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1. This Week In Oakland: Lunar New Year, Valentines |
- How to
Grow Your Own Dinner at Dimond Rec Center, Saturday,
February 13, 10 am-Noon: 7th in the 16-class
series "How to Grow Your Own Dinner", will cover the
various kinds of compost, how it's made, different ways
to manage your own processes, handy homemade sifters,
preferences of different plants, and more. Cost is $5,
paid to Oakland Parks & Recreation. Everyone is asked to
register once for the series, but pay the fee every
class attended. Presenter is Kelly Harvey, an Alameda
County Master Gardener and resident of the Dimond
district. Everyone over 12 years of age is welcome,
whether you have land or not.
 Second
Saturdays @ Peralta Hacienda, Saturday, February 13, 2-4
pm: Come to Peralta Hacienda Historical Park
every Second Saturday of the month at 2 pm for tours of
the new multimedia exhibits in the historic 1870 Antonio
Peralta House. Requested $3 donation. Ongoing exhibit
this month:
Embroidering OurLives: Mien Women at Peralta Hacienda.
Have kids? Call 432-9142 to sign up for the new
Children's Tour at 3 pm. Peralta Hacienda Historical
Park is located at 2465 34th Avenue in the Fruitvale.
-
 Free
Tax Assistance, Main Library, Saturday, February 13, 10
am- 3 pm, 125 14th St: Trained AARP volunteers
offer tax assistance at the Library. Call the library to
confirm schedules and make an appointment. Be sure to
bring copies of your previous year's tax returns and all
items pertaining to your 2009 tax forms.
-
 Chabot
Space & Science Center Celebrates Chinese New Year
and Kids Go Greeen, Saturday, February 13, 10 am-6 pm:
You'll find both traditional Chinese handicraft projects
and our monthly hands on environmental related
demonstrations throughout the building today.
The Center is also OPEN
on Monday, Presidents Day, February 15.
-
 Free
Matinee Screening of the documentary "Inside
Buffalo,"
African American Museum and Library, 659 Fourteenth
Street, Saturday, February 13, 1 pm: This
documentary tells the story of the 92nd Buffalo
Division, an African American segregated combat unit
that fought with outstanding heroism in Italy in WWII.
Director Fred Kuwornu, an Italian filmmaker of African
heritage, searches out little-known aspects of the
story, including details of the friendships forged
between African American soldiers and the partisan
fighters and villagers they liberated from fascist rule.
- Shadow Puppetry,
Saturday, February 13, 2 pm, Rockridge Branch,
5366 College Ave: The Oakland Museum of California
presents Shadow Puppetry with artist Cheryl Perko in
celebration of Lunar New Year. Welcome the Year of the
Tiger with stories, Zodiac shadow puppet crafts, and
your own puppet show. Children's Librarian 597-5017 .
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 East
Bay Park's Sunday Strolls Start with Sibley "Love Is in
the Air," February 14, 10 am- Noon: Oakland's
geographic and cultural diversity will always surprise
you, the
Sibley Volcanic Preserve featuring Round Top, one of
the area's highest peaks, is made up of lava and
volcanic debris left over from a 10-million-year-old
volcano. Nice green hill views also.
- Animal Amore for
Adults Only, Oakland Zoo, February 14, 9 am: Ever
wonder about the love lives of Animals? Are they
Monogamous or Romantic? Do they really fall in Love?
This Valentine's Day, surprise your sweetie with
something unique-an animal encounter you both will never
forget! Learn about the courting, mating, and
child-rearing habits of some of Oakland Zoo's most
amorous Zoo animals. This event is free with zoo
admission. Reservations required, contact
Felicia Walker at 632-9525 x204.
-
 From
the Heart: Seminar on Love Poetry, February 14, 2-5 pm,
Main Library, 125 14th St: Want to impress your
valentine with romantic poetry? Want advice from a pro
on writing a poem dedicated to that special someone? In
this seminar we will read some literature of love and
have the chance to write our own. Led by Carrie Leilam
Love. This is part of the "Oakland
Word Writing Series."
 Final
Performance of TheatreFirst's Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are
Dead, Sunday, February 14, 2 pm: Tom Stoppard's
maelstrom of metaphysics, existentialism, and vaudevillian
slapstick, takes off from Shakespeare's masterpiece, Hamlet,
and never looks back.
Purchase tickets online.
TheatreFirst is located at Marion E. Greene Black Box
Theatre, 531 19th Street.
- Montclair Pocket
Park Work Day, Monday, February 15, 9-Noon: With
all this rain, weeding should be a breeze. Details,
contact
Jill Broadhurst.
-
 Haiti
Earthquake Relief Concerts by Kalbass Kreyol & Friends,
Monday, February 15, 8 pm, at Yoshi's in Oakland, 510
Embarcadero West, Jack London Square. Enjoy Caribbean
music for a good cause, $20.Call 238-9200 for details.
- College and Career
Fair at Fremont High School, Wednesday, February 17:
Youth Together at Fremont Federation of Schools is a
non-profit organization that empowers and develops youth
to become leaders. Part of their work is to provide
youth with opportunities after high school. This year
they are emphasizing the avenues of college and career
for students who are and will be graduating. If your
organization is interested in participating, please
contact
Seng So, at 584-6860.
- Youth Together Film
Screening of
Greensboro: Closer to the Truth
and Community Panel Discussion, Thursday, February 18,
6-10 pm, First Congregational Church, 2501 Harrison
Street: Greensboro attempted to
use methods from South Africa to confront its history of
racial violence. Oakland is one of several communities
across the country participating in an innovative
national dialogue project using the film to support
reconciliation and justice efforts. The Bay Area has a
long history of confronting injustices despite it being
been plagued by violence, police brutality, community
tensions and poverty. The goal is to prompt community
members to work together to heal and seek justice. Youth
Together has taken the film to Oakland high schools for
young people to learn and discuss. On February 18th
local social justice leaders and community are invited
to dialogue with students and hopefully pave the way for
long-term collaborations and problem-solving in our
community. To learn more:
Nick James at 645-9209.
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2. City Issues: State of the City Address, Budget Vote
Feb 16, Campaign Limits Goes to Public Ethics
Commission, A's Decision Delayed, New Football Stadium? |
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Los Angeles is looking at a $212 M deficit for this year
and a $500 M deficit for the fiscal year starting July;
they are considering 1000 to 3000 layoffs. San
Francisco's Mayor Newsom just announced $45 M in cuts
for this year and also expects a $500 M deficit starting
July.
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Mayor Dellums State of
the City Address, Monday, February 22, 6 pm, City
Hall: During his third State of the City
Address, Mayor Dellums is expected to outline his vision
for generating new jobs, improve upon public safety
achievements, and detail Oakland's Federal stimulus
dollars.While there is free parking in the Clay Street
garage, the public is encouraged to use public transit.
For details, call 444-2489.
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Mayor Dellums Announces
"Putting Oaklanders to Work Strategies at Annual
Business Luncheon This Week: Addressing the six
Chambers of Commerce of Oakland, Mayor Dellums unveiled
the City of Oakland's "Putting Oaklanders to Work"
strategies, which will generate more than 5,000 jobs
over the net three years. He called for the business
community to take full advantage of available resources
to hire Oakland residents. As part of the federal
stimulus efforts, the City has been work with other
public agencies, including the Oakland Unified School
District, Oakland Housing Authority, Port of Oakland,
BART, private employers, labor groups and job training
groups like Cypress Mandela, Oakland PIC, Laney College
and others, who have committed to facilitating
employment opportunities for Oakland residents. These
efforts have resulted in approximately $190 million in
federal stimulus funds and created opportunities for
significant job generation. More information can be
found at
www.oaklandstimulus.com
-
 Campaign
Limits Will Go to the Public Ethics Commission,
Thursday, March 4th, 6:30 pm: This week the
Rules Committee declined to discuss City Attorney
Russo's proposal to double City campaign limits. Even
though the item was not noticed, it was proposed in a
report that was suppose to update the city ordinance on
elections for conform with Ranked Order Voting. Members
of the League of Women Voters opposed the proposal as
did I. Council members Brunner and Quan recommended
that the issue be considered by the
Public Ethics Commission; Council Member Delafuente
as did City Attorney Russo recommended that the Council
take up the issue immediately.
Why Is This So
Important?
- Limits for the Mayor's Race could go up from
$380,000 to $760,000. Council races would go up
from an average of $100,000 to over $200,000.
- Donation
limits would go up from $700 (just raised from $600)
per individual donor per election to $1400--the
highest in the state.The limit in San
Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, and Fremont is
$500. Berkeley, San Mateo, and Santa Monica is
$250. Long Beach is $350. The average is around
$500.
- The limits for
the District 1 and 4 Council seats would go up to
about a quarter of a million dollars!
- It would defeat the
purpose of Instant Run-off voting which was suppose
to level the playing field because running one
election rather than a possible two elections
requires less money.
Since there is only one election, it doesn't make
sense to double the limits.
- Special interests have much more control when
campaign limits are higher as pointed out by
President Obama in his State of the Union speech.
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The item will be taken up at a Special Ethics
Commission meeting, Thursday, March 4st at 6:30 pm
in City Halland meetings are generally
broadcast live on KTOP Channel 10.
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You can send your opinion to Public Ethics
Commissioners by email.
- Clearly an increase
will affect this year's Mayor's race.
The Express
column by Bob Gammon puts the background.
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Central Estuary Plan
Alternative Held In Committee: After a year of
meetings the CEDA Committee held recommendations for an
alternative plan for the Central Sanctuary area in
Committee. The plan includes 2,450 new residential
units, industrial uses for biotech and food industry
(but a loss of almost a million square ft of industrial
space, 260,000 square ft of commercial office and retail
space (mostly along High), increased mixed work/live
residential areas, extension of the Bay Trail and biking
trails, estuary park spaces, and a PG&E green jobs
training center.
The
main controversies settle around a proposal to allow
housing on the waterfront in an industrial area and a
proposal to rezone the area where Brockway Glass is now
located that is close to BART. Workers from
Brockway Glass jammed the room, fearing a rezoning of
the plant area would encourage Owen-Illinois to close
the plant. Councilman Delafuente who has the unique
position being their business representative and the
Council representative for the area, opposed this
rezoning but does not oppose the other rezoning. Owners
of the other plants demanded that the city be consistent
and protect their industrial areas also. The issue will
be held in committee for further study. Videos of the
meeting should be posted on the city web site soon.
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New IRV Controversy:
City Attorney John Russo is proposing that Campaign
Contribution Limits be doubled, raising the maximum from
$600 to $1200. His rationale is that under the old
system there were two periods allowing $600 for both the
primary and the general election. He also claims
candidates will spend money educating voters about the
new system. I will be opposing the proposal because:
- The point of IRV
and Voting Reform is to level the playing field.
Few average citizens can afford to contribute $600
much less $1200. This gives wealthy special
interests an advantage.
- The most typical
cost of elections goes primarily to mailed campaign
literature. With one rather than two elections
there is no need to double the mail.
- In the past most
candidates have been elected in the June Primary,
few candidates went to run-off.
- The proposal has
not been vetted by the Public Ethics Commission
whose responsibilities include overseeing Campaign
Contribution Limits.
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While not noticed
for Council discussion, the recommendation is in a
report going to the Rules Committee on Thursday,
February 4th, 10:45 am.
-
 Feather
River Camp Reservations for 2010 Now Open:
In these economic times a vacation at the City owned
Feather River Camp might be right for you. Fundraising
and reservations kicked off the season last weekend with
an ice cream social. Donations to send low income kids
and families to kids are always needed.
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Sign the Petition to
Major League Baseball for A New Oakland Site: A
waterfront ballpark would augment the billions of
dollars in direct investment into the Jack London Square
area, and the planned new neighborhood near Oak and 9th
streets with 3,000 residences, parks, retail space and a
new marina.
This Tribune
article includes maps of the locations.
A MLB committee was expected to make a recommendation
Monday, but has put off the report for another week.
The A's owner favors San Jose in the Giants
franchise area. The
Mayor and Council agree that a new Oakland stadium would
have to be funded from combined private and non-general
fund sources
unlike the Raider deal which costs the City and County
$24 million each year. Redevelopment funds
(which come from bonds based on future taxes from
structural improvements) and possible federal
infrastructure funds could be tapped.
To sign a petition to
Major League Baseball, go to
Let's Go Oakland!
  Meanwhile,
Oakland is preparing to submit information about the
Coliseum area to the National Football League which is
considering a JOINT football stadium for both the
Raiders and the 49ers. Unlike the current
Raiders Deal which costs and the City and the County $24
million each year through 2025, the league indicates it
will invest in the stadium itself and will finance it
through adjacent development and other revenues.
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3. District 4 News- Beautification Projects,
Laurel Access Planning
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(Left) Students discuss books at Sequoia School's Celebrity
Readers Day.
- Stan Dodson of
Dimond's La Farine Bakery raised $560 for the
Dads' Club at Sequoia Elementary during Wednesday's
Guest Reader Day
(above). Parents, neighbors and even Sue
Piper and I volunteered to read our favorite books to
students at the school. It was a fun way to show our
students that the community believes in their education.
- Brewer School
Beautification Day, Saturday, February 20, 9 am-1 pm:
Light breakfast and lunch provided at this 4th
beautification day of the year. Join students, parents
and neighbors as the work on prepping the gardens for
spring.
- Keep Dimond Clean
Community Clean-Up Walk, Saturday, February 20.
Pick up a "litter map" between 9:30-10 am at Dimond
Gateway Garden, corner of MacArthur Blvd and Lincoln
Ave. These are 45-60 minute walks and can be walked any
time on Saturday or Sunday. Sponsored by La Farine
Bakery/Dimond. For more information email
Kathleen Russell.
- LAMMP Project Begins: With funding
from MTC and my office, the formal design project for
the Laurel Access for Mills and Maxwell Park project (LAMMP)
was officially introduced to the Maxwell Park NCPC by
Clair Antonetti of its Blight and Beautification
Neighborhood Action Team, the consultants, Kimley-Horn
and Associates, and Richard Cowan of my office. LAAMP
will study pedestrian and bicycle access from High
Street to Seminary Boulevard on MacArthur Boulevard,
with an eye toward constructing a fully landscaped path
oriented toward pedestrian and bicycle safety over this
stretch of congested roadway. This project has been a
long-standing public-private partnership with the
Maxwell Park NCPC and Mills College. The first public
meeting of LAMMP will take place in about a month and
will be announced in my newsletter.
-
 February
Events at Laurel Book Store: Check out what's
happening at Laurel Book Store, 4100 MacArthur Blvd.
Call 531-2073 for details.
- Saturday, February 27, 6 pm:
Meet local author Elaine Beale as she discusses her
new novel Another Life Altogether.
-
Kid's Story Time,
Wednesdays at 3:30 pm: Bring the little ones
for a nice afternoon treat.
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4. State Updates: Oakland Support
Measure to Protect Local $, Governor's Budget Cuts Roads, AC
Transit, Elderly & Child Health |
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 Local
State Officials Support
Fair Elections Act: Just as we are debating
campaign finance reform in Oakland, our local state
representatives including Senator Loni Hancock,
Assemblymembers Swanson & Skinner, the League of Women
Voters and others came out in support of the a state
proposition that will introduce campaign financing for
the Secretary of State position. Taxes on lobbyists
would help fund campaigns for candidates that reach
minimum levels of fundraising up to $1 million. The
Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing and
regulating the state's lobbying activity and the
integrity of our elections, and this would relieve
pressure from fundraising. (Above, L-R) Senator Hancock,
Assemblyman Swanson, Port Commissioner Leighty, and
representative of the statewide campaign.
-
 Coalition
Starts Gathering Signatures for Fall 2010 Measure to
Prohibit the State from Taking, Borrowing or Redirecting
Local Taxpayer Funds dedicated to public safety,
emergency response and other vital local government
services. The Oakland City Council endorsed the
measure; we voted to join the coalition because it may
be the only way to keep the state from constantly taking
local property taxes, redevelopment money, gasoline
taxes, highway funds and other revenue to balance its
budget. The Measure
will specifically stop this year's state grab of more
than $41 million in Oakland Redevelopment funds.
For more information.
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Governor releases
the first version of the FY 2010-11 State Budget.
Faced with a projected state deficit of $20 billion,
the Governor's proposed budget calls for permanently
cutting state worker salaries, deep reductions to
Medi-Cal and welfare and numerous other cuts while
simultaneously seeking to procure supplementary
revenues from the federal government.
-
4.8% surcharge on residential and commercial
property insurance to pay for fire protection,
reviving a past proposal that lawmakers have
rejected. The surcharge would raise $238 million
this fiscal year and $479 million in the next
one.
-
The state's current 6 percent sales tax on a
gallon of gasoline would be dropped, and
replaced by a 10.8-cent increase in per-gallon
excise taxes. In complicated swap and switch,
gas would go down a few cents but the state
would take the rest cutting out the share that
now goes to cities to fix roads, public transit
authorities like AC Transit, and to schools.
-
The fastest-growing segment of state spending
over the past decade - prisons - would be cut by
$1.2 billion, most of it through reducing
medical costs to prisoners. That could trigger
even more legal battles with federal judges and
a court-appointed federal receiver who are
overseeing California's prison health system
causing even more prisoner releases. Jerry
Brown's stump speech for governor puts this in
sober perspective, "When I was governor the
state spent 17% of the budget on higher
education, 3% on prisons...today we spend 7% on
our colleges and 11% on prisons."
-
State parks, which Schwarzenegger proposed
closing last year, would be financed through
additional state revenues from increased oil
drilling off the California coast, an idea that
was rejected last year by legislators.
-
Funding for Medi-Cal and services to
Californians whose ability to care for
themselves is limited would be reduced.
-
If the feds don't come through with the extra
money - and indications are that they won't -
social service and health programs from CalWORKS
(the state's welfare-to-work program) to Healthy
Families (which provides medical insurance to
children of low-income families) would be
eliminated or severely slashed.
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5. Community Policing: Special Neighborhood Alerts |
Mother's of the Brady Campaign support the
Ammunition Ordinance.
- Ammunition Ordinance Goes for Final Vote:
Item 10-13C on the last Council Agenda
sponsored by Councilman Reid and myself updates
the City's Gun Control laws and requires the the
sale of ammunition be handled similar to gun
sales. It requires licensing of dealers and
certification of employees. It also requires
buyers to be fingerprinted; police report that
these regulations have been able to stop felons
and others from obtaining guns and ammunition.
- Crime
Stats Continue Decline:
Last year our serious crime stats declined 10%;
combined with 14% for 2008 that was about a 25%
decline over two years. Crime was significantly
down in every major category, except Domestic
Violence (+4%) and Residential Burglaries (+7%).
Significant decreases for the year were
Shootings (-25%) and Vehicle Thefts (-20%).
The first
month of the new year showed a 38% decline and
this month the rate is 24% compared to
the same time next year.
 Home
Burglaries and Car Break-ins Continue to be an
Increasing Problem:
Many home burglaries are executed through OPEN
doors or windows. We have copies of the Police
brochure on protecting your home, send us your
address and we will send one to you. As for
cars, a surprising number of thefts happen when
cars are left open and keys are left in the
ignition.
-
 District
Attorney Announces a New H.E.A.T. (Human
Exploitation and Trafficking) Tip Line 510
208-4959: District Attorney Nancy O'Malley has
worked for many years to make sure that the
sexual exploitation of children is prosecuted.
Working with Assemblymember Sandre Swanson
legislation new legislation allows us to treat
exploited youth as victims and fines have been
increased up to $20,000. This week a new
tipline for human trafficking was announced: 510
208-4959 or
HEATWatch-DA@acgov.org
(Above) An
anonymous mother reports that police were
able to find and return her daughter 24
hours after she contacted the tip line.
You can also call the Oakland Police Sexual
Assault Tip Line: 510 637-0298. All messages
received are addressed within 24 hours
during normal business days. Or call the
Special Victims Unit: 510 238-7910.
 Personal
Public Safety Reminder:
Please be aware of
your surroundings and what you carry with you. A
group involved with several robberies in West and
North Oakland who were arrested told OPD that they
looked around for their victims, who were "using
cell phones, iPODs (and other small electronics),
carrying bags/purses, and who may not be paying
attention to their environment."
-
 Alcohol
Outlets -
There are over 800 establishments in the City of
Oakland that sell alcohol. Of those
establishments, approximately 300 strictly sell
alcohol; too many of them are over concentrated in
our poorest neighborhoods. Illegal sales of alcohol
and cigarettes to minors continues to be a major
problem in the city. Many of us are working to make
sure that more severe legal actions are taken
against stores that sell to minors. Please remember
to call the Oakland Police ABAT unit at 777-8680 if
you see violations. Also, please also file
complaints with the ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control
State Unit ) 622-4970.
- Neighborhod Council Updates:
Maxwell Park - Focused on crime
prevention on how to better assess and report suspicious
activities and/or characters in your neighborhood, how
to protect your property from being burglarized, and how
to develop better commuincation between
neighbors. Also, at the meeting, Becky Whitehand
becamed the 3rd At-Large Board Member and Jean
Johnson-Fields from the Center for Elders Independence
spoke with us about the organization and how they help
provide service to elderly on Medicare and/or
Medi-Cal.
- Please call
777-3333 if you see anything suspicious in
your neighborhood, or contact your problem solving
officer directly. While crime in Oakland has been
down by 10%, home burglaries and domestic violence
are up. Learn more by attending your neighborhood's
monthly
Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council meeting.
District Problem Solving Officers (PSO):*
Have a chronic issue that involves criminal activity?
Let your Beat Problem Solving Officer know.
Citywide List of PSO's.
Check here for a map of the city's beats.
*
Occasionally PSO's are
pulled off the beat for training or special assignment.
They often maintain oversight over their area even if
some day-to-day duties are covered by other officers. So
even if your officer is on special assignment, the
Captains tell us to continue to contact the PSO's as the
point person for on-going neighborhood issues.
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6. Emergency Preparedness-- Storm
Preparation, More Sand Bag Locations, Tsunami Flooding,
Sign Up for CORE/ Red Cross CPR Saturday March 13 |
-
 Donate
Fallen Trees to the Oakland Zoo: If the rain is
bringing down trees in your neighborhood, you can donate
many species of fallen trees to provide snacks to the
animals at the
Oakland Zoo.
- Cloudy Days Ahead;
Free Sandbags and Plastic Sheeting: Residents can
pick up a maximum of 20 sandbags and 50 feet of plastic
sheeting (per household/business) at the City's
Municipal Service Center and at the Public Works
Drainage Maintenance Satellite Office. Proof of Oakland
residency is required to obtain the sandbags and
sheeting.
MUNICIPAL SERVICE CENTER, 7101 EDGEWATER DR.
Monday -
Friday 8
am - 4 pm
Saturday and
Sunday 4:30
pm - 8 pm
After Hours (in front of entry
gate) 4:30 pm - 8 pm
MAINTENANCE SATELLITE OFFICE, 5921 SHEPHERD CANYON
RD
Monday -
Friday 8:00
am - 4:00 pm
After Hours (in front of entry
gate) 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm
FIRE STATION HOURS AND LOCATIONS: A limit of five
sandbags (per household) will be available for pickup at
the fire stations.
Monday -
Friday
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Saturday &
Sunday
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Fire Station # 3
1445 - 14th St.
Fire Station #
6 7080
Colton Blvd.
Fire Station #
7 1006
Amito Ave.
Fire Station #
8 463 -
51st St.
Fire Station # 10
172 Santa Clara Ave.
Fire Station # 16
3608 - 13th Ave.
Fire Station # 17
3344 High St.
Fire Station # 20
1408- 98th Ave.
Fire Station # 21
13150 Skyline Blvd.
Fire Station # 26
2611 - 98th Ave.
Fire Station # 28
4615 Grass Valley Rd.
Other Important Numbers for Storms:
►Public Works Call Desk- 615-5566 24 hour line
(downed trees, storm drain/sewer back-ups, flooding,
non-operating traffic signals
►PG&E Info on Electrical Outages (800) 743-5002,
Outage Maps. Did you know if there is an outage
overnight, PGE will give you a wake up call?
►Report a hazardous situation involving power lines-
call 911 or (800) 743-5000 or go to
PG&E's website
- Sewer Back Ups
-- See the item below, during heavy storms rain can
back up home and city sewers.
- Keep an eye on
nearby trees, rain saturated soil and high
winds usually cause dozens of fallen trees during
storms. Many of the East Bay hill trees are aging
and getting near to the end of their life span.
- Help Us Maintain
Drains and Creeks -- Keep an eye on creek
levels and any debris (fallen trees, slides, etc)
that might cause them to back up. If you can help
remove leaves, branches, litter, etc from areas when
water will wash them into storm drains.
Join the Maintain a Drain program and help us
protect the Bay.
- This is the perfect
time to check on your emergency supplies. We
recommend having enough food and water for 72 hours.
Power outages, flooding, slides, and closed roads are
common during storms. Do you have flashlights,
batteries, water, food, medications and other supplies
in case your power or telephone lines are down? Do you
live on street where access might be blocked by fallen
trees, flooding, or slides?
This is a good site for suggested emergency supplies.
- Protect Your
Investment in Your Home, Consider One of Oakland's
Seismic Retrofit Programs: Because Oakland is
considered a leader in encouraging residents to
seismically retrofit their homes, our office was invited
to Washington, DC to talk to California legislators
about the Oakland's successful outreach efforts. Sue
Piper filled in for me to discuss opportunities for
federal resources to help fund incentive programs for
both single family homeowners and for property owners of
soft-story multiple family buildings. Taking this
proactive measure now, before the next big earthquake,
could greatly reduce the anticipated loss of 26,000
homes. Retrofitting saves lives, livelihoods and the
character of city (because, as we learned with Hurricane
Katrina, if people don't have a place to live, they will
move away.)
- Flat seismic retrofit building permit - call
238-3891
- Program for low-income homeowners - call
238-3909
- Multi-family, soft-story building mandatory
screening program (letters requiring property owners
to complete the screening to be mailed
soon)--238-3891 or contact
Sue Piper in our office at 238-7042.
-
 Organize
Your Neighborhood: Each year the city trains
over 2000 citizens to prepare for disasters. More than
19,000 residents have been trained since CORE began.
These are recent graduates from one of our Chinese
language classes. Now's the time to sign up for
CORE training classes.
 CPR
Saturday-- Free CPR Classes from the Red Cross, Saturday,
March 13: This is a $60 value-- two of the three
classes are already full. Register today and learn
lifesaving skills that will better prepare you and your
family for emergencies. CPR classes will be offered in
English, Spanish and Cantonese at various locations.
Participants will learn:
· Adult and Child *CPR
· Care for choking victims
· 911 emergency services
· Information on how to stay safe and calm during
emergencies. Call 1 -888-4 Help-Bay or
sign up at the American Red Cross Bay Area website
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7. School, Youth & Library News |
- AAUW's 28th Annual Childrens Summer Program Fair,
Sunday, March 14, Scottish Rite Temple, 1547 Lakeside
Drive: If you are new
to looking for summer activities for kids, you don't
want to miss this annual event known as "the 411 on
Summer Camps and Programs." Representatives from more
than 100 programs-- from music and drama to sports, arts
and more--will be on hand to showcase their programs.
Free! Sponsored by the
American Association of University Women--Oakland
Piedmont Branch.
- Play-date for
Incoming Kindergarteners to Sequoia Elementary:
Join other families whose young children will be
entering Kindergarten at Sequoia Elementary School on
Sunday, February 28, 10 am-Noon at 4030 Rhoda Ave.
between Alida and Carmel.
Contact Caron Treger at 530-6135.
- East Bay College Fund for High School Seniors:
Selected students
receive a $16,000 scholarship, a mentor, life skills
workshops and a college counselor. Applicant must be an
Oakland public school students, have at least a 3.0 GPA,
plan on attending a 4-year college or university and
have 2 teacher recommendations. Contact
Peter Reinke or
check it out online.
- OUSD's GATE Parent Education Series, Wednesdays,
February 24, March 24 and April 28, Bret Harte Middle
School: This series
kicks off with a presentation by Robin Schader, a
well-known expert on Gifted and Talented education and
the keynote speaker at this year's CAG Conference in
Sacramento. The speaker series is designed for parents
and guardians of gifted and talented and advanced
learners in grades 4 - 8. It's free and your child does
not need to be GATE-identified. Topics for the series
will touch upon parenting strategies, social/emotional
issues, talent development, collaborating with your
school and developing and connecting to resources.
- Principal Fishbowl
for Parents, Thursday, February 25, 7:30-9 pm, The
Bellevue Club at Lake Merritt, 525 Bellevue Avenue:
Would you like to know what it takes to run a
school in an under-resourced Oakland neighborhood?
Listen in as principals discuss their daily experiences
with kids, families, and teachers, the challenges of
being a school CEO, and the future of education in
Oakland. On site parking available.RSVP! Call
510-534-7613 or email
natasha@oaklandschoolsfoundation.org.
-
Free
Tax Assistance at the Library: During tax
season, trained AARP volunteers offer tax assistance at
the following libraries:
- Main Library Monday 10:00-3:00, Wednesday
12:00-4:00, Friday 12:30-4:00, Saturday
10:00-3:00 / 238-3134
Please call the library in advance to confirm schedule
and to make an appointment. Some branches will offer
walk-in appointments, but please call for information.
Be sure to bring copies of your previous year's tax
returns and all items pertaining to your 2009 tax forms.
Bilingual (Spanish/English) service is available at the
Chavez Branch.
-
 Library
Requires All Patrons to Update Records By March 11:
All patrons checking out material will be asked for
current address and contact information, which may cause
a somewhat slower check-out process but ultimately will
result in expanded library services. While
re-registering their accounts, patrons can opt for
receiving phone or email notifications three days prior
to due dates for materials they have checked out.
Patrons who have placed holds on materials can also opt
to receive phone or email notification when those items
become available.
Here's what you need
to know:
- All patrons
with Library Cards must visit a Library in person to
re-register their card;
- Photo ID with
current address is required; If address on photo ID
is not current, a recent bill or postmarked letter
with current address is required;
- A parent's ID is acceptable for children, but
child must be present;
without address
verification, patrons will be limited to checking
out two (2) items at a time until verification can
be completed;
- After March 1, 2010, access to online services
and access to the Internet will not be available to
any patron who has not verified their card;
- Details,
including a listing of all libraries, are available
at
www.oaklandlibrary.org.
- After March 1,
the Library will purge the records of anyone who
hasn't visited the library since November 2006 and
you will need to get a new card the next time you
use any of the library's services.
Free Dimond Library
Events: Your neighborhood library at 3565
Fruitvale Avenue is full of community activities for the
entire family:
-
 Access
to Life Exhibit at the AAMLO, December 9-February 27:
Images from 8 renowned photographers chronicle the
dramatic effects of AIDS medicine on patients around the
world. The landmark exhibit is a collaborative effort
with Congresswoman Barbara Lee, the Global Fund to Fight
AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Magnum Photos and
Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS.
The African American Museum and Library is located
at 659 14th Street in Downtown Oakland.
- Teacher and High
School Student Science Grants from Bio-Rad: Bio-Rad
Laboratories is inviting applications for teacher grants
and high school senior scholarship.
- Science Grants:
- Up to $5000 Grant for Science Teachers from
7 - 12 grade.
- Application
deadline April 15, 2010. Must be a public
school within a 50-mile radius of the Hercules
campus
- Applications available at
www.bio-rad.com, click on "Corporate", then
click on then click on "About Bio-Rad", then
click on "Community Outreach".
- Scholarships:
- $1000 award for graduating Seniors with an
interest in science.
- $2500 Ron Mardigian Memorial award for
graduating Seniors with an interest in science.
- Application
deadline March 15, 2010. High School must
be located within a 50 mile radius of the
Hercules Campus.
- Applications available at
www.bio-rad.com, click on "Corporate",then
click on "About Bio-Rad", then click on
"Community Outreach".
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8. Upcoming Events |
 Oakland
Running Festival, March 27 and 28: Experience
all the sights and sounds that Oakland has to offer at
the new
Oakland Running Festival featuring Oakland's first
marathon in 25 years! Runners will begin on Broadway,
race along Piedmont and College Avenues, pass by
beautiful Lake Temescal and then tackle the hills of
Montclair. After a breathtaking view of the Cities by
the Bay, runners will journey through the vibrant
neighborhoods of Dimond, Fruitvale, Chinatown and
historic Jack London Square. Then it's a final lap
around sparkling Lake Merritt and a sprint to the finish
at City Hall. Saturday:
Registration 9-6 pm, Kick off Party 6-8 pm; 6:30 pm
Twilight 5K Race.
Sunday: 7:15 am Opening Remarks, 7:30 am Marathon
starts-- ends by Noon. Kid's race, live music and more.
Register now for 2010 Spring ProArts Open Studios
tour, June 5-6 and June 12-13: After nearly 30
years, Pro Arts' East Bay OPEN STUDIOS continues to
bring over 50,000 visitors from all over the Bay Area to
local artists' studios for the opportunity to see the
best art made in the East Bay. Artists
registration deadline is Saturday, February 20.
- Low Cost
Computer Class for Seniors at Lincoln Court Senior
Housing: A foundation course for those new to
computers. The 10-week class has already started but
there is room for more. Runs through April 23,
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9:30 am-Noon.
Call 452-2074.
- Oakland Word
offers Free Creative Writing Workshops at Oakland
Public Library: To provoke dialogue and
encourage creativity among underrepresented youths
and adults, the Oakland Public Library is offering
free writing workshops during the months of February
and March. During the 1st two sessions, a variety of
Oakland Word workshops will be available at three
Library locations starting February 3 and concluding
March 6:
- Asian
Branch, 388 9th Street (238-3400)
- Intro to Writing Short Fiction (Fridays,
4-5:30 pm)
- Writing Life Stories (Saturdays, 4-5:30
pm)
- Teens: Blogging 101 Seminar (one day
only, Saturday, March 6, 12:30-3:30 pm)
- Cesar E.
Chavez Branch, 3301 East 12th Street,
Ste. 271 (535-5620)
- Urban Fiction: $Elements of Short Story
Writing (Saturdays, 2:15-3:45 pm)
- Take Charge of Your Work: Career
Development (Saturdays, 4-5:30 pm)
- Main
Library, 125 14th Street (238-3134)
- Life Stories in Poetry and Prose
(Thursdays, 6-7:30 pm)
- Writing and Speaking Word: Poetry and
Spoken Word (Saturdays, 3:30-5 pm)
- Soul Song: Song Writing Seminar (one day
only, Sunday, February 28, 2-5 pm)
- From the Heart: Love Poetry Seminar (one
day only: Sunday, February 14, 2-5 pm)
-
 Paramount
Theatre Movie Classics Present 2010 Winter Movie
Classics Series: 8 pm: Escape the winter
blues for only $5. Just enjoying the architecture of
this gorgeous art-deco theater is a treat. Box
office opens at 6 pm. The Paramount Theatre is
located at 2025 Broadway:
- Friday, February 19-The
Lady from Shanghai
- Friday, March 5-
Wait Until Dark
- Friday, March 26-Captain
Blood
-
 2010
Oaklandish Tour de Taco in the Fruitvale, Saturday,
February 20, 11 am-5 pm: Hosted by Cyrus
Farivar of
californiatacotrucks.com and the
East Bay Bike Coalition, the
Oaklandish Tour De Taco is a gastronomical quest
on wheels through the Fruitvale district of Oakland.
Bring your friends, your bikes, and an empty stomach
to Fruitvale BART, Saturday, February 20 at 11 am.
Whether you're a taco truck veteran or a mobile food
newb, the Oaklandish Tour De Taco is not to be
missed!
- A Taste of
Arroyo Creek: An edible and medicinal plant walk,
Saturday, February 20, 10 am-1 pm. Join
ecologist, botanist and herbalist Jolie Egert, for a
fun, guided walk that explores the edible and
medicinal plants of Arroyo Viejo Creek on the
Oakland Zoo grounds. No charge for event except for
parking. Recommended for 8 years and older. Please
wear comfortable walking shoes and clothes that can
get dirty. Be sure to also bring water and a snack.
RSVP to
Amy Gotliffe at 632-9525, ext 122.
<<Mural at the
African American Museum and Library (AAMLO) in Downtown
Oakland.
- Free Days at the
Aquarium of the Bay for Alameda County Residents,
February 22-25, 10 am-6 pm: In celebration of
its recent transition into a nonprofit nature center,
Aquarium of the Bay is hosting a series of free days
for Alameda County residents. As the only Aquarium
dedicated to the diverse aquatic life of the San
Francisco Bay, residents are encouraged to come out and
meet their underwater neighbors. Just bring a photo ID
with Alameda County address, or a recently utility or
phone bill with your Alameda County address, and ID.
Call (415) 623-5300 for additional information.
- Shaping the Future
of OPR: Community Focus Group Meetings: Meet your
neighbors, provide suggestions on activities and
improvements you would like to see and develop
development at your local recreation center. The
District 4 event will be
at the Dimond Recreation Center on Wednesday, February
24 from 7-8:30 pm.
Click her for the full schedule.
- Free Immigration
Workshop, Saturday, February 27, 10 am-3 pm, City Hall:
Private consultation with immigration attorneys
to the first 200 participants. Training on how to avoid
fraud. Presented by Neighborhood Law Corps, Centro Legal
de la Raza, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Asian Law
Caucus, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights,
International Institute of the East Bay and Law Office
of Virginia K. Sung. Languages offered: English,
Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese. Free parking
in Clay Street Garage. Questions, contact Jesse Newmark
at 238-7030.
- Support the Silent
Auction to Benefit Oakland Animal Shelter, Saturday,
February 27: Oakland Animal Shelter is having a
silent auction to benefit the shelter's animals on the
evening of February 27 in downtown Oakland. Donations
are still being accepted. If you or anyone you know has
a service or product that you'd like to donate to the
auction and, at the same time, your business will get
great marketing. Contact
Kathryn Hirt.
- Skyline Jazz at
Yoshi's, Monday, March 1, 7 pm and 9 pm: The
Skyline Jazz Band will be giving two benefit concerts at
Yoshi's to raise money for their annual trip to the Reno
Jazz Festival in late April. The concerts usually sell
out, so buy your tickets early! General admission is
$10. You can buy tickets form a Skyline Jazz Band
Student, or at the
Yoshi's box office in Jack London Square in line. A
$3 fee for general admission or an $11.50 fee for
reserved seating will be charged.
Greening Oakland Homes Fair, Saturday, March 6, 11 am-3 pm,
 Oakland
Youth Orchestra Red Carpet Gala & Concert, Saturday,
March 6, 5:30-9 pm, Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 4700 Lincoln
Ave: invites you to their annual Fundraiser Concert
& Auction featuring Michael Morgan and Bryan Nies and the
Oakland Youth Orchestra performing
Musical Memories from the
Silver Screen. Cocktails and Silent Auction 5:30-7
pm; Dinner and Live Auction at 7 pm, followed by the OYO
musical performance. Red carpet attire or come as your
favorite movie character.Buy
Tickets online
-
 Celebrate
International Women's Day with the Community Women's
Orchestra, Sunday, March 7, 4:30 pm at Lake Merritt
United Methodist Church:
The 25th Annual
International Women's Day Concert features the World
Premier of a work by Oakland Composer Mary Watkins
(right), works by Copland and Dvorak, and special guests
VOICES Lesbian Choral Ensemble. Tickets are $10 at the
door, free for children under 12 and 1/2 price for
seniors, students and the underemployed.
For details ...
- Save the Date for
Earth Day 2010, Saturday,
 ,
April 17, 9 am-Noon: If you would like to
organize an event, monitor the
Keep Oakland Beautiful Earthday website for
details. The
2010 Earth Expo in City Hall Plaza is set for
Wednesday, April 14 from 10-2 pm. We know that Horace
Mann School already has plans to add new plants on the
Vicksburg side of the campus, weed the Congress Avenue
hillside and do general weed 'n clean. This is their 6th
year of beautification at the school. For details,
contact
Jeanne Nixon.
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9. Volunteer Opportunities |
We've learned over the
years that when neighbors work together, they build a
stronger community. Whether you are a teen looking for work
experience, or a new retiree with time on your hands, here
are a number of ways you can meet neighbors and make a
difference in the city we love.
Budget
Advisory Committee and the Community Policing Advisory
Board: I need new representatives to these important
advisory groups. My appointee to the Budget group need not
be a resident of District 4. Please contact Ellen Dillard
in my office at 238-7273.
Oakland Digital Arts &
Literacy Center (ODALC) seeks inspirational and
influential speakers from the digital/business community as
part of educational workshop and computer-training sessions
for young adults in Oakland.
Keep Oakland Beautiful
(KOB): KOB is looking for enthusiastic leaders to
join in its efforts to make Oakland cleaner, greener, more
beautiful and litter-free. The Board meets on the fourth
Wednesday of every month at City Hall and they are also
active on subcommittees. Board members serve a two year term
and may reapply for successive two-year terms. Interested
applicants can obtain more info and an application from
Cookie Robles-Wong, 434-5126.
Mimes Wanted: The
Keep Dimond Clean Committee is planning a week of litter
awareness in the Dimond, May 3-8. They are looking for mimes
to help spread the message. Contact Kathleen Russell for
details.
Support Our Schools by
Saving Box Tops: Many local schools use this method
to earn cash for your programs, including Glenview
Elementary. You can drop off the coupons atSavemore Market
on Park Blvd.,Park Blvd. Presbytarian Church and Glenview
School. Look for the small rectangular coupon on boxes
produced by General Mills, Yoplait Yogurts, Pillsbury
Products, Green Giant, Betty Crocker, Bisquick,Hamburger
Helper, El Paso Taco Shells, Fruit Roll-ups, Huggies,
Poise, Viva, Kleenex, Avery School and Office Supplies.
 Tender
Loving Care--with close to a 50% cutback in park
maintenance service, the city's parks, medians and
streetscapes really need help with spotting broken
sprinklers or illegal dumping, trash pick up or more:
-
Allendale Park NCPC-
cleans up streets, tree wells and storm drains on the
1st and 3rd Saturdays 38th Street between Nevil and
Suter Streets. Call Steve Reuss at 536-9551.
-
Keep Dimond Clean:
Keep Dimond Clean: Join neighborhood volunteers
in helping to Keep Dimond Clean. Participating
volunteers receive a complimentary card from La Farine
Bakery/Dimond for 2 pastries or rolls/2 drinks. To join
on-going litter walks on Tues, Wed, Fri and Sat, and for
gardening schedule, email
krussell@russell-gordon.com or call 842-3200.
>>Keep Dimond Clean Volunteers find an ancient artifact
at their last clean up.
-
Maxwell Park--Daily
clean up by Friends of Maxwell Park. Contact
Nancy Karigaca at 436-6680.
- Maxwell Park NCPC Monthly Clean Up,
Third Sunday of the Month, 9 am.
-
Montclair GreenNClean-clean ups at Montclair Pocket
Park, Montclair Park and elsewhere in Montclair. Contact
Jill Broadhurst.
-
Montclair RR Trail Clean
Up, Third Saturday of the Month, 9 am.
-
Moraga Median Workday,
Saturday, February 13, Noon:Please bring gloves,
garden tools, paint brushes and hammer, nails, screw
drivers. Comments / questions / suggestions can be
forwarded to Joannie at
loketimes@comcast.net or Peggy at
esposito.inc@gmail.com.
-
Peralta Creek Park
(Corner of Rettig and Wisconsin): Meet the third
Tuesday of the month from 6:30-7:30 pm.
-
Garden with the Friends
of Sausal Creek--Harvest seeds of native plants,
help propagate seeds at the native plant nursery, work
to remove invasives throughout the Sausal Creek
Watershed or attend their bimonthly educational
workshops. There's something happening several days a
week and on most weekends, in Dimond Canyon, Joaquin
Miller Park at the Native Plant Nursery and Beaconsfield
Canyon. Check out their monthly calendar of events at
the
FOSC website
-
Shepherd Canyon Eco
Pullers & Planters--meets the first Saturday of
the month at Escher Meadow in Shepherd Canyon Park.
Contact
Adrienne Bryant.
-
Experience Corps Seeks
Volunteers 55+:
Experience Corps seeks Baby Boomer volunteers to
tutor and mentor students at our underserved elementary
schools. They currently support students in seven
elementary schools throughout North and East Oakland (Civicorps,
Cleveland, Emerson, Monarch Academy, Piedmont Ave, Santa
Fe, Think College Now) and they could use your time,
talent and life experience. As little as 2 hours a week
can make a huge difference and scheduling is flexible.
No prior experience tutoring or working with kids
necessary - full training and on-site support is
provided, as are paid stipends for volunteers who serve
10+ hours a week!For more information, contact
David Moren at 495-4966.
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10. 2010 Census Facts & Scam Alerts |
 The
middle of March you will be receiving one of the most
important documents of the coming decade. March 17 and 18,
2010 the Census Bureau will be mailing out its
every-ten-years survey of all Americans. This year's version
claims to be the simplest form ever devised, with 10 easy
questions that will count and categorize the residents of
the United States. It should take less than 10 minutes to
complete, then just mail it back to the Census Bureau.
Only if the form is not
returned, will the census workers pay you a visit.
More detailed socioeconomic information will be gleaned
from a small percentage of the population through the
American Community Survey which IS done on a monthly basis.
Everything is fast, easy and entirely confidential, but it
is also very important. Every year the federal government
allocates more than $400 billion based in part on census
data, so how much federal money Oakland might receive is
tied to the census count. According to the Census Bureau,
data is also used to determine locations for schools,
hospitals, retail stores and other community facilities, and
this data also determines boundaries for state and local and
legislative and congressional districts.
Some key cautions:
-
 Legitimate
Census Takers at your door can easily be
identified:
- They wear a Census t-shirt
- They are carrying a lap top
- Ask for their 2 forms of identification
- >>Oakland
census worker Monica Xu.
- The Census Bureau
DOES NOT conduct the 2010 Survey by email. You
may receive an email requesting that you participate
however:
- The Census Bureau does not request detailed
personal information through email.
- The Census Bureau does not send email
requesting PIN codes, passwords social security
numbers or similar access information for credit
cards, banks or other financial accounts.
- If you receive an email or find a web site
that you suspect is falsely representing the
Census Bureau:
- Do not reply or click on any links
within the email.
- Do not open any attachments.
Attachments may contain code that could
infect your computer.
- Forward the email or web site URL to
the Census Bureau at
itso.fraud.reporting@census.gov.
- After you forward the email to us,
delete the message.
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Celebrate
the Year of the Tiger As Part of Our Local Heroes
Awards on Saturday, February 20, 10-Noon, Laurel
Elementary School, 3750 Brown Avenue.
Help ring in the New Year by visiting some of our
local Asian American highlights: the
Oakland
Parks & Rec Conducts Focus Groups to Plan the Future of
Our Parks: 
Black
History Month Events in Oakland: