Extracted text · highlighting “Alison Drury”

www.rockridge.org
THE
R ckridgeNews

VOL 38   •   NO. 8   •   ISSUE  NO. 411   •   SEPTEMBER 2023                  CIRCULATION: 5,800 RESIDENCES; 200 BUSINESSES

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

Creek-to-Bay Day
at Frog Park
by Alison Drury
When: Saturday, September 23
9am to noon
Where: Frog Park. Meet at the big oak
tree by the Big Frog play structure to
sign the waiver to participate.
In celebration of Creek-to-Bay Day,
Friends of the Rockridge Greenbelt
(FROG) are planning a clean-up of
Little and Big Frog Park. This is our
chance to be part of the International
Coastal Cleanup Day — a truly global
effort to make our planet’s waterways
cleaner and healthier. When we clean
up trash and debris, the park looks
better, but more importantly, it keeps
litter out of the waterways… Temes-
cal Creek, San Francisco Bay, and the
Pacific Ocean.
Tasks include weeding, pruning,
trash pickup, raking, and sweeping.
Families and groups are welcome and
encouraged to volunteer. Students
needing service hours for school can
receive a signed letter verifying their
participation.
Please bring your own gardening
gloves; some gardening gloves will be
Photo:  Anna Marks
Theresa Nelson, co-founder of Friends
of the Rockridge Greenbelt (FROG),
organizes volunteers for park cleanup.
on hand, but please bring disposable
gloves as an extra layer if you’d like
to borrow a pair. Tools will also be
provided, but if you have your own,
please bring them. Coffee and snacks
will be provided to volunteers.
To participate, RSVP by September
18 so we can get a proper headcount.
Email: info@frogpark.org. Hope to see
you there. n

Thank you, Rockridge…
…for demanding Shell Oil clean
up its old gas station at the
Claremont & College triangle. 
More than 1,000 signatures on our
petition, dozens of emails sent to
our leaders, 500 postcards mailed in,
plus an official letter from RCPC.
Read more details about our campaign
at Oaklandside.org/2023/08/02/
Photo:  Anna Marks
What’s next? 
We await Alameda County Dept. 
of Environmental Health’s response
to our collective public comments.
Look for an updated report
in a future newsletter.
— Casey Farmer, RCPC Chair
CALL FOR COMMUNITY INPUT
RCPC’s October Town Hall
will focus on what residents can
do to reduce their carbon foot-
print and make their homes and
neighborhoods more climate and
wildfire resilient.
We welcome your inquiries.
Stay tuned for the date of the
hybrid meeting (at the Library &
online).
Email: Chair@Rockridge.org
with your questions or ideas.

Tragedy in Maui – A Caution for Oakland/East Bay
by Doug Mosher, Oakland Firesafe Council
W

was how fast and for how long the
cellular and internet communications
infrastructure went down due to the
fire. An FCC report from 8/15 notes
that 100 percent of cell sites in six
west Maui cities, including Lahaina,
e at Oakland Firesafe Council
are truly saddened by the
wildfire tragedies on Maui, and our
hearts go out to all those affected.
Relief is now flowing in, but the first
few days were reportedly very chaotic,
understandably so.
A contributing factor to the chaos
Firesafe Council, see next page


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page 2
SEPTEMBER 2023

“Rock-N-Hunt” Returns to the Avenue
by Jody Colley, Rockridge District Association
The Rockridge News was founded in 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.
On Saturday, September 9, the
annual Rockridge Rock-N-Hunt
returns, bringing scavenger hunter
lovers of all ages to search College
Avenue for clues. Players can work
solo or in teams. After each clue is
found, players are entered into a raffle
for three big prize packages. The more
clues found, the more chances to win.
Prize packages include $400 or
$200 in Rockridge gift cards (winner’s
choice), including restaurants, retail-
ers, markets, spas, and more. This
event includes a game exclusively for
kids, including a $100 gift card pack-
age to kid-friendly businesses.
The event is free, and anyone can
participate. There are easy clues as
well as extremely challenging ones.
However, the better you know the dis-
trict, the better your chances to solve
clues. Can’t attend physically? There
are some clues you can probably solve
from home using the internet. Clues
(objects) can be found inside or out-
side publicly accessible spaces on the
ground-floor level of College Avenue
between Alcatraz and Broadway. Play-
ers have an eight-hour window to
solve as many clues as they can.
“We got hot beverages and pastries
in the morning, then started the
hunt. It was fun learning about new
spots we hadn’t visited and we had an
excuse to spend time in some of our
favorite places. Overall, a great morn-
ing; we felt so accomplished every
time we figured out a clue,” said Bree
Marchman, a 2019 winner.
The event takes place during Rock-
N-Stroll — featuring free outdoor live
music, popups, kids’ crafts, art shows,
tastings, and more. Register for the
hunt at RockridgeDistrict.com. Clues
will be sent on game day to all who
signed up. n
Rockridge News Production
Anna L. Marks .........................Editor & Layout Artist
Jo Ellis......................... Assistant Editor & Ad Manager
Susan Montauk......Business & Distribution Manager
Judith Doner Berne......... Senior Contributing Writer
RCPC Board of Directors, 2023-24
Casey Farmer.......................................................Chair
Robin McDonnell..................................... Vice-Chair
Ben Friedman................................................ Secretary
Louisa Bukiet.................................................Treasurer
Mark Aaronson, Aly Bonde, Andrew Charman,
Annette Floystrup, Star Lightner, Tom Lollini,
Kirk Peterson, Ken Rich, Zac Unger
Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
Contacting the Rockidge 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.
earthquake, or tsunami/flood. For
this reason, we at the Oakland
Firesafe Council created GENOAK —
an area-wide, two-way radio emer-
gency network. The ability to send or
receive critical information may be a
lifesaver. For info, and to participate,
check out: https://www.genoak.org/.
The devastating, wind-driven wild-
fire through Lahaina is a concerning
example of what could happen right
here in our East Bay — a large
firestorm, pushed by Diablo winds,
burning through our residential and
business areas until it hits the Bay and
runs out of fuel. It might have hap-
pened in the 1991 Oakland Firestorm,
but thankfully the winds died down.
We all need to be as prepared as
possible for wildfire or any other
disaster (https://oaklandfiresafecoun-
cil.org/prepare/). Please review our
wildfire safety programs including
Firewise USA, Red Flag Warnings,
ember protection/defensible space,
wildfire monitoring, reporting, etc.
at https://oaklandfiresafecouncil.org/
programs/. n
Firesafe Council, from front page
were out of service from 8/9 through
8/12. People couldn’t call 911, receive
warnings, contact family or get
timely information. Mobile Cell-on-
Wheels (COWs) towers are now being
deployed in Maui to support wireless
services while cell sites are restored,
and connectivity via Starlink satellites
is also being made available to help
restore Internet services.
Similar loss of communications
could happen in the Bay Area imme-
diately following a major wildfire,
All letters must be limited to 450 words and are
published at the discretion of the RCPC. 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.
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
Rockridge Community
Planning Council’s
Land Use Committee Meeting
Display Ad Deadline for OCTOBER 2023:
September 21, 2023
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’s Land Use Committee
Meeting will be held:
Wednesday, Sept 27, 2023,
at 7:30pm, via Zoom.
The meeting is open to the public.
Use Zoom link: bit.ly/3c0r6X0
or email: landuse@rockridge.org.
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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SEPTEMBER 2023

“Neighbors Together Oakland” Proposes
Local Action for Crime Prevention
by Janine Firpo
M

Neighbors Together Oakland
will meet on:
Wednesday, September 20
6pm to 7:30pm
Rockridge Library
5266 College Ave.
any of us are frustrated by what
we see as rising crime coupled
with what feels like a lack of action
to make things better. We are also
witnessing other changes in Oakland
that make us feel as though our city is
in a downward spiral. It does not feel
good to sit by and watch. It feels dis-
empowering and insufficient. Many
of us want to take action, but we don’t
know how or
where to turn.
There are
individuals and
organizations
in the city that are working to create
change. One of those is Neighbors
Together Oakland (NTO), which
was formed in 2021 to organize indi-
viduals across the city to ensure we
all enjoy safety, thriving businesses,
affordable housing, and local food
systems.
The founders of NTO believe that
City Hall has failed to deliver the
basic services we need to enjoy a safe
and livable city. We are seeking prag-
matic solutions to the problems we are
facing and support a government that
is responsibly managed, transparent,
accountable to neighbors and most
importantly, follows common sense.
Built on the belief that change starts
with us, NTO aims to empower res-
idents to engage with our neighbors,
take action in our neighborhoods,
and form a cross-city coalition of con-
cerned citizens who make their voices
heard. The organization provides
information, simplifies the process
of attending or tracking outcomes of
City Council meetings, and brings
resources to create change at the local
level. Part of
that change
is achieved
through voting,
which is only
effective when members of the com-
munity fully understand the issues at
stake, the differences between can-
didates, and how our ranked-choice
voting system works. This is why
education is so important.
Rockridge neighbors can learn
how to get more involved with NTO
on September 20 at the Rockridge
Library (see sidebar for details) where
they will hear from individuals who
have been tracking crime in our
neighborhood for years, and listen
to the experiences of NTO leaders in
Trestle Glen who have organized their
neighborhood for action. Attendees
will walk away with a list of actions
to get more involved. n
Doors open at 5:30pm. The meeting,
led by two Rockridge neighbors,
will start promptly at 6pm and end
promptly at 7:30pm — everyone
must be out no later than 7:45pm.
Seating is limited to 90 people.
Once the meeting room capacity
has been reached, no one else will
be permitted to enter.
Many of us want to take action, but
we don’t know how or where to turn.
Questions? Email jfirpo@aol.com.


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SEPTEMBER 2023

Twenty-Year Update to City’s General Plan
Moves Forward
by Star Lightner and Aly Bonde, RCPC Board Members

in response to Oakland community
desires. This would range from 20
percent of units affordable at the
“very low income” level to 40 percent
of units at the “moderate income”
level. Projects will not be eligible for
By-Right Approval if they propose
more than 100,000 sq. ft., or are to be
built in phases (unless they are 100
percent affordable).
City staff is currently drafting
Objective Design Guidelines which
By-Right Projects must adhere to.
The guidelines will go through an
Last month, the Oakland Planning
Commission conducted a public
hearing on components of the
General Plan 2045 Update for con-
sideration by the City Council this
fall, with additional components
seeking further community input
and approval by 2025.
Much of the General Plan’s hous-
ing-related items implement the
commitments already included in
the Housing Element — the citywide
plan adopted earlier this year for cre-
ating additional housing that meets
state requirements. Three key action
items in the Housing Element being
implemented through this update are
intended to remove barriers to the
development of new affordable and
mixed-income housing on key sites,
as well as to facilitate creation of
so-called “missing-middle” housing.
Three Key Action Items
The first two action items are the
creation of two new “overlay zones”
— added layers on top of existing
zoning requirements — in certain
areas of the city.
One is an Affordable Housing
Overlay Zone, which streamlines
approval for 100 percent affordable
housing projects. The second is the
Housing Sites Overlay Zone, which
streamlines approval for mixed-in-
come housing on key sites already
identified in the Housing Element.
State requirements also create
By-Right Approvals for small-scale
developments on parcels less than
15,000 square feet that contain 20
percent affordable housing.
Pursuant to State law, sites
included in previous Housing
Elements can receive By-Right
Approval if they include 20 percent
affordable housing. However, if a site
was newly added to the most recent
Housing Element, there will be
additional affordability requirements
City staff is currently
drafting Objective Design
Guidelines where By-Right
Projects must adhere to
an intensive community
feedback process.
intensive community feedback pro-
cess, planned in the coming months.
The Planning Commission members
requested that despite the State’s
By-Right Approval requirements, the
City create ways to enable the public
to know when such applications are
submitted.
The third action item is intended
to create “missing middle” housing
(multiplexes, townhouses, live/
work, etc.) which are affordable
to middle-income households but
historically have been difficult to
produce due to market dynamics,
and which are ineligible for public
subsidies. Proposed changes include
up-zoning some residential areas for
up to four units of housing on lots
greater than 4,000 square feet; and
two units on smaller lots, as well
as reducing setbacks and parking
requirements in some areas.
Additional changes to the General
Plan include increasing 60-foot
height limits to 65 feet, and allowing
structures with 75-foot, 85-foot,
and 90-foot heights to go as high as
95-feet to better align with State code
and to lower construction costs for
common building types.
For more info, visit oaklandca.gov/
topics/general-plan-update. n


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page 5
SEPTEMBER 2023

Friday Night Mealtime
at College Avenue
Presbyterian Church
— by Thom & Tina Faulkner
For more than 30 years, the College
Avenue Presbyterian Church
(CAPC) has been serving weekly
“Friday Night Meals.” This is a won-
derful opportunity to gather together
as a community and respond to the
needs of those struggling with hunger,
solitude, or joblessness.
In 2020, as a result of Covid, CAPC
had to pivot, and the Friday Night
Meal is now served “to-go” with 80
to 100 hot, home-cooked meals dis-
tributed free for anyone who wants.
Additionally, on two Friday nights a
month, they distribute Blessing Bags
with packages of new socks, under-
wear, toiletries, and other necessities.
Donations are gratefully accepted
and needed. CAPC invites all Rock-
ridge neighbors to help. The meal
is a joint project made possible by
contributions from our community
— congregational members, local
merchants, and residents. It costs an
average of $200 per week to produce
and distribute these meals, so contri-
butions go a long way.
Have extra time? CAPC is always
looking for volunteers to help with
setting up, serving, and cleaning up.
In addition, they need more Com-
munity Organization Cooking Teams
that can prepare a meal for one of the
Friday nights. It’s easy, fun, and assis-
tance is available for menu planning.
To donate, visit www.capcoakland.
org/give. To volunteer, sign up at
www.capcoakland.org/Friday-Night-
Meal, or email Thom Faulkner at
FaulknersAtSea@yahoo.com. n

Dogs of
Rockridge
Coco is 9-years-old. She
volunteers at the Rock-
ridge Library. She comes
every other Thursday to
be read to. She loves being
scratched. She also likes long
walks, car rides, other dogs,
and sniffing for food. She has
one empty eye socket, but
she hears very well. She is so
cute.
— Marguerite Kott, age 9
This is Zephyr, a 7-year-old
standard poodle. Zephyr’s
personality is playful, but
willful. He has an advanced
degree in detecting where
he will score a biscuit. He
knows every shop, garage
and bar where they are
offered. His parents, Adele
and Jim, have lived here for
36 years and Zephyr is their
third Rockridge poodle.
Does your pup live in Rockridge? If so, send a photo of your four-legged friend
with a short commentary to: editor@rockridge.org.
YOUR LOCAL
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page 6
SEPTEMBER 2023

SAVE THE DATE
for the Annual College Ave.
Halloween Celebration
Sunday, October 29
11am to 2pm
The main event will take
place at the Rockridge
Library. Trick or treating
will take place at the
businesses all along
College Ave.
Be prepared for stories, crafts, games,
and music. Do not miss out on a great
Halloween tradition. Stay tuned — look
for more information in the October
issue of the Rockridge News.
Rockridge News
Volunteer Request
Keith Avenue Block Captain
Moving On
by Susan Montauk, Rockridge
News Distribution Manager
Many thanks to
Katie Caradec
(who is moving
away) for her
service as Block
Captain on Keith
Avenue since February,
2021. The Rockridge News and
residents of Keith Avenue are eager
for someone in her neighborhood
to take over her route as soon as
possible. Of course, it would be
optimal for someone on that very
route to step forward. Please let us
know if you are that person.
Route 09H: Up Keith from McMillan
to 5925 Broadway
Block Captains deliver newslet-
ters door-to-door. Their bundles
are delivered to their front porches
the first weekend of each month
(except August). Call (510) 547-
3855, or email Susan at smontauk@
gmail.com to volunteer.

Kevin: The Peacock of
Oak Grove
by Chuff Afflerbach
He just appeared on the street one
day. Nobody knew where he
came from. It was around the Fourth
of July so some folks said he fled the
fireworks in West Oakland for a qui-
eter neighborhood. Some said he was
looking for love. Whatever brought
him, we were all surprised to find a
full-grown peacock with a four-foot
train of brilliant feathers strutting up
and down Oak Grove Avenue.
He stopped the traffic. Drivers
jumped out of their cars to take his
picture. A cluster of kids from the
daycare came for the show. They ate
their lunches as they watched him eat;
pecking for bugs and worms, buds
and seeds. Water bowls appeared
on porches and lawns. One resident
bought a bag of chicken feed for him.
Somebody started calling him Kevin,
after the peacock in the Disney movie
“Up.” The name stuck.
Everyone asked, what do we do
about a stray peacock on the street?
There was an online discussion on the
neighborhood email group. Nextdoor
was consulted, but nobody claimed
him. Animal Control came by, and
Kevin hid out until the heat was off.
The Lindsay Wildlife Museum said
“no thanks, peacocks aren’t wildlife.”
The Oakland Zoo also declined. So
Photo:  Anna Marks
it looks like he’s here for now. Who
doesn’t want to live in Rockridge?
We do worry about him. Fearless
or foolish, he wanders into the street.
Most drivers are thrilled enough at
the sight to stop and gawk, but local
housecats steer clear. One neighbor’s
cat got so close that Kevin leapt into
the air, but he’s a lot bigger than they
are, so Kevin doesn’t worry like we do.
He’s got his roost in a topped-off street
tree where he sleeps well at night…
just don’t park your car under him.
After a month or so, the novelty
has worn off, as have all those flashy
tail feathers. Wikipedia says Kevin
should grow a new set for the next
mating season. Meanwhile, he’s still
a regal-looking bird; a royal turkey,
as they say in Spanish. And it’s still
a surprise and a delight to open the
front door and see a real live peacock
standing on the front porch. n


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page 7
SEPTEMBER 2023

nearby residents. I lived in a TOD in
Helsinki, Finland, where, by design,
walking is the principal form of trans-
portation. This means the amount of
groceries per shopping trip is limited
to how much one can carry, or place
on a bicycle. Consequently, family
grocery shopping must occur multiple
times a week.
The value of one’s time spent on
this necessary chore is only one of
the many considerations related to
the quality of life in a TOD. As to
public transportation itself, it must be
economical, clean, safe, and on time.
Helsinki did fulfill the latter three
factors, but BART certainly has not.
People are simply not enamored of
local public transportation due to
its continuing failures on all four
parameters — it has become a choice
of last resort for many.
And has anyone noticed that
California’s population is shrinking?
Are additional dense housing devel-
opments even needed? Sacramento’s
“housing mandates” seem more
appropriate to 1965 than 2023 —
in other words, regressive. n
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Rockridge Triangle Park
Dream
Dense Housing at
Rockridge BART?
I
For some years now, I have been
thinking about how wonderful
it would be to have a park at the
vacant Claremont/College triangle —
a former Shell gas station, and nearly a
half-acre parcel. We have so few public
open spaces to gather and relax in
Rockridge.
The Rockridge News has circulated
a petition (https://rb.gy/v8lse) to ask
that Alameda County Environmental
Health not let Shell Oil off the hook to
clean-up the site (see front page). The
petition and article in Oaklandside
from August (https://oaklandside.
org/2023/08/02/) emphasized the
lot’s potential for housing. Maybe the
triangle site can accommodate both?
In the meantime, I am looking to get
together with folks who care about the
potential for open space to transform
our neighborhood and intensify our
sense of community.
Along with brainstorming about
what would be best for our commu-
nity, we also need to think about how
to overcome the many barriers to
turning this dream into reality.
I believe Rockridge has the skills,
talent, and resources to make it
happen. Penn Philips at Inside Out
Design has offered to sketch out a few
concept designs to help us visualize
what is possible.
The College Avenue Safeway Plaza
is a highly-used public space, but it
is not a substitute for publicly-owned
green space for gathering, gardening,
and building community.
Please let me know if you are
interested in brainstorming about the
possibility of a park. If so, email me
at williams.zabel@gmail.com with the
subject line “Triangle Park.” Once I
hear from folks, I will organize a back-
yard meeting at my home on Auburn
Ave. Your energy and enthusiasm, as
well as your questions and concerns,
are welcome. n
n a letter to the Editor (July/Aug
2023, Rockridge News) Mr. Ala-
meldin, a policy associate with the
Terner Center for Housing Inno-
vation, UC Berkeley, and a YIMBY
supporter, provided a rousing
promotion for a Transit Oriented
Development (TOD) at the
Rockridge BART.
The usual buzzwords — sustain-
able, greenhouse gas, housing crisis,
climate change — were employed.
Glowing predictions were made that
young families would flock to the
BART station area, that local busi-
nesses would thrive, and that the city’s
coffers would overflow with new tax
money to provide infrastructure and
services to our community.
Those of us who have resided in
Oakland for decades know that these
promises, particularly that city ser-
vices will improve, are flimsy at best.
Due to high land prices, it is known
that TOD in high-cost urban areas
can’t overcome the issues of accessi-
bility and gentrification — making
affordable housing nearly impossible
in these locations. This outcome was
verified in a draft Rockridge Housing
Study by the RCPC Land Use Com-
mittee in concert with UC Berkeley
housing experts.
Building directly adjacent to BART
tracks will cause additional noise
and air pollution exposure to many
J.W. Yager
Margarido Drive
Laurie Williams
Auburn Avenue


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page 8
SEPTEMBER 2023

Neil Jacobson
IN MEMORIAM
left behind a legacy of innovation,
advocacy, and leadership that will
continue to shape the lives of mil-
lions of people for years to come.
He was born with cerebral palsy,
a disability that affects movement,
coordination and speech. He faced
many challenges and barriers
throughout his life, but never let
them stop him from achieving his
goals. He graduated from Hofstra
with a degree in computer science
and completed his MBA at Golden
Gate University while working as
one of the first employees for Wells
Fargo Bank’s technology division
with a significant disability. He rose
through the ranks and became a
senior vice president, overseeing the
development of many cutting-edge
systems, including serving as archi-
tect of 24/7 banking. His code is
still used in ATM and banking
software today.
He went on to found Abilicorp,
which provides job opportunities
and support for people with disabil-
ities, and served as the president of
the World Institute on Disability,
an organization that promotes the
rights and inclusion of people with
disabilities. He also co-founded the
Computer Technologies Program, a
school that trains people with dis-
abilities in the tech industry.
He was a visionary who challenged
the stereotypes of others. He under-
stood that people with disabilities
have valuable skills and talents that
by David Jacobson
Neil Jacobson was more than
just a parent to me. He was a
mentor, a friend, and a role model.
He taught me how to live with cour-
age, compassion, and dignity. He
inspired me to pursue my dreams to
be the best chef, boss and mentor I
can be through kindness, curiosity,
and advocacy.
Neil Jacobson, a 40-year resident of
Rockridge, passed away on May 10th,
at the age of 70, after a long battle
with multiple health ailments. He

can benefit any organization. He was
one of the biggest advocates for the
employment of people with disabili-
ties, and he inspired many employers
and employees to follow his lead,
myself included.
I am proud to be Neil’s son, and
grateful for everything he taught me
— how to overcome obstacles, how to
work hard, how to help others, and
how to enjoy life with the cards that
were dealt. He was a loving father, a
devoted husband, an extremely loyal
friend, and a respected leader. He
touched the hearts and minds of more
people than I could ever keep track of.
He loved his Rockridge Neigh-
borhood and could often be seen
zooming around in his wheelchair,
along with my mom, off to their
favorite neighborhood haunts for a
beloved mocha. I’ve heard countless
stories about how he changed lives
wherever he went.
“Neil and (his wife) Denise are our
regular customers, and our staff love
both of them. Neil was a polite and
funny person. I often saw the waitress
cutting up pieces of food and I knew
who that was for,” remembers Bill
Chung, owner of The Rockridge Café.
Bob Klein, former owner of Olive-
to’s, had a close relationship with Neil.
“We would see Neil tear-ass down
the street in his powered wheelchair,
with his giant grin on his face. Some-
times, David, then a little boy, will be
hanging on the rear of the chair. On
occasion, he would come into the café
and I felt it lift the spirits around us.
He was a force.”
May the lessons of his life story live
on like the legend he was. n


THE

page 9
SEPTEMBER 2023

Envisioning & Creating
A “Climate Scape”
by Carol Kasparek
Frog Park has been evolving since
neighbors designed and built
the greenspace in 2001. This fall will
launch another phase in that evolu-
tion. The corner of the park adjacent
to the basketball courts along Hudson
will soon become a spot where people
can explore, play, and commune. All
these benefits will come from an irri-
gation-free landscape.
Theresa Nelson, chair of Friends
of the Rockridge Temescal Greenbelt
(FROG), connected with Rockridge
landscape designer John Kamp (fea-
tured with his partner James Rojas in
the June 2022 Rockridge News) who
proposed a collaborative, innovative
way to approach the project.
“We want to create a living legacy”
for this portion of the park, says
Nelson. Part of the plan is to attract
pollinators. Extensive experience
and experimentation have shown
Kamp that our Mediterranean-like
environment can attract pollinators
by planting and training drought-
tolerant flora. “Plants have more
intelligence than we realize,” he says.
The plants need to be thoughtfully
chosen and placed in order for the
landscape to be sustainable. Done
according to plan, they will adapt
better to changes in the environment.
Kamp has dubbed the result a “Cli-
mate Scape.” He hopes to include
elements that inspire and amaze as
the landscape changes over time.
Members of FROG gathered in June
to map out the plan for the 900 sq. ft.
space. Twelve residents, ages 8 to 80,
participated in a “Learn, Play, Build”
exercise to guide the development.
James Rojas directed the group to use
everyday objects to build their ideal
concept for the corner.
As each person described their
creation, Kamp recorded recurring
themes — discovery, adventure,
safety, simplicity, and belonging,
among others. “We show what we
have in common… what we look for

Photo:  Carol Kasparek

Participants choose colorful objects to inform their ideas for the Climate Scape.

throughout our lives, whether we
know it or not,” according to Rojas.
Since its inception, Frog Park has
been transformed through extensive
community effort, including input on
landscaping and the addition of play
installations. FROG has raised more
than $3 million over the past 20 years
for the project, with residents con-
tributing much of the labor. Members
have already raised over $3,500 for the
Climate Scape.
“All of our founders see the impor-
tance of stewardship, and teaching
stewardship, as a major component of
the corner renovation,” according to
Nelson. “We are fortunate to have the
chance to show future generations the
joy of supporting the community.”
Current visions for the corner are
a welcome contrast to its past. FROG
member Leonora Sea recalls decades
ago when she and Nelson forbade
their young daughters from going
near the “hideous wood and metal
structures.”
The BART and freeway overpasses
remain. “Limitations always make
creative work better,” says Kamp.
“Working from the heart and the
senses surprisingly works.”
Groundbreaking for the Climate
Scape will take place on September
23, along with International Coastal
Cleanup Day event at Frog Park (see
front page). Kamp will be onsite to
train FROG members on the planting
methods for the project. n
Buying ?  Selling?
Let me help you!
Anne D. Brandon
Realtor
510.682.6644 | 510.339.9290
Anne.Brandon@corcoranicon.com
AnneDBrandon.com
Lic# 01877719
© 2022 Corcoran Icon Properties. All rights reserved.
Each franchise is independently owned and operated.


THE
page 10
SEPTEMBER 2023

Sam Martinez
IN MEMORIAM
effects; in small doses it alleviates pain
or depression.
With Marco’s death, Brenda says,
“Sam fell apart” and drank heavily for
four years — until a family interven-
tion. He found a therapist, started a
qigong practice, joined a gym and a
father’s grief group.
“He was doing really well,” Brenda
says. The disconnect between his
elated mood in February and his
sudden death is harsh. “It’s just so
weird not having him here. I’m not
used to it at all.”
Sam was a Rockridge fixture. When
he first moved here in late 1969, he
lived on Boyd with his partner, Perry
Amidon. After Perry died of mela-
noma in 1976, Sam bought the house
from Perry’s mother. He paid $49,000.
Brenda met Sam in 1982 at a center
for emotionally disturbed children
where they both worked. “He was
soft-spoken, artistic, sweet, kind,” she
remembers. “He really attracted me
because he was so different. He had
long hair and he was wearing clogs,
a shearling jacket and a scarf. I just
thought, ‘Who is this person?’”
Sam had a passion for travel — he’d
been to Machu Picchu, Cuba, Sweden,
Morocco. He spoke Spanish fluently,
plus a little Swedish and French. He
loved movies, books, and art museums.
He ran the Bay to Breakers every year... 
and he loved living in Rockridge.
One of Sam’s greatest joys, Mateo
says, was biking around the neighbor-
hood and catching up with a friend,
acquaintance, or store clerk. “I think
my dad serves as a reminder of what
it can look like to be a member of a
community.” n
by Edward Guthmann
At Angkor Wat, the ancient
temple complex in Cambodia,
Sam Martinez was vacationing this
past February with his wife Brenda
Bloomfield. One day they met a young
South Korean man who looked alarm-
ingly like their late son Marco. Eerily,
just moments before the stranger
appeared, Sam and Brenda had
emptied some of Marco’s ashes into a
stream behind the Ta Som temple.
“We made this connection with
him,” Brenda says, “and when we got
back home Sam wrote to him right
away.” Sam was energized and opti-
mistic, but two weeks after returning
from Cambodia, on March 2, he died
from liver failure. He was 71.
A Rockridge resident for 53 years,
Sam was a friendly, eternally boyish
man with an avid curiosity about
people. He grew up in Richmond, the
son of Hispanic parents from New
Mexico. At UC Berkeley he majored in
math, then art, and became a teacher
of children with learning disabilities
and mental health issues. He earned
a Master’s in Special Education and
taught at several schools, including
Claremont Middle School. He became
a father at 37.
“When I was born,” says his older
son Mateo, “one of the first things my
dad did was walk up and down Col-
lege Avenue to show off his new baby.”
Sam retired in 2017 and was
getting his footing after 40 years of
teaching. But in February of 2018,
Marco, 19 years old, died of an acci-
dental overdose of kratom. An herbal
substance extracted from the leaves
of a Southeast Asian tree, kratom
can produce opioid or stimulant-like


THE

page 11
SEPTEMBER 2023

College Avenue Retail
is HOT!
According to John Cumbelich &
Associates of Walnut Creek,
over-all occupancy in Oakland’s retail
submarkets has moved noticeably
higher in the second quarter of this
year. Rockridge has proven to be
Oakland’s hottest retail district with
occupancy rates moving from 96.10
percent to 97.32 percent, and this
includes new leases signed with three
shops soon to be open on College
Avenue, including Bad Walter’s Boot-
leg Ice Cream, Love + Chocolate, and
The Xocolate Bar (see article below).

In Q2 of 2023 widespread leasing
gains in Rockridge’s retail submarkets
moved occupancy levels higher.
Source: John Cumberlich & Associates of Walnut Creek

New Businesses Find A Home In Rockridge

Is Rockridge becoming a mecca
for chocolate lovers? See’s Candies
(5802 College) has been serving
chocolate delectables since 2014.
The Chocolate Dragon Bittersweet
Café (5427 College) has been hosting
a menu of chocolate beverages and
bakery items for the past 12 years,
and soon Rockridge residents will
have two new chocolate shops and
more to explore…
Love + Chocolate (6309 College
Avenue) may be open by the time
you read this. And if not, the owners
are promising that it will be “worth
the wait.” Shop owners Kent and
Kristy Lincoln have been busy com-
pletely remodeling the inside of the
shop since February 2023, and at the
time of this printing have had their
first building inspections. If all goes
well, you will soon see the location
transformed into a proper Belgian
chocolate shop with over 70 different
pieces of chocolate. When they do
open, stop in and sign up for free tast-
ings… until then, visit them at www.
loveandchocolateshop.com.
Rockridge Biz, see next page

Love + Chocolate will open as soon
final inspections are complete.


THE
page 12
SEPTEMBER 2023

Welcome to
CLARADISE!
Rockridge Biz,
from previous page
The Xocolate
Bar (5854 College
Avenue), an indepen-
dent, Latina-owned
small business
established in 2006,
is a purveyor of
artisan chocolates
and confections.
Their highly-anticipated
opening of Xocolate Bar
is designed to captivate
and delight customers
from the moment they
step inside.
“This store is the
culmination of 15 years
of hard work,” said
Malena Lopez-Maggi,
co-founder and owner
of The Xocolate Bar.
“We will finally have a venue for
showcasing not only our handmade
chocolates but also the world’s
best candies, ethical-craft chocolate,
and artist-made goods inspired by
sweet treats.”
They are planning to open later
this month. To stay informed of their
progress, follow them on Instagram
(@xocolatebar) or join their email list
for an invitation to their grand open-
ing celebration.
Opening Hours: 7 days, 11am-
5pm. For additional information,
visit www.xocobar.com.
Internationally unknown comedian
Clara Bijl and host of the Nuthouse
at The Golden Squirrel produced a
43-minute comedy album, recorded at
the venue at a May 2023 performance.
In Welcome to Claradise!, Bijl dis-
cusses living in the Bay Area, raising
kids in Berkeley, sex ed, wine, Trump
supporters, and her dog (to hear her
discuss her cats, check out her first
album). Paul Simon may have sung
about 50 ways to leave your lover;
Clara will share one way to leave your
husband because she’s efficient. She
discusses all these topics with ease
and relatability, making this album
sound more like a conversation (where
Clara’s the only one talking) rather
than a recording.
“I always thought that 43 minutes
was a nice round number for a
comedy album. Not to worry, there
are 60 minutes worth of jokes packed
in these 43 minutes. This album is
efficient, compact, and clean. This
album would be 23 minutes if the
people in the audience weren’t laugh-
ing so much.”
You can see her upcoming per-
formances at The Golden Squirrel,
Wednesdays at 8pm and Satur-
days at 8:30pm. To listen to her
album and to learn more about her
live shows, be sure to visit her web-
site, https://www.iloveclara.com/. n
Xocolate Bar staff celebrate getting the keys
to their new space in Rockridge.
The Yoni Temple (5831 College)
reclocated to Rockidge in 2022 after ten
years on Berkeley’s Telegraph Avenue.
The shop attracts clients of all ages,
backgrounds, abilities, and genders.
Their talented estheticians are not
only highly experienced, but most
of them also have a background in
health and holistic healing — adding
to the sacred, nourishing, and
heart-centered approach to wellness.
They offer a distinctive approach to
waxing and use organic single-in-
gredient skin products to maximize
results — they specialize in Brazilian
waxing. Curated music completes the
overall nourishing ambiance.
“The Yoni Temple has become a
home, a safe space where our clients
can forge a deep connection with
Market talk: Rates remain about 6.5%-7.25% for qualified buyers/properties, with most economic forecasts suggesting they will
come down toward year end and into 2024.
Inventory of homes is still lower than prior years but increasing from a lower summer point.
Rockridge Biz, see next page
Sold:           5206 Lawton Ave (2) 2BD 1BA units listed @$1,695,000, Sold @ $1,925,000
Pending:     5588Taft.com 4BD 3BA + bonus rms listed @$1,995,000, Sold w/multiple offers well over asking.
Available:   5978 Margarido Dr 3BD+ 3BA 2,200sqft+ view home, remodeled, updated systems Call for price!
ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
September Awareness: Hispanic Heritage, Blood Cancers, Library Card Sign-up, Suicide Prevention, Alzheimer's, Forgiveness,
Food Bank, Grandparents, Encouragement, Positive Thinking, Self-Care
5366 College Ave.
at Manila
510-597-5017
HAPPY AUTUMN!
Hours:
Mon, Thurs, Sat 10am to 5:30pm
Tuesday and Wednesday - 10am to 8pm
Closed on Sundays
Find more information at 
www.oaklandlibrary.org/events.


THE

page 13
SEPTEMBER 2023

in the spring of next year.
“This spot is my dream location.
I couldn’t imagine a better street
corner. I was born and raised in New
York, but my aunt and uncle lived in
Rockridge when I was growing up.
I always spent a lot of time in the
neighborhood. I love that my whole
family already knows exactly where
we’ll be opening up shop.”
Her outlandish flavors like Sucker
Punch (sour lemon ice cream with
lemon curd and sugar cookie chunks)
and Campfire (super-burnt marsh-
mallow ice cream with candied Rice
Krispies and bourbon fudge ripples)
showcase her creative adult spin on
childhood favorites.
These and more will be available by
the scoop or by the pint. Visit https://
www.badwalters.com/ to keep abreast
of their progress. n
Rockridge Biz, from previous page
themselves and feel a sense of belong-
ing,” says founder Ashley Apple. “Our
waxing technique incorporates body
mechanics and energetic awareness so
clients can relax into the experience
with little to no discomfort.” The shop
is open Mon to Fri from 11am to 7pm,
and Sat/Sun from 10am-5pm, visit
https://www.theyonitemple.com/.
La Esquinita (5400 College
Avenue) is restaurateur Thomas
Schnetz’s newest venture. After many
notable successes (Xolo, Tacubaya,
Doña Tomas, and Flora), Schnetz took
over the old Filippo’s location, painted
the façade bright pink, and now
serves up curated tacos — each with a
unique salsa and topping.
They have already earned more
than four stars on Yelp and boast
reasonable prices, good-sized por-
tions, and fast service. You may
recognize employees Jorge Rosales
and Juan Zarate Jr. who came with
Schnetz from Xolo. They are open
Tues-Sat, from 11am to 8pm; Sundays
from 11am to 3pm.
Sydney Arkin wants her ice cream
shop to be known for wild creativity.
Bad Walter’s Bootleg Ice Cream
(5800 College Avenue) was born
in Sydney Arkin’s living room as
an underground popup. After being
laid off from her job as a creative
director for an ad agency during the
pandemic, Arkin found herself most
concerned about the ice cream supply
chain being disrupted. “Just the fear
of it sent me learning how to make ice
cream from scratch.”
She started selling pints from her
apartment, and, after much success
and support she is planning to open
her first brick-and-mortar shop at the
former location of Smitten sometime
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:
ReUp Refill Shop
Introduces “Senior Day”
• Estate planning

• Probate / trust administration

• Dispute resolution
Every Wednesday,
seniors get 10 percent
off all purchases.
• Special needs trusts
Open: 11am to 7pm, Mon. to Fri.
 11am to 6pm, Sat. and Sun.
6025 College Avenue
Please contact me during regular business hours to
      schedule an appointment.


THE
page 14
SEPTEMBER 2023

African Art Exhibit at
Soma Art + Space
Sthe continent and the diaspora. They
all wanted to recreate the unstuffy
and unintimidating art space they had
in South Africa — encouraging new
collectors and art explorers to learn
and talk about exceptional, original
artwork without the pretence of a
traditional gallery.
oma Art + Space is the newest
addition to Rockridge. Located
at 5289 College Avenue near Broad-
way, the contemporary gallery
features local artists
as well as artists from
Southern Africa.
The art space
first opened in
Johannesburg, South
Africa — known as
a city where young
artists gather from
across the continent.
Soma represents
many things —
Greek for “body,”
a ritual drink from
ancient India, plea-
sure-seeking tablets
in Aldous Huxley’s
Brave New World,
and a reference to
the downtown artsy
neighborhood of
Maboneng, where the
gallery was located (with a wink to
South of Market in San Francisco).
Gallery owners Tanya Pampalone
and Roman Slepica relocated to
Rockridge from Johannesburg during
the pandemic and continue to work
with curator Teboho Relasai, who
is known for his collaborations with
emerging and established artists from
Relasai has curated the gallery’s
first exhibition, “Joburg Abstracted,”
featuring five young artists from
Southern Africa which will coincide
with the official launch of the gal-
lery space on Friday, September 15.
It explores the complexities of the
modern African identity and themes
like migration, urbanization, spiritu-
ality, and global interconnectedness.
The exhibit will run through October.
“The show challenges conventional
perceptions of African art, which have
often been confined to representations
of tribal masks, wildlife, and folklore,”
says Relasai about the exhibition.
“The artists draw from their heritage
while also responding to the rapidly
changing socio-political landscape of
the 21st century.”
Soma is open Thursdays through
Sundays, and is available for intimate
gatherings or as an exhibition space
for local artists. For info about the
launch, exhibition or event space, visit
somaartgallery.com, or email Roman
at roman@somaartgallery.com. n


THE

page 15
SEPTEMBER 2023

List your 36-word message here for only $22 (phone number counts
as one word). Make check payable to RCPC, and write “Rockridge
News Classifieds” in the memo line. The deadline for October is
Sept 21 (available Oct. 7). Mail to: RCPC, 4900 Shattuck Ave., PO
Box 22504, Oakland, 94609-20131. For more information, email Susan
at smontauk@gmail.com.
HIRING BRAIN GAMES
INSTRUCTORS
For Seniors throughout the Bay
Area Assisted Living and Memory
Care, $25-$50 a hour. Visit:  www.
californiagamegirls.com and click yellow
box WE ARE HIRING, upper right on
homepage for details. cagamegirls@gmail.
com; 925/212.4642.
Classifieds
RN
Penelope’s Aesthetics!
It’s warm. Fall is around the corner and
your body is exposed. Oh my, time to
wax! Private cottage salon in a relaxing
garden setting. Now offering 10% off
waxing services! Penelopecalef.com
510/594-1552.
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.
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. n
Plan for 2023 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.
Shop ROCKRIDGE
Reward-Based Dog Training
Does your adolescent pup need help
with basic obedience, leash manners
or impulse control? We offer private
training customized to help your dog
succeed! Please call 510/646-9657 or
visit dogsquaddogtraining.com for more
information and to get started.
Space and Stuff Organizing 
Feeling overwhelmed in your home,
garage, or office? Stuff taking up too much
valuable real estate? Let me help!  $35/
hour, free consults. Vanessa @ 510/917-
0783 or Vvpratt2@gmail.com.

 
		

		
   
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      ­€ ‚   
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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. CA Lic # 913727
www.blwfloors.com.
DRE 01265873 | 01798658

Competition Drives Price in June
Closing date
BR
BA

Address                                Original price         List price
DOM
Selling price
6/5/2023
4
4.5

5970 Canning St                      $2,050,000         $2,050,000
13
$2,800,000
6/6/2023
3
2

5844 Broadway                       $1,398,400         $1,398,400
15
$1,975,000
Electrical Remodels and Repairs
Does your apartment building need
electrical work? 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.
6/6/2023
3
2.5

428 Cavour St                          $1,425,000         $1,425,000
14
$1,425,000
6/12/2023
2
1

5230 Miles Avenue                    $899,000            $899,000
13
 $1,100,000
6/13/2023
2
1

400 Avon St                                $600,000            $600,000
18
   $680,000
Home sold in June closed 25% over the asking price on average.
Specializing in Rockridge | 510.459.4338 | MotleyTeam.com
Want the highest possible price? Call us and we will show you how we will get it!
Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01866771. All material presented herein is intended for
informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No


THE

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