<< Council members Kernighan and Quan are sworn in at the Paramount Monday.

• Inauguration Week Continues: The Dellums Committee events continue through Sunday. I have attended as many events as my meeting schedule would allow.

• Today at 10:15 a.m., residents from throughout the city are invited to participate in a special "Hands Around the Lake" at Lake Merritt. Registration starts at 9 a.m. at the Bandstand near Children's Fairyland. It is estimated that it will take 5,000 people to join hands around the 3.4-mile circumference of the lake.

• The Dream of a King, performance at the Oakland Museum, Saturday, January 13, 2 pm: Free Day at the museum in honor of Dr. King sponsored by Target. Through music, song, and stories—told and signed (ASL)—Diane Ferlatte brings alive the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The community event includes a videotape of a speech by Dr. Maya Angelou, King’s speeches played throughout the museum, a gift CD by African-American artists and composers, and a “King Fact Card” for visitors.

• Can We Spare Some Change? A Fine Art Exhibition by Milton Bowens Closes Today: In this exhibit, Bowens asks, "Can We Spare Some Change...in the way we view media, history and activism to raise awareness of health concerns important to the African American community, and the urgent need for African American donors to join the National Marrow Donor Program Registry. Closing reception 6:30-8:30 pm.

• MLK Day of Service: Many honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a day of service. This site lists a wide range of opportunities including a clean-up and mural day at nearby Oakland High.

• "A Day On, Not a Day Off" Shoreline Walk, Volunteer Planting and Restoration, Monday, Jan 15th, 8:30 am-Noon: One of my favorite annual MLK Day activities, join us at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline, Garretson Point off Edgewater Drive. Naturalists will lead a shoreline walk to share the history of the marsh and how it came to be known as Martin Luther King, Jr. Shoreline. Following the walk, a volunteer project, led by park staff, will include planting, clean-up and environmental restoration along the shoreline. All are welcome. Presented by the East Bay Regional Park District, 521-6887 or www.ebparks.org

• Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts, Monday, Jan 15th, 2-5 pm, 1428 Alice Street. Free performances of excerpts from Jeff Stetson's play "The Meeting" which depicts the fictional meeting between Malcolm X (James Brooks) and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Michael Lange) set in a Harlem hotel and other youth talent. Presented by the Office of Parks and Recreation 238-7217 or 285-7856

• Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Philosophy of Non-Violence at the Rockridge Library, Books, posters, speeches, and other items are on display in honor of King’s birthday. Co-sponsored by the Bay Area Season for Non-Violence Organization. Through January 31, 2007.

This year I am honored to serve as Vice Chair of the Chabot Science Center. I first joined the Chabot Board as a new school board member when the new center was still just a dream. I remember lobbying Congressman Dellums for federal funds; he took our dream as his own wrote the bill that provided $18 million for its construction.

• Yesterday at Chabot District Administrator Kimberly Stratham joined Mayor Dellums and hundreds of students in announcing funding for two teacher positions and a new effort to provide transportation for Oakland students to come to the center. The positions are key to teacher training programs and were cut last year by the former state administrator. This renewed funding and the Mayor's commitment to help increase funding for the center is great news for one of Oakland's oldest institutions...now 123 years old!

• Tribute to Space Travel at Chabot, Saturday, January 13: See a genuine Russian space suit up close, explore hands-on science demonstrations and enjoy a special screening of To be an Astronaut in Chabot Space & Science Center's giant MegaDome Theater. Apollo 9 Astronaut Russell Schweickart will be on hand between 3 and 6 pm for autographs, along with 9 other astronauts and cosmonauts who have traveled on the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Space Shuttle and International Space Station missions. As a fundraiser, Astronaut autographs are available at $50 per astronaut, for more information.

• McNaught Comet Visible Right After Sunset: Starting about 20 minutes after sunset, scan for it with binoculars just above the west-southwest horizon, far to the lower right of Venus, as shown here.

<< One of our first and oldest nominees. Marj Saunders was honored for decades of work preserving open space. For her work on creek restoration at sulfur Springs this pocket park was named for her.
Do you know a District 4 neighbor who has demonstrated outstanding community spirit and service? Go to this site to see last year's nominees and send your nomination to Jennifer Argueta in our office. Please provide the name, address and contact information for both yourself and the nominee, along with a brief paragraph describing why you believe this person or group deserves recognition.

The awards will be presented at our District Office on February 24th as part of the Lunar New Year celebration in the Laurel. All nominees receive Oakland A's or Warriors tickets. The top awardees are allowed to designate up to $1000 in District 4 Council Capital funds to any public project.

• Oakland has about 600 Neighborhood Watch Groups, and with increasing burglaries that number is increasing. Just this month our office is helping to organize about five new groups. On Wednesday, January 24, 6:30-8:30 pm, Block Captains of Neighborhood Alert Groups are invited for an Annual Winter meeting at Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza, 2nd Floor, Hearing Room 4. Neighborhood CORE Leaders are also invited to attend. The special guest speaker is Oakland Deputy Police Chief Jeffrey Israel. There will be validated parking at the City Hall Garage, 14th and Clay Streets. Please RSVP so that seating and refreshments can be planned: call 238-3128, or e-mail NVigilante@msn.com

• Oakmore Safety Meeting with City Staff: Our office has organized a meeting on behalf of the Oakmore Homeowners Association with policy and park ranger staff for Wednesday, January 17 at 7:30 pm at Wells & Bennett Real Estate, 1451 Leimert Blvd. The meeting is a follow-up to the OHA's annual meeting to discuss safety issues. Rene Sykes, the Neighborhood Services Coordinator for Oakmore, and representatives from the Police Department, as well as a ranger representing nearby Dimond Park, will be on hand to answer questions.

<< Workgroup members John Eckhouse, Dale Risden, and Austin McInery review the new map with Jean in front of newly posted version that can be found on kiosks in the park.

• New Map and Updated Website for Joaquin Miller Park: JM Park is one of the largest, most beautiful parks in the East Bay. Its 500 plus acres features amazing trails through redwood forests, the Chabot Space Center, Woodminster Amphitheater & Cascades, children's playgrounds, and dozens of other features. For the past two years, our Joaquin Miller Park Working Group has been hammering out details for a new brochure and map, along with a more comprehensive website for Joaquin Miller Park. The new map is on the city website and the map/brochure is available at the ranger station and our offices. A new website will be launched soon but until then the new map may be downloaded from the expanded city site. The full printed brochure features the history of the park, trail use and restrictions, topographical and botanical information, and much more.

Thanks to the Friends of Oakland Parks & Recreation for sponsoring the printing, to Karen Paulsell of Friends of Sausal Creek for creating the revised map, and to Sue Piper on our staff for drafting the brochure and website copy.

• Trail Work Day in Joaquin Miller Park set for Saturday, January 20, 9 am-Noon: The Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay works closely with the City's park maintenance department and the Joaquin Miller Park Working Group to keep our trails in safe condition following the winter rains. Please join us on the next work day. Bring gloves, hat and water. We meet at the Ranger Station.</ b> Projects for the coming year include creating a fundraising effort for the park, developing a phase II plan for landscaping the Abbey (Joaquin Miller's home), installing new trail signage and Park welcome signs, a "Day in the Park" in May, and fund raising activities. All meetings are open to the public. The minutes of the Working Group meetings may be found on my website.

• Joaquin Miller Dog Play Area Official Opening & Party Planned for February 18th (Note New Date): If you have ideas for this event or would like to bring snacks for our guests (both dogs and humans), let us know. Also, a project of the Joaquin Miller Task Force, especially Emily Rosenberg, Dale Risden and Sue Piper. Dog lovers are enjoying the new off-leash dog play area located in parking lots 4 and 5 near Woodminster Amphitheater. One is for smaller dogs, the other for larger pets.

This off-leash dog play area is a pilot project to show that the space can be successfully shared for the dog park and for use as a parking lot and requires special cooperation and volunteer efforts by dog park users. When we get final approval to make the park permanent later this year, we do plan to seek funds to build entry areas with a double gates to improve entry and control exit from the parks. Volunteers are needed to help maintain the dog play area, contact Dale Risden

• Enrolling students in OUSD schools for next fall: This is especially important if you plan to enroll your student back into the Oakland Unified School District from private or parochial schools. The district's Open Enrollment period runs from January 8 through January 29, during which time parents of entering Kindergartners, and those entering the district for the first time must enroll their students. For current 5th, 8th and pre-kindergarten students who are already attending OUSD schools, applications are personalized and will be handed out at the school. Applications for students in other grades who wish to enroll at a different OUSD school, and for students returning to the district will be available on line, at school sites and at the Student Assignment Office (879-8111) at 1098 Second Avenue, Portable 18.

Families will continue to have first priority to attend their neighborhood schools. Students who want to attend a non-neighborhood school where a sibling is already enrolled will have second priority. After that, students who live in a neighborhood where all options are "program improvement" schools will be given priority. After these priorities, a lottery will be held for remaining spots.

• Heroes Dictionary Day, Thursday, January 18: Oakland's 5th Annual Dictionary Day takes place on Thursday, January 18. Join HEROES and the California Dictionary Project by distributing dictionaries to 3rd grade classes and teaching students how to use their new tool through fun and educational learning games. It is a minimal time commitment of one half hour, but you are welcome to sign up for as many as three time slots: 9:30-10 am, 10-10:30 am, and 10:30-11 am. To sign up for Dictionary Day or any of HEROES other volunteer opportunities, please call 879-2908, or email them at OUSD Heroes web link

• 100 Families Oakland: Art and Social Change exhibit at Oakland Museum: Opening January 20th, the art of Oakland families who made art under the guidance of professional artists will be featured. For details, visit the 100 Families website The project is sponsored by F. Noel Perry and the Center for Art and Public Life. (Above) Fruitvale family.

 

• Romeo & Juliet, a Fire Ballet at the Crucible: This is a benefit for the group that worked with us to design our beautiful tree grates and trash cans. This theatrical spectacle fuses ballet, classical music, aerial performance, the fine arts and the industrial arts into a modernized rendition of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Regular performance tickets run $50 for performances January 12, 13, 17, 18 and 19. The Grand Gala Finale on Saturday, January 20 runs $120 with advance purchase only. All performances are from 8:30 to 10 pm at The Crucible, 1260 7th Street in Oakland. For details call 444-0919 or go to their website.

• FOSC Restoration Planting Opportunities: Saturday, January 13, Friends of Sausal Creek will be planting the upper portion of the grassland site in the Joaquin Miller Park FOSC Native Plant Nursery from 9 am until Noon. On Saturday, January 10, from 9 am until Noon, volunteers will meet at the Monterey Trailhead to plant at the Redwood site near in Dimond Canyon. Volunteers are also needed to help out in the Nursery from 1:30 to 4:30 pm on both of these Saturdays. For details, contact Kathren Stevenson, Restoration Coordinator,or visit the FOSC website.

• Pixar Animator Sanjay Patel featured at January 18 Literary Nights in Montclair at a Great Good Place for Books: Meet Sanjay Patel, a local author and Pixar animator, who will be reading from his new book, The Little Book of Deities, on Thursday, January 18 at 7 pm at GGP. These monthly events are sponsored by The Montclarion.

• Oakland Civic Orchestra's "North by Northeast" Concert, Sunday, January 21: at 3 pm at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 114 Montecito Avenue will present Borodin's Prince Igor Overture, Sibelius' Finlandia and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9. Admission is free. This is the 15th Anniversary of the volunteer orchestra. Call 238-7275 or visit their website.

• Wildfire Prevention District Advisory Board meets Thursday, January 25, 7 pm, at the Richard C. Trudeau Training Center, 11500 Skyline Blvd. Learn more about vegetation management and how to better protect your investment in your home and neighborhood at the monthly meetings of the Wildfire Prevention District Advisory Board. District 4 representative to the Advisory Board are Barbara Goldenberg and Bob Faber.

• Ban on Polystyrene Containers for Take Out Food: We are getting many inquiries about the Green Ware legislation I sponsored that requires restaurants, food trucks and other retail food providers to eliminate the use of polystyrene plates, cups, bowls, and utensils that took affect January 1st. In addition, biodegradable, compostable alternatives must be used as they become affordable. Our spot check shows that most restaurants are complying, some say they are using old supplies.

If your local restaurant or store is still using polystyrene, you can help us by distributing the leaflet below and reporting violations to 238-SAVE or recycle@oaklandnet.com For details about the new ordinance, go to the City's new Green Ware website.

• When the city receives a complaint, the owners will be given a warning.
• After the warning, a $100 fine will be issued.
• The second violation after a warning will warrant a fine up to $200.
• For the third and any additional violations, a fine of up to $500 will be issued

 

For Informational Leaflet on Oakland's Green Ware Ordinance....

• Household Hazardous Waste Center's New Schedule: Service to Oakland will be expanded this year. Every first, third, and fifth week of the month, Thursdays-Saturday, 9am-1pm, residents may drop off household waste including paint, batteries, herbicides, motor oil, florescent bulbs, etc at the 2100 East 7th Street Center. Free.

 

For full Center Schedule & Brochure...

<< View across Dimond Canyon from the Park Blvd path.

On Saturday, January 27, 9 am-Noon, at the Zion Lutheran Church, we will present proposals for improving the walkway for pedestrians and bikers on upper Park Blvd between the Leimert Bridge and Mountain Blvd.

Our office has worked with volunteers to improve trails throughout the district. This Park Blvd trail has beautiful views of Dimond Canyon that few people who speed by in cars realize is there. Landscape Designer Gillian Garro of Larman & Garro has developed a conceptual plan for a multi-use pathway up Park Blvd. We hope this project will encourage more people to walk to the village, make the walkway safer and more inviting for students, strollers, and seniors. We will use the plan to seek funding, grants, and plan community work days. Please contact Sue Piper at 238-7042 or by email to let us know if you are interested in attending.

• Emergency Kits Many are asking where they can get information on emergency supplies. We recommend:

• The Red Cross Website
• 72Hours.org

 

• 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.

• The Redwood Hts Neighborhood Association and Redwood Hts School have organized a CORE II training for Jan. 23 at the RHS School at 6:30-9 pm. Core II helps prepare your neighborhood in case of an emergency.

• Citywide CORE Neighborhood Exercise planned for Saturday, April 28th 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.

• 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. You can purchase 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 gave 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
 

For more information about Emergency Preparedness Classes

Email: jquan@oaklandnet.com

Phone: 510 238-7004

web: http://www.jeanquan.org