• Yesterday the City Auditor released an audit on the City Payroll System.  She found no fault in the regular payroll system, the biweekly payment of wages.  Her recommendations focus on payment of vacation pay, bonuses, management leave. Some of the recommendations have already been instituted; some are under dispute.  I expect to be working with the Mayor's Office as Chair of the Finance and Management Committee to review these issues.  The report comes formally to the Committe on Tuesday, December 11 at 1pm.

• Oakland Schools Regain More Local Control:  The state agency reviewing school takeovers gave Oakland passing scores in Personnel and Facilities, saying the district was also close in Academics. The report also criticized the lack of stable leadership under state administration.  Under Assemblyman Sandre Swanson's bill, Oakland would have regained complete local control but it was opposed by the State Superintendent and vetoed by the Governor.  The Board will proceed to hire a superintendent, this should stabilize leadership. O'Connel hinted Oakland would not receive full control for another year although other districts were given control when they reached "regular status" or success in 3 of the 5 rating categories as Oakland now has.

• State Senator Perata and Superintendent O'Connel will be holding a hearing on school takeovers at City Hall on Monday, December 3, 9:30 am-Noon.  I encourage parents and others to attend.

• Get Screened Oakland Week: For concerts, events and testing sites go to the website.  Today is Worlds AIDS Day.  25 percent of Americans with HIV are unaware that they are infected. 50% of the diagnosed cases in 2005 were African Americans; Latinos are also disproportionately affected.  Encourage all sexually active members of your family and friends to get screened.  New testing is quick and only requires a quick swab.  1-888-8ENDHIV for more information. (Above) City Hall reception for community efforts to fight AIDS.

• Hearing on Oakland's Taxi Cabs, Monday, December 10th, 6-8 pm, City Hall, Hearing Room 2:  Do you have concerns about taxi service in Oakland.  The City Council is reviewing the regulations and medallion system governing cab service in the city.  Council Member Delafuente will be hosting this meeting.  We are also interested in your concerns, please send comments to Richard Cowan.

• Sushi in the Dimond:  As we have worked with retail areas in our district, we have done surveys on what neighbors wanted to see in these areas and tried work with property owners to fulfill these consumer wants.  One of the top interests in the Dimond was a sushi restaurant.  We are happy to report that the owners of the Mel's next to Farmer Joes has sold their building to people who plan to open a sushi restaurant. 
• Have You Visited the Laurel's Newest Business Yet? Thyme Cafe is located at 4173 MacArthur Blvd under our old district office. Laurel neighbors wanted more variety in restaurants.  Here's what Suzanne Franco shared with her Redwood Height's neighbors about her recent experience:
  We visited Thyme Cafe on its opening day, and ordered a pan of roasted vegetables to take to a pot-luck, and they were delicious--all were eaten; and we also ordered cornbread stuffing for our Thanksgiving Turkey...this was an answer to prayers from a very stressed out Thanksgiving cook with no time to prepare my own dressing this year!! The cafe looks like a very welcome addition to our neighborhood.
  
   

• Merriewood neighbors, led by Jim Dexter, spent 28 person hours clearing the upper and lower Merriewood Stairs.  After the clean up, Ryan Schmidt and Jim added low voltage lights on the lower section of stairs to improve visibility and safety.

• Beaconsfield Restoration on Last Saturday's:  Wendy Tokuda and her husband Richard working last weekend to restore the area along the creek in the Beaconsfield open space parcel.  Thanks to their work and leadership, much of a trail is now clear.  >>Wendy shows a large clump of ivy vine roots cut a way to save native oaks and others.
   
• Link to EBMUD Website on Estates/Dinghee Reservoir Renovations: Residents near the EBMUD Estates and Dinghee Reservoirs have participated in two meetings with EBMUD representatives to discuss long range plans to upgrade the reservoirs to current water quality standards. The upgrades provide the community an opportunity to work with EBMUD on creating a visual presence that is safe and pleasing to look at. Our office has suggested that a smaller working group of neighbors work with EBMUD staff in hammering out details. Meanwhile, you can go to the EBMUD website to see what is being discussed and to email questions to EBMUD's Michelle Blackwell.
• Progress On Preservation of Butters Canyon, Funds Still Needed:  Over the last five years we've been pleased to support the efforts of neighbors who formed the Butters Land Trust to preserve the wildness of unique canyon.  They need $60,000 to buy an adjoining lot.  They are also planning a series of native plant restoration days.

• Library Fines & Lost Books Forgiveness Program-- November 24 -- December 14: The Oakland Public Library urges community members with overdue and lost items to "Get a Fresh Start" during this special three-week amnesty campaign. During this period, anyone who returns overdue items or who requests forgiveness for lost materials checked out before November 1, 2007 will have their fines and fees cleared by coming to any Oakland Public Library location.  Families with children are especially encouraged to return and enjoy the many resources of the Oakland Public Library. Each year several thousand student cards become dormant because of lost items. The number of books read is linked to reading levels and vocabulary, please encourage youth in your family and neighborhood to take advantage of this program during the holidays.  The general amnesty will apply to all locations and library materials, with the exception of tools from the Tool Lending Library.

• Volunteer Tutors for Oakland Libraries After School (OLAS) Program: Beginning January 2008, the library will be launching OLAS, Oakland Libraries After School, at four pilot locations. This free library service will offer enrichment programs for children, including drop-in homework help, four days a week. Volunteers will provide one-to-one assistance to elementary school students, including reading with a student, reviewing vocabulary words or practicing spelling. Volunteers must have a high school diploma and be willing to commit to a minimum of two hours per week for four months at one of the following sites: Main Library, Cesar E. Chavez, Eastmont or Golden Gate. Prior experience working with children is highly desirable. Potential volunteers may also be subject to a background check. For more information, contact Adam Twain at 238-3848.
• Tot Lot Construction Completed in Montclair. begins in Dimond:  Resurfacing of the Western Town in Montclair Park is complete--way ahead of schedule. Work is anticipated to begin at the Dimond Park Tot Lot early next week--almost 10 days ahead of schedule--ending by mid December, weather permitting.

• Keep Porch Lights On, Consider Motion Detector Lights:  The most prevalent crimes in my district are theft from cars and car thefts. If you have a garage, use it for parking. Many of us find it easier to park outside or we use our garages for storage.  Some of us don't have garages, or have more cars than garage space; park as close to your home as possible and install motion detector lights.  Some neighborhoods have organized streets to leave their porch lights on.  Our office still has a few hundred low energy light bulbs, we plan to distribute them to neighborhood alert groups that are interested in organizing "lights on" safety campaigns. Call us if you want to organize your street to keep porch lights on.

The holiday season is a busy time of the year for family and friends. Unfortunately, it is also a busy time for burglars. Please take a minute to review the following tips to ensure your personnel security: At Home and At Work: Make sure all doors and windows at home and at work are properly secured. When leaving home for an extended time, have a neighbor or family member watch your house and pick up your newspapers and mail. Consider taking all items of "high value" back to your primary residence (money, jewelry, TV, VCR, stereo, computer). If you choose to leave items of "high value", record the serial numbers. It is recommended that you mark or engrave your property with your driver's license for future identification. Make sure that large displays of valuables are not visible through the windows and doors of your home. Put indoor and outdoor lights on an automatic timer. Leave a radio on so that house looks and sounds occupied. Ask the police for "vacation checks" services for unattended residences during the holiday season. Securing your Vehicle: When leaving for a holiday or vacation, do not pack your car the night before. Do not leave anything that looks like shopping or presents in view. secure all doors and windows. Park your vehicle in an area that is visible to the public and well lit at night, if not parking in a garage. When you are Out and About: Stay alert to your surroundings and the people around you. Shop with a friend, there is safety in numbers. Shop early and leave early to avoid evening darkness.  Pay for purchases with a check, credit or debit card; avoid carrying large amounts of cash. If you must carry a purse, do not wrap the straps around your arms or shoulders. Carry a clutch purse tightly under your arm or wear a fanny pack. Carry your wallet in the front pocket of your pants for safety. Prior to arriving at the shopping center, lock all your valuables in the trunk of your vehicle--so that no one can see you doing so. Watch for people who may be following you. This can occur inside as well as outside. If you suspect someone is following you, report it to security immediately. Program your cell phone with the Police Non-Emergency Phone Number that you can use when you are in Oakland--777-3211. If you call 9-1-1 on your cell phone, you will be routed through the Highway Patrol.

• Report Broken Street Lights:  Help us keep streets safe by reporting street lights that are out.  Contact the Public Works Call Center by phone 615-5566 or email.  Give us the address AND the number on the pole (black & white numbers).
• Self-Defense Class for Women: The City's Parks & Recreation Department and Police Department are teaching a class on self-defense for women, Saturdays from January 19 to February 9 from 1-4 pm at the Franklin Recreation Center, 1010 E 15th Street. Course Fee is $40. Register online as Activity #7068.301. The Self-Defense Course is designed to empower women to feel confident by teaching them specific skills and techniques to defend themselves in potentially dangerous situations. Facilitated by OPD Defensive Tactics Instructors, the course covers such topics as self protection, handgun safety and sexual assault awareness. Participants must attend all four of the three-hour sessions to successfully complete the course.
• Police Technicians Needed:  Police Services Technicians are non-sworn OPD personnel who can do many of the duties that Police Officers do. To improve police investigations especially in the area of robberies and burglaries, 15 more were authorized in the two year City budget passed in June. They also conduct Neighborhood Watch and Merchant Watch training, security inspections, redirect traffic, tow abandoned vehicles, assist in sideshow suppression operations and liquor license investigations.  Applications are being accepted now.
• Police Reserve Officers Needed:  Sworn reserve officers perform all the duties and responsibilities of a career police officer on a volunteer, part-time basis.  Oakland has a small but dedicated group of reserve officers.  They must meet the same qualifications and training as our regular officers and commit to 20 hours per month.   Because of the need to use all resources to fill vacant police positions, new reserve offices have not been recruited for over a year. Interested persons should contact Joseph Sweeney for additional information.

• The City has launched a new Measure Y website and e-newsletter that contain a wealth of practical information and an area by area list of services and programs.  The new website is www.MeasureY.org; you can sign up for the newsletter there.

• 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. You can also make anonymous calls for drug activity to 238-DRUG.

• School Options Fair Next Weekend;OUSD Open Enrollment Period begins December 10:  Since 1997 there have been requirements for parents in Oakland to be able to choose school sites especially if their own site was Under Performing or as in recent years, in Program Improvement. As dictated by No Child Left Behind, there are Federal requirements for ensuring that parents have CHOICE. The application window for parents to submit their Options/Open Enrollment applications is December 10 to January 15. Elementary and middle schools will collect and submit applications from every 5th and 8th grader by Tuesday, January 15, 2008. Any other additional applications collected by schools must be collected and submitted by January 15th as well. NOTE:  If you are considering moving your child from a private or parochial school, this is the time to file your enrollment application.

• Oakland Rotary Launches Oakland Reads: The Oakland Rotary Club's Youth & Education Committee is partnering with OUSD to provide three new books to every third grader in OUSD schools this February. That means that more than 3,100 third graders in all traditional and charter schools throughout the City will each receive a set of three books hand picked by OUSD librarians, teachers and Rotary members to encourage students to read and stretch their literacy skills. Rotary has chosen this ambitious project because literacy skills form the cornstone of a child's academic development:
   

• Early reading proficiency is a primary indicator of a child's likelihood of attending college.
• Children who fail to read by age 9 (Grade 3) typically fall behind in other areas and rarely make up the lost ground.
• Children who attain reading proficiency are at much less risk of dropping out of high school.

• "Off the Wall" Exhibit at the Oakland Museum of California, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, December 7, 8 & 9: Help mark the end of one area and the beginning of another when the Oakland Museum begins relocating portions of the Art and History galleries to other areas to accommodate construction. Now is the time to see the entire museum before things move "off the wall." Friday, December 7 is First Fridays after Five--Night at the Museum  with live music, Velocity Circus performers, Soul Food Cooking Demo, Gospel and holiday music, and a holiday print show in the Celle tors Gallery. Saturday, December 8 from 10 am-5pm Access & Activisim provides hands-on  and visual experiences for the entire family. Sunday is Family Festival Day-- a free event sponsored by Wells Fargo--includes Velocity Circus performers, and tours of the building and the Koi pond. For details, go to the Museum's website.
• Playdate for Entering Kindergartners at Sequoia on Saturday, December 1: 10 am-Noon at the Dmond Park play structure near the pool. If it's raining, please go to 4030 Laguna Avenue (corner of Carmel).
• Friends of Sausal Creek Gardening Events: Fridays, December 7, & 14,9:30 am- Noon-- Seed hike to collect seeds to propogate native plants.  Saturday, December 15, 8:45 am- Noon- Winter Solstice Planting Party in Dimond Canyon-- Contact Kathren Stevenson at 388-5676. Saturday, December 15, 1:30-4:30 pm, Propogate native species for winter planting and other nursery work at the Joaquin Miller Park Native Plant Nursery. Contact Molly Bolt at 501-3672.

• <<Jean and friend enjoy the Christmas Tree Lighting in Jack London Square

• Montclair Village Holiday Stroll, Thursday, December 6, 6-9 pm: Bring the kids for an evening of holiday fun! Ice skating rink for kids 10 and under, wagon and motorized cable car rides, street entertainment, store sales and receptions. Time to get into the Holiday Spirit and support our local businesses and shops.
• New Toys Needed for Oakland Police Officer's Association (OPOA) Christmas Basket Program: The OPOA provides a meal and gifts to 75 Oakland families identified by sworn/civilian employees from the Oakland Police Department. The OPOA will purchase all of the meals and some of the toys, but could use additional new toys. Drop off any unwrapped toy or gift to the OPOA at 555 5th Street.
•  Zoo Lights at the Oakland Zoo Postponed until 2008-- due to the NEW LED replacement lights being damaged in shipment. Old incandescent light bulbs, adorning over 120 light structures, were being changed to LED lights to reflect Oakland Zoo's "Go Green" conservation messaging. 2007 marked the re-lighting of ZooLights with over 80,000 LED lights. As the NEW LED lights arrived it became apparent that too many of them were damaged in shipment and the time to re-purchase too short.
• Oakland Youth Chorus Winter Choral Concert: Saturday, December 8, 7 pm, First Congregational Church of Oakland. Annual Winter Concert featuring Concert Chorus, Middle School Magic Chorus, Elementary School Miracle Choruses and the OYC Alumni Chorus. Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Student/Senior $10, Child $5, Groups of 15 or more $15 each. Call 287-9700 x110 for tickets.
• Community Holiday Celebration at Peralta Hacienda, Saturday, December 8: The December Family Fun Day celebrates the volunteers at Peralta Hacienda as well as the holidays. Rachel Rodi, a mosaic artist, will help create a large-scale community art project. There will be tours and opportunities to make cornhusk dolls. For details, contact Joanne Lee, Community Programs Associate.
• Annual Christmas Revels, English Renaissance at the Scottish Rite Center, December 7-16. Enjoy magnificent Elizabethan music, dance and drama. Admission is $15-$50. Call 452-8800. For details, go to www.calrevels.org.
• Dunsmuir House for the Holidays: Mansion tours, holiday teas, carolers, horse-drawn carriages for hire, craft booths, refreshments, children's activities, entertainment and more at the historic Dunsmuir House at 2060 Peralta Oaks Court, just off of Highway 580 and 106th Avenue. Weekends, December 8-23. Advance ticket prices-- Adults $11, Seniors (62+) $10, Juniors $7, groups of 10 or more $9 each-- add $4 at the door. Call (925) 275-9490.
• Holiday Events Light Up the Oakland Public Library--Free, multicultural fairytales, stories, puppet shows, sing-alongs and more bring together the whole family at this joyous time of year:
  • Bonnie Lockhart presents Peace, Light & Chocolate: Holiday Songs from Many Traditions: Monday, December 10, 7 pm Montclair Branch Library
  • Opera Piccola presents Hansel & Gretel, Tuesday, December 18, 7 pm  at Dimond Branch Library
  • Puppet Art presents Jack & The Beanstalk Wednesday, December 19, 3:30 pm at Melrose Branch Library

For a full list of events throughout the holidays and their locations at other branch libraries, please call 238-3848 or check out the Oakland Public Library website.

• Holiday Tea at the Laurel Book Store, Sunday, December 9 at 4 pm: With Shirley Masengill. $5 per person. The guest list is limited to 25 people for space reasons, so please RSVP to Luan Stauss as soon as possible.
• Holiday Caroling on Lake Merritt--enjoy a unique view of Oakland as your Water Sleigh takes you on a voyage around Lake Merritt, with complimentary cookies & hot cider. Friday tours: December 14 and 21, 6 and 7 pm; Saturday tours, December 15 & 22, 4 pm, 5 pm, 6 pm; Sunday tours, December 16 & 24, 4 pm, 5 pm and 6 pm. Water Sleigh ($5 per person); Private charter for up to 20 $75. Call 238-2196 for reservations.
• KKSF Smooth Jazz Christmas, Saturday, December 15 at 8 pm at the Paramount: featuring Dave Koz and friends, and special guests Jonathan Butler, Wayman Tisdale and Kimberley Lock. Tickets range from $39.50-$85.

• Ronn Guidi's Nutcracker at the Paramount: Michael Morgan conducting members of the Oakland East Bay Symphony in the 35th anniversary of the Oakland Ballet's Nutcracker. Ballet Performance tickets range from $15-$50; Sweet Dreams Party tickets $10. Friday, December 21, 10:30 am, limited seats, sold through the Box Office only.
   
  • Friday, December 21, 8 pm, Opening Night
  • Saturday, December 22, 2 pm--Sweet Dreams Party takes place right after the 2 pm performance. All ages require a ticket to the party.
  • Saturday, December 22, 8 pm
  • Sunday, December 23, 2 pm--Sweet Dreams Party takes place right after the 2 pm performance. All ages require a ticket to the party.
  • Monday, December 24, 11 am--(Target Family Matinee) limited seats available through the Box Office only.
• Annual New Year's Eve Balloon Drop at Chabot Space & Science Center:  Monday, December 31 (12:45 pm or 3:45 pm) Free with General Admission. Space is limited--Advance tickets required.