use Community Center

by Skip Fogarty
Ooccupied by the Rockridge Little
School (RLS), one of two affiliated
campuses in the neighborhood.
There is also a printing company
located in the building called Flem-
ing’s Printed Affair.
RLS founder and owner Holly
Gold also envisions a new use for
the 6,000 square-foot facility. With
approximately 28 preschoolers already
enjoying a sunny space at the back
of the building, she has outfitted the
main, street-facing space as a commu-
nity gathering spot. The room boasts
comfy furniture, a fully equipped
wned by the same family for
over 70 years, the handsome
brick building at 5776 Broadway has
seen many different uses over the
years. Situated on the east side of
Broadway between Lawton and Taft
Avenues, the building was once the
popular M&M Market, which the
family owned and operated for over
three decades. Since the store closed
in 1980, the building has been used as
offices for a tech company and more
recently as a school called the Musi-
cally Minded Academy.
Now the building is partially
Holly Gold, founder of the
Rockridge Little School.
kitchen, and two private offices.
In 2019, Gold obtained a permit
to create the Rockridge Community
Center, describing it as a “multi-
purpose community education and
personal instruction facility.” Gold
explains, “we were thinking about
collaborative things like cooking
classes, art lessons, exhibits, career
support, and other events that bring
together our neighbors.”
“However, with Covid raging, we
had to focus on keeping the schools
running. So my concepts for the
Center have gotten off to a slow start,”
says Gold. She reports, however, that
friends and neighbors have been using
and enjoying the bright and airy space
on occasion.
To date, the Center has been used
for parenting workshops, supper
gatherings, jazz performances (they
have a lovely piano), a support-group
meeting for teens, and other casual
get-togethers. Gold is also thinking
about forming a neighborhood
breakfast club. She says the idea is “to
remind ourselves what it’s like to leave
the house each morning, meet our
neighbors and socialize in person.”
Gold is supported on a part-time
basis by Adrie Stevens, who envisions
Gold, see next page


THE

page 7
MARCH 2022

Parents Hold Spring
Fundraiser for
Oakland Tech
by Linda H. Tafur
The Oakland Tech Parent/Teacher/
Student Association (PTSA)
invites all Rockridge neighbors to its
annual fundraising event.
The online auction, to be held
March 13-23, will have more than
300 items available for bid, as well as
raffle tickets for sale. An Instant Wine
Cellar and a Public Bike are available
immediately, and through the end
of bidding. The live-bidding event
begins at 6pm on March 26 and will
be held again as a virtual gala, online
at https://oaklandtech.schoolauction.
net/2022techauction.
Thank you to all of our generous
donors and local sponsors. Every
dollar raised will help students
and staff by funding field trips,
after-school tutoring, student orga-
nizations and clubs, sports, art and
science supplies, books, and so much
more.
Admission is free, but registration
is required. If you have questions, or
need more information, please email
the auction chairs at auction@oak-
landtech.com. All donations are tax
deductible. n
The main interior space features lounge areas, hip furniture,
a full kitchen — even a piano.
use her beautiful place,” she says.
Gold and Stevens see the mission
of the Community Center evolving
over time and are open to inquiries
and ideas from neighbors. “After two
years of unimaginable uncertainty
and stress, it feels good to look
forward and create something new,”
says Stevens.
If you’re interested, you’ll find
more pictures and a contact form by
googling “Rockridge Community
Center.” n
Gold, from previous page
the possibility of a co-working space.
“Holly and I have discussed the idea
of providing childcare to parents who
drop in to work,” explained Stevens.
“But scheduling and staffing will be
complicated and it’s not an immedi-
ate plan.”
In the fall of 2020, the preschool
welcomed a cadre of about a dozen
kindergartners who were displaced
when their schools shut down. Gold
dubbed the program the “K Club” and
brought in two RLS pros to oversee
the program. She found that families
were delighted to return their kids to
focused, in-person learning.
Then early last year, as people began
to get vaccinated, poet Noah Warren
approached Gold about hosting a
book launch party at the Center.
“There was a lot of uncertainty, but
Holly was amazingly supportive and
flexible. I was able to gather some of
my closest friends to celebrate the
book,” says Warren. “It was a magical
and rare evening.”
In appreciation for all she brings
to Rockridge Little School, teacher
Marisha Culler also used the Center
for two personal celebrations of her
own. “Holly was so generous to let us


THE
page 8
MARCH 2022

Native Kenyan Did Much More Than “Dream”
by Judith Doner Berne

Hographical book, Anyone Can Dream,
the 81-year-old Rockridge resident
writes of his family, “Ours was sub-
sistence farming; we did not grow
any crop for cash, it was strictly for
food. We had no source of income.”
Later, his father, who taught him-
self to read and write in their tribal
language, converted to Christianity
and became a missionary. That
helped ensure his son’s intermediate
school education at a boarding
school. But, Makau writes, that the
so-called dormitories were “two
mud-walled, round-shaped, win-
dowless huts with no running water,
toilet or even an outhouse. Each stu-
dent was expected to bring his own
bed and bedding, food, cooking and
eating utensils, and firewood.”
Every two weeks he trekked the
30-mile round trip home and back,
which he writes “was barely man-
ageable during the dry seasons and
downright dangerous during the
rains.” Since they couldn’t leave school
until late afternoon, it was dark well
before he reached his house.
“I was frightened out of my wits,”
and once had to climb a tree to get
away from a charging rhinoceros. On
each return, he had to bring his food
for the next two weeks, weighing 20
to 30 pounds. “It was painful for an
e grew up as the fourth child in
a family of eight boys and four
girls living in a mud hut in British
colonial Kenya. At a young age, he
endured hunger, disease, a three-mile
walk through the African bush to and
from primary school, and separation
from his parents in order to continue
his education. But, in early February,
as we shared a bench in Rockridge’s
Colby Park, Philip Makau, who holds
a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, was phil-
osophical. “Early childhood is more
or less a foundation of your experi-
ence,” he said. “Having a tough early
childhood prepares you to face almost
anything.”
Though not as poor as most of
his neighbors, in his mostly autobi-
Makau’s book is mostly
autobiographical.
underweight, 13-year-old to carry all
that weight on his back.”
Makau endured many more phys-
ical hardships — plus, nepotism,
bigotry, and racism — as he made
his way through Kenya’s educational
system, eventually winning scholar-
ships to study in the United States.
He has earned an undergraduate
degree in biology from Virginia
Union University, a master’s in
animal sciences and genetics from
Colorado State University, and a
Cal Berkeley doctorate in higher
education and higher education
administration. He has taught at San
Francisco State, the Peralta Commu-
nity Colleges, and at Westlake and
King Estates Middle Schools in Oak-
land. Before moving to the United
States permanently, he was principal
of a boarding high school in Kenya.
Eyes on Rockridge, see next page
Buying ?  Selling?
Let me help you!
Anne D. Brandon
Realtor
510.682.6644 | 510.339.9290
Anne.Brandon@corcorangl.com
AnneDBrandon.com
Lic# 01877719
© 2020 Corcoran Global Living. All rights reserved.
Each franchise is independently owned and operated.


THE

page 9
MARCH 2022

from previous page
Anyone Can Dream was a result of
his two young daughters’ persistent
questions about his rural Kenyan
upbringing and struggle to become a
sophisticated, educated adult. “They
kept bugging me, so I said, ‘I’ll put it
down and when you’re ready you can
pick it up and read it.’”
That was back in the late 1970s.
Some 30 years later, after Makau
had retired from teaching and edu-
cational consulting, he decided to
enrich and self-publish his story. He
has gone on to write and self-publish
more books with a Kenyan backdrop.
These include: The Activist Preacher,
a story about his father; Midnight
Begins a New Era, about colonial
Kenya; and The Hyena Club, a mys-
tery which he said was “the most
fun to write. The latter were better
written,” he said, “because redoing
a book is like remodeling an old
house.”
Four years ago, Makau and his
wife Geri Erickson, who also holds a
Ph.D. from Cal, moved from Benicia
to Rockridge, just down the street
from his daughter Ariana Makau
and her family. “We were getting on
in age. We now see our grandchil-
dren frequently. We like it a lot.”
“My dad’s had a storied life,”
said Ariana, whose Oakland-based
stained glass conservation company
won a 2020 California Preservation
Award (see July 2021 Rockridge
News).
“I think it’s admirable that he’s
still so curious about the world, and
active. He has a big dictionary on
a stand in his living room and is
constantly referring to it, just for fun.
He’s always willing to puzzle some-
thing out.” She attributes that to his
background in which “if you wanted
something, you figured it out and
made it yourself.”
Living nearby “has changed the
dynamics of how we relate to each

Colby Park is a far cry from the Kenyan bush where Philip Makau grew up.

other,” she said. “Now we can just
pop over for a few minutes to say
hello, borrow some gardening tools, a
spool of thread, or share a cup of tea.
I don’t think the kids (ages 11 and
13) understand what a luxury it is to
have him so close. I had this with my
maternal grandparents, and it was
only in my adulthood that I realized
what a gift that was.”
Makau is currently writing and
illustrating a book for young people,
the ages of his grandchildren, ten-
tatively titled The Einstein Cat. “It’s
about a talking cat and is based on
our own cat, Paka” (“cat” in Swahili).
Eyes on Rockridge, see next page


THE
page 10
MARCH 2022

Oaklanders, Ditch
Your Junk for Free
Awhich I look forward to reading,”
next-door neighbor Kathy Shaw
emailed. “My husband, Dave, and I
both agree that Philip and Geri are
perfect neighbors, friendly and con-
siderate. He takes our garbage cans
out when we’re out of town, tries to
keep up with the constantly dropping
leaves of the city’s out-of-control elm
trees, and always stops to say hello to
our little dog.”
“I’ve been remiss in marketing my
books,” Makau acknowledged. “I grew
up with humility being a virtue,”
which accounts for his initial reluc-
tance to be interviewed. “It’s hard for
me to say, ‘Look at what I’ve done.’ It
just isn’t me.”
Philip Makau’s books are available
on Amazon and eBay. To comment
on this column or recommend topics,
please email judyberne@att.net. n
Eyes on Rockridge,
from previous page
Paka is a stray Siamese mix they took
in 19 years ago. No problem doing the
illustrations, he said, because “If you
major in biology, you’d better be good
at drawing.”
“I had no idea that he wrote a book
ll Oakland residents can schedule
appointments to drop off large
items, at no charge, at Waste Manage-
ment of Alameda County (WMAC),
and apartment tenants can now
schedule curbside bulky pickup ser-
vice directly with WMAC. Oakland
Public Works (OPW) is reminding
residents of the services available to
them for disposing their unwanted
bulky items the right way so they do
not turn up dumped on neighboring
streets or elsewhere around town.
Residents in single-family dwellings
(buildings with up to four residential
units) can schedule an appointment
for bulky items collection at the
curbside, increased from once per
year to twice per year. Find the ser-
vice terms and instructions at www.
oaklandrecycles.com. Contact WMAC
to schedule a bulky pickup by calling
(888) WM-BULKY.
Residents in multi-family dwell-
ings (buildings with more than four
residential units) no longer need to
schedule appointments through their
landlords. Now they can schedule a
curbside appointment once a year
directly by calling (510) 613-8710.
All Oakland community members
can learn more about trash, recycling,
and compost services available in
Oakland by going to www.oaklan-
drecycles.com and reduce illegal
dumping at www.oaktownproud.com.
WMAC/Davis Street Recycling is at
2615 Davis Street, San Leandro. n


THE

page 11
MARCH 2022

Oliveto on Our
Minds
by Carol Kasparek
December 31, 2021, was to be the
end of a Bay Area food destina-
tion. After 36 years, Maggie and Bob
Klein decided the time had come to
step back from the rigors of running a
restaurant. Oliveto welcomed the surge
of reservations from customers want-
ing that final meal. Then they closed.
Then, the community received a new
year’s gift when the café reopened in
mid-January. Market Hall ownership
and the community did not want the
bustling corner dark for the undeter-
mined amount of time needed for new
management to take over the space.
Maggie and Bob Klein are now
maneuvering a situation they did not
expect. Maggie recently discussed the
present and past of the business that
helped change Rockridge. Upstairs, the
expanse of white tablecloths where we
met was familiar, the stillness was not.
The present is a challenge for the
Kleins. Lack of staffing is the issue.
Beloved servers have stayed with the
café, yet even their loyalty may have
limits. Maggie continues to do a “bit
of everything” as she has from the
beginning.
Oliveto’s beginning in 1986 came
from a desire to bring the cuisine
of the Mediterranean to Rockridge.
Maggie was an editor at UC Berkeley
and an author, Bob a producer at
KRON. Their travels, combined with
relationships with local growers,
presented an opportunity to intro-
duce a then fairly unique experience
to the Bay Area. Farm-to-table and
sustainable whole-animal use was just
beginning to be featured on menus. A
series of dinners led by partner Paul
Bertolli focused on those principles.
Maggie’s ethereal pen and ink draw-
ings graced every menu.
They went to exceptional lengths to
bring the best to diners. Bob’s white
truffle hunting in Italy is a story unto
itself. On opening night, wind whistled
under the tables from interior walls
still under construction. Downstairs
Maggie Klein (above) and
her husband, Bob, decided to
retire after 36 years.
was the tapas bar. Tapas apparently
were too tiny for tastes at the time.
They transitioned to “smallish plates”
which have endured on the menu.
Oliveto opened in an environment
different from Rockridge today.
“I remember a less affluent area,
with more blue-collar workers as
residents,” says Maggie. In the space
now occupied by Cactus Taqueria was
Chimes Grocery, a long-time familiar
fixture, which eventually relinquished
its space to a high-end clothing store.
Oliveto began to attract a fairly afflu-
ent group. Berkeley professors mixed
with a hip, young clientele and staff in
the downstairs tapas bar.
Some weeks after opening, the SF
Chronicle restaurant reviewer delivered
a scathing review. Business plum-
meted. Full recovery did not come
quickly. The Kleins and their devoted
team continued to try to understand
the “mystery of popularity,” even
offering the space free to the public for
events. When Paul Bertolli became a
partner in 1996, “everything changed.”
New staff and leadership transformed
the business. Positive reviews helped
bring in the clientele which remained
Situated above the popular cáfe,
Oliveto restaurant has
a beautifully designed interior.
devoted to the present day.
The destiny of the space now rests
with the landlords. The owners of
Market Hall, the Wilson family, will
be negotiating who will take over the
space, and on what date. Maggie gives
recognition to a team of masters, in
the kitchen and on the floor, who
made the corner a destination and
hopes the new management considers
their contributions as they form their
own team. Maggie and Bob have
spoken with restaurateurs considering
taking over the spot, and confirmed,
“good people and good cooks” are
being considered by the Wilsons.
Maggie and Bob brought devotion
and delight to Rockridge. We are
deeply grateful for their remarkable
contribution to our community.
Mille grazie. n
Thursday, April 12, 4-6pm
This event is free for all 6th, 7th, & 8th grade girls
Register to receive your own paint kit and canvas. No experience necessary!
RSVP Online while space is available: bit.ly/hnhspaintparty


THE
page 12
MARCH 2022

Hermann Street Needs a New Block Captain
by Susan Montauk, Rockridge News Distribution Manager

New Strategies for
Oakland Slow Streets
— Essential Places
I

Tf you’ve walked down Shafter
recently, then you noticed that the
barriers have been removed. The Oak-
land Department of Transportation
(OakDOT) has been transitioning
the Slow Streets — Essential Places
program in response to the ongoing
and changing nature of the pan-
demic. Currently, staff efforts are
being redirected toward longer-term
improvements for pedestrian safety
and neighbors’ use of streets as
community space.
This year, OakDOT will advance
the three strategies described below
in an ongoing pursuit of the joy and
refuge that Slow Streets brought to
many people and families in the early
months of the pandemic, and the
institutionalizing lessons learned as
the program continues to innovate
and adapt to meet the needs of the
neighborhoods.

hanks to Aparna Ewing for
delivering the newsletter for
the last few years to Hermann
Street. Aparna is ready to retire
and we hope someone from her
block, or nearby, will volunteer to
take her place. Recently, younger
readers, some still in elementary
school, have been stepping up to be
Block Captains.
There is no minimum age
requirement for this job and it’s
an excellent way to introduce our
school-age residents to community
service. On the other hand, there
is no maximum age limit either
and this once-a-month job is a fun
way to get some exercise and meet
your neighbors as you make the
rounds.
Block Captains deliver newsletters
door-to-door.
The open route is:
• Route 55A13: Both
sides of Hermann
Street
The newsletter
is published the
first weekend
of each month
(except August).
Call (510) 547-3855 or email
Susan at smontauk@gmail.com
to volunteer. n
Experience * Knowledge * Performance
With Over 300 Real Estate Transactions

Slow Streets: Essential Places —
Phase 3 Advances Three Strategies
1) Prioritize pedestrian safety
improvements at essential services
that our residents, particularly the
most vulnerable, rely on.
2) Implement permanent Slow
Streets through the City’s Capital
Improvement Program; the Five Year
Paving Plan; and the planning-to-date
for Neighborhood Bike Routes (also
known as bike boulevards). Develop
a network of Slow Streets that serves
pedestrians, bicyclists, and micro-
mobility users, and advances these
streets as community resources.
3) Support neighborhood use
of streets as community space by
advancing opportunities for Pop-up
Slow Streets. OakDOT envisions this
as a way for residents to use their local
streets as community space through
temporary street closures.

* 5342Miles.com mid block bungalow, 2BD 2BA, bonus spcs, 2 garages, ask $1,295,000, PENDING 11 offers
* Upper Rockridge elegant contemporary, 4000sf, pano views, level yard, garage, In-law, Coming!
* Sweet 1000sf updated upper floor flat w/period features and gourmet kitchen, Coming!
* 3 bed 1bath 1400sf Mediterranean on corner lot, level yard, bonus structure, Coming!

March awareness month: Women's History, Optimism, MS Education, Humorists as Artists
HAPPY SPRING!!
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

The public may submit comments to
the City of Oakland’s seeclickfix.com,
or visit https://www.oaklandca.gov/
projects/oakland-slow-streets. n


THE

page 13
MARCH 2022

Peter Haberfeld
(1941–2021)
IN MEMORIAM
Friends and Neighbors of College
Avenue and organized phone banks
to bolster attendance at Planning
Commission meetings; recruited vol-
unteers to picket and leaflet in front of
Safeway to raise public awareness; and
participated in a vast neighborhood
survey to gauge neighbors’ preferences
for the size of the Safeway.
Peter is survived by his wife,
Victoria (Tory) Griffith, with whom
he shared a passion for political
organizing, his two daughters, Demi
Rhine of Rockridge and Selena Rhine
of New York, and two granddaugh-
ters, Marina and Alexa Escobar.
Donations may be made to The East
Oakland Collective, an organization
that Peter supported which addresses
the needs of unhoused people in East
Oakland, at https://www.eastoakland-
collective.com/. n
defendant UFW members.
Peter was the first staff person for
the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
of the National Lawyers Guild. He
worked with the Oakland Education
Association (OEA) and the Oakland
Community Organization (OCO),
organizing teachers and parents for
school reform in Oakland. Peter
fought his final court battles at the
Oakland law firm of Siegel & Yee,
including an epic case that ensured
the survival of the National Union of
Healthcare Workers.
Peter worked well into retirement,
volunteering on Barack Obama’s
and Bernie Sanders’ presidential
campaigns in Rockridge. He also orga-
nized extensively around Safeway’s
rebuild of its College Avenue store (a
few blocks from his home). He and
his wife, Tory Griffith, worked with
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
P
• Special needs trusts
eter Haberfeld, a lawyer for the
people and community organizer,
died of a heart attack at his home in
Rockridge on December 1, 2021. He
was 80 years old.
After earning a law degree at the
University of California, Berkeley,
Peter embarked on a life of activism as
a lawyer and labor and political orga-
nizer.  Between 1968 and 1975 Peter
was an attorney and organizer in the
California Central Valley, providing
legal aid to Latino youth and farm
workers. In 1975, he joined the United
Farm Worker’s (UFW) legal staff.
He was influenced by iconic leaders
Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and
his mentor, renowned community
organizer Fred Ross, Sr. Peter helped
win the landmark, Murguia v. Munic-
ipal Court, which successfully limited
racially discriminatory prosecution of
Please contact me during regular business hours to
      schedule an appointment.
ZϬϭϮϲϱϴϳϯͮϬϭϳϵϴϲϱϴ

Competition Drives Price in February
Closing date
BR
BA

Address                                Original price         List price
DOM
Selling price
2/15/2022
2
1

401 Cavour                            $1,295,000
        $1,295,000
39
$1,415,000
2/16/2022
2
1

5724 Broadway                     $1,198,000
        $1,198,000
14
 $1,650,000
2/16/2022
3
2.5
         6410 Regent St                      $1,795,000
        $1,795,000
16
$3,508,888
2/22/2022
4
2.5

5420 Boyd Ave                      $1,275,000
        $1,275,000
16
$2,575,000
Homes sold in February closed 65% over the asking price on average.
^ƉĞĐŝĂůŝnjŝŶŐŝŶZŽĐŬƌŝĚŐĞͮϱϭϬ͘ϰϱϵ͘ϰϯϯϴͮDŽƚůĞLJdĞĂŵ͘ĐŽŵ
tĂŶƚƚŚĞŚŝŐŚĞƐƚƉŽƐƐŝďůĞƉƌŝĐĞ͍ĂůůƵƐĂŶĚǁĞǁŝůůƐŚŽǁLJŽƵŚŽǁǁĞǁŝůůŐĞƚŝƚ͊
ŽŵƉĂƐƐŝƐĂƌĞĂůĞƐƚĂƚĞďƌŽŬĞƌůŝĐĞŶƐĞĚďLJƚŚĞ^ƚĂƚĞŽĨĂůŝĨŽƌŶŝĂĂŶĚĂďŝĚĞƐďLJƋƵĂů,ŽƵƐŝŶŐKƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJůĂǁƐ͘>ŝĐĞŶƐĞEƵŵďĞƌϬϭϴϲϲϳϳϭ͘ůůŵĂƚĞƌŝĂůƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĞĚŚĞƌĞŝŶŝƐŝŶƚĞŶĚĞĚĨŽƌŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶĂů
ƉƵƌƉŽƐĞƐŽŶůLJĂŶĚŝƐĐŽŵƉŝůĞĚĨƌŽŵƐŽƵƌĐĞƐĚĞĞŵĞĚƌĞůŝĂďůĞďƵƚŚĂƐŶŽƚďĞĞŶǀĞƌŝĨŝĞĚ͘ŚĂŶŐĞƐŝŶƉƌŝĐĞ͕ĐŽŶĚŝƚŝŽŶ͕ƐĂůĞŽƌǁŝƚŚĚƌĂǁĂůŵĂLJďĞŵĂĚĞǁŝƚŚŽƵƚŶŽƚŝĐĞ͘EŽƐƚĂƚĞŵĞŶƚŝƐŵĂĚĞĂƐƚŽĂĐĐƵƌĂĐLJŽĨ
ĂŶLJĚĞƐĐƌŝƉƚŝŽŶ͘ůůŵĞĂƐƵƌĞŵĞŶƚƐĂŶĚƐƋƵĂƌĞĨŽŽƚĂŐĞĂƌĞĂƉƉƌŽdžŝŵĂƚĞ͘


THE
page 14
MARCH 2022

Registration for Community Emergency
Response Team Training Opens in March

munity Emergency Response Team
(CERT), opens on March 21, 2022. 
A major disaster can overwhelm
first responders, leaving community
members on their own for the first
72 hours or longer. CERT training
teaches self-reliance skills and sup-
ports the development of localized
response teams to take care of their
neighborhoods — assisting their
community until professional first
responders arrive.
Upon completing this training,
participants will be able to take
the necessary steps to safely assess
dangerous situations in their homes
and neighborhood in the aftermath
of a disaster and address immediate
urgent needs through emergency first
aid or incident triage.
Additionally, participants will learn
to identify and reduce potential haz-
ards in their own homes, workplaces,
and neighborhoods; manage disrupted
utilities and put out small fires;
provide basic medical aid by opening
airways, controlling bleeding, and
treating survivors for shock; search
for and rescue victims safely; and
organize themselves and spontaneous
volunteers to be effective until addi-
tional help arrives.
Oakland CERT training takes 33
hours to complete — the course for
adults is currently being offered via a
hybrid model where basic instruction
takes place virtually and the hands-on
Skills Training and Assessment pro-
vided in person. CERT Training is
free of charge to all.
Trapidly accelerating climate change,
Oakland is vulnerable to significant
hazards in our future: earthquakes,
wildfires, floods, and landslides, and
sea level rise. The City of Oakland is
committed to increasing the disaster
resistance and resiliency of our infra-
structure, health, housing, economy,
government services, education,
and environment — and the CORE
program is a major component of that
effort.
Registration for CORE’s newest
emergency training course, Com-
he Oakland Fire Department’s
Office of Emergency Services
established Communities of Oakland
Respond to Emergencies (CORE) in
April of 1990, immediately following
the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. In
late 2020, the program was revamped
and expanded to include additional
training opportunities with an inten-
tional focus on reaching historically
underrepresented and vulnerable
communities.
Due to its geographic location, and
the anticipated ongoing impact of
CERT Training Course Graduates Skill Set:
• Identify and anticipate hazards in the home and workplace.
• Understand what steps to take in order to increase personal and family readiness.
• Be familiar with the Incident Command System and basic functions.
• Organize themselves and spontaneous volunteers in a disaster or emergency.
• Apply basic medical techniques/basic first aid.
• Set up medical treatment areas.
• Reduce survivor and volunteer stress.
• Safely extinguish small fires.
• Conduct light search and rescue activities.
• Assist emergency responders in mass casualty incidents.
• Understand the appropriate actions to take in an active shooter situation.
• Be able to promote CERT Training in Oakland.
Ready, Oakland? On March 21, 2022
visit this page to register: https://www.
oaklandca.gov/topics/oaklandcert n
YOUR LOCAL
REFILL SHOP
[ B U L K ]  [ Z E R O - W A S T E ]
ReUpRefills.org
6025 COLLEGE AVE. OAKLAND


THE

page 15
MARCH 2022

RN
ClassifiedAds

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.

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 April 2022 issue is March 17, 2022 (available April 2nd).
For more details, email Susan Montauk at smontauk@gmail.com.
Plan for 2022 Now! Free
Home Evaluation w/Licensed
Neighborhood Realtor!
Market Value, Tax-Related Issues, Estate
Planning, Selling/Buying. Eve Levine 347-
526-1383 eve@vanguardproperties.
com. DRE#02133046. Each in-home
visit this month we donate $100 to
Friends of OPL. n
Garden Maintenance,
Cleanups & Design
Experienced team of two dedicated
to the art of gardening. We specialize
in garden maintenance, cleanups and
custom garden designs. To contact us,
please email yourgreengardeners@
gmail.com. Check us out at www.
yourgreengardeners.com
Dog Training
In home, private training customized to
help your dog succeed! Local trainer with
decades of experience.  Please call 510/646-
9657 or visit dogsquaddogtraining.com for
more information and to get started.
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.
Spring is Coming: Got a Plan?
I can help with your electrical needs.
I’ve been doing electrical work in Oakland
and Berkeley for over 35 years. Sutorik &
Company.  www.sutorikandco.com.
Lic #397149. 510/655-3677.
HARDWOOD FLOORS
Install, sand/refinish, repair, re-coat existing.
Large jobs or small. Twenty-plus years in
Piedmont Ave/Rockridge. Bruce Williams
Woodfloors. Please call or text Bruce at
510/652-8121. www.blwfloors.com.
Men’s Facial Treatment Offered
at Penelope’s Aesthetics!
C+energy is especially formulated for
men. Revitalizing, detoxifying, firming and
anti-fatigue properties renew the youthful
appearance! $95. Gift certificates available.
penelopecalef.com Call 510/594-1552.
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.


THE

COME VISIT US AT
THE CORNER OF
LIFE & CHANGE