Extracted text · highlighting “Jeff Small”

The

rockridge.org

VOL 41
VOL 41    •    NO. 4
NO. 4    •    ISSUE  NO. 440
ISSUE  NO. 440    •    APRIL 4, 2026
APRIL 4, 2026
                 CIRCULATION:
CIRCULATION: 6,700 R
6,700 RESIDENCES
ESIDENCES; 200 B
; 200 BUSINESSES
USINESSES

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

Chivalry Isn’t Dead; It’s Right Down College Avenue

by Madeleine Turner,
Senior at Oakland Tech
In a not-so-distant kingdom, tucked
deep inside the Rockridge BART
parking lot, lies a land where swords
are wielded, battles are waged, armor is
worn and principality is everything.
Started 60 years ago in Rockridge’s
own backyard, the Society for Creative
Anachronism (SCA) is an internation-
al organization of royal knights that
encourages participants to study history
and live it—by way of battle, art and
honor. SCA has grown to 20 kingdoms
across North America, Europe, Asia
(Japan, Thailand), South Africa and
Oceania, with 30,000 paying members
and an estimated 60,000 participants.
Anachronism, continued page 8

“RO” illustration by Laura Serra
Sparring SCA swordsmen Ryan “Heath” Hoffman and Bobby Hrousis    |     photo by James Sinclair

Bungalows to Mid-Rise: Senate Bill 79
and Rockridge’s New Skyline?

2026 RCPC
Annual Meeting
Presenting the:
Rockridge Community
Vision Plan (CVP)
at the Rockridge Library
Thursday, April 23
7 pm:
Refreshments & meet
your neighbors
7:30 pm:
RCPC presentation of the CVP
& sign-up for Action Groups
RSVP here
or
Rockridge.org/cvp

by Tom Lollini, FAIA, RCPC Land Use Committee Chair
Starting July 1, 2026, a new state
law (SB 79) requires cities to allow
taller, denser apartment buildings
near major transit hubs like Rockridge
BART. Because Rockridge cannot
avoid these changes, Oakland City
Council is updating local land-use
plans, aiming to moderate the po-
tential impact on residential neigh-
borhoods by shifting new, denser
residential development to existing
commercial mixed-use corridors.
SB 79’s approach is known as Tran-
sit-Oriented Development (TOD),
which concentrates housing and jobs
around transit hubs, increasing transit
use, reducing traffic and emissions,
and creating diverse, cohesive neigh-
borhoods. The law also mandates that
7-13% of units are affordable for proj-
ects with more than 10 units, protects
historic resources and requires prevail-
ing wages for construction workers on
structures taller than 85 feet.
Oakland has eight BART Stations
and 38 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
stops that are affected. The law allows
housing to be built on any property
within a half mile of a transit stop.
For heavy rail stations, like Rockridge
BART, height limits are increased to
95 feet (nine stories) within 200 feet of
the station entrance, to 75 feet (seven
stories) within ¼ mile and to 65 feet
(six stories)  within ½ mile.
SB 79, continued page 4

●  2026 RCPC Election Update, page 10   ●  Soi 4 Turnip Cakes, page 7    ●  Painted Leopard Coffee, page 12
INSIDE:


The

April 2026
page 2

Oakland Tech
Basketball’s
Deep Run
by Liam
     Pierce
For Earth Day:
Join the Frog Park
Cleanup!
Both the boys and girls Oakland
Tech basketball teams made deep
runs into their season before bowing
out, each coming one win short of
State championship appearances.
On March 10, the Tech girls’ team—
No. 4 in Division II CIF NorCal—
played two-time defending State cham-
pions Sierra Pacific (No. 2) in the hosts’
hometown of Hanford. As regulation
time ticked down, Tech pulled off a
triumphant five points to level the
game at 53-53, sending them to over-
time. The two teams exchanged leads,
but the Sierra Pacific Golden Bears had
a 9-0 run that helped them pull off a
66-62 win over the Bulldogs.
Sierra Pacific later went on to win
State with a decisive victory over St.
Joseph of Santa Maria at 56-47. The
Tech girls team finished the season with
a record of 21-11, including a 12-game
winning streak after a 9-10 start.
Tech’s No. 6 ranked boys team made
a similar run, playing No. 1 San Joaquin
Memorial in their own Division II CIF
NorCal finals on the same day as the
girls. Despite finishing the first quarter
13-13, San Joaquin came back with a
punishing 18-0 run against the visiting
Bulldogs. San Joaquin finished with a
30-point victory at 74-44.
The boys team ended their season
ranked No. 45 in California across all
divisions and the girls team finished at
No. 53, per MaxPreps—impressive
feats for a school that doesn’t have a
big enough student population to play
in Division I. ●
by Theresa Nelson,
Frog Park co-founder
Rockridge neighbors and former City Councilmember
Treva Reid (right) at clean up
This year for Earth Day, do some-
thing good for Rockridge: volun-
teer at the Frog Park Earth Day Cleanup
on Saturday, April 18 from 9 a.m. to
noon. As part of this national com-
munity-based workday to take care of
our parks and wild places, the Friends
of the Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt
(FROG) is sponsoring this cleanup at
our neighborhood park. This clean-
up is family-friendly, for all ages and
FROG will supply tools and gloves, as
well as snacks and coffee from gen-
erous Rockridge and Temescal mer-
chants. Please bring your own water
bottle (to reduce plastic waste).
Together we’ll weed, trim, sweep, sift
sand, rake leaves and eucalyptus, and
spruce up the play structures. We’ll
also clean up the dog park and basket-
ball court. Students needing service
hours for school can receive signatures
on their forms. Sign in and be de-
ployed by the Big Frog play structure.
Please join us to make this corner of
the earth a bit brighter on Earth Day. ●
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Rockridge News
The
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.
Rockridge News Production
Liam Pierce.........................Editor & Layout Artist
Susan Montauk...............Business & Distribution Mgr.
RCPC Board of Directors, 2026
Casey Farmer...............................................Chair
Star Lightner.........................................Vice Chair
Jana Good.............................................Secretary
Paul McDonnell......................................Treasurer
Mark Aaronson, Gary Barg, Kristen Belt,
Eli Kaplan, Tom Lollini, Robbie Tasker,
Zack Walton, Kim Suczynski Smith.
Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
Contacting The Rockidge News
Are there topics you’d like to see covered in
the Rockridge News? Have questions about
newsletter distribution? Want to volunteer to
be a Rockridge News distributor? We’d love to
hear from you.
Letters to the Editor
Letters are limited to 200 words & published
at the editor's discretion in the order received.
Send letters to: editor@rockridge.org. Please
include name, email and street of residence.
Deadline is the 11th of each month for the
upcoming newsletter.
All submissions accepted for publication are
subject to editing for clarity and brevity. The
Rockridge News reserves the right to refuse any
articles, letters or advertisements.
Newsletter Subscriptions
For a yearly subscription to the Rockridge
News, send your check for $22, payable to
RCPC with “Rockridge News” noted on the
memo line.
Mail payment to: RCPC, 4900 Shattuck Ave.,
PO Box 22504, Oakland, CA, 94609
ADVERTISING DEADLINE for MAY 2026:
APRIL 16, 2026
Rates: $32/column inch ($28 for b/w)
6-month pre-pay discounts available.
For display ads and classifieds:
Email Susan Montauk: smontauk@gmail.com
Views expressed in published articles
do not necessarily reflect those of the
Rockridge News, its editor or the board of
directors of RCPC. ●


The

April 2026
page 3

Kitchen Tour: Seeking Volunteers
by Star Lightner, RCPC Vice Chair

Some of the kitchens that were toured in 2024’s event     |     photos by Benedicte Rodet ( left and center ) and Sky Lanigan ( right )

Hello Rockridge! While it’s still a
ways off, we are starting to plan
the biennial 2026 Rockridge Kitchen
Tour, which will likely happen the first
or second weekend of October.
Right now, we’d love two things from
you: First, we’re looking for kitchens to
be on the tour. As with our extremely
successful 2024 tour, we are looking for
a diversity of kitchens in terms of style,
cost and function. We want to see your
style—no aesthetic restrictions! Cost
is immaterial here: many kitchens are
very expensive to remodel, but maybe
you did it on a shoestring.
There can even be diversity of func-
tion: maybe your kitchen is partic-
ularly small, or you have decided to
focus on energy efficiency. Moreover, it
doesn’t have to be all about the faucets
and knobs; it can also be about struc-
ture. Maybe you moved walls, repur-
posed spaces or changed the flow.
In short, there is no template and no
specific type of kitchen we are looking
for. Just as Rockridge is not a static and
unchanging place, neither is the Kitch-
en Tour. Many people were excited to
see ADUs on several previous tours,
and the RCPC Board is enthusiastic
about continuing to highlight them.
Thus, if you have a new ADU that you
would like to have on the tour, please
who can create the tour brochure,
which consists of photos and descrip-
tions of each house or ADU and ads
from our sponsors. We have a template
and many past brochures as examples.
We also need a photographer to pho-
tograph the kitchens and ADUs. More
volunteer opportunities will be high-
lighted in the May Rockridge News but
please let us know if you are interested
in either of these two important roles.
Please email kitchentour@rockridge.
org with kitchen or ADU candidates,
feedback on the Kitchen Tour or to
volunteer. Thanks! ●
let us know.
We are also interested in your feed-
back: what are some things you would
like to see (or not?) on the Kitchen
Tour? The Kitchen Tour is RCPC’s only
fundraiser and its main source of fund-
ing, and we would like to hear from
you about how we can make it even
better, whatever that means to you.
Second, and just as important, we
need VOLUNTEERS! The Kitchen
Tour has a lot of moving parts and
volunteers make all of them work and
run smoothly. To begin with, we need
someone with InDesign experience


The

April 2026
page 4

The change in Rockridge’s residential density is perhaps the most
impactful aspect of this law, as seen in the case study below:
SB 79, continued from cover
The law’s height and density targets
apply the same standards, regardless of
current density or land use. The impact
perimeter of Rockridge BART’s zoning
includes a substantial portion of our
lower density post-1910 residential
neighborhood. (See map)
Oakland City Council is seeking
exclusions for 44 of its 46 transit hub
sites. These include “low resource”
neighborhoods (such as those along
the International Boulevard BRT
corridor) and Specific Plan Areas (such
as downtown), where current zoning
allows at least 50% of the minimum
densities required under the new law.
The City says “alternative plans” for
those sites will be developed by 2032 in
the Housing Element Update.
Rockridge, MacArthur and Ashby
BART station impact areas are all
considered “high resource” areas and
therefore are not eligible for these
exclusions. Hence, the city council
strategy of using the ongoing General
Plan Update process to moderate the
new law’s impact on traditional resi-
dential neighborhoods in these transit
hub zones. These plans are expected to
be complete in 2027.
(See D1 Councilmember Zac Unger’s
Statement on SB 79 at Rockridge.org)
and material costs, lengthy planning
approval processes and a scarcity of
low-interest funding. A veteran of
the Oakland Planning Commission
recently said that, while clearing out
his archives, he threw away thousands
of units of “approved” housing projects
that were never built.
SB 79 aims to address the planning
approval process, but it will likely fail
to create abundant and affordable
housing without robust public tools
like land acquisition, tax exemptions
and concerted efforts to secure low-in-
terest financing—whether public or
private. Europe has many affordable
housing development models that have
succeeded for generations.
Regarding local housing capacity,
the 2023 Oakland Housing Element
and Zoning Ordinance Update has
already identified sites in or proxi-
mate to Rockridge for 2,000 to 3,000
new units—a 20% to 30% population
increase. Examples include the mixed
used corridors along Broadway, Col-
lege, Claremont and Telegraph ave-
nues, as well as vacant underutilized
Though the financial feasibility of
investing in small-lot development
may be questionable in the current
construction cost and financing mar-
ket, SB 79 opens avenues for smaller
investors to get in the game of creating
new housing “as-of-right,” and yielding
transformative change over time, a
primary intention of the law.
Given the City’s strategic decision,
the process of updating the General
Plan Land Use Element—currently
underway—is the most critical path to
shift some of this potentially dramatic
change in residential areas into the
mixed-use commercial corridors and
large underutilized properties.
Why do we need so much housing?
Since the mid-70s, California’s pop-
ulation has surged by 19 million, yet
only 4 to 5 million new housing units
have been built, leading to a chron-
ic shortage of housing in the State
and skyrocketing prices. During that
same period, Rockridge home prices
increased from an inflation-adjusted
$300,000 to over $1.5 million.
While intense population growth
fuels demand for housing, supply has
been constrained by rising land, labor
SB 79, continued next page
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The

April 2026
page 5

Rockridge BART Station SB 79 Impact Area: Building Height

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Rockridge Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)
SB 79 Site Exclusion Analysis — by Tom Lollini
Sites excluded based on zoning under gov. code §65912.161(b)(1)(A) (50% density and residential floor area ratio)

parcels like the California College of
the Arts site and The Ridge at Pleasant
Valley and Broadway. It also assumes
growth in accessory dwelling units and
other increases in residential neigh-
borhood densities as a result of modest
height increases.
However, SB 79 treats housing solely
as a commodity, rather than placemak-
ing. It ignores the context, character
and quality of neighborhoods and the
need for additional services, infra-
structure and recreation space that in-
tensified development might demand
by focusing principally on the mobility
systems that serve us.
The Rockridge Community Planning
Council (RCPC) will soon be pub-
lishing the Community Vision Plan
(CVP) with a presentation scheduled
at RCPC’s Annual Meeting on April
23 (see cover for details). The CVP
will provide a blueprint for advocacy
in working with the City on multiple
planning issues, and it is our hope that
this will engage our neighbors and
move us to an approach more respon-
sive to the context of our neighbor-
hood, building a stronger community
in the process.
The General Plan Land Use &
Transportation Element for Oakland’s
General Plan framework comment
period is Mar. 9 to April 23. ●
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The

April 2026
page 6

Farewell Message from the RCPC Chair
of homelessness, which is a very small
demographic in our high-resource
neighborhood. Second, to send a clear
message that we support affordable
housing here. The Rockridge commu-
nity responded with remarkable gener-
osity, contributing thousands of dollars
and affirming a shared commitment to
inclusion across all income levels.
by Casey Farmer, RCPC Chair
Selfie from Rockridge News volunteer celebration
Information Sharing
After new legislation streamlined the
process for building Accessory Dwell-
ing Units (ADUs), RCPC recognized
that many residents were interested in
building these types of units on their
properties—but didn’t know where
to start. We held a Town Hall with
experts and later hosted an “ADUs and
Brews” mixer at The Golden Squirrel,
where neighbors could connect with
architects and design teams.
I
Envisioning the Future of Rockridge
RCPC launched our Community
Vision Plan with months of collecting
feedback and engagement meetings
focused on the topics of housing,
mobility, open space, community
activities and sustainability and resil-
ience. The process cultivated hundreds
of ideas about how to improve the
neighborhood. This was a huge lift for
an all-volunteer board. We are pleased
to present the final draft on Thursday,
April 23 at 7pm at the library. Please
join us for refreshments with your
neighbors, followed by a short presen-
tation and opportunity to learn more
about how YOU can participate in im-
plementing these Community Vision
Plan initiatives—including improving
emergency preparedness throughout
the neighborhood, creating more open
space to increase seating and greenery,
and advocating for housing on key
opportunity sites such as the DMV
parking lot. (More on the Community
Vision Plan Town Hall on the cover.)
. joined the RCPC board seven years
. ago because I have a passion for
community building, and I cherish our
Rockridge neighborhood. Alongside
my fellow board members, I’ve planted
trees, coordinated public art projects,
directed traffic of costumed families
at the Halloween Parade, informed
the community through our publica-
tion, The Rockridge News, and
engaged countless residents in
discussions about guiding the neigh-
borhood’s growth.
As I reflect on my service, I’d like to
highlight ways we have made mean-
ingful impact and how RCPC has
evolved as a neighborhood orga-
nization. RCPC continues to focus
on transportation and quality of life
issues, but has refined its land use
advocacy to also include supporting
new housing (in addition to our focus
on promoting ground floor retail along
College Avenue). Advocating for hous-
ing is a change from RCPC’s founding
which occurred soon after the con-
struction of Highway 24 and BART.
RCPC originally focused on retaining
the “character” of Rockridge, including
craftsman homes, small businesses and
a pedestrian-friendly character. Forty
years later, with a vast housing crisis
now confronting us, RCPC’s advo-
cacy efforts today must reflect new
and modified priorities. (Per recent
community feedback through the
Community Vision Plan, Rockridge
residents largely support the creation
of new housing.)
Advocacy to the City
In 2023, RCPC advocated for more
housing in Rockridge through the
City’s Housing Element process. We
flagged housing opportunity sites,
urged upzoning on College Avenue
and articulated our desire for more
affordable housing.
Thank you to the RCPC Board
members I’ve had the pleasure of lead-
ing with. RCPC is currently led by a
dynamic team who will soon be joined
by four fantastic new members.

See you around the neighborhood,
Casey Farmer ●
Welcoming New Neighbors
In 2020, when Oakland purchased
the CCA dorm (5276 Broadway) for
the purposes of transitional housing,
RCPC launched a fundraiser to pro-
vide the new residents with supplies
for their units. Our goal was two-
fold. First, to activate the Rockridge
neighborhood to welcome these new
neighbors to our community; the res-
idents of Clifton Hall are low-income
seniors and families transitioning out


The

April 2026
page 7

Turnt Up for Turnip Cakes at Soi 4
by Galen Wilson
The East Asian food scene in Oak-
land is hot (literally and figurative-
ly) with stalwarts like Champa Garden
and newer sister restaurants Daughter
Thai and Farmhouse Kitchen, to name
a few. If you were to jump in the DeLo-
rean and turn the clock back 25 years,
you would find what some would call
the anchor of quality for Thai food in
Oakland, Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery.
In 2001, a Chronicle review opened
with “Soi 4 is going to turn the East
Bay’s idea of Thai food on its head,”
and since then it has been doing
consistently great Thai food out of its
stylish digs at 5421 College Ave.
I bring up the article because the one
dish it panned happens to be one of my
favorites and a Best Bite in our neigh-
borhood: the Kanom Pak Gard, more
famously known by its stage name,
Turnip Cakes. Maybe they improved it
after the article or maybe I have differ-
ent taste than the reviewer, but I love
these turnip cakes unabashedly.
While more often associated with
dim sum, Soi 4’s rendition of turnip
cakes blends flavors that can be hard
to pin down. If you don’t know what
you are eating, you might think it is
tofu or even fish.
The turnip cakes’ pièce de résistance
is their texture, which comes from a
process of steaming and then pan-fry-
ing them to achieve a warm and soft
photo courtesy of Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery
inside and crispy outside.
Soi 4 does many other great dishes,
some traditional to americanized Thai
food and some unique fusion takes.
(I’ve recently rekindled a fling with
their coconut braised pork shoulder,
which never disappoints.) As I’ve
noted in past columns of this vener-
able publication, I feel lucky to live
within walking distance of so many
great restaurants. But I often fall into
the trap of obsessing over new places
(at the risk of firing off a hot take that
is spicier than a bird’s eye chili: Oken
may be a top 5 restaurant in the whole
Bay Area)—and sometimes forget to
appreciate the places that have been
putting out consistently great food for
a quarter-century.
Did I mention Soi 4 has a great bar
with excellent cocktails to complement
their menu? Cheers to you, Soi 4. ●

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The

April 2026
page 8

Draped in leather and
metal, the knights’ week-
ly battles all add up to
tournaments and wars.
Wars run anywhere from
four days to two weeks,
with fighters often trav-
eling hours cross-king-
dom to participate and
in some cases, on other
continents entirely.
“Before you pick a
particular armor, look
around and do some re-
search,” said Dr. Robert
“of Woodsende” Holland, noting how
there’s a lot to choose from the Middle
Ages’ 1,000 year span. Robert of Wood-
sende started attending some of the first
SCA events in 1977 at age 18. “We all be-
come amateur historians.”
Robert of Woodsende recalled one
knight who was so strict to his time pe-
riod that he lived each day as if it were
exactly 800 years in the past. Robert of
Woodsende said the man was distraught
in 1999, when it meant—eight centuries
before a Y2K scare—that big changes
were afoot, including Richard I dying
and all of the fashions changing.
SCA participants are endowed with
awards for anything from swordfight-
ing to sewing, painting, music, cooking
and mead brewing. Sometimes there are
feasts—cooked with medieval methods
and ingredients—without any fighting
at all. Above all, SCA emphasizes honor:
doing good for the goodness of your king-
dom and yourself, as opposed to glory.
“Are you kind; are you
courteous; are you help-
ful?” said Buffy, mundanely:
Bruce Bufkin. “Do you stand
up and say something when
someone is being contrary
or mean or bullied?”
The knights also strive for
inclusivity.
“I’m a proud Pride parent,”
said Bren Keely (Jenny Pi-
co-Moy), who started SCA
at age 52 after kidney sur-
gery. “It’s important to me
that the things I’m involved
in are open to people.”
And inclusivity builds com-
munity. Despite members of
Anachronism, continued from cover
Whilst partying like t’was 1399, the first
SCA gathering took place in Berkeley in
1966—a tournament of knight fights at
someone’s house, purely for fun. But the
hunger for battle spread like wildfire and
the event became so popular that SCA
became a recurring affair.
In the ‘70s, they moved their opera-
tions to the patch of dirt that would later
become the Rockridge BART parking
lot. Today, this small slice of the past has
grown into a branching network of sub-
divisions (the Rockridge BART fights
belong to the Province of the Mists) and
a complex administrative hierarchy that
is, above all, mindful of insurance.
“When it comes to hitting people with
sticks I kinda know what I’m doing,”
said Sandor a Naposparti, or Robert
Crabbs—if you prefer to call him by his
legal, ‘mundane name’ as SCA calls it.
“Some people like being hurt.”
Every Thursday evening in Rock-
ridge, from 7–10 p.m., medieval-style
sword fighting brings LARPers together.
LARPing (or live action role-playing)
is where one brings their own fictional
character to life through acting, typically
in a group or game setting. However, for
these knights, this is no game.
With rattan swords and ruling lords,
they are a full-fledged monarchy—com-
plete with Kings, Queens, Dukes and
Duchesses. The crowning of a new king
and queen happens every six months,
and the path to the crown is through
some good old fashioned combat.
Duke Sigifrith (Ben Hitz) warming up ‘gainst his Rivian  |   photo by James Sinclair
SCA being worldwide, one would believe
they grew up under the same turret.
Yseult (Deborah St. James) and Bren
met through SCA and have a unique
mentor and cadet relationship. Yseult,
73, specializes in combat, clothing and
painting. Ornamented on her shield
is an illustration of a dragon to repre-
sent herself. Robert of Woodsende has a
nod on Yseult’s shield through a merged
family crest—they met through SCA
and are married. And in a corner she
painted her cadet’s dragonfly, a symbol
Bren chose because of the insect’s fre-
quent appearances in her life.
“I wanted to learn from a teacher who
understood women’s body mechanics,
so I approached Yseult,” said Bren, not-
ing that Yseult was reluctant at first. “But
I kept nibbling away like a dragonfly; I
wouldn’t go away.”
For anyone interested, the Province of
the Mists has gear and swords for thee to
borrow, and is extremely kind towards
those who are looking for battle. Howev-
er, if you are a man-at-arms, you should
probably bring your own codpiece.
On a recent Thursday in March, a
young knight named Heath (Ryan Hoff-
man) from Livermore spent 20 minutes
dressing himself in heavy armor—a dif-
ferent division of fighting than Bren and
Yseult’s lighter rapier class. He showed
off his self-made scale armor and de-
scribed how, in 2020, he meticulously
shaped his regular speaking voice to
have an Irish lilt. That was well before
joining SCA only 13 months ago.
“I am a new fighter—younger age than
most—but the intergenerational aspect
of it feels very appropriate,” Heath said.
“What, with history being passed on.”  ●
Robert of Woodsende (Dr. Robert Holland) bestowing advice ‘pon
youngling Bobby Hrousis   |   photo by James Sinclair


photos by Carol Kasparek       |       Layout by Stephen Coles

Congratulations, Volunteers; Celebrating 40 Years    by Carol Kasparek

The first weekend of every month,
the stories of your neighbors and
neighborhood arrive at your door.
The Rockridge News—with its crisp
columns and full color photos—is
delivered to every residence and retail
establishment by a legion of people.
Eighty-five of those intrepid folks were
honored on March 21, with a lunch
and festivities at the majestic Masonic
Lodge on College Avenue. Some over
80 years old, some under 12—month
after month, they all complete their
assigned route as part of an inspired
system developed by Don Kinkead at
the paper’s inception.
RCPC Board Chair Casey Farmer
and Business Manager Susan Montauk
led the program as the faces of volun-
teers appeared on a screen behind them.
“Your dedication and consideration
make my job a joy and guarantee that
this wonderful tradition will prevail,”
declared Montauk. Farmer noted that
the volunteers are key to preserving the
precious resource of local news.
Guests gathered before the program
in the dining room, greeted friends
and met many of their fellow Rock-
ridge volunteers for the first time. They
shared tales of the neighborhood and
their Rockridge News jobs while enjoy-
ing a scrumptious lunch from Market
Hall Catering. Oakland City Council
member Zac Unger dropped by and
greeted guests, expressing his respect
for this amazing group in his district.
He even helped with the food service
and clean-up!
Thanks again to all who help to
distribute The Rockridge News: the
bundlers who prepare the newsletters
for delivery; the Marshals and District
Captains who deliver the boxes and
bundles to the Block Captains; those
Block Captains who place a newsletter
on the doorstep of every house on their
routes. Thanks also to the talented
writers and editors who so ably tell
our stories and the advertisers who
help to fund all of our efforts. We are
indeed fortunate to have so many
people invested in carrying on this
40-year-old tradition. ●
Appleberry
Appleberry
PLU
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PLUMBING
Local Rockridge Market Summary
Mid March snapshot showed 9 active, 9 pending and
13 sold detached single family homes. Average sold
price was $2.3m, Median price was $2.15m, Average
days on market was 12. There are plenty of buyers
out despite a small temporary bump in rates.
Feel free to contact me for a valuation of your home!
April is awareness month for Diversity, Autism,
Earth, Child Nutrition, Keep America Beautiful,
Hope, Volunteerism, Wildlife
We go with the flow!
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The

April 2026
page 10

Greater Rockridge Neighborhood
Crime Prevention Council
Next NCPC Meeting:
Thurs. April 9, | 7 p.m.
We hope to have brief presentations
by local OPD officers and a discussion
of local crime and safety issues.
Rockridge Library upstairs conference
room and on Zoom: rockridgencpc.com

2026 RCPC Election Update
A
quick update on the ongoing Rockridge
Community Planning Council (RCPC)
election. Seen below are our six candidates
for the 2026-2028 term. With six openings on
the board and the application deadline
passed, these individuals have won their
election uncontested.
You will find their candidate statements be-
low, and next issue you will find bios for each
of our new board members. Congrats to those
by Robbie Tasker
joining us for the first time: Natalie Musick,
Brian Stromquist, Sam Fishman, Garrick
Monaghan Beyer and to our returning board
members Tom Lollini and Kristen Belt!
I would also like to thank those who are
stepping down from the RCPC board after
multiple years of service: Zack Walton, Eli
Kaplan, Muhammad Alameldin, Kimberly
Suczynski Smith and especially our board
chair Casey Farmer. ●
Natalie Musick

I
’m an environmental planner, former OUSD public
school teacher and current Rockridge renter who is
committed to bringing an enthusiastic energy to the
RCPC board. The beautifully curated open spaces such
as Frog Park, intentionally designed walkways and strong
community of Rockridge are some of my favorite parts
of living in the area, and I look forward to maintaining
these assets even while pushing for more affordable
housing as a member of the board. I currently support
the community through my involvement with Podridge,
one of Rockridge’s community activism groups, and by
participating in the library’s bingo reading events. In my
free time, I can be found running around Lake Temescal,
going down to Monterey for a weekend with Oaktown Divers or facepainting. ●

Rockridge Community
Planning Council
2025 Financial Statement
Income Statement
Income
Contributions
Rockridge News
Interest
Total Income
$  1,034.00
48,432.35
6.85
 $  49,473.30
Expenses
Rockridge News
Contractors
Insurance, taxes
Misc. Admin
Events & Programs
Total Expenses
$ 48,488.73
2,137.50
2,172.00
3,208.26
7,461.56
 $ 63,468.05

I

Sam Fishman

. grew up in the 94618 zip code, spent 13 years
outside the Bay working in international develop-
ment and now work as a sustainability policy expert
at SPUR. I live on Coronado Avenue with my soon-
to-be wife Terri, a neuroscience professor at Mills /
Northeastern. As renters, we know firsthand how hard
it is to access a neighborhood as wonderful as Rock-
ridge—and how life-changing it is when you can.
As a board member, I would bring two priorities:
advocating for new homes and new neighbors so
more Bay Area residents can share in what makes
Rockridge exceptional and leveraging my sustain-
ability expertise to make Rockridge a hub for green
homes—I want to see our neighborhood’s homes
equipped with heat pumps, solar, batteries and induction stoves—and I believe we
can get there faster by working together. ●

Net Receipts
$(13,994.75)
Balance Sheet
Assets: savings/
checking/CD accounts
$ 92,797.43
Equity & Liabilities
Reserve Funds
Equity
$ 52,297.43
54,494.75
 $(13,994.75)
Net Income
$ 92,797.43
Net Equity &
Liabilities
Transitional Kindergarten
coming Fall 2026!
Elevated Academics for TK-8


The

April 2026
page 11

Tom Lollini
Garrick Monaghan Beyer

I
. am an
 .architect
and urban
planner with
30 years of
executive
leadership in
community
and university
development.
Dedicated to creating sustainable, equi-
table environments, my career high-
lights include transforming San Francis-
co’s Embarcadero, co-creating student
housing at UC Berkeley and leading the
development of UC Merced, the world’s
first Zero-Net Energy campus.
Since retiring in 2018 to launch
studiolollini, I have focused on public
advocacy and volunteerism. A Rock-
ridge resident for 16 years, I have
served on the RCPC board for three
years and currently chair the Land Use
Committee. In this role, I helped shape
the Community Vision Plan and
authored articles for The Rockridge
News on state housing laws and neigh-
borhood improvements. I am commit-
ted to a socially responsible approach
to growth, driven by a desire to make
cities better places for everyone to live,
eat, work and play. ●

I

. have dedicated my career to advocacy, pragmatism and  .
 finding opportunities for mutual benefit. As an activist, I ran
field operations for environmental and Democratic campaigns
from Tampa to San Francisco. As a pragmatist, I left campaign
work behind in order to better understand the business of how
housing gets built. And as a problem solver, I’ve championed
win-win programs like Teachers Rooted in Oakland to help
OUSD teachers live in market rate housing developments.
When my wife and I had our son in 2025, Rockridge’s walk-
able streets, beloved neighborhood shops and restaurants became more important
to us than ever before. As he grows up and explores this world, we feel deeply
grateful that he has such a welcoming, vibrant and safe community to launch him
on his journey. I hope to work with my neighbors to continue cultivating a thriv-
ing Rockridge that welcomes new homes and new neighbors. ●

Brian Stromquist

As a dog owner, architect and avid neighbor-
hood explorer, my Rockridge experience is
brought to life by quiet pedestrian moments:
the water bowls outside College Avenue
restaurants, the cut-throughs off Oak Grove,
the encyclopedic inventory of succulents that
line our stoops and sidewalks.
I deeply appreciate this neighborhood for
the richness of its experiences, and as an RCPC
board candidate I’m energized by the prospect
of both celebrating and enhancing them. In my professional life, I work to create
experiences that sit at the intersection of architecture and programming, exploring
the power of buildings to shape the visual character of a neighborhood and acti-
vate the streets and sidewalks around them. I’ll also bring to the board my exten-
sive experience with large-scale stakeholder engagement processes, built on the
idea that the best outcomes happen when every neighbor sees themselves reflected
in the environment around them. ●

Kristen Belt

As an architect and urban designer, I have dedicated my career to creating sustainable urban places,
with a focus on affordable housing. For 25 years, I have worked closely with nonprofit developers,
city officials and neighborhood communities to advance solutions that address our urgent housing
needs while providing meaningful community benefits. During my first term on the board, I was able
to draw on my professional experience to help lead the development of the Community Vision Plan
(CVP), now in its final stages. I was deeply inspired by the strong community participation throughout
the process and the shared commitment to strengthening the vitality of our neighborhood. I am seeking
a second term to support the implementation of the CVP, including helping to organize the board inter-
nally to effectively advance the plan’s key initiatives. I first moved to Rockridge in 2001 while attending
grad school and returned a few years later to raise my children in this beautiful, walkable neighbor-
hood. It would be an honor to continue serving our community through the RCPC Board. ●

WE ARE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS!
M.O.M. is your neighborhood preschool serving children from
32 months to 6 years of age. Rooted in the Montessori method
and philosophy, our comprehensive curriculum empowers
children to grow intellectually, socially, and emotionally.
We offer a distinctive TK program for 4-year-olds.
EMAIL US AT myownmontessori86@gmail.com OR
CALL (510) 652 -5979 TO SCHEDULE AN IN-PERSON TOUR!


The

April 2026
page 12

Painted Leopard’s Salvadoran Café
around Osicala.
“There are very distinct tropical
notes in our coffees that come from the
processing that the farm is equipped to
do,” Campos said. “As well as a result
of the volcanic soils in which the coffee
grows in the mountain range in
El Salvador.”
The Painted Leopard name started
to gain some recognition and they
secured their first long-term pop-up at
the Presidio Tunnel Tops, a gorgeous
new park by the Golden Gate Bridge,
in June 2024. Then, on their second
day there, they were invited to pop up
in a warehouse in Berkeley.
“This guy walked by and he asked,
‘Do you all have a coffee shop?’” Cam-
pos remembered. “Little did he know
that it was our second pop-up ever. We
did not know what we were doing.”
They set up shop there, just off San
Pablo, in August of 2024. They added
the Saturday farmers market at the
Ferry Building in May of 2025, and
then, in July of last year, we contacted
them about working with us out of
Local Economy.
Since then, they opened up another
location at the re-opened RealReal
luxury resale shop on Maiden Lane
off of Union Square in San Francis-
co. Painted Leopard are now going
through hundreds of pounds of coffee
per month as they continue to grow.
To support the new big shop, they’ve
reorganized their teams, and now, the
only place to get Painted Leopard in
the East Bay is right in Rockridge.
If you want to try their incredible
pour-over coffee and espresso drinks—
plus stand-out agua frescas and hot
chocolate—come by Local Economy
any time Wednesday to Saturday, 8:30
a.m. to 2 p.m. ●
by Sarah Rich & Alexis Madrigal
College Avenue has some of the best
coffee shops in the world—there is
something for every kind of coffee lov-
er. The latest addition to the strip is a
new player in coffee, Painted Leopard,
which specializes in coffee from
El Salvador. They run a pop-up inside
our community space, Local Economy,
and we wanted to share their story
with the community.
When cousins Daniel Ortiz and
Claudia Campos were little kids grow-
ing up in the Bay Area, their parents
would take them back to their grand-
mother’s hometown in El Salvador.
There, in the foothills of a mountain
called Cerro Cacahuatique, they’d
travel to the little town of Osicala. This
is El Salvador’s mountainous coffee
region, and the cousins shared a love
for the place.
As they grew up, they went their sep-
arate ways. Ortiz became an industrial
designer working for places like IDEO
and Heath Ceramics. Campos went
to UC Berkeley and got into public
health, working for Alameda County.
But like a lot of people, the pandemic
gave them a moment to consider what
they really wanted to do: start a coffee
company featuring beautiful coffees
from around Osicala.
Beginning in November 2021, they
started to think about the brand they
could build. They were deeply inspired
photo by Octavio Vargas
by the artwork of Fernando Llort, with
its complex whimsy and symbolism,
which permeates the aesthetics of their
memories of El Salvador. Ortiz started
working with different people to bring
Painted Leopard’s vibe into being.
By November 2023, they found
two more team members. Through
a lawyer friend, they met Octavio
Vargas, who was running a coffee shop
in Fresno. He imported and roasted
coffee from Mexico, alongside Vero
Pineda, his partner and the lead barista
at the shop. With that core team, they
launched in November 2023 with a
booth at the San Francisco Coffee
Festival, where they were a hit. They
roasted and still roast out of Oakland,
at a spot called 444 Collaborative, east
of the lake.
What’s special about Salvadoran
coffee from their region? It’s both the
terroir and the processing that’s done
welcome back
TO PRESCHOOL
Register
your interest
today:
The JCC East Bay Preschool has a new home!
In Fall 2026, our award-winning preschool will
be located at the brand new East Bay Jewish
Community Campus in Rockridge.


The

April 2026
page 13

illustration by Laura Serra
Auntie Pancakes (10)—aka:
Tulsa, Stinkus McDinkus,
Dorkus McBorkus, Stinker Pot
Pie—is a rescue basset who
dislikes the police and men
who wear hats. Unrelated: she
likes the band The Police and
dislikes Men Without Hats. She
was bred for hunting, but is a
pacifist and uses her nose to
solve neighborhood mysteries.
One unsolved mystery: why
her paws smell like a perfect
combination of dirt and dog.
●
Misty (15), a McNab Border
Collie / Pit Bull mix, moved
to Rockridge when she was
adopted at age 4 from the
Milo Foundation. She relishes
trotting with her pup pals and
Danny Doggone Walking (also a
Rockridger). The legend is true:
Misty did in fact kill a rat behind
the dumpsters of a long-gone
College Avenue bar—
earning her parents a free beer. ●
Does your furry friend live in Rockridge? If so,
send a photo of your four-legged companion
and short commentary to: editor@rockridge.org
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March 2026
page 14
Rockridge News
Rockridge News
Rockridge News

The
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,
I am dismayed that the Rockridge
News chose to publish Craig Segall’s let-
ter in the March 2026 edition. Out of all
the letters that are received by RN, you
chose to publish a letter that included
(1) calling neighbors a derogatory name
(busybodies), (2) gratuitously invoking
the name of Trump as rage-bait, and
(3) through the overuse of “scare
marks” seeking to make the opinions
of fellow Rockridge residents seem less
than valid concerns.
I’d like to take this opportunity to
remind Mr. Segall and the editor that
democracy depends on civil discourse.
(Note that the first word is civil.)  We
need to have respectful, constructive
conversations that are focused on
understanding differing viewpoints, es-
pecially when discussing public matters.
We need to listen to other viewpoints,
use evidence and facts rather than
assumptions, keep our minds open to
change, and above, all avoid name-call-
ing and personal attacks.
To that end, I encourage all Rock-
ridge residents to go to the website:
6230claremontseniorhousing.com to
learn more. While affordable housing
is desirable, Mr. Segall’s contention that
it is being “demanded” is not correct.
Neighbors are requesting a thoughtful-
ly designed building for both current
residents and our new neighbors.
Tamara Lohrey, Rockwell Street  ●
To whom it may concern,
As a longtime Rockridge resident, I
was happy to read about the discussion
around possible uses of the College
and Claremont Triangle. While many
interesting ideas were raised, I would
like to propose an additional idea that
would benefit our community in many
ways: Let’s use this space to create a
public art venue.
On March 9, 2018, before the
chain-link fences were put up, I
installed a temporary art piece in that
space for the weekend. It was a small
version of a piece that I’d built for
Burning Man a couple of years before,
and it fit the space beautifully. Eleven
30’ tall fiberglass towers covered in
LEDs were installed that night.
BUTTRICK PROJECTS
ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN
www.buttrickprojects.com

The lights on the towers were de-
signed to respond to people grabbing
and pulling on them, and to the voices
and laughter it created. People pic-
nicked under the towers and gazed up
at the sky. From all over the neighbor-
hood people came out to celebrate the
idea of using this space as a place to
showcase the ideas and creativity that
exist in our community.
It’s a blank slate. We have so many
unbelievably talented artists, mak-
ers, builders, and performers here in
Rockridge, and this corner could be a
place to showcase these talents. I hope
that further discussions will include
possible uses of this corner for public
art that can be created and enjoyed by
our dynamic community.
Regards,
Mauricio Bustos, 63rd St.  ●
“Allie is a phenomenal
negotiator and a brilliant
strategist who knows exactly
how to achieve the highest
possible price.”
~ Greg E. Berkeley


March 2026
page 15
Rockridge News
Rockridge News
Rockridge News

The
RN
RN
Rockridge Library
CLASSIFIEDS
CLASSIFIEDS
HARDWOOD FLOORS
Install, sand/refinish, repair, re-coat exist-
ing. Large jobs or small. Twenty-plus years
in Piedmont Ave./Rockridge.
Bruce Williams Woodfloors; CA Lic #913727
Call or text 510-652-8121. blwfloors.com
For Children   (Red = April-only events)
List your 36-word message here for
only $24 (phone #'s count as one word).
Make check payable to RCPC, and write
“Rockridge News Classifieds” in the memo
line. Mail to:
RCPC, 4900 Shattuck Ave.,
P.O. Box 22504, Oakland, 94609-20131.
DIA: Children’s Book Day: Malinky Music with Emilia
Lopez-Yanez: Thursday, April 16, 10:30 a.m. Joyful
bilingual Spanish-English music and movement for ages
0–5. Each child can choose a free book.
90-Second Newbery Film Festival: Saturday, April 18,
12:30 p.m. Come see the best kid-created films that retell
Newbery-Award-winning stories, in under 2 minutes
each. All ages welcome.
Storytime: Thursdays and Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.
PENELOPE’S AESTHETICS
Now offering revitalizing facial treatments.
Providing luminosity, firmness and hydra-
tion for the discerning person putting their
best face forward! Spring is here!
Book your appointment today.
510-594-1552 penelopecalef.com
For more information, email Susan at:
smontauk@gmail.com.
Deadline for MAY News:
April 16, 2026 (available May 2)
Chess Club: Wednesdays, 4 p.m.
All ages & skill-levels welcome.
Read to a Dog: Thursdays, 4 p.m.
Practice reading aloud with Gladys the dog.
DOES YOUR DOG WALK YOU?
Dog walks should be fun, not a chore,
right? Create a better relationship
between you and your dog with reward
based training. Please call 510-646-9657 or
visit dogsquaddogtraining.com.
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 yourgreengardeners.com
Craft Programs: MoChA at the Library!
Thursday, April 16, 3:30 p.m. Monthly art workshops for
children & families led by teachers from the Museum
of Children's Art. For ages 5–15 & caregivers. Build cre-
ativity, social-emotional & academic skills through art.
For Teens, ages 12 – 18
Let’s Make Smoothies! Wednesday, April 15; 2–3 p.m.
Ingredients provided and a smoothie bike machine!
ELECTRICAL REMODEL & REPAIRS
Adding an ADU? I can help with your
electrical needs! I’ve been doing electrical
work in Oakland and Berkeley for over 35
years. Sutorik & Company. Lic #397149.
510-655-3677. sutorikandco.com
JEWELRY REPAIRS
Formerly of High Strung and Blue Door
Beads! Marilee is now doing repairs as an
independent contractor.
Please email her at mjywrepairs@proton.me
for all your jewelry repair needs.
For Adults
Mohka House: Coffee, Tea & Yemeni Culture:
Saturday, April 18, 3–4:00 p.m. Coffee, tea and
traditional pastries while supplies last.
COMPUTER TECH SUPPORT
I’m offering friendly & affordable tech sup-
port for people who might need help with
(or gain a better understanding of) comput-
ers, phones, iPads, smart TVs, etc. Contact
Scott at Scott@Weitz.net for more info.

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.
Adult Crafting Series: Tuesday, April 14, 6–7:30 p.m.
Black Out Poetry Art. Using discarded books to create
original poetry! Drop-ins welcome.
AESTHETIC PRUNING
I specialize in pruning trees & shrubs un-
der 20 feet tall. Combining art & science
I work with trees to enhance their natural
beauty and form. Over 20 years expe-
rience. Bruce Thompson 510-428-4964
brucethompson13@gmail.com ●
Meet the Author—Matt Fogelson, “Restrung, Fa-
therhood in a Different Key:”
Wednesday, April 15, 6:30–7:45 p.m. Local author,
Matt Fogelson will be in conversation with Jeff Sy-
monds about his memoir reflecting on fatherhood and
coming of age in 1980s New York.
Ask Your Area Home Experts: Every 2nd Friday,
noon–2 p.m. Get answers, tips and connections from a
Senior Loan Advisor and a Realtor, both Rockridge lo-
cals. Have questions answered about home ownership,
maintenance, finance, investing, ADUs, downsizing,
moving and more.
HELP WANTED
Absolutely reliable person—any age—to
feed outdoor cat, once daily, for 18 days
in June. Lake Temescal Area. Food & dish
provided. $200. Text 415-310-1679
Rockridge Book Club: Every 2nd Saturday, 3:30–4:30
p.m. Please call 510-597-5017 for more info and to
get a copy of the book. April’s book is The Reluctant
Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid.
California Writers’ Club 5-Page Critique Group:
Every 4th Saturday, 1–5 p.m. Bring 6–8 copies of your
work, five pages long, double-spaced, Times New Ro-
man font for review & critique in half-hour sessions.
Needlework Circle: every Thursday, 1–3 p.m. Bring
yarn and fiber arts projects to Rockridge Library. Build
community, share your passion, learn & have fun!
1-on-1 Technology Help: every Saturday, 10 a.m.–
noon and 1-3 p.m., Tuesdays 5:30–7:30 p.m. and
Wednesdays 1–3 p.m.; Come with your devices &
technology questions & our volunteer tech guru will
help you get sorted. Signup recommended.
Chair Yoga:  Monday,  April 6, 10:30–11:30 a.m.
Learn from certified instructor Bett Bollhoefer,
drop-ins welcome. ●
Rockridge Library Hours:
Mon., Thurs., & Sat.: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Tues. & Weds.: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Fri.: 12 noon to 5:30 p.m.
See calendar for events: oaklandlibrary.org/events
5366 College Ave., at Manila; 510-597-5017


Celebrating 59 Years of Excellence in
Real Estate Brokerage
For nearly six decades we’ve
earned the loyalty of countless
clients, helping them achieve the
American Dream of home and in-
vestment property ownership. Our
deep-rooted relationships within
the community built on trust, has
been pivotal in our journey. From
first-time home buyers and seller
representation, to seasoned inves-
tors, we’ve been privileged to be a
part of your journeys.
Kevin Brown, Broker
Better Homes Realty, Rockridge
510.593.4780 | dre# 00644175

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R  E  A  L  T  O  R  S
est.               1967
Rockridge News
Rockridge News
Rockridge News
The

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