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Moving Oakland Forward Together |
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I spent much of the week thinking about what we can do to reduce violence as individuals, as a city, as a nation. Last weekend I went to the Oakland Museum opening of "100 Families Oakland: Art & Social Change," an exhibit which reflects the work 100 different Oakland families working with professional artists over a ten week period. The goal of the project was to strengthen family and neighborhood ties to reduce violence. If nothing else, the exhibit will make you smile and think. Then in Tuesday's state of the union address the President pushed his plan for an escalation of 92,000 more troops into Iraq and even though politics is my life...I found myself yelling at the television set! Beyond the violence of the war itself, the hidden violence against our social fabric here at home and our city is intolerable. Take a quick look at the cost of the war at the National Priorities website, $455 million so far. This is a half year's city budget. With this funding we could have increased the police force by about half or built 4100 homes. Towards week's end I attended a multi-city meeting of California cities on Gang Violence. Over the next three years the cities will share information and strategies. Most of Oakland's murders are tied to drugs and gangs organized to sell them. Nearly 40% of the murders last year were tied to Latino gangs alone. The Police Department has reorganized a gang task force and Measure Y funds are being used to do outreach to youth and to educate parents. After some staff discussion, we've decided to include an on-going discussion on what we all can do to prevent violence starting with this newsletter. Please send us your ideas. Have a peaceful and safe weekend.  Jean Quan District 4 Council Member Council President Pro Tempore
<< Trash and tipped cardboard trash containers are a major problem in our parks, according to the OPC report. With 130 parks and over 2,000 acres of parkland, Oakland ranks 3rd in parkland amongst high density US cities. The Oakland Parks Coalition (OPC) presented its report card on our parks to the Council's Life Enrichment Committee this week based on its survey of 75 out of the City's 130 parks last fall. Using a Rating system of 1-4 (1=highest), the overall ratings averaged between 2-3. The survey assessed: Litter, picnic areas, restrooms, hardscape & signage, greenery, irrigation, recreation Centers, outdoor recreation facilities. According to OPC, the prevailing maintenance problems are litter, graffiti and broken equipment. Their recommendations include:
On Saturday, January 27, 9 am-Noon, at the Zion Lutheran Church, we will present proposals for improving the walkway for pedestrians and bikers on upper Park Blvd between the Leimert Bridge and Mountain Blvd. Leaflet & Survey Landscape Designer Gillian Garro of Larman & Garro has developed a conceptual plan for a multi-use pathway up Park Blvd. We hope this project will encourage more people to walk to the village, make the walkway safer and more inviting for students, strollers, and seniors. We will use the plan to seek funding, grants, and plan community work days. Please contact Sue Piper at 238-7042 or by email for more information.
* FOSC Nursery Opportunities: This Saturday, 1/27, the nursery program will be in full swing from 1:30-4:30 pm. Friends of Sausal Creek's green house is bursting with seedlings that are just calling out to be transplanted. There is also general work that keeps the nursery functioning such as moving plants and caring for the growing areas. Nursery work is also is a great way to get up close and familiar with the local native flora. The morning restoration program will not meet, but if you would like to lead a group informally to help with the Cape Ivy infestation in Dimond Canyon, or if you would like to go out on your own, contact Kathren Stevenson, Restoration Coordinator,or visit the FOSC website. * Save March 24, 4 -7 pm, for FOSC 10th Anniversary Party: If you enjoy walking any of the trails in Dimond Park and Canyon, this is the way to say thank you to this dedicated group of volunteers who so lovingly restore our Sausal Creek watershed. Tickets are now on sale to the Friends of Sausal Creek's 10th Anniversary party, to be held on March 24th, from 4-7 pm at the Joaquin Miller Community Center. To find out how to get your tickets, email Sara Marcellino Tickets are $20 per person, and directly help support FOSC's wonderful nursery and restoration programming. Sara is also your contact for items you may wish to donate to their silent auction, to be held during the 10th Anniversary event.
>> This week's Neighborhood Watch Block Captains reception provided neighborhood leaders from across the city the opportunity to encourage each other and share experiences. Among those honored for their efforts was Jan Hetherington of Maxwell Park with Deputy Chief Israel. (Photo by Bob Vaughn) * Organize or Renew Your Neighborhood Watch Group: With the increased crime and the awareness of crime, neighbors are organizing and revitalizing neighborhood alert groups all over the city. The national Neighborhood Watch program has its roots in Oakland's home alert groups. Today we have over 600 block groups, is your street one of them? If not contact Neighborhood Watch at 238-3091. You can also copy us on your request, especially if you need advice, translation or other help to organize your area. * How do I find my Community Policing Officers? This week, we held a special meeting for Chinese speaking residents in the Laurel. One of the questions asked was, how do we contact our community policing officers? Over the next week the police department does its annual drawing and changing of assignments, so the website may not be immediately up to date. But if you click on this map, you will find which Lieutenant, problem solving officer, or neighborhood service coordinator is assigned to your area. This is a good place to start with a more general (chronic, on-going) issue (not an emergency or crime in progress.) * Citizen's Police Academy starts February 17: If you live or work in Oakland, attending the Citizens' Police Academy is a great way to find out more about the people and policies of the Oakland Police Department. Learn about criminal law, police procedures and crime prevention techniques. Classes meet at the Eastmont Station, 2651 73rd Avenue, every Saturday from 9 am until Noon, for 14 weeks, starting February 17 through May 19. For more information, contact Paula White at 238-4523. * District 4 NCPC Meetings: Neighborhood Crime
Prevention Council meetings are open to the public and are a
great way to meet the police assigned to your area and learn
more about community policing in your area. Our staff
attends most of
these NCPC meetings.
Volunteer Appreciation Evening, February 7, 4-6 pm: The City's Public Works Agency and Keep Oakland Beautiful are celebrating the good work of the volunteers who have worked on Earth Day, Creek to Bay Day, Daffodil Planting, Adopt a Spot, Adopt a Creek, and other clean up and beautification projects. If you participated in any of these events you are invited and should have received an invitation. Please RSVP to Noel Gallo or call 615-5415. Refreshments will be served.
* Last week we posted Peet's proposed design for their Dimond store. Their design adds windows which would eliminate much of the current Dimond mural (right). They propose to fund a replacement or new mural. We received dozens of responses. The overwhelming majority so far support Peet's new design. Opinions on the mural are more mixed. Some people have no opinion or interest in the mural, others would like to see many new murals throughout the Dimond. Some people like the tongue in cheek symbolism of the old mural, others fear that the diamond is taken as a misspelling of Dimond. (The district is named after Hugh Dimond, whose ranch once included Dimond Park and Canyon). There is quite a bit of interest in a mural portraying more of the district's history and natural beauty. * History of the current mural: Frances and Frank Bienati formerly owned Ann's Cafe, an Oakland landmark where Peet's will be located. Both are still active in the community, Frances helps with the Thanksgiving dinner at Fruitvale church each year and is active in many community programs. They helped lead the effort for the mural and the street is named after them. The Dimond Improvement Association's (DIA) listserv has a running commentary on its symbols. Steve Lavoie, our history room librarian at the Main, sent this out to explain why a cherry is featured in the mural: Cherries from Friedrich Rhoda's orchards were shipped to California's exhibit at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, where the first examples of the state's agricultural bounty to reach the East Coast were displayed. (His canned cherries reached the East Coast shortly after the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869.) Rhoda owned a large parcel of the land fronting the north side of what is now MacArthur Blvd., between Fruitvale and Coolidge avenues. Rhoda Street is named for him and Lincoln Avenue is named for his son, Lincoln Rhoda.) Cherries are particularly well adapted to the bayside East Bay, as discovered by Henderson Luelling, the pioneer horticulturalist, who brought his patented variety of cherry, the "Bing" (named for his Chinese immigrant orchardist who developed the variety in Oregon), to California with him in the 1850s. Luelling settled for a time along Sausal Creek, establishing a vast orchard estate that he named "Fruit Vale," thus the current place name. * New Murals? With the Dimond Merchant group formally endorsing the change, including alumnus Frances Bienati, it appears the consensus will lead to a new mural. We will wait for additional comment and then my office will probably be sponsoring a meeting later next month to discuss proposals for new mural(s). We are interested in hearing from people who would be interested in planning or working on a new mural. Please contact Richard Cowan in my office, 238-7041. * Dimond Walking Officer Starts Next Week: In a last minute switch the Police Department has decided to assign Maurico Perez to the Fruitvale to better utilize his bilingual skills and the next officer in line is Sean Hall. Please welcome Officer Hall who will be starting this week. His hours are 8 am to 3 pm. He has not yet received his cell phone, but his email is slhall@oaklandnet.com
Speeding and side shows in the Melrose area have led to a series of barriers on Ygnacio. All are different, none of them are attractive. Working with the Traffic Division and neighbors and with funding from my office, we have come up with three designs for landscaped traffic barriers. Each features native plants and boulders. We will also add an additional barrier near Horace Mann School. Neighbors at each intersection have agreed to help water the plants. Please send your comments on these designs to Ann Combs of my office or call 238-4742.
* Lunar New Year Celebration 2007: The Oakland Asian Cultural Center offers auspicious food tastings, hands on activities, performances from the China Songshan Shaolin Temple, The Purple Bamboo and Great Wall Youth Orchestras (Oakland's local youth Chinese orchestra) and more on Saturday, February 3, from Noon until 4 pm. Admission free. The Oakland Asian Cultural Center is located at 388 Ninth Street, Suite 290, Oakland, CA 94607.
* Meeting to Discuss Maxwell Park School Redesign: Over
100 parents and neighbors came out to meet with District
officials about the future of the school. Many felt that the
local community was not really being included in plans for
the school, another meeting with the District is planned for
next month. * Maxwell Park Elementary School needs 3-6 volunteer judges for their school competition in the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Oratorical Fest this Thursday, January 25th. There will be two assemblies or time slots that need judges. The first begins at 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. judging the kindergarten through third grade students. The second assembly is from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. judging the fourth and fifth grade orators. Winners compete at the district level. * Volunteers are also needed for the Maxwell Park Elementary Scrabble Tournament, Wednesday, January 31: Several schools from Oakland and beyond are coming to Maxwell Park Elementary School for a Scrabble Tournament and Root Beer Floats. Volunteers are needed to set up, proctor the games, keep things moving and positive, hand out t-shirts and prizes, and scoop ice cream. Maxwell Park students warm up at 2, the others arrive at 3 and the event goes until 5 pm. If interested, contact principal Ruben Aurelio.
* Avoid Illegal Dumping: A recent East Bay Express article featured Oakland's litter enforcement stake outs in an effort to reduce illegal dumping in our fair City. Homeowners can do their part by requiring trash haulers and contractors to show a receipt from the Davis Street Transfer Station BEFORE they pay for the hauling services. If someone offers to haul your trash for a low prices, chances are that it is being illegally dumped. Note that if officials can trace the dumped debris to you, you can be held liable for removal costs, penalties and fees, even if you did not dump it yourself. * A Warning about Green Clothing Donation Boxes: On December 17th, KPIX ran a story on "30 Minutes Bay Area" called Behind the Green Box about the green clothing donation boxes that have sprung up around Oakland and other communities in the Bay Area. These boxes are connected to an organization in Denmark, known as "Tvind." The money raised goes to charities registered to them, and is allegedly funneled into the pockets of the leadership. According to the KPIX story, local legitimate charities that collect clothing are losing millions of dollars worth of potential clothing donations. The Great Harvest Bakery on College Avenue has removed the box in front of their business, and the organization has removed all of its boxes in the City of Berkeley at the City's request. * If your local restaurant or store is still using polystyrene, you can help us by distributing the leaflet below and reporting violations to 238-SAVE or recycle@oaklandnet.com For details about the new ordinance, go to the City's new Green Ware website.
The awards will be presented at our District Office on February 24th as part of the Lunar New Year celebration in the Laurel. All nominees receive Oakland A's or Warriors tickets. The top awardees are allowed to designate up to $1000 in District 4 Council Capital funds to any public project.
* Strong Bodies Stay Young: Amy Aldrich, certified Strong Women Stay Young instructor and and Oakland Adult Education Instruction, presents a series of simple and effective exercises from a program deigned at Tufts University specifically to aid people at risk for osteoporosis. If you are over 50 come and learn your own strength. Men and women are welcome. This is an ongoing, drop in class that is free. Every Wednesday, 3:30-5:30 pm at Lincoln Court Senior Apartments, 2400 MacArthur Blvd., in the large activity room. To register, call Beverly at 336-1952.
* Free Health Insurance Counseling for Seniors: The
Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy program (HICAP)
offers free counseling on Medicare, Medigap polices,HMO's,
prescription drug resources, low-income assistance programs
and other health insurance questions. HICAP counselor Gerry
Eiselman holds office hours at Lincoln Court Center, 2400
MacArthur Blvd, the first Monday of the month, February 5th,
between 9 and 11 am. Call 839- 0393 or 1-800-434-0222 for an
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