Free Gospel Concert Sunday, October 7, 3-6 pm: Many generations of great Oakland performers have their roots in the African American church.  This week's concert features a range of Gospel styles at Woodminster Amphitheater. This is an outdoor theater, so please be sure to bring hats, umbrellas, sun screen, sun glasses, and drinks. We have vendors selling gelato and drinks, but you might want to pack a picnic.

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 blockbuster final concert featuring Goapele next Sunday.

 

SUNDAY'S PROGRAM:
 

  Sunny Hawkins
Excerpts from her website: "Born in Berkeley...Sunny played the  lead character in the Tony Award-winning, Broadway musical Rent...She is a regularly requested session singer performing with Chaka Khan, Anastacia, Deborah Cox, the late Ray Charles,  Tramaine Hawkins, Patti LaBelle, Luther Vandross, and Liza Minelli among others...She recently wrote and sang background vocals on "The Only Thing Missin," the first single on Aretha Franklin's album, So Damn Happy (2003), and "Good Lovin," featured on Patti LaBelle's Timeless Journey (2004). ...Sunny calls her sound "urban inspirational"

Co-written and produced by Sunny and her hit-making husband, Jamie Hawkins-the vanguard of the next generation of gospel's legendary, decade-spanning Hawkins Family-More of You

 

The Allen Temple Baptist Male Choir
 

The Men's Choir of one of Oakland's largest and most socially active churches has recorded its own CD's, "Wonderful" and "Blessed."  Over the decades many well-known Oakland singers have passed through the church's choirs.


KC & Company
 

<< KC or Kathy Coleman at last year's Gospel Sunday.

 

  Joaquin Miller Dog Park will be closed Saturday, October 7 at 6 pm for the Concert. It will reopen Monday, October 8 at 10 am. The Dog Park will close at the same time each of the following weekend to accommodate the last Sundays in the Redwoods concert. Many thanks to our dog friends and their guardians for sharing the space.  Special thanks to our O'Dog volunteers and the City's Public Works Agency staff for keeping the dog park sparkling clean!
 

 

• Councilmember Jean Quan, Public Safety Committee 
• Officer Randy White - Oakland Special Victims Unit
• Sharmin Bock - Alameda County District Attorney's Office
• Nadia Lockyer - Domestic Violence Collaborative
• Alicia Perez - Safe Passages
• Nola Brantley - Safe Place Alternative for Teens
   
• Teen Panelists

If you know someone or if you are being abused please seek help. Here is a link to our resources and services we have compiled in a special edition of our newsletter.

"We've seen it in SoMa, downtown LA, and Brooklyn: An edgy hipster vibe combines with growing affluence and burst of development to transform a raw urban landscape into the place to be.  And now it's Oakland's turn."
                                                       SF Magazine

If you haven't seen it, this month's San Francisco Magazine is about Oakland.  Yes it's strange to get recognition of the good things happening in the city, but Oakland is one of few cities in the Bay Area projected by economists  to continue to grow relatively steadily in jobs and housing over the next decade. Reactions of my friends and family range from "gloating" to "we better buy a house now before more San Franciscans drive up the prices and ruin the neighborhood."  Two District Four neighborhoods - Laurel District Redwood Heights (Sunny Diversity for the Middle Class and Up) and Piedmont Pines (Nature for Folks with Serious Cash) - are featured in the neighborhood section which starts out with, "The good life just got calmer, sunnier and cheaper."  It also covers Crocker, Glenview, and has some of the best writing on the New Downtown that I've seen.
 

• Willie Monroe Features Laurel House in ABC Story on the New Retrofit Program:  Watch Willie Monroe's story on this week's Retrofit Workshops; it does a great job describing the program in a very short clip.  It features a duplex in the Laurel being remodeled for sale and now also retrofitted (because of the rebate.)  We think it will be the first home to complete its retrofit and receive the rebate. There will be an open house next week, we'll announce the time and address. (Above)  District 4 Staff Sue Piper and Steve Edrington display the simple handrawn page of Plan Set A approved for basic retrofits in the City of Oakland at this week's retrofit workshop.
   

• Oakland Magazine has included Sunday's in the Redwoods in its blog section.  Leave your comments here and help us build awareness and audience.

• Chronicle Watch usually catches the things we haven't done...Thanks to Jim Zamora, a Redwood Hts resident, this week it ran a "Help Wanted Story" about out Joaquin Miller Trail Project (see #2).
   

Sharks Take Over Oakland Ice Center Management: Eleven years ago the Oakland Redevelopment Agency lent the funds to build and operate the Oakland Ice Center, described as one of the ten best public rinks in the nation to skate by Kristi Yamaguchi. "Featuring two huge indoor rinks - an Olympic-size figure skating rink and an NHL-size one - the OIC offers public skating, hockey programs and figure-skating instruction year-round. "My Olympic coach is here, and when I'm home in California, I still skate here says. I might even take my 2-year-old out on the ice soon."

  A year later the Center went bankrupt and City took over; hiring a series of management firms, subsidizing operating deficits but not able to pay off the construction loans. Perhaps as disturbing as the financial issues, the Council found that very few Oaklanders used the facility.  The majority of regular figure skaters, hockey teams, and others came from out of town; many of them vocally opposed a change in management. As the chair of Finance, working with Council Members Delafuente and Kernighan over the last year, we negotiated in improved 3 year contract with the San Jose Sharks passed this week that requires:

• Ten percent discounts for Oakland residents and additional discounts for schools.
   
• At least 1000 Oakland public school students will be offered free lessons at no cost to the School District; plus at least four opportunities for after school programs/year and additional scholarship opportunities for OUSD students.
• The Sharks will work with OUSD to create at least one high school hockey team.
   
• No more subsidies for operations and profit sharing if the revenues go over costs.
• The Sharks will contribute at least $100,000 for capital improvements.
• There will be no increase in skating fees for at least 6 months; thereafter, increases must be in line with area facilities and must be approved by City staff.
• A community advisory group will be established.

DOGS ON MONTCLAIR TRAIL APPROVED, OTHER CHANGES STAY IN COMMITTEE:  The Council approved the Montclair Railroad Trail name for Shepherd Canyon trail into Montclair and its use by dogs on leash.  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.Questions? Contact Sue Piper in our office at 238-7042.  This is a summary of proposed changes:
 

A requirement that dog guardians pick up after their dogs on public property and private property that they do not own and that they dispose of the waste properly.   A prohibition of the use of chain leashes and tethers. A change from leashes being no longer than 6 feet to a requirement that the dog be held on leash no longer than 6 feet away from the dog guardian, and that the leash be attached to a collar or harness. A change in the prohibition of tethering dogs on public property.  The current OMC makes no allowance for tethering of dogs on public property.  This proposal would permit dog guardians 15 minutes to tether their dog on public property to run quick errands. This is not to be confused with a new State Law that allows a maximum of 3 hours of tethering a dog on private property. The new proposed  fines for violations  -- $50 for first offense, $100 for a second offense in one year, and $500 for a third offense within one year.  A section, "Dogs in Vehicles,"  included the new State Law making it illegal for  owners to leave their animals in an enclosed vehicle under dangerous conditions. PROPOSED SMOKING CHANGES STALLED OVER OUTDOOR SMOKING ON GOLF COURSES AND OUTSIDE BARS:  A debate over how far from the front door/window of a bar patrons must be to smoke and over whether public golf courses should be included in the outdoor park bans have been delayed to the October 16th Council meeting.  Staff will bring options of 5 to 25 feet for bars and a choice of including or excluding the public golf courses.

• Volunteer Adult Advisors needed for Oakland Youth Advisory Commission: The Youth Advisory Commission is looking for members and three adult advisors to serve in a non-voting capacity. Staff and advisors support the 25 young members in implementing a variety of civic engagement/community projects. The Youth Advisory Commission meets Monday nights from 5 to 7 pm. For details, contact Andrea Tacdol, Youth Leadership Coordinator, at 238-3320.

• Ethics Commission Needs Members: The 7 member commission, 3 nominated by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council and 4 chosen by the commissioners, has two commission nominated vacancies for three year terms (January 27, 2008 through January 21, 2011). Members must be Oakland residents and registered to vote in Oakland. Duties include:  monthly meetings, committee meetings, oversight of campaign related ordinances, conflict of interest regulations, review of ethics laws and recommendations of amendments to the Council, developing public outreach & educational programs, and annually adjusting Council salaries. For applications due Friday, October 26, 5 pm.

• The 2008-2009 Cultural Funding Program Applications and Workshop schedule is now available.  In addition to our regular City Hall workshops, this year a special community workshop has been scheduled for District 4 on October 24 at the Allendale Recreation Center at 6 pm.  We hope artists and non-profits from District 4 will attend to learn about funding opportunities.  For details, call  Kathy Littles at 238-7531 or go to their website.

• 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 or for more information about OPC.

• 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).

<<Supervisor Nate Miley joins Jean, Officer Sayaputha, Principal Newling, and young volunteers on Walk to School Day.
 

Thank you Walk to School Volunteers!
Every year we ask parents to walk with their children to school to help us assess safety and traffic issues in the neighborhood that our kids face.  Even if you missed the official date, it's still a good thing to do.  It helps make all of us drivers aware of pedestrians and their safety, its good exercise.  This year almost all of the District 4 schools participated, let us know your thoughts on what you learned.
 

The Oakland Bike Master Plan is in its final stages of approval.  To become involved in the Citizens Advisory Group or to comment contact Jason Patton or call 238-7049 to receive occasional updates and announcements. Bicycle Master Plan Hearing Schedule:

• October 17, 2007: Public Hearing at Planning Commission
• November 13, 2007: Consideration of Plan adoption by CED Committe
• December 4, 2007: City Council - Public hearing on Final EIR; EIR certification; Plan adoption (project completion)

Citizen Radar Traffic Volunteers Needed:  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; they still need a few more volunteers. Another group is organizing for Skyline Blvd.
 

• Who to Contact If You Are a Victim or Suspect Domestic Violence:
  Almost monthly we talk to neighbors who are concerned about children who are home alone or not going to school, seniors whose relatives have taken over their homes, or women seeking refuge from their partners.  Here are a few useful numbers, check out this month's special newsletter on Domestic Violence for more information.
   
  • Call 911 if you or someone else is in immediate physical harm
  • Oakland Sexual Assault / Child Abuse Tip Line 637-0238
  • The Oakland Police Special Victims Unit Direct Line is 238-7910
  • To report Senior Abuse, contact Adult Protective Services 577-3500

• 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.

• What's With Those Sirens? Our office frequently receives calls during the first week of the month, wondering why the sirens that go off at noon on the first Wednesday of the month mean, and what people should do.They are part of the City's Emergency Alert system. If you should hear them at any other time than the first of the month test, shelter in place (stay inside, shut doors and windows) and tune in to your emergency radio station -- AM 530 is the City's station, but reception in the hills is spotty. Your best bet is KCBS 740 AM.

• Don't Throw Away Those Yellow Pages:  This year's Yellow Pages include a tabbed section with Emergency Preparedness information. It also has information on our new Retrofit program under "Earthquakes." <<Rene Domingo of the Office of Emergency Services and Jeanne Perkins of the Association of Bay Area Governments display the new Yellow Pages on preparedness.
   

• Earthquake Retrofit Workshops to Be Repeated: Our first round of Earthquake Retrofit Workshops were well attended this week.  Based on the feedback we will schedule another round with both real estate professionals and homeowners in the next few months. We were able to tape one of the workshops and hope to broadcast it on KTOP, Channel 10. >>Tool kit from the Temescal Tool Lending Library on display at this week's workshop. 
   

• 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.

• 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 add