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· Listen to voices our Oakland youth and community leaders at a short Rally at City Hall, 1-2pm to address how the cost of the war and resulting budget cuts at home are linked to the violence in Oakland. Congresswoman Lee, Assembly Members Swanson & Hancock, the Mayor's Office, Presidents of the Council & School Board, Alameda Labor Council & Teacher Representatives, and speakers from Oakland church and youth groups will speak on ending the war in Iraq and ending the violence here at home. Rally Program For more information, fliers, and more:

· Envisioning Peace Concert, music and spoken word to inspire peace, 7 pm at Fruitvale Presbyterian Church, 2735 MacArthur Blvd at Coolidge. Music by Damond Moodie, the Apple Pie Hopes, Phoenix & Luke Thomas of After Buffalo, and the Renaissance School Chorus. Donations $5-10, youth free. 530-0915.

· Tune in KTOP for What the War Costs Oakland: This month the City Council passed a resolution marking the 4th Anniversary of the War in Iraq and the economic impact the war economy has on the City.

Tune in KTOP, Cable 10 to view a panel discussion with local experts about what the War on Iraq means in cuts to real health, education , social and crime prevention programs for Oaklanders. The program airs Saturday, March 24 at 1 pm (set your recorder and join us at the rally at City Hall at that time.) Today the total cost of the Iraq War for Oakland reached $517 million, that could have:

Built 4600 units of housing
Insured about 75,000 children each year, making every child in the insured.
Hired enough teachers to cut class sizes in every classroom in half.
Provided 24,000 4-year scholarships = approximately every high school senior
Provided 16,000 children a year Head Start =every low income child in the city
Doubled our police force, 800 new officers

2. Friends of Sausal Creek Anniversary Saturday Night

· FOSC 10th Anniversary Party, March 24, 4-7 pm: Join us for Friends of Sausal Creek's 10th Anniversary party, at the Joaquin Miller Community Center. \Tickets are $20 per person and directly fund FOSC's wonderful nursery and restoration programs. Use Paypal for reservations. www.sausalcreek.org (Left) Students work with Dimond resident and teacher Sue Morgan at the nursery.

Lots of Fabulous Items at the Silent Auction, bring your check book:

Dazzling Trips: A week at Bear Valley Sierra Cabin; 1 night at B& B Lingonberry Farm at Point Reyes Station, 1 night at Wilbur Hot Springs; 2 nights at Feather River Camp.
Great Outdoors: Lift tickets to Sugar Bowl; 1 Commonweath Club Membership; 1 North Face Cat's meow sleeping bag; 1 North Face Tadpole Tent; 1 Mountain Yoga Mat, t-shirt and 5-class pass.
Sports: Warriors Tickets, Giants Tickets, A's Tickets
Cultural Experiences: Chabot Solar Car Birthday Party; Ahart Aviation "Bay Tour" Flight
Art:from local artists

· Saturday, March 31, 9 am-4:30 pm: Restoration and Nursery Programs meet at Joaquin Miller Park Nursery to prepare for the May 6 annual plant sale.

3. Affordable Housing Hearing March 29,7 pm

District Meeting on Affordable Housing: At the end of last year the Council was divided on plans for Inclusionary Housing (requiring developers to include a percentage of affordable units in new projects) and on proposals to expand Condo Conversions (converting rental apartments to condominiums). Both issues were sent to a Blue Ribbon Commission made up of appointees by Mayors Brown and Dellums, Council Members, and others. Their recommendations will come back to Council hopefully before the summer break. As part of their process, a meeting will be held in each District. The meeting for District 4 has been set for March 29th 7 pm, at the Dimond Library.

Their web page has information of their activities and a good bibliography on Inclusionary Housing, Condo Conversion, and Affordable Housing Issues. Architect and Maxwell Park Neighborhood Council Board member Robert McGillis also posted some useful links recently on the MPNC website regarding the laws governing some of the issues that the City is required to follow and "smart growth" information:

California Government Code -The law protects and rewards developers who provide housing for seniors and homes for low, very low, and moderate income families. Density bonuses, financial incentives, reductions in zoning standards and parking requirements are among the benefits available to developers.
These "Anti-NIMBY" laws, are intended to balance County's, Cities and neighborhood groups who seek to prevent housing projects for lower income families and seniors.
Housing Advocates Group : http://www.housingadvocates.org
Housing Facts & Issues : http://www.housingadvocates.org/default.asp ?ID=171
Association of Bay Area Governments : http://www.abag.ca.gov/planning/hous ingneeds/resources.html
Greenbelt Alliance - http://www.greenbelt.org/whatwedo/issues_smartgrowth.html

4. Sign Up for Earth Day April 21, 9am-Noon; Earth Expo April 18

· Organize an Earth Day Project: For the fourth year in a row, our District led the city with about 600 volunteers working on about 30 projects! Whether its a few neighbors sweeping the block or weeding the median strip, joining the hundred plus volunteers along Sausal Creek, or a major project like building a school garden in one day. Sign up today and send us an email, too. The city can provide tools and T-Shirts. Our office tries to get donations of food and beverages when requested. To register your neighborhood site, borrow tools, fliers and more

· Earth Expo, Wednesday, April 18th, 10 am - 2 pm: Over 100 dynamic businesses and organizations will join city staff to showcase their contributions to Oakland's sustainable urban environment. Last year Oakland was named the 5 the most sustainable city in the nation. Taste organic produce, touch green building materials, see Bay-friendly landscaping ideas, listening to a "chalk talk" by the City's energy efficiency expert, take a look at hybrid cars, and get energy saving tips.

· Celebrate Sun & Earth Day at Chabot Science Center--Kids Go Green, Be Part of the Solution on Saturday, April 14 11 am-4 pm. Wear green and receive $1 off each admission. Bring in your injet cartridges and receive a coupon to purchase our own quality compost for 99 cents in our Starry nights Gift Shop.Learn more about global climate change.Keynote Speaker, Dan Kammen- 4-5 pm. Free with general admission. RSVP at the Box Office at 336-7373. www.chabotspace.org

· Earth Day Contests for Students: The California Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) sponsors contests that focus on their Earth Day theme of recycling. The National ACS sponsors an illustrated haiku contest for students in grades K-12. Students are asked to write and illustrate a haiku on "Recycling--Chemistry Can!", reflecting some aspect of the chemistry of recycling: materials, process, or uses for recycled materials. The California Section contest, encourages students to enter a photograph, drawing, painting or other artistic media with a caption expressing the benefits of "Recycling--Chemistry Can!". For details call (925)287-8055.

5. High & Fairfax Stop Light

After waiting several months for PG&E to complete the electrical hook-up, the new stop lights at High & Fairfax seemed to have problems with their timing last week. The city only installs a few lights each year because of the high cost and complicated engineering. This corner was chosen because of the high number of accidents and safety problems and to calm traffic. High Street tends to be treated like a freeway for people traveling through the neighborhood between 580 and 880; it is hard for pedestrians to cross. After complaints the engineers found that the cameras were not working correctly and were stopping traffic longer than necessary. They should be adjusted by the time you read this. Meanwhile, I have asked for more traffic officers on High Street until motorists get used to the slower speeds. If you have comments about the lights for the traffic engineers, contact: Ade Oluwasogo at 238-6103 or contact the PWA Call Center 615-5566.

6. Naming the Bike Path/Trail in Shepherd Canyon

Sometime over the next few months, the City and East Bay Regional Parks will be trading ownership of scattered sites that each had been maintaining for the other. The trade will unify the ownership of the bike path/walking trail in Shepherd Canyon that goes to Montclair. Once this officially becomes City property, it needs an official name. I will use this name in the city legislation I will sponsor to keep the trail open to dogs on leashes. This and other East Bay Regional Park Trails allow dogs on leash, but dogs are banned from most city parks and open spaces unless explicitly authorized. Please take a few minutes to email Sue Piper with your vote for a new name for the trail:

Montclair Railroad Trail
Montclair Short Line Trail
Montclair Bike Trail
Other

7. New Bicycle Master Plan Hearings

The update to the City of Oakland's Bicycle master Plan is scheduled for completion this fall. The City has released a Draft Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for public review. There are several opportunities:

Community Meeting, Wednesday, April 5, 5:30-7:30 pm in the Lakeside Park Garden Center (666 Bellevue Avenue at Grand Avenue) for an open house on the Draft Plan. Presentation at 6:15 pm.
Public Hearing: Wednesday, April 18, 6 pm at the City Planning Commission, City Hall, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza.

Draft copies of the Bicycle Plan and the Draft EIR can be downloaded from the website below, or can be picked up from the Community and Economic Development Agency, Planning and Zoning Division, 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 3315, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm. The documents are also available for review at the Oakland Main Public Library, Social Science and Documents, 125 14th Street.

Draft Bicycle Master Plan and Draft EIR

8. Community Policing News

Check Your Surroundings Before Getting Out of Your Car: Several beats have reported a new pattern in robberies of people as they are getting out of their cars. Many of us have our hands full of groceries, work, bags, computers, etc.when we get out of our cars. The pattern usually involves several people in a car either following or waiting for their victims as they arrive home. One or two rush their victims while the other waits in the car for a quick get away. Always look around before you leave your car. If you are not comfortable, keep driving to a public place or be prepared to honk or push your car alarm panic button. Don't make yourself a target by staying unnecessarily in your car for long periods especially in a deserted area.
"John" Hits Unsuspecting Homeowners: Several listserv's report the return of a man who often calls himself "John." He comes around in his truck and offers to do some job, trimming brush, painting, etc. for a very low price. He can be very aggressive and intimidating. After a very short time, an hour or less, he asks for partial payment or for money to buy supplies. If the owner gives it to him, that's the last they see of him. Door-to-door offers are rarely very satisfactory. Check licenses, bonding, and references before you let someone work on your home.
Dumping: Every week we get reports of illegal dumping. This week is was red carpet up by Skyline, often it is piles of vegetation dumped down a canyon. If you have some one doing work around your house that requires disposal, please ask them for the the garbage dump receipts before paying them. Too often that old refrigerator or mattress ends up on some one else's street. Take advantage of your annual bulky pick-up and call Waste Management at 613-8710 for an appointment.

9. National Library Month, Click It for Digital Services, Tax Help

Click-It for National Library Month: Some of our libraries best customers never walk in the door. With your library card you can access valuable resources on-line. Want to read the New York Times archives without a four hundred dollar plus subscription? Go through our library portal. Traveling abroad? I load my MP3 with Pimsler Language programs (usually $200 plus) and with enough books to take me across the country or oceans. You can also find:

Best selling novels, both audio and e-books
Over 30,000 magazines and newspapers
Investment data and journals
28,000 auto manuals
Live chat with a librarian
Tumblebooks, listen to on-line books for children

· National Library Week Author Michael Pollan will speak at the Oakland Museum on Thursday, April 12, 7 pm. Every year one of the hottest authors reads and answers questions to support Friends of the Oakland Public Library. His book The Omnivores Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals has been on the Bay Area's bestseller list for weeks. It examines the Industrial Food System and the world of "Big Organics."

· The Bookmark's HUGE Book Sale, April 4-7: More than 17,000 books at 30% off-new stock, no library discards! FOPL members can take advantage of First Choice Day, Tuesday, April 3 from 10:30 am - 5:30 pm. Operated by the Friends of the Oakland Public Library at 721 Washington Street in Old Oakland, it's a great place to browse. Donations of used books and CDs are always welcome. Call 444-0473.

· Tax Help at the Library: Oakland Public Library, in partnership with the American Association for Retired Persons, offers free tax assistance through April 16, 2007. Trained volunteers are ready to help at the following library locations. Be sure to bring copies of your last year's federal and state tax returns and all materials pertaining to your 2006 tax forms (and your spouse, if filing jointly!). Seniors, ages 60 plus, will be given preference at walk-in sites only. For locations.

10. Help Our Local Merchants

Nominate A Local Business for an Indie: This website promotes Oakland Businesses. Nominations can be made at: http://www.oaklandunwrapped.org/indies/ or call 868-3410.

Write-In a Local Restaurant in the Zagat Survey: It seems the staff of this famous restaurant guide rarely ventures off College Avenue or Downtown. Many of our neighborhood restaurants are as tasty. Our family is nominating Phom Penh, Los Comales, and Italian Colours. Register and vote free at www.zagat.com. You won't be able access the reviews without subscribing but you can vote.

11. Seeking Art Proposals for Wood from the "Champagne Oak"