• Veloraptors Bicycle Club Reading of the Declaration of Independence, 8:15 am, in front of the clock on the corner of La Salle and Mountain Blvd. in Montclair.
• Friday, July 4, 9:30 am-12:30 pm: Seed hike in the Sausal Creek Watershed. Contact Kathren Stevenson to RSVP.
   

• City of Piedmont's Annual 4th of July Parade--starts at 11 am at Highland and Park Way. Sue Piper and her dog Benji will be marching with the East Bay Westies Club.

• Lakeside Park on Lake Merritt 4th of July Band Concert, 1 pm--The 97th Concert Season of the Oakland Municipal Band will present a special July 4th concert, "All Sparkling, Red White & Blue" in Lakeside Park under the direction of Robert Farrington, director and conductor. The concerts continue on Sundays: July 13 July 20, July 27 and August 3. All concerts: include jazz, contemporary, pop, big band, international, classical, marches and show tunes. Concert begins at 1 pm at the Band Shell.  Bring a picnic basket and check out the new theater in Children's Fairyland next door.

• Open House at Montclair Recreation Center: Stop by for a low-key celebration at the Recreation Center in Montclair Park, 4-6 pm.

4th of July Fireworks Festival at Jack London Square, 4 pm to 9:35 -- After a hiatus last year, the fireworks are back! Visit Jack London Square on the 4th of July to enjoy Oakland's free community fireworks display and five hours of live music and entertainment for the family.  Four bands, many different styles of BBQ, many children's activities, and Jack London Square restaurants.  Fireworks begin at 9:15 pm.

• Saturday, July 5, 1:30-4:30 pm, Propagation Workday in the Joaquin Miller Native Plant Nursery. Sowing, transplanting, weeidng and other tasks. RSVP for groups over 6.  

• Free Activities at the Library, Saturday July 5th:  Our many library branches always have a variety of free activities for all ages; you can find free computer classes, book and poetry readings, legal help and special cultural events on their calendar.  This is a sample from this Saturday:

• Basic Music Classes: Beginners class, for ages 7 and up, meets 10 to 11 am. Jazz combo (intermediate/advanced) class, for ages 12 and up, meets 11 to 1 pm. Classes are free and are taught by local jazz greats, they meet every Saturday at the Golden Gate Library, 5606 San Pablo Ave. >>Golden Gate students perform at last week's Laurel Solstice.
   
• Magician Norman Ng performs magic 11 am at the Asian Branch, 388 9th St, Ste 190, and at the Main Library, Children's Room, 125 14th St.
• Learn to Knit:  Every Saturday, 3-4 pm at the Piedmont Ave. Branch, 160 41st St.
• Chess Workshop for Teens But Adult Mentors Needed:  Every Saturday, 1-3 pm, Eastmont Branch, Eastmont Town Center, 7200 Bancroft Ave, Ste 211.

• Chabot's Free Telescopes:  The Center's Summer Hours start next week; it is a great alternative for active kids on bad air days and the air conditioning is welcome on our few hot days.  Free viewing every Friday and Saturday night 7:30-10:30 pm is part of Anthony Chabot's 125 year legacy, and if you can afford a planetarium show or movie makes it a night!  Jupiter photographed by staff member Conrad Jung above through one of the center's 4 telescopes is a current visitor in our evening skies.

   

• Free Admission to the Asian Arts Museum, San Francisco, Sunday, July 5th, 10 am-5pm --Take BART to Civic Center and see the new Ming Dynasty exhibition.

• FIREWORKS WARNING: Over the last week, we are increasingly hearing illegal fireworks. Each year dozens of residents have their fireworks seized and face fines up to $1000.  Today please report fireworks activity to the OPD non-emergency line 777-3333.  If the activity you see threatens fire -- firing into homes, dry grass areas, etc. -- call 911.

• The City's Fireworks Hotline --238-2373 (note corrections)-- allows callers to anonymously leave a message and report street addresses where fireworks are stored or sold. Since sales usually continue through the summer, please continue to give police tips. The reporting party should have all the specifics:  Name(s), address, if fireworks are being sold, and how they operate their transactions. These tips were used to plan today's police actions and placement of fire patrols.
   
• Fire Department Patrols Today:  Fire Department personnel will aid police by roving patrols throughout the city.  Extra patrols in the hills are in place as part of the Wildfire Protection District.  The district contractors and the Fire Marshall have concentrated in clearing lookout points over the last weeks where historically we have had illegal fireworks.
• Montclair Organized Neighborhoods (MONS) Organize for the 4th of July: Over the past two years, Montclair and the Montclair Safety & Improvement Council (MSIC-Beat 13Z NCPC) have encouraged neighborhoods/ blocks to organize into MONS for combined CORE and Neighborhood Alert. This 4th of July, they are recruiting MONS members to help patrol known fireworks lookout spots in the hills to prevent fires. Here's what they say "Each year the fire department staff is worked quite hard on this day, and the RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) members are activated to assist in fire patrols. RACES will be activated from 3 pm to 7 pm on Friday the 4th, and fire patrols are expected to go into the evening, especially around the park entrances and areas of high fire danger. The patrols will cover most of the hills area. The idea of course is to keep an eye/ear out for illegal fireworks and to report violations and fire safety situations. Patrolling can involve walking around, bicycling, driving by or just hanging out at an area. Any assistance during 3pm to ~11pm would be great to help RACES and the fire department, and your neighborhood. If there is any active fire call 9-1-1 (or 777-3211 if you are calling from a cell phone).  Kudos to Per Brashers of the Montera MON and Doug Mosher, Coordinator of the MONS, for organizing the effort. (Above) Redwood Hts family set up in Joaquin Miller Park last weekend as part of Oakland's Amateur Civil Emergency Group drill with shortwave radio emergency communications.
• If you see fireworks or other dangerous behavior in or near a Regional Park, also call 881-1121 (East Bay Regional Parks District Police/Fire emergency).
   
• Today please report fireworks activity to the OPD non-emergency line 777-3333. 
   
• If you see active dangerous use (risk of fire, bodily harm) of fireworks, call 911.

• How to Look After Your Pets During Fireworks:  Every year many pets run away or behave erratically because of the stress of fireworks.  If you do not have your pet licensed and micro-chipped, make sure they are wearing a collar or other identification. This is a good checklist of what you can do to keep your pet safe and comforted.

• City Manager Search:  This week the City Manager issue moved on as the Mayor terminated Ms. Edgerly's employment effective Tuesday.  He formally requested funds in a budget revise for an executive search to be heard by Council next week.  In an long closed session Monday, the Mayor and Chief briefed the Council on the personnel issues. In case you've been out of town or missed this issue, I wrote an extensive piece on this controversy in last week's newsletter. 

• Personnel Investigation:  In addition to charges about possible interference in a police investigation, some reporters have made charges about nepotism. The City Attorney's office released an opinion on how the City's Nepotism policy applies to the City Manager.

Section 907. Nepotism. The Mayor or City Council shall not appoint as an employee or officer, to receive any compensation from the City, any person who is a relative by blood or marriage within the third degree of the Mayor or anyone or more of the members of the Council, nor shall the City Administrator or any other appointing authority appoint to any such position any relative of his or of the Mayor or any member of the Council within such degree of kinship. (Amended by: Stats. November 1988 and March 2004.)

As a result it seems everyone from the Mayor, Council President, Auditor, and myself are calling for an investigation of  hiring practices which may go back as far as several years.  I will be recommending that the City employ one of the outside investigators recommended by the California League of Cities Institute for Local Government's Ethics Program to look at charges of nepotism, to review our hiring processes and make recommendations on how to ensure fair personnel practices.

 

• Mayor's Police Proposal Goes to Council for Fall Ballot, 105 Additional Officers Over Three Years: Both the Mayor and I have criticized a proposed measure that would have required the City to add 300 new officers without new revenues. The estimated cost would have increased police costs to about half of the City General Fund, making public safety or police and fire about three quarters of the entire City budget.  If both this proposal and the new Kids First initiative to double funding were passed, the rest of the City would have to run on less than 20 percent of the budget. Does this sound like Vallejo?
   

• The cost to a single family house would be phased in at an average of $86 more per year for a total increase of $266.
• The use of police technicians would improve investigations and give faster service to citizens at lower cost than more police alone.
   
• Police technicians are especially effective in collecting and analyzing data on crime trends to help us focus police resources and can do much of the tracking and follow-up needed to monitor parolees and sex offenders.
• This would free up police for more crime response, less paper work.
• It would bring the police-to-citizen ratio up to one of the higher ratios in California.
• It would require the City to increase the police as new housing and the population both increase.
• It is a reasonable schedule for training and recruitment at currently budgeted levels, given the highly competitive market for police and expected retirement levels.

Whether the citizens of Oakland will support new taxes or not, this is a relatively balanced cost-effective proposal for those who want more police. I will be interested to hear your comments.

 

 Mayor Dellums leads Oakland contingent of several hundred city employees, church, AC Transit, and other groups last Sunday in the Gay Pride Parade.

 

• Real estate values have been declining, the Alameda County Assessor's Office is reviewing their upcoming 2008-09 Proposition 13 assessments to determine if reductions can be provided. All property owners will receive a pre-tax bill notification in July, detailing their 2008-2009 assessment and indicating any reductions. Many property taxpayers in Alameda County have recently received a solicitation form a private company that charges $95 for an opinion of value of properties that the Alameda County Assessor is reviewing for free. If property taxpayers wish to request an individual informal review, download a form from the Assessor's website and mail it in. Call 272-3787 weekdays between 8:30 am-5 pm for additional information.

• 1.5 percent across the board reduction or enhancement of funds by each department; and
• 5 day or monthly shut down of all non-essential services during the week between Christmas and New Years; employees may use vacation for one day. We felt this was less disruptive than the Mayor's proposal of one day each month and would have less impact on services and on our lowest paid workers.
• Eliminating 28 vacant positions from the budget:  By permanently eliminating these positions we are beginning what we believe will be a necessary downsizing of the city workforce during this economic downturn.  We tried to focus on jobs that had been vacant for over a year; some of the data was incomplete and we invited the administration to provide an alternate list by July 15 for Council's approval and they have submitted revisions which fund an executive search for a new city manager and reduced the number of positions cut from 26 to 20..
• Rejecting some of the proposed fee hikes for Park facilities. Approving parking fees for Lake Merritt aimed at charging commuters while minimizing costs to park users.
• Restoring the second year cuts to the 2-1-1 system, School of the Arts, and the Seismic Program. 
•  Delaying over $3 million in capital projects. 
•  Replace older cars with more fuel efficient and alternative fuel cars.  Immediately eliminate 50 cars and increase car pool and car share options. Another 90 cars which are used less than 400 miles/month will be assessed over the next three months for elimination.
• Approving purchase of police cars for new recruits and emergency vehicles for the fire department by use of restricted reserves and other funds.
•  Police cars and motorcycles may no longer be driven home except for a handful explicitly approved by the Chief. Currently several dozen are driven home.
• My proposal to adopt a specific $50 fine for leaving garbage cans out instead of charging the $600 blight inspection fee was adopted.  The first complaint would generate a warning, a second $50 fine, a third $100, and thereafter $150.
• My resolutions requiring regular public reports on overtime, vacancies, travel and management benefits were also adopted.
  
  There are  revenue uncertainties and other factors which might require further cuts in the fall: 

• The projections for next year's Real Estate Transfer Tax and Property Taxes may be too high based on recent county information.
•  Rising gas prices, police overtime, and other factors may put this year in further deficit.  We will know when we get our year end report in the fall.
• The State budget will not likely be settled for several more months and may include more cuts.

 

• AC Transit Board to Discuss Changes to Line 53 Route, July 9th: Werner Ct. residents have complained that the turn about now being used is too narrow. We have been working with AC Transit for an alternative at Joaquin Miller Park that would also improve public access to programs there. Nancy Skowbo, AC Transit Deputy General Manager, noted that her staff needs a bit more time to analyze the options under consideration, including questions relating to the proposed turnaround at Sanborn Road in Joaquin Miller Park. AC Transit staff plans to present their analysis and recommendations at the July 9 Board meeting starting at 5 pm. The agenda will be posted on the AC Transit website. (www.actransit.org.).

• E-Waste Recycling at Woodminster Amphitheater on Saturday, August 2: Save your outdated computers, printers, cell phones and other e-waste for recylcing at Woodminster Amphitheater. Last year's program was extremeley successful. Look for details about hours of operation in future newsletters.

• Speeders Beware: Lt. Anthony Banks, who supervises the City's Traffic Patrol, reported that OPR handed out 164 traffic citations on Skyline Blvd. between March 30 and June 14! You may want to take note-- between our District 4 Radar Gun Warning Program and OPD's actual ticketing operation, if you speed on Skyline, you better beware!
• Next Radar Gun Project Scheduled for Foothill Blvd:  We trained more volunteers for our next radar gun project.  If you would like to help us clock speeders, please contact Michael Johnson in our office.

• EBMUD Reveals Selected Option for Renovation of Estates Reservoir:

• Hands-Free Phone Use When Driving: As of July 1, drivers must use hands-free telephone devices when driving. Motorists 18 and over may use a hands-free device such as speaker phone or ear phone devices. Drivers under the age of 18 may NOT use a wireless telephone or hands-free device while operating a motor vehicle.
   

• Curbside Battery Recycling: After last year's Waste Management lock out was settled, I reported in this newsletter that the City negotiated additional curbside recycling. Starting July resident can recycle their batteries by putting them into a resealable clear plastic bag on top of their brown can starting July 1st.  

• Wide Mouthed Plastic Containers Also Go Into Gray Bin Starting July 1:   This is an issue I have been working on for a long time. As the recycling industry develops more plastics are beginning to be recycled, we are now adding wide mouth containers such as yogurt, cottage cheese, dip and many other food containers. Bottles of all kinds continue to be recycled.  This expanded recycling begins July 1. Look for more information in this month's bill from Waste Management of Alameda County.

• Seismic Retrofit Grants for Low Income Homeowners: Starting July 1, eligible homeowners may apply for up to $10,000 matching grant to seismically strengthen their older home. Homeowners must meet the City's low income threshold (family of 2 not exceeding $53,00 a year, for example) and live in one of the City's Redevelopment Project Areas.

• White Van Alert:  This week Oakmore neighbors spotted the "white van, late model Toyota, with partial rear right light out on the passenger side" associated with catalytic converter thefts in our area.  People often hear a strange noise, but the van and converter are gone before they figure out what is happening:  "We were awakened before 5 am this morning  to the sound of grinding metal. When looking out the window we saw this van parked extremely close beside our neighbor's vehicle across the street. We called the police but they (at least two people) were gone in a minute. It turns out they cut, dismantled and stole the catalytic converter."

• Sign up Now for National Night Out, August 5: Sign up with the City, your group will be visited by a representative from the Police, Fire and/or Public Works Department, as well as our office. We all usually bring freebies (last year it was free compact fluorescent light bulbs and whistles). But most importantly, you begin to build community, which is the first step in organizing your block for both crime prevention , emergency preparedness and fun.

We are happy to announce that we have secured free tubs of Dreyer's Ice Cream again.  We have 20 tubs, contact Michael Johnson if your group would like one. Here's a perfect way to get to know your neighbors--invite them to a pot luck, ice cream social or coffee and desserts as part of the 25th Annual National Night Out event. Last year, District 4  had 79 different National Night Out parties!
 

• Self Awareness/Defense Course Saturday, July 12 or Saturday, July 19 at Dimond Recreation Center: 9 am-Noon. The Beat 22X Neighborhood Coalition for Positive Change (NCPC) hosts two different sessions of this self awareness/self defense course. To register, download the form and fax it back to Renee Sykes, Neighborhood Services Coordinator for Beats 22X,22Y and 25X, at 238-7685. The deadline for the July 12 session is Thursday, July 10; the deadline for the July 19 session is Thursday, July 17. For details, contact Renee at 238-7929.
   

• Daily Crime Reports Posted On-line:  One of the 200 plus daily emails I read each day are the cumulative statistics of crime reports. The police are now posting them online.  Basically they track what we call "Part 1 Crimes," which are tracked nationally by the Department of Justice. For Oakland these crimes reached a high in the early nineties and declined until a trend up in the last two years. In recent months these crime stats have been relatively flat except for murders.  In the last two years rising murders mostly involve young men killed in gang and drug crimes or women victims of domestic violence.  Encouragingly since the reorganization of the police 3 months ago, quality of life crimes have declined slightly.  Most recent report I have viewed this week: car thefts (-4), home burglaries (-10) and robberies (-1).   

• Program Your Cell Phone for the Oakland Fire Department and Medical Dispatch:  In addition to 777-3211, which will connect you directly to the Police Dispatchers from your cell phone when you are in Oakland (9-1-1 on your cell connects you to the Highway Patrol),  you may also want to program into your cell phone Oakland Fire Department and Medical Dispatch at 444-1616.
   
• New Phone Numbers for the Reorganization:   Lists of phone numbers for Area and Problem Solving Officers/Beats.
   
• The Measure Y website and e-newsletter contain a wealth of practical information and an area list of services and programs, www.MeasureY.org.
• For a list of Neighborhood Crime Prevention Councils in District 4.
• To organize a Neighborhood Watch Group on your street call 238-3091.
• 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. 
• Make anonymous calls for drug activity to 238-DRUG.

<<Big Sur resident waits on Hwy 1 with his most valued possessions in his car.

 

Organizing Your Neighbors/ Preparing Your Family: Sometimes thinking about what do to in an disaster is so overwhelming that people avoid any planning. Your first response will likely be the same no matter what the disaster --earthquake, hurricane or fire. The American Red Cross offers an easy to follow list of questions that will help you make your personal disaster plan, or stop by our booth at the Montclair Farmer's Market on first Sunday's to pick up an easy-to-use form. Then, take a look at the various workshops offered by Citizens of Oakland Respond to Emergencies  (CORE). Call 238-6351 or go to the CORE website. 
 

Retrofit Program Picks Up:  As we near our first year of the program that I authored, the number of homes applying for a permit for a retrofit at the flat fee of $250 will reach about 200; up from only 7 applications last year. A 2900% increase!  
 

Now there are two ways the City can assist homeowners seismically strengthen their older homes:

1. New Homeowners--may apply for the New Homeowners Seismic Strengthening Incentive Program, but must sign up within the first 60 days of taking ownership. If you meet all the requirements, you can be eligible for up to $5,000 reimbursement.

2. Low Income/Fixed Income Homeowners--starting July 1, eligible homeowners may apply for up to $10,000 matching grant to seismically strengthen their older home. Homeowners must meet the City's low income threshold (family of 2 not exceeding $53,00 a year, for example) and live in one of the City's Redevelopment Project Areas.

3. All homeowners who retrofit according to the City's standards are eligible for a flat $250 retrofit permit fee--saving hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.

In both cases, interested homeowners should first contact the City of Oakland's Building Department at 238-3891 for information about the City's Seismic Retrofit Program.  Eligible low-income homeowners will then be referred to the City's Residential Lending and Housing Rehabilitation Services Program, which also offers no-interest loans for other home construction improvement projects (including foundation work). >> Students experience a 8.0 earthquake at FEMA Fair this week.

 

• Friends of Sausal Creek's July Schedule: Join friends and neighbors and learn more about the native habitat of Sausal Creek:
  • Friday, July 11, 9:30 am-12:30 pm: Seed hike in the Sausal Creek Watershed. Contact Kathren Stevenson to RSVP.
  • Saturday, July 12, 1:30-4:30 pm, Propagation Workday in the Joaquin Miller Native Plant Nursery. Sowing, transplanting, weeding and other tasks. RSVP for groups over 6. Contact Molly Bolt for details.
  • Saturday, July 19, 9 am- Noon: Restoration Workday in Dimond park. Meet at the Scout Hut to work on invasive plant removal and the installation of erosion control along the creek banks in Dimond Park. Email Kathren Stevenson to RSVP.
  • Saturday, July 19, 1:30-4:30 pm: Propagation Workday in the Joaquin Miller Native Plant Nursery. Sowing, Transplanting, weeding and other tasks. RSVP for groups over 6. Contact Molly Bolt for details.
  • Sunday, July 20, 9;30-Noon: Aquatic Insect Sampling. Call Emma Brown to confirm at 527-2507.
  • Saturday, July 26, 9 am-Noon: Restoration Workday at Beaconsfield Canyon. Wear sturdy shoes and long pants to help clear debris for fire prevention, pull invasive plants, plant and mark natives, and extend trails. Contact Richard Kauffmann at 531-1237 for details.

   

• FOSC Free House & Garden Audit Presentation to Neighborhood Groups: Friends of Sausal Creek will present, free of charge, a fast-paced, mostly-pictures Power Point introduction to The House and Garden Audit, Protecting Your Family's Health and Improving the Environment by Laurel Marcus, a long-time watershed consultant. It offers a comprehensive overview of actions that individuals can take in the house and garden to help keep themselves and our creeks and watersheds healthy. It has lots of photos, lots of tables that provide a great reference, and lots of websites and other sources for people who want more. Call Karen Paulsell at 655-0818 for details.
   
• Keep Oakand Beautiful Grants: Designed to foster local solutions and community improvement, grants in the amount of $200 - $500 will be distributed from funds raised by Keep Oakland Beautiful. There are two funding cycles: summer and winter. Deadlines are April 30 (summer) and September 30 (winter). Grants will be awarded to individuals or groups that demonstrate creativity and/or community renewal. Evidence of sustainability of the project after the grant funding terminates is also a criteria. The use of partnerships to leverage the scope of the project and public visibility are also factors which will affect how the applications are ranked by the organization. For details contact Keep Oakland Beautiful at 434-5126.
  
   

Prescott Clowns Peform at Malonga Casquelourd Theater, Wednesday, July 16 & Thursday, July 17:

Kids Come Free at Woodminster This Summer:

• July 11-20  Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
• August 9-17 Seussical
• September 5-14 Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance

• Oakland Parks & Recreation--offers a wide range of programs at their 25 Recreation Centers for kids of all ages. Call 238-7275 or download the 2008 catalog. 
   
• A Few Spots Remain for Chabot's Summer Camps! Send Your Child on an Unforgettable Adventure this Summer- Sign up for Space Explorers Summer Camp Now!  Chabot Space & Science Center offers week long half-day and full-day camps for young people ages 6 - 13 (entering grades 1-8) interested in having fun with science! Camp dates from July 7 - August 15. Camps for 2008 include the Green Avengers, Green Dollhouses and Fun in the Sun. To receive a catalog email camp@chabotspace.org or see the entire list of options on their web site.
• Parents Press offers a fairly comprehensive listing of opportunities.
• The City of Oakland's Shining Stars catalog is another great resource. 

• Summer U.S. Youth Games hosted by Oakland in 2008! Oakland Hosts the 42nd Annual U.S. Youth Games July 16-19. The U.S. Youth Games host thousands of youth from across the nation, participating in Olympic-style competitions. General Information & Team Registration: Melvin Landry  238-4722.

• Thursday Night Live in Old Oakland, 1st and 3rd Thursdays, 5:30-9 pm, June - October: Thursday Night Live takes place inside and outside the food establishments along 9th and Washington in Old Oakland. Besides the usual drink specials associated with happy hour, there's a stage featuring live music, outdoor concession stands, and beer and beverage "gardens" where people can mix and socialize. Free to the public. July's Schedule:
  • 7/3/08 Native Elements (reggae)
  • 7/17/08 Dynamic Band (hip hop)

• Annual Dimond Picnic in the Park, Sunday, July 27. Bring friends and family to this annual event, sponsored by the Dimond Improvement Association.

• 
   
• Lakefest '08 Wine Art and Wine Festival., Saturday, August 2 to Sunday, August 3. Showcases 30 wineries along with live music and an arts and crafts fair with over 100 artisans and local vendors. Admission is free,food and wine tasting packages begin at $10.At the crossroads of Lakshore and Grand Avenues.
   

• Laurel Street Festival, Saturday, August 9, 1-6 pm:  Celebrate Oakland's Diversity in the heart of Oakland-- the Laurel District-- MacArthur Blvd. between 35th Avenue and High Street. Details to come.>>Last year's event

• 6th Annual Montclair Jazz and Wine Festival 2008, Sunday, September 7, 11 am-6 pm. Admission to the Festival is free. Wine Tasting 1-6 pm-wine tasting tickets are $30; $5 off coupon on the website. Couples package$50. Beer is available at the Beer Garden from 11 am-6 pm, $4.00.

• Dimond Oktoberfest, Saturday, October 4, 11 am- 4 pm on MacArthur Blvd.

• Maxwell Park Day, Saturday, September 13-- a day in Maxwell Park, 4618 Allendale Avenue. Details to come.
   

• 14th Annual Fine Arts & Crafts Fall Fest in Montclair, October 4-5: Mountain Blvd. at La Salle, 10 am- 6 pm, Saturday; 10 am-5 pm, Sunday. Sponsored by Pacific Fine Arts Festivals.
   

July:

• Friday, July 11-Sunday, July 20-- Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Musical at Woodminster Amphitheater.
• Saturday, July 26-- OPR Special Event

• Friday, August 8-Sunday, August 17-- Seussical the Musical at Woodminster Amphitheater.
• Saturday August 23, OPR Special Event.