• RSVP BY RETURN EMAIL FOR OUR ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY: Don’t miss this opportunity to meet wonderful neighbors throughout the district who are working to make Oakland a better city. Help us celebrate 4 years of hard work and progress. We collect donations for our District 4 Office & Organizing Fund to pay for projects not covered by the city: our District Offices in the Laurel & Dimond, weekly email newsletters, our website, multilingual publications, community surveys, beautification projects such as Earth Day, litter clean-ups, and school playgrounds, hosting community planning meetings like Envisioning MacArthur or the Joaquin Miller Park Task Force, and citywide campaigns like organizing Emergency Preparedness or Home Alert groups. Your donations cover expenses and the cost of the planetarium show (about $10/person). If you can give more to help our Office Fund, we would appreciate it but give as much or little as you decide. Any donation is welcome, just come! Leaflet

• Sue Piper and I will host Office Hours in Montclair at 6211 LaSalle Avenue this Sunday, December 3, 10 am-Noon. Please stop by.
Because of the holiday season, we will only hold office hours on the regular schedule through December 21. We will be taking a holiday break between December 23 and January 3. We will resume regular office hours starting Wednesday, January 6.

(Above) Joe Tam (Farmer Joe) and son enjoying the buffet last year at our Holiday Party.

• Redwood Heights Elementary's Holiday Tree and Wreath Sale , December 2, 9 and 16. Great prices and delivery direct to homes available. Check out the school's website for details, prices and order forms.

• "America's Children's Parade," Saturday, December 2, 2 pm begins at Broadway and 11th St. Ninety entries including 14 giant balloons, floats, 18 marching bands, the Raiderettes, equestrians, clowns, Santa and my personal favorites--the Tap Dancing Christmas Trees,make their way up Broadway to 20th St, turn on 20th over towards Lake Merritt and finish at Harrison St. If you miss the parade, it will air on PBS station KTEH, Channel 54,10 am on Christmas Day.

• Redwood Planting Day, Saturday, 11 am-1 pm: Help plant the native redwood under story meet at the Monterey Trail head at 11 am. The trail head is on Monterey Blvd, along side of Hwy 13 South at Park Blvd. Stay to the right. After 1500', just past the Montclair Golf Course, look for a trash can and sign. The trail here leads down into the redwoods. The under story restoration site is a narrow band along the switchbacks that lead up to the Bridgeview Trail.

• 30th Lighted Yacht Parade, Oakland Estuary, Saturday, December 2, 5 pm: 30-50 vessels will cruise the Oakland-Alameda estuary to usher in the holiday season to benefit the Oakland Firefighters Random Acts of Kindness and the Alameda Food Bank. The parade runs roughly from Coast Guard Island to Jack London Square.

• Piedmont Pines-Sponsored Goodwill Collection at Joaquin Miller School on Saturday, December 2, 9am-4pm. . Dispose of clothing and other household items in a Goodwill collection box sponsored by the Piedmont Pines Homeowners Association. Acceptable items include gently used clothing and shoes, toys, books, small appliances in working condition, electronics. "No Thank You" items include: microwaves; infant car seats, cribs and highchairs; automotive and bicycle parts; food; magazines; non- working electrical equipment; toxic material; mattresses, box springs and pillows; office furniture; hide-a-beds; building materials; Venetian blinds, shutters; gas powered yard tools; pianos and organs; excessively worn clothing, or unsafe, non- functional or broken items.

• Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir's 21st Annual Christmas Concert , Saturday, December 2, 7:30 pm at the Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway. Advance tickets--$10-$35, $5 discount to seniors over 62. At the door--$5 over advance price. Tickets available at Paramount Theatre Box Office (465-6400-- password OIGC) or at Ticketmaster (625-TISX) or www.ticketmaster.com. This event is supported by the Oakland City Council and funded by the City of Oakland's Cultural Funding Program.

• Oakland Youth Chorus 2006 Holiday Concert, Saturday, December 2 . The Oakland Youth Chorus begins its 33rd season with the much-loved annual holiday concert! "Welcoming Winter" will feature all of OYC's performing choral ensembles - Miracle Choruses from 12 elementary schools, Middle School Magic Choruses, the teen Concert Chorus and the OYC Alumni Chorus with members going all the way back to OYC's beginnings in 1974. For tickets, or more information, call OYC at 510-287-9700, or visit www.oaklandyouthchorus.org for complete media packet.

• Maxwell Park NCPC Daffodil Planting, Sunday, December 3, 9 am-Noon Meet at the Walgreen's parking lot, close to Courtland Avenue. Bring gloves and shovels for trash pickup up, weed removal and daffodil planting on Redding (High to Birdsall) and the Courtland triangle. Families welcome. For details, contact Jan Hetherington

• Oakland Winter Festival, Sunday, December 3, 3 pm, Oakland High. Between 1919 until 1987, Oakland hosted the annual Christmas Pageant at the Oakland Auditorium, with school-aged children dressed as snow fairies, clowns, polar bears and toys. Last year, the tradition was rekindled as the Oakland Winter Festival. This year's Winter Festival will feature at least 700 children from 13 schools and cultural centers and will be held at Oakland High School, 1023 MacArthur Blvd.. Tickets are $6 for adults, $3 for students and seniors, and free for children under 3 years of age.

Abdo Alawdi owner of the Dimond's Two Star Market donates Thanksgiving dinner & toys. Photo by Tim Chapman

• Holiday Gift Certificate Distribution for Low Income Families. The City of Oakland Hunger Program and the Emergency Food Providers Advisory Committee sponsor a holiday distribution of food gift certificates for low income families and seniors. Call 986-2721 for details.

• Stop Hunger Year Round: Many groups receive donations at this time of year, but hunger is a year round problem in our community. 35% of the Alameda Food Bank's clients are children. 25% of households with children reported they went without food at least once in the last year. One third of the clients at emergency food programs are seniors. 38% of the families have at least one working member. 41% are unemployed. Consider a donation to the Alameda County Food Bank.

• Mayor's Toy Drive: Drop New Unwrapped toys at many Fire Stations and at the Oaklanders Assistance Center in City Hall, Rm 123. Volunteers are needed on December 20, 21 and 22. You may also donate money. Contact Al Lujan for more information, 238-7366.
 

For more information about Hunger in our community....

• New construction and other human impacts change water flow in the patchwork of creeks and storm drains in our city. Keep an eye on runoff and storm drains around your home. The city is provides up to 20 sandbags and 50 feet of plastic sheeting per household or business, with proof of residency. Pick up from Public Works Agency service centers, Monday - Friday 8 am - 9 pm, Saturday-Sunday 8 am- 4:30 pm at 7101 Edgewater Drive or 5921 Shepherd Canyon Road.

Up to 5 bags can be picked up from local these District 4 fire stations, Monday - Friday 8am- 9 pm; Saturday-Sunday, 8 am to 4:30 pm:

• Fire Station No. 6, 7080 Colton Blvd
• Fire Station No. 17, 3344 High St

 

• Report flooding or other storm problems to the Public Works Call Center at (510) 615-5566 24 hours.
• Don't sweep leaves into the gutter, put them into your green cart.

• Volunteer to Maintain-A-Drain: Heavy rains wash a large amount of garbage, litter, and pollution into storm drains (inlets). Clogged storm drains cause flooding. Public Works will provide you with rain gear and a tools if you volunteer to help them keep an inlet on your street clear.

For More Locations & Information...

• Police Department Open House, Wednesday, December 13, 6-8 pm, at the Eastmont Police Station 2651 73rd Avenue, 777-8500. This is an opportunity for those who have been involved in neighborhood alert groups and crime prevention councils to meet the command staff in their area, problem solving and crime reduction team officers.

• Listserv Rumor: Last week a police helicopter over Montclair raised interest on the neighborhood listserv. The rumor repeated on other listservs about an armed home invasion was unfounded. Police did respond to a call about 3 individuals involved in "suspicious" behavior, but no arrests were made after questioning. Using listservs to alert neighbors is practical and timely; however, police urge residents to check the information before they "go public."
Jacque Long, the Montclair Neighborhood Services Coordinator, has returned to Beat 22Y (Montclair Safety and Improvement Council-MSIC) after a long medical leave and may be reached at jlong@oaklandnet.com or at 615-5912.

• Caught On Video: On another listserv last week, a quick neighbor looked out her window and videotaped a man dumping a couch under a freeway. She caught the license plate of the rental truck and found it had been rented nearby and managed to get a copy of the rental agreement. The man apparently lives in Piedmont, drives a Mercedes, and will be getting a citation worth over a $1000 in fines.

• Facsimile Guns Are Illegal: Sue Piper and I recently followed a series of panicked emails about guns in Montclair Park. Following up with the police it turns out teens were using paint ball guns. The incident points out why realistic "toy" or facsimile guns are illegal. Not only might there have been a tragedy if police were not aware that the "guns" were "toys", but paint guns and B-B guns lead to mandatory expulsion from public schools.

• Know your neighbors: The holiday season is a perfect time to introduce yourself, if you haven't already. Put together a contact list with names, phone numbers, email addresses. If most of your neighbors use email, organize a listserv that allows you to communicate instantaneously. Many blocks in District 4 use their listservs to alert neighbors to unusual events-- such as aggressive magazine salespeople (all solicitors should have a permit from the police), possible casing of homes, or stolen cars. Keep in mind that the police don't always monitor the listservs, so it is important to call the police and file a complaint at 777-333 or on line so that there is an official record. The police, traffic engineering and other departments use these reports to allocate resources.

• Two young men driving a Pontiac Bonneville were arrested recently for a string of robberies targeting lone individuals especially women walking after dark on quieter residential streets in the foothills. Two other suspects are sought. We believe they may be responsible for other robberies in my area. The investigating officers are Sgt. Caesar Basa and Officer Steve Nowack, contact them at 238-3326. Neighbors who walk in the evening should consider going with a buddy, carrying a whistle or other alarm device, and be aware of unfamiliar cruising cars.
 

For details about organizing a Neighborhood Watch Group

Dr. Dick Bailey of the Lake Merritt Institute sent us this photo of a new storm drain filter at 22nd and Valley. This batch of styrene foam at just one storm drain demonstrates the problem. Without the filter, all of this would have ended up in the lake. Cleaning out these filters however is labor intensive. Help us educate merchants and others about the polystyrene foam ban. When you buy food products in foam containers, remind your merchant that they only have month left to use their remaining supplies. Starting in January warning will be issues, second warning come with a $100 fine, third $200, and fourth $400

For more information on the ordinance...

• Welcome to Allendale Park: Over the last few years the Allendale Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council led by Steve Reuss has slowly turned this barren space into a beautiful median. (Left) Last week working with Steve, we got our tree division to plant a pollution resistant ginkgo with golden fall leaves. Next we are looking to replace the welcome sign with something more prominent. Thanks to all the volunteers!

• Altenheim Opens This Week: The Citizens Housing Corporation has started moving senior tenants into the renovated apartments. A few units in the $700/month range are still available. On Friday, December 8th, 1-3pm,1720 MacArthur Blvd, a welcoming event for residents, their families, and prospective residents will be held. Contact Kim Piechota at 415-861-3121 for information.

• Thornhill/St. Johns Comment Period Extended: Neighbors concerned about the plans to expand St. John's Church and change its entrance to Thornhill Drive near Thornhill School will get additional time to comment on the church's application to remove 62 trees. The original deadline was December 6th.

• MacArthur Corridor Photo Project Reception, Wednesday, December 6, 5-7 pm: Earlier this year we promoted a Mills College oral history program that involved photographs of people living and working along MacArthur Blvd. Nancy MacKay, Coordinator of the Oakland Living History program at Mills, invites neighbors to a reception at Mills Hall, 2nd Fl to honor the project.

• Laurel Planters: The next time you are in the neighborhood enjoy the beautiful new planters. The Laurel Merchants Business Improvement District with help from neighbors in the Laurel Village Association and a grant from our District 4 Council Capital Fund completed the work last Saturday. Congratulations to all!

• Townhouse Construction Starts at High & Mac Arthur: Site preparation has started for 14 market rate live-work townhouse units and a corner cafe on the long vacant lot.

• Horace Mann School Work Day, Saturday, December 9th, 9:30-11:30 am: The Melrose High Hopes Neighborhood Council and neighbors will be planting trees, assembling picnic tables and planters in the new, evolving school garden, and doing a general clean-up at Horace Mann. Hope you'll come, rain or shine, we're bringing the coffee!

• Fruitvale School's 5th Annual School-wide War Against Improper Toys (WAIT) Drive, Tuesday, December 12 . The Oakland Police Department, the Oakland Police Activities league, Oakland Firefighters Random Acts of Kindness, and several elected officials, civic and religious leaders will join in this toy drive to address violence introduced to children through their toys and video games. students and community members are encouraged to trade their toy guns and violent games and toys for non-violent toys and books. For details, call 879- 1170.

• Redwood Heights Elementary Kindergarten Information Night , Wednesday, December 6, 7 pm. Prospective parents welcome to this presentation about Redwood's program and to sign up for tours. Adults only please.

• Edna Brewer Middle School Open House for Prospective Students, Wednesday, December 13, 6 - 7:30 pm. Meet the principal and 6th grade teachers and tour classrooms at Edna Brewer Middle School, 3748 13th Avenue in Oakland. The school also provides group tours for prospective students and their parents/guardians at 10 am on Wednesday, December 6, or sign up for an individual tour on a different date. Contact Stacey Ho at 879-2100.

• City-wide Memorial Service for Victims of Homicide in Oakland and East Bay , Tuesday, December 5, 7 pm at St. Columba Church, 6401 San Pablo Avenue (at Alcatraz), sponsored by the Oakland/Alameda Chapter of the Family and Friends of Murder Victims, a support group for those affected by homicide. The group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 7:15 pm on the 12th floor of Kaiser Hospital in Oakland. For details, contact Fr. Jayson J. Landeza, Oakland Fire Department Chaplain at 654-7600.

• Oak Walk in Dimond Park: A year ago, we celebrated the long life of one of Oakland's oldest trees, the Champagne Oak of Dimond Park (above). Working with local residents, the Friends of Sausal Creek and the others, we moved the remains to near the pool so that the community could observe the natural process that would return the tree to the earth. I also funded a grant to the Friends of Sausal Creek to survey the oak trees in the park, organize community work days to remove the ivy that is choking other oak trees in the park, and to develop educational programs that would increase public awareness of preserving our City's oaks.

As part of this grant, FOSC is hosting a special walking tour on Saturday, December 9, 1 pm. Join FOSC and our office on a walk in Dimond Canyon to appreciate our oak woodlands. Meet at the Scout Hut in Dimond Park.

For details, contact 501-3672 or FOSC Executive Director Sara Marcellino

 

• Planting at Joaquin Miller Community Center, Saturday, December 9, 9 am-1 pm . Boy Scouts, neighbors and members of the Hillside and Bonita Garden Clubs will plant shrubs and small plants, as well as pull broom and other invasives. For details, contact Bobbie Feyerabend at bobbie@fmlanddesign.com

• An Evening of Remembrance, Tuesday, December 12 . The public is invited to a ceremony to commemorate the lives of loved ones lost to violence in Oakland on Tuesday, December 12, 5-8 pm at the Jack London Inn, 444 Embarcadero West in Jack London Square. There will be music, dance and opportunities to build hope for a peaceful future. Hosted by The Million Mom March, Youth Alive, Silence the Violence/Ella Baker Center, and East Bay Asian Youth Center. For more information, call 428-3939, X 298 or visit Bay Area Silence the Violence

• Dog Volunteers needed for Doggy Play Group. The Oakland Animal Shelter runs a Doggy Play Group, an extremely important activity for the dogs because it gives them social contact and exercise. Volunteers are needed to supervise. For details, contact Megan Webb, Community Outreach Program Manager at Oakland Animal Services at 535-5604.

• Give the Gift of Preparedness. The American Red Cross, Bay Area is undertaking a comprehensive program to train one million Bay Area residents in Disaster preparedness. They have launched the "Give the Gift of Preparedness" Campaign. Consider disaster kits, a First Aid/CPR class, a pet First Aid kit or sponsor emergency preparedness training to your neighborhood, school, business or place of worship. I’m thinking of giving the hand cranked flashlights and radios to everyone in our family. Go to the ARCBA shopping website for great gifts and supplies that will protect you and support the campaign. Enter Promotional Code, “GIFT” for a 20% Discount. Expires 2/28/2007

• Citizens of Oakland Respond to Emergencies (CORE) Classes: Sign up via the website below or email: core@oaklandnet .com or call 238-6351.

• Montclair Neighborhood CORE Leaders Meeting, January 23. If you are considering organizing a CORE (Citizens of Oakland Respond to Emergencies) group on your block and you live in Montclair, consider attending the next Montclair Neighborhood CORE Leaders Meeting on Tuesday, January 23 at 7 pm at the Montclair Community Play Center, 5815 Thornhill Drive. For details, contact Sandy Pohutsky.

• Citywide CORE Neighborhood Exercise planned for Saturday, April 28, 2007. Mark your calendar if you have a CORE group. And if you have any ideas about how to make the experience more effective, contact Roger Vickery, chair of the Montclair Safety & Improvement Council (MSIC), who is the MSIC representative to the CORE Exercise Planning Team.
 

For more information about Emergency Preparedness Classes

• Why report a crime ?. There have been a number of neighborhood meetings with police concerning crime and police response. If there is one message that comes through from these sessions, it is the importance of calling in a crime when you observe it. Posting a report on a listserv informs your neighbors, but it is not an official report, which generates the data trend reports that the police and other city agencies use to prioritize city resources. The recent arrests of robbery suspects in our area were the result of prompt and multiple reports to the police of their description and methods. If the crime is not immediate, you can either call in the report (777-3333) or fill out an on-line crime report form instead of calling 911.

• We also encourage you to participate in your local Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), that works with the police to highlight the top two or three priorities for police to focus on during the next month in your neighborhood. Here's a list of District 4 NCPC's .

We believe these meetings are so important-- and informative-- that staff from our office is assigned to each of these meetings and I make a point of getting to each of these NCPC's on a quarterly basis, as well.

• Oakland Crime Watch Website. The Oakland Police Department maintains a map on its website that shows recent crime activity. You will be able to request crime data by proximity to an address or known location, such as your home or school. You can produce maps and reports from this data base. Please keep in mind that the site is not instantaneous, it may lag up to a month. But it provides a perspective on what is happening in a given area.

The Alameda County Lead Program offers an in-home lead consultation service for homeowners of pre-1978 residential property in Alameda County. Participants receive a free on-site visual survey to look for potential lead hazards in the home and a consultation. The owner will also receive a lead sampling kit for testing paint, dust and soil.

This service is particularly useful for people with young children and those planning painting or other renovation projects. For additional information, call 567-8280 or download the application.

The Oakland School District's Adult Ed Program sponsors a series of 4-hour workshops entitled Urban SPARK- Introduction to Entrepreneurship, a fast-pasted program that delivers information on developing a business around the passions of your life, a 10-step process for creating a business plan; a 10-step process for forming a legal business in California; the 9 internal systems that will stabilize and organize your new business; the two most important marketing strategies you need to know, and other practical information.

Class dates: Saturday, December 18, 9 - Noon at the Oakland Housing Authority, 935 Union Street, and Saturday, January 6, 9 am to Noon at the Oakland Housing Authority, 935 Union Street. Enrollment forms are available online for download at www.urbanvoice.org and click on Entrepreneurship or call 655-1304 or 879-4020. Cost: $15

• Shop Oakland Website: While we struggle to get national chains into city, we sometimes forget the many wonderful neighborhood shopping districts in our city. This new website is just getting off the ground and many businesses have not yet registered, but I found plenty of shop to spark my interest. It lets you search by product or category or district. I looked at independent shops owned by Oakland residents, with green or socially conscious business practices and my favorite tamale shop La Borinquena came up! Then I tried “chocolate” and two new stores in Rockridge and Temescal will definitely get a visit from me.

• Montclair Village Holiday Stroll, Thursday, December 7, 6-9 pm. Don't miss Montclair Village's party of the Year! You and your family can enjoy horse drawn wagon rides, a motorized Cable Car with stops at participating local businesses, music, prizes, refreshments of all kinds, store sales and many other treats and surprises for the whole family. Holiday costumes encouraged.

• Dimond Winter Festival,"An Interfaith Celebration," Saturday, December 9, 10am-3pm, Fruitvale Presbyterian Church, Mac Arthur & Coolidge. Help support the local economy by purchasing holiday crafts and gift ware by local artists and vendors. Enjoy a pancake breakfast, craft making with the kids and photos with Santa. Spiritual Leaders from various faiths will share words and music. $5.00 Donation or can goods appreciated at the door. Call Ruth 336-0105 for more info.

• Santa Stroll in the Laurel, Saturday, December 9, 1-4 pm: Luann at Laurel Books will be featuring goodies from a variety of cookbooks as well as other treats. There will be music and a visit from Santa from 1-4 all along the strip between the arches.

(Left) Jack London Tree, photo by Chavez/Tribune.

• Oakland East Bay Symphony's 2nd Sing Along Messiah Saturday, December 9 at the Paramount Theatre. Our city's new first lady, Mrs. Dellums, will be guest conductor. Mariachi players, klezmer artists, cabaret performers and gospel singers join Michael Morgan and the orchestra for Handel's Messiah as you've never heard it before. Whether you sing or not, you'll enjoy this unique spin on a holiday favorite.For tickets go to http://www.oebs.org/page/dec.htm

• Oakland Interfaith YOUTH Gospel Choir Concert. Their 10th Annual Christmas Concert will be held at the First Unitarian Church of Oakland on Saturday, December 16 at 6 pm. For details, go to www.oigc.org.

• 21st Annual Revels If you enjoy beautiful music, exciting dancing, thrilling storytelling and creating community through the shared experience of live musical theatre, then celebrate the Winter Solstice and holiday traditions here. The audience is invited to sing and dance along with the show, and it is a great show for families. December 8-10 and 15-17 at the Scottish Rite theatre on Lake Merritt. Tickets are $15 - $42 at www.calrevels.org or www.goldstarevents.com for special discounts!

• Skyline's Performing Arts Academy Presents Hamlet, December 13 through December 16th, each evening at 7 pm at the Rawley T. Farnsworth Theater on the Skyline campus. Tickets are $9 adults, $7 children under 11.

• The Secret Nutcracker, December 15-17 . Ronn Guidi's annual performance by his pre-professional students (including Richard Cowan's daughter) at the Valley Theater, Holy Names College: Friday, December 15, 8 pm; Saturday, December 16, 2 pm and 7 pm and Sunday, December 17, 11 am and 5 pm. Tickets are $20 each, $18 for groups of 10 or more. According to Richard, this version is perfect for families with very young children. You can download an order form or call 530-7516.

• Redwood Heights Winter Music Program, Friday, December 21, 7 pm.

• Nutcracker at the Paramount Theatre. Former Director of the Oakland Ballet Ronn Guidi has revived a professional troupe to perform this perennial favorite Friday, December 22 at 8 pm, Saturday, December 23 at 2 and 8 pm, and Sunday, December 24 at 11 am. For information, contact the Paramount Theatre at 465-6400 or Ticketmaster

Email: jquan@oaklandnet.com

Phone: 510 238-7004

web: http://www.jeanquan.org