4. Joaquin Miller Park Trail Day

9. Legislative & City Updates: Dogs, Ethics Commission

Free World Music Fest Concert Sunday, September 30, 3-6pm: More than 700 people attended last Sunday's first Sundays in the Redwood Concert with Michael Morgan and the symphony at Woodminster Amphitheater. The weatherman is predicting Sunny skies, so please be sure to bring hats, umbrellas and sun screen and sun glasses.

   Gates open at 2 pm, concerts begin at 3 pm. Children are welcome-- the Office of Parks & Recreation has a special kids' arts and crafts table set up in the back should your children need a chance of pace. Schedule for free shuttle from Fruitvale BART.
 

Click on poster above for more information on the next two concerts. 

 

SUNDAY'S PROGRAM:

 

John Santos Quintet with Orestes Vilato
           Listen: "Papa Mambo"
           "20th Anniversary CD"
          Chronicle Review

Bobi Cespedes y su grupo with special guest grammy winner Julius Melendez





Osamu's Cuban Rock All-Stars

 

Rebeca Mauleon & Descarga en California
   
 

 

• Workday at Beaconsfield Canyon (between Ascot and Chelton) Saturday, September 29, 9 am to Noon. Help pull ivy and dead wood from the creek bed, create erosion breaks and get rid of invasive plants. Kids welcome if supervised. Call Richard Kauffman at 531-1237.

• Special Workshop on Changes to City's Building Code Concerning Development in the Urban/Wildland Interface Saturday, September 29 10-Noon: Recent massive wildfires have led to some changes in State building codes.  The public is invited to attend the  second public workshop at 11500 Skyline Blvd. (Trudeau Training Center) to discuss the new State code requirements for urban-wildland interface areas. Oakland has the opportunity to strengthen building codes. In preparation for a report to City Council this Fall, the Fire Department and the Wildfire Prevention Assessment District is seeking public input on proposed changes.  A general overview of the ICC Building Code's Urban-Wildland Interface sections will be given; participants are encouraged to suggest issues to address. 

• Friends of Sausal Creek Meet to Enjoy Sundays in the Redwoods, Sunday, September 30 at 1 pm:  Meet at the Joaquin Miller Native Plant Nursery for some light beverages and treats, and then walk over to the Woodminster Amphitheater for some free World Music entertainment. RSVP

Dimond Vigil--One Hour for Peace:  An informal group of  Dimond-Laurel neighbors have met on the first day of the month, 7-8pm, since the Iraq War started over 4 years ago to stand for peace in our world, in our city and in our neighborhoods. Join them Monday night, October 1st, 7-8 pm at the corner of MacArthur and Lincoln at the Dimond Gateway Park (across from the 7-11 Store).  (Above) Last March on the 4th anniversary of the Iraq War.

Learn More about Oakland's New Retrofit Program, Wednesday, October 3, from 6 to 8 pm, at the office of the Oakland Association of Realtors, 1528 Webster. All spaces for the evening program are now taken; there are some spaces for realtors in the afternoon.  If you signed up and cannot attend or wish to sign up for the next round of workshops,  contact Sue Piper in our office at 238-7042.

Walk Your Child to School Day October 3/4: Each year Oakland schools participate in National Walk Your Child To School Day as a way to promote healthy exercise and safe travel habits as parents and students go to school. This is when you typically see those "Drive 25, Keep Kids Alive" signs popping up -- it's a reminder to slow down and take those extra minutes so that you can drive safely whether you are dropping your kids off at school or commuting to work. The following District 4 schools are participating:

• Bret Harte Middle School (biking parade)
• Glenview Elementary School
• Maxwell Park Elementary School - (Supervisor Nate Miley and I will join students, parents and staff on Thursday, October 4)
• Montclair Elementary School
• Redwood Heights Elementary School

• LaFarine's staff at 3411 Fruitvale is catching up with our great pent up appetite for French pastry in the Dimond. Now running smoothly as the main bakery for all three stores, you don't have to rush to make sure you snag a warm cinnamon morning roll or flaky croissant. My family is working our way methodically through the fruit tarts -- fig francipane tart this weekend!
   

• Red Boy Pizza, a sit-down pizza restaurant, will be coming to both Lincoln Square and 1500 Leimert Blvd. For details check their website. 

• And the long-awaited Thyme Cafe, on the ground floor of same building where we have our district office in the Laurel, 4173 MacArthur Blvd,  opens October 8 in the Laurel. Long time community activist Sister Marie turns her talents to healthy eating and plans a mix of Mediterranean and Southern dishes.

• Teen Center Considered for Brookdale Park:  A major initiative of the new budget was to allocate $500,000 in capital funds to establish at least one teen center in each Council district using redevelopment funds.  In District 4 Brookdale and Allendale Rec Centers are the two most likely prospects.  My office and Recreation staff are recommending some equipment upgrades for Allendale, and a major expansion of space for teens at Brookdale. It is likely that we will have to seek matching funds to complete the projects. Over the next months we will work with the Citizen's Advisory groups and Teen Groups at each center to explore the possibilities.  

This year we worked with the Brookdale Advisory Group and neighbors to start long term planning for the park. (Left) This week the group presented Jean with a thank you certificate for her help in funding the first phase:  fence and lighting repairs for safety, vegetation maintenance and new windows to improve staff views of the park and to improve the quality of light in the building.

 

• Preliminary Work Begins on New Leimert Pocket Park on Park Blvd.: Last year our office held a community meeting to talk about creating a biking/hiking trail along Park Blvd. (Leimert  to Monterey) to provide a better connection between Glenview/Oakmore and Montclair while providing opportunities to enjoy Dimond Canyon from above. Since then, we've been working on soil surveys and other details for the first phase -- a pocket park near the bus stop just beyond Leimert Blvd. (The next phases have to wait until the City completes seismic retrofit of the viaducts along Park Blvd over the next two years.) In the next weeks we begin processing tree removal permits for several acacia trees over hanging the pathway that pose a fire risk and block canyon views.  They will be replaced with native Oaks, Toyon and Buckeye trees. We still have much more planning and design work, but hope to recruit volunteers to plant other native plants and spread mulch by next Earth Day (April) and Creek to Bay Day (September).

• Love Your Parks Survey Day, October 13: The Oakland Parks Coalition (OPC) sponsors Love Your Parks Day on October 13, where volunteers do an annual Oakland parks maintenance assessment. The data is pulled together into a report that is later presented to the Council's Public Works Committee. To volunteer for Love Your Parks Day or more information about OPC.

• This week's Life Enrichment Committee approved the naming of the Shepherd Canyon bicycle pathway to be the Montclair Railroad Trail, the name that received the most votes in a Spring community poll and that was also approved by the Parks and Recreation Commission in July. Portions of this trail are currently owned by the  East Bay Regional Park District and are part of a trade to the City that Council approved last week and that will be final at the second reading at the October 2nd Council meeting. The trail was designated as a park that allows dogs on leash (Dogs at Large in Parks (OMC Chapter 6 6.04.080) so that dog guardians may continue to walk their dogs without violating the City Code prohibiting dogs in parks. Our office is working the the Office of Parks & Recreation on developing new signage for the trail that makes it clear that dogs are to be on leash on the trail.

Proposed changes to the City's regulations concerning Dogs at Large (OMC Chapter 6 6.04.070), specifically questions about tethering dogs on public property, have been held over to the October 9th, 6 pm, Life Enrichment Committee to allow additional time for comment. This is a summary of proposed changes:
 

Speeding on neighborhood streets is a major complaint.  The problem is especially dangerous during commute times.  After working on several traffic hotspots with various neighborhood and school groups, we have decided to try a pilot program using Citizen Radar Traffic Volunteers in cooperation with out Traffic Officers.  This is how it works:

Volunteers will be trained by Oakland Police to properly use a hand-held radar gun purchased by our office for the program. Groups of three will go out to previously selected "hot spots" where speeding is common Speeders will be clocked and the license numbers will be given to the police, who will then generate a warning letter informing speeders that they've been spotted by their neighbors exceeding the speed limit.  They will be asked to slow down for everyone's safety. Volunteers will not have access to drivers information.

If you and your neighbors (or other parents in the case of schools) would like to participate, contact Jennifer Crawford in our office 238-4742. Training will take place over two days. One day's training will be in a classroom setting and the second day will be practical training using the radar unit. Anyone over the age of 21 is welcome to participate.  Our first pilot location will be 35^th Avenue in the Redwood Heights area.

National Night Out hosts are ready to "wipe out" crime at this month's Neighborhood Alert leaders meeting. (Right) Deputy Chief Howard Jordan thanks NNO hosts.

• How to Run More Effective Meetings: Attend a free Meeting Facilitation Workshop for active NCPC members on Saturday, October 20 from 8:30 am to 3 pm in Hearing Room 4 at City Hall. Free parking in the Clay Street Garage at 14th Street. Learn simple tools for running effective, interesting and dynamic NCPC meetings. Space is limited. Continental breakfast and lunch will be served. Spanish interpretation will be available. Register by October 10 with your Neighborhood Services Coordinator or with NSC Hoang Banh at 238-6566.

• Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) Surveys:  Oakland's Neighborhood Services Division (NSD) is doing an assessment of our NCPCs citywide. The NSD wants to learn how you feel we are doing at reaching the goals of making change in our neighborhoods, empowering residents, linking people to city services, and creating strong NCPCs. They also want to know what the obstacles to success are. If you have attended even one Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council meeting please fill out this survey. The survey takes about 15 minutes. If you have not participated in a Neighborhood Council, fill out this separate survey.   Kim Gilhuly, survey consultant, if you have any questions, concerns, or further feedback. 

• For a complete list of Neighborhood Crime Prevention Councils in District 4.

• How to file a Police Report:  Police use crime reports to plan patrols and follow crime trends. Commanders determine their priorities based on the number and severity of crimes reported. You don't have to rely on the police to actually make the report; for non-urgent crimes such as auto break-ins or after the fact home break-ins you can download a citizen's crime report  from the City's website.

• Join or start a CORE group on your block -- first step is to get to know each other and share contact information. Learn more at the City's website for Citizens of Oakland Respond to Emergencies (CORE). If you are already CORE trained, consider taking additional training through CORE or the American Red Cross. Consider the following CORE courses (all require advanced registration):
   
  • CORE Refresher (required for all 2003-2004 CORE graduates) - October 13, 9 am -1 pm
  • Managing Stress During Emergencies - October 27, 9 am - 1 pm
  • Managing Your Neighborhood Command Center Operations Effectively - November 10, 9 am - 3 pm

• Montclair-wide CORE/MON exercise on Saturday, November 17: Montclair has organized more than 50 blocks of CORE or Neighborhood Alert Groups under a program called MON (Montclair Organized Neighbors). They are running a simulated disaster exercise on Saturday, November 17 from 9 am to 11 am. For details, please contact Doug Mosher at 530-0774.

• Prepare Emergency Supplies at Home and Work: Water and food for at least 3 days.  A great resource is www.72hours.com
   

• Earthquake Fault and Liquefaction Maps and other information

• Prevent Sewer Back ups this Rainy Season: Your home is at risk if, at its lowest level, it is not at least one foot above the nearest upstream manhole of the sewer main. Find out how you can prevent back-ups during the upcoming rainy season by going to www.sewersmart.org.

• 16th Annual Native American Culture Day at the Library, Saturday, October 27: Come to the Cesar E. Chavez Branch Library, 3301 East 12th Street, Second Floor, near the Fruitvale BART station, from noon to 5 pm on Saturday, October 27 for a free celebration of our Native American culture. This year's theme is "Sacred Ground, Sacred Sites" with emphasis on the Bay Area shell mounds and features native speakers, performers, dancers, artwork and films. For details, call 238-3134 or go to the Library's website.

• Oakland Public Library Celebrates Halloween and Day of the Dead: The Three Witches will return to the Dimond Branch Library on Tuesday, October 30 at 7 pm  with scary stories, songs and riddles.  Open to children ages six and older -- come in costume. Day of the Dead Altar Workshop at Melrose Branch on Tuesday, October 23, 3:30 pm. For additional information, call 238-3134 or go to the Oakland Public Library's website.

• 8th Biennial State of the Estuary Conference, October 16-18.: The public is invited to a biennial ecological assessment of  the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary -- the latest information about the estuary's changing watersheds,  major stessors, recovery programs for species and habitats & emerging issues. Scottish Rite Center, 1547 Lakeside Drive. For information, 622-2398 or sign up online.

• Re-Create Art Contest for Oakland students, K-12: Re-Create is a recycled art competition and exhibition that is open to students (K-12) in Oakland schools. Students are invited to create artwork using discarded or reused materials and to compete for prizes. Practice the 4R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot (Compost) to meet Oakland's zero waste goal. The Art Contest & Exhibition is sponsored by the City's Public Works Agency.  For details, call 465-8770, ext. 310 or visit MOCHA's website.  Important Dates:

Daffodil Days 2007: This year's daffodil pickup date is Sunday, October 28. Over the past three years, Oaklanders have planted 150,000 daffodils, and another 50,000 are going to be available to plant in medians, school gardens and other public places.  Contact Cookie Robles- Wong at 434-5126.  Deadline for ordering bulbs is October 5, 2007.

• Native Plant Fair Saturday, October 20 & Sunday, October 21: The East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society hosts its annual Native Plant Fair at the Native Here Nursery in Tilden Park in Berkeley. Thousands of plants native to Alameda and Contra Costa County, as well as books, free presentations and beautiful plant themed arts and crafts. Please bring boxes for carrying your plant purchases; cash or check only. Saturday, 10 am - 3 pm; Sunday, Noon - 3 pm. For details, visit their website.

• AB 45 Approved by Senate; goes to Governor for Signature: Sandre Swanson's bill calling for the return of local control of Oakland Unified School District to the School Board by July 1, 2008  made a historic leap forward as it cleared the final legislative hurdle before reaching Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk for signature. After garnering bipartisan support from 2/3rd of the Senate last week, AB 45 cleared the Assembly for a concurrence vote of 45 - 28. Contact Governor Schwarzenegger and ask him to sign the bill.

Young listeners take a break for art and face painting at Sundays in the Redwoods last week.
 

• The California Department of Health Services has recalled blue and green soft vinyl lunch boxes with the logo "Eat Fruits and Vegetables and Be Active" due to lead contamination, as well as any other promotional or print items received from the CDPH California Nutrition Network.  Public Health learned that the green lunch coolers have been determined to be household hazardous waste, and will be sending out instructions for the collection and disposal of the lunch coolers.
   

• Free Drumming and Double Dutch Classes at Redwood Heights Recreation Center: The Drumming Class is open to students in grades 2nd to 5th. Only 10 spots available. Class meets Tuesdays from 4:15 to 5:15 and starts Tuesday October 2. The Free Double Dutch class meets Mondays & Thursdays from 3:30 - 5:00. This class is for 1st - 5th grade boys & girls. Class begins Monday, October 1. Please register at the Recreation center. For questions 482-7827 or Bret Clark .

• Auditions for "A Christmas Carol"-- The Golden Gate Children's Theatre announces auditions for a Hip-Hop-A-Rama Re-telling of The Story of Ebenezer Scrooge in their 2007 presentation of A Christmas Carol. All actors and actresses -- children and adults -- are encouraged to audition Tuesday, October 9 at 4:15 pm or Saturday, October 13 at 1 pm at the Golden Gate Recreation Center, 1075-62nd Street. Call 597-5032 for details. Registration: $5 if cast.

• DOOF-A-Palooza at Google, Saturday, October 20, 11 am - 4 pm:  The Alameda County Public Health Department invites families with children ages 6 to 9 to a one-of-a-kind food celebration on Google's Mountain View Campus and get messy in a range of activities with some of the Bay Area's top growers, chefs, purveyors and cookbook authors. DooF-a-Palooza is a fund raising event to help DooF (that's "food" spelled backwards) to produce a new kind of public television show that gets kids excited about good food and promotes healthy eating. For details:
   

• Good Cents for Oakland host City-wide Service Planet at Dimond Park, Sunday, October 28, 9:30 am-Noon:  Good Cents for Oakland teaches young children how to make Oakland a better place through community service. In its curriculum and Penny Roundup Program, students actually select where they want to donate their pennies and learn about leadership, philanthropy and making a difference. Families will clean and beautify Dimond Park; launch a community garden; collect materials that would go into the landfill and donate them to East Bay Depot for Creative Use; learn about open space, recycling and the importance of the Sausal Creek watershed; and create a Halloween-themed art project using materials from East Bay Depot for Creative Use.  For details call 444-7100 or check out their website.

•  Joaquin Miller Elementary Open House and Coffee Social for Prospective Parents: If you live in the Joaquin Miller Elementary School neighborhood (Montclair/Joaquin Miller Road area),and have a child who will be attending elementary school next year, mark your calendar for Tuesday, November 13 from 10:30 am until Noon.
   

• Free English Classes: English as a Second Language (ESL) classes offered for adults. Free babysitting is available. Allendale Elementary School, UC Berkeley Room, 3670 Penniman Avenue. Tuesday-Friday 8:45-11:45 am. Offered by OUSD Adult Education  Program.

• Neighborhood author Dennis Evanosky will discuss his new book Oakland's Laurel District at the Laurel Book Store October 12, 7:30. Plenty of history and wonderful old photos are included as well as tips for where you can go to see many of the old sites.  Upcoming events at the Laurel Book Store:
  •  Tuesday, October 16, 7:30 pm  Alice Wilson-Fried and Outside Child, a novel of murder and New Orleans
  • Tuesday, October 23, 7:30 pm  The Ecstasy of Influence, a group of local authors will be trying out new material.

• Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Oakland Association of Insurance Agents: This local professional association not only provides education and support to local insurance agents, but also provides insurance to local governmental and non-profit institutions and scholarships to high school students and other community services.  OAIA celebrates their 100 Year Gala at the Claremont Resort and Spa on Saturday, October 13 at 6 pm. For details....

• Last Film in the Outdoor Movie Series, October 20:  The Old Oakland Outdoor Cinema Series ends  with the screening of "Babe" the family comedy about the exploits of a shepherding piglet and his talking barnyard friends (1995). Free parking at 8th and Washington Streets. Bring chairs and blankets to the "theater" at 9th between Broadway and Washington, beginning at dusk.

• What's New at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA)?  For details, go to the OMCA website.
  • October 10 - December 2- Ancient Roots/Urban Journeys: Expressions for Dias de los Muertos.
  • October 13 - March 16, 2008 Artists of Invention: A Century of CCA -- celebration the 100th anniversary of the California College of Arts, one of Oakland's nationally recognized colleges.
  
   
  • Sunday, October 21, Noon - 5 pm: 14th Annual Community Celebration for the Days of the Dead -- Participation in the celebration is free; admission to the museum galleries will be half-price all day.
  • Sunday, November 18, 1 - 4 pm: Family Explorations! Tales and Traditions of California Indians. Celebrate the rich heritage of California's First Peoples through story telling and hands-on activities.

• MTC/ABAG "Bay Area on the Move" Forum, Friday, October 26:  The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) invite the public to a forum on Friday, October 26, 8:30 am to Noon. Join elected officials, community and business leaders and transportation and smart growth advocates for a preview of major decisions anticipated as part of an update to MTC's long-range transportation policy and investment blueprint, known as Transportation 2035. The event is located at the Oakland Marriott City Center Hotel at 1001 Broadway. For details, call 817-5757 or sign up online.

• The Distaff Singers' 70th Annual Benefit Concert, Saturday, November 3: The Distaff Singers celebrate their 70th year raising scholarship funds for Oakland students with their benefit concert, "A Tribute to Oakland", on Saturday, November 3, 4:00 pm at Skyline High School.  Tickets are $15 adults, $12 students and seniors.  Call 510-547-8083 or visit www.distaffsingers.org  for more information or to inquire about applying for scholarship funding.

• Still Time to Subscribe to the Oakland East Bay Symphony Season -- but not for long as single tickets for the 2007-2008 season go on sale starting Tuesday, October 2. Save up to 31% off the price of single tickets by becoming a subscriber. Mini-series of 3, 4 or 5 concerts are available, or sign up for all 6 concerts.  The season opens on Friday, November 9 at the Paramount Theatre with performances of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, Leonard Bernstein's Fancy Free, and arias sung by soprano Hope Briggs.  To subscribe on line...or call 444-0801.