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Moving Oakland Forward Together |
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Dear Neighbor, I don't know about you... but the summer heat only reinforces yesterday's reports that the "earth is the hottest it has been in at least 400 years, maybe several millennia." If you missed it, the National Geographic website has some useful links and sad photos. This report and Al Gore's film, "Inconvenient Truth", are inspiration to increase our work to make our city "green" and sustainable. I am co-hosting a meeting on Reducing, Reusing & Recycling Waste next Wednesday, June 28, 7-9 pm, City Hall Hearing Rm 4, 2nd Flr, to discuss Zero Waste & Oakland's Sustainability Goals (see #6). Meanwhile, put on a hat and sunscreen and join us for many great summer events. This Saturday we look forward to the Dimond celebration of the Farmer Joes opening & Laurel's Music Festival "stroll" (see #2 & #3). With the final count, we wish Mayor-Elect Ron Dellums and all our elected officials the best and pledge to work with them to move Oakland forward. I also want to express my thanks to the other mayoral candidates, especially my colleagues Ignacio Delafuente and Nancy Nadel. All campaigns are hard, but a citywide campaign that addresses the needs of 400,000 Oaklanders takes courage and hard work. Lastly, I want to thank the 12,921 District 4 voters who voted for me. We will work hard to deserve your support.  Jean Quan Vice Mayor, District 4 Council Member
This week's Council Meeting ran unusually long-- Richard
Cowan, Sue Piper and I didn't leave the Council Chambers
until 2:30 am! Thank you to all the citizens who came out to
speak on one or more of the 33 items addressed that
night--they, too, had a long night:
• The Council approved my resolution to investigate how council staffing budgets have used, whether grants to external agencies were made legally, and how funds to external agencies were used. A full copy of the resolution can be read at item #31 on this week's agenda. More more information read this Tribune article. • Council also approved a ban on polystyrene food containers for take out food and to require compostable food ware as it becomes affordable. It becomes effective January 1, 2007. We will work to help educate restaurants and other retailers about the ordinance, alternative & compostable containers, and composting food waste disposal. For more information contact green packaging@oaklandnet.com • The Council approved my amendment to the View Ordinance to include volunteer trees, quite important in some areas with fast growing invasive trees such as acacia, eucalyptus, and even oaks. For questions contact Richard Cowan or call 238-7041. Text of the amendment • And literally, finally (the last item at 2:30 am!), Council approved an amendment to the Municipal Code that allows us to move forward with the 12- month pilot off leash dog play area in Joaquin Miller Park. We are now moving forward with installing the fence and water lines and hope to have the dog play area open in mid-July. For details about the project, contact Sue Piper at spiper@oakandnet.com or call 238-7042.
Saturday, June 24th, 10am-4pm, the Dimond community
gathers Saturday to celebrate the opening of the new Farmer
Joe's, with Lion Dances, raffles, kids activities, live
entertainment and many neighborhood organizations. Join us
for the official ribbon cutting about 9:45-10 am. 40 groups
will have booths with information and activities, including
our office.
The original Farmer Joes at the arch on 35th Avenue and MacArthur will continue to serve the Laurel. Let's support Joe and Diana Tam in their bold new investment in our community!
On the other end of MacArthur in my district, the Laurel
neighborhood becomes a virtual stage Saturday, June 24, with
over 50 musical groups providing free entertainment to
celebrate the Summer Solstice. From 3–7 pm musicians will be
performing in resident driveways, in parking lots along
MacArthur Boulevard and in select restaurants and coffee
shops. The event is being presented by the Laurel Village
Association.
If you drive in the evening, you may have noticed that
portions of the Warren Freeway, Highway 13, were closed as
of Thursday night, June 22. Caltrans is closing one lane
of both north and southbound lanes at various locations
between Highway 24 and Interstate 580 for approximately
three weeks, in order to upgrade several overcrossings and
undercrossings on the highway. Several ramps will also be
closed at various times.
Crews will apply the highly durable methacrylate sealant to decks and will replace expansion joints. The northbound lanes will close as early as 8 pm, while the southbound lanes will close as early as 9 pm so crews can finish the noisier tasks (bead-blasting and jack-hammering) before midnight. Crews will work at any given location for no more than four days. Lanes will be re-opened by 5 am The schedule is as follows: Saturday 6/24/06, 8 pm-7 am ( Methacrylate bridge decks) SB 13- Moraga Ave. Undercrossing NB 13 - Moraga Ave Undercrossing - The Moraga on-ramp to NB 13 will also be closed, Detour traffic NB 13- Broadway Terr. Undercrossing NB 13 connector to Hwy 24 will be closed at 10 pm. Detour traffic. NB13 connector to WB 80. Monday 6/26/06, 8 pm-5:30 am ((Methacrylate bridge decks) SB 13- Moraga Ave. Undercrossing NB 13 - Moraga Ave Undercrossing NB 13- Broadway Terr. Undercrossing. Monday 6/26/06 through Saturday 7/01/06, 8 pm- 7 am ( Replace Seal joints) Route 13 SB connector to EB 580 Redwood Rd. Overcrossing SB 13- Moraga Ave. Undercrossing NB 13 - Moraga Ave Undercrossing - The Moraga on-ramp to NB 13 will also be closed, Detour traffic NB 13 connector to Hwy 24 will be closed at 10 pm. Detour traffic. NB13 connector to WB 80. NEW SPEED SIGNS ON PARK BLVD, PLEASE SLOW DOWN: Drivers on Park Blvd often drive too fast, especially down hill, and were sometimes confused by the varying speeds posted between Hwy 580 and Hwy 13. The Glenview Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council working with Public Works has new speed limit signs after years of complaints about inconsistent speed limit zones on Park Blvd. Please drive the speed limit and stop for pedestrians who are trying to use the cross walks.
Next Tuesday, June 27th, at 9 am, the Public Works
Committee will consider
a resolution,
sponsored by my office and Council President Delafuente,
asking the State Fish and Game Commission to ban fishing
in all Oakland creeks. The Commission takes
recommendations only once every three years for changes and
will make its next review this fall.
The Friends of Sausal Creek (FOSC) lovingly clean the creek and restore areas for the local steelhead trout to spawn. Each year more are sighted, but they are still rare. Currently Alameda County allows fishing in creeks from the end of April to October. However, a license is required and only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used. Furthermore, the bag limit is 0, which means any fish caught must be released. If you run across anyone fishing in the interim, you might remind them of the above. For problems, messages for the city's park rangers may be left at: 377-4657. Karen Paulsell of FOSC notes: "Our urban fish have a pretty tough time -- very high stormwater flows, due to all the fast runoff from hard surfaces; occasional sewage spills; water main breaks that contain chloramine which is toxic to fish (and also kills the insects they eat), kids and dogs play in the shallow areas where trout lay their eggs; dams prevent them from migrating upstream... The last thing they need is the stress of being hooked and reeled in, even if the fisherperson is doing catch-and-release."
After 4 years of community meetings, the Oakland Public
Library is presenting its Facilities Master Plan to
Committee on Tuesday, June 27th, 6 pm. Copies are
available at the libraries. The Plan recommends physical
updates to most libraries, including a new library in the
Laurel, a major expansion of the Dimond, upgrades and
parking for Melrose, and expanded reading space at Montclair
Some do not have public restrooms. Today's libraries must
squeeze in new materials like movies on dvd's, tape/cd
books, tool lending collections, materials in foreign
languages and much more. Our libraries provide the only
internet access many Oaklanders have, but electrical and
data systems limit the number and speed of the computers.
Finally, the libraries now provide key classes in literary
and computers, after school programs, and community meeting
rooms.
MAIN LIBRARY DEBATE: Architects are recommending that the city remodel the Kaiser Convention Center for a new Main Library, finding it will be less expensive in the long run and will not disrupt service. The plan would uncover the building's skylights and build floors around the center as illustrated in an artist's conception above. Calvin Simmons theater would remain open perhaps as part of joint use with the Oakland Museum and Laney College next door, creating a new cultural center. The Council Committee on Economic Development will be considering an alternate proposal for the Kaiser Building by developers of a World Trade Center, who are asking for a 50 year lease, on June 27th, 4 pm. Details on how much they would pay and whether they considered other Oakland sites is unknown at this time. My main concern is whether this historic public building should be converted to essentially a private commercial use. It's location on the Lake puts in the heart of Lake's Measure DD renovations and cultural activities.
A Public Meeting on Reducing, Reusing & Recycling Waste
will be held Wednesday, June 28 from 7 to 9 pm in City Hall
Hearing Room 4 (2nd Floor) to introduce Zero Waste &
Oakland's sustainability goals. Oakland is pursuing the
goal of being a Sustainable City--a place where we can meet
our current needs while ensuring that our children and
grandchildren can live rewarding and healthy lives in the
future. In that spirit, the City is developing a Zero Waste
Strategic Plan to cut waste disposal to landfills by 90%,
reducing its current 400,000 tons/year disposal down to
40,000 tons per year by 2020. Other public meetings include:
July 19--Review possible Zero Waste strategies for Oakland,
and September 2006-- review the draft Zero Waste Strategic
Plan for adoption by the City. For more information or to
RSVP for the June 28 meeting, call the Oakland Recycling
Hotline at 238-SAVE or email
zerowaste@oaklandnet.com
• On Saturday, July 15th, 9 am, Lincoln Courts will be
holding an Open House. The entire community is invited
to come and visit the facility. Looking at the attractive
building nearing completion at Lincoln and MacArthur, it is
hard to remember the blighted Hillcrest Motel which ranked
as the fourth worst crime hotspot in the city three and half
years ago when I took office.
• Nearby the Altenheim Senior Housing on MacArthur Blvd. will be accepting applications mid-July. The beautiful gardens and main hall of this historic complex built in 1908 as a retirement home for German settlers will be preserved. Non profit developer Citizens Housing plans 174 senior apartments. Specific information about the availability of applications will be mailed out in the next few weeks. If you are interested in being added to the mailing list, please contact Nina Berkson, Transition Coordinator at Altenheim Senior Housing, PO Box 440, San Francisco, CA 94104. Their Lease Up information Line phone number is (415) 986- 7285.
• Capturing Change: Oakland Youth Filmmakers'
Perspectives on their Community, Sunday June 25, 2-4pm
at the Parkway Theater, 1834 Park Blvd. Free admission to
see two documentary videos by Oakland youth filmmakers in a
partnership with UC Links Program, UC Berkeley's Center for
Cities and Schools (CCS) and the Bay Area Video Coalition.
• 7th Golden Gate International Children’s Choral Festival, June 26 – July 1, 2006. Piedmont Choirs presents young singers from China, Austria, Benin, and across the United States in a weeklong celebration of beautiful music, friendship and cultural exchange. Highlights include a spectacular opening ceremony and concert June 27, free community performances throughout the Bay Area, and the Festival’s incredible 400+ voice massed-choir finale July 1st. Call Piedmont Choirs at 547-4441 for tickets and information, or visit their website. •4th of July Band Concert: The 95th Concert Season of the 35 member Oakland Municipal Band will present a special July 4th concert, "All Sparkling, Red White & Blue" in Lakeside Park under the direction of Robert Farrington. Please bring family and friends along with a blanket or lawn chairs on Tuesday July 4th at 1 pm to the bandstand in Lakeside Park on the shores of Lake Merritt. Picnics and flag waving are encouraged. The concerts continue on Sundays: July 16, July 23, July 30 and August 6 All concerts include jazz, contemporary, pop, big band, international, classical, marches and show tunes. •Joaquin Miller Community Center Open House, Saturday, July 8, 10 am-1 pm. Are you planning a wedding, anniversary, reunion or meeting? Consider hosting it in our own back yard, in the beautiful Joaquin Miller Community Center in Joaquin Miller Park. The Office of Parks & Recreation will be hosting an open house on July 8 so that you can check out the possibilities. For details, contact Gail McMillon at 238-3186 or gmcmillon@oaklandnet.com. • Monthly Outdoor Movie Series Returns to Old Oakland on July 15 . The highly successful Old Oakland Outdoor Cinema series returns for a third season beginning Saturday, July 15 with the screening of "Network." Once a month, the series transforms Ninth Street between Broadway and Washington into an outdoor cinema with movies beginning at dusk. Limited seating is available: filmgoers are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets. For more information, call the Oakland Film Office at 238-4734 or visit www.filmoakland.com •Historical Summer Excursion at Joaquin Miller Park, Saturday, July 29. Author, naturalist and historian Rex Burress will share the life of Joaquin Miller and the park at a special event sponsored by the Alameda County Historical Society. The program includes lunch on the roof of the Woodminster Amphitheater and Cascade and a tour of the monuments in the park via car. Lunch begins at 11:30 am, the tour at 1 pm. Send your check of $15 per person by Friday, July 21 to the Alameda County Historical Society, PMB #307, 484 Lake Park Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610. For additional information, contact Anne Woodell at 339-2818. Postcard above of Joaquin Miller in front of his home still standing in the park. •Adopt-A Shelter-Cat Month. June is Adopt- A-Shelter-Cat Month. stop by the Oakland Animal Shelter at 1101 29th Avenue, where there are more than 50 wonderful cats and kittens available for adoption. For details, call Oakland Animal Services at 535-5640.
• Wildfire Assessment District earns a FEMA Grant for
North Hills Vegetation Management Effort: . The Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has granted $3 million to
a joint project for environmentally sensitive fire
prevention in the North Hills of Oakland involving UC
Berkeley, East Bay Regional Park District, and the Claremont
Conservancy. The Oakland Wildfire Prevention District is
providing $200,000 as its required matching contribution.
This will mitigate the risk of fire in the area near the
North Oakland Athletic Field. The fact that Oakland voters
approved an assessment for the sake of mitigating the risk
of wildfire in the urban/wild lands interface was an
important factor in getting the grant.
• You can make your home safer by considering the design and plants in your garden. EBMUD's book on Firescaping is one of the best guides. Avoid planting invasive species which crowd out natives and are a fire hazard. Scotch broom pictured here is pretty... but has spread to all of our hills and has a dangerous high oil content. Stop by our table at the Farmers Market and we will give you a copy of "Don't Plant A Pest," a brochure by the California Invasive Plant Council or go to their website for a list of plants to avoid in our area. • If you would like to organize your neighbors into a CORE group, contact the City of Oakland's CORE program at 238-6351 or email core@oaklandnet .com. A CORE volunteer will give a free presentation to groups of 10 or more.
• On Monday, July 3rd, the Oakland A's puts on a great
fireworks program at the Coliseum. The theme is "4TH ON
DECK: SALUTE TO THE TROOPS." The game broadcast at 7:00 PM
PDT coincides with Tuesday, July 4th in many time zones in
Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Following the game, FSN
Bay Area and the American Forces Network will stay on the
air for an additional 45 minutes to show live fireworks in
High-Definition to viewers at home and U.S. troops serving
around the world. Live-Feeds from Troops and Video Messages
to/from Troops will replace some commercials. (Left)
Fireworks at the Coliseum Memorial Day Game.
• 4th of July Celebration at Jack London Square, 1-9:30 pm: Enjoy live music performances, festival foods, arts and crafts, jump house and carnival games. The fireworks show explodes over the estuary beginning at 9:15p.m. Event Information (866) 295-9853 or www.jacklondonsquare.com • Fireworks Hotline 238-2373: Each year many people are injured and fires are started by fireworks. Last year I saw profession level fireworks confiscated that were equal to half a stick of dynamite! It was amazing that no one was killed. The sale or use of fireworks of any size is illegal with fines up to $1000 You can help the Fire Department and Police get a head start by helping them identify problem locations and people engaged in illegal sales. Fire and police staff are visiting areas reported prior to July 4th. They will develop maps of problem areas to be targeted for extra patrols on July 4th. Call the anonymous hotline at 238-2373. We are asking you to be very specific with the information: block or address, vehicle license plates, names, or photos. You can also contact Lt. Orozco at rorozco@oakla ndnet.net with the information.
July is National Recreation and Parks month and the City of
Oakland Office of Parks and Recreation is celebrating by
hosting events throughout the City. Festivities kick off at
Play Day on the Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall and the
festivities will continue all month long. Here is a sample
of free activities in our district and more:
For additional information call 238-PARK
• Stay Away Orders for Fairfax & High: As part of the
on-going process of cleaning up the long time drug spot at
Fairfax and High, the corner of the former M&W Liquors...the
police have obtained stay away orders for 4 individuals
arrested for drug dealing.
Th e photos are posted on the Maxwell Park. If these
individual are seen within 100 feet of the Fairfax and High
location, please contact the police.
• National Night Out August 1st, 7-9 pm, is the nation's night out against crime. Join with your neighbors to have a neighborhood block party, ice cream social or other outdoor event to build neighborhood spirit and unity - the first defense against crime. Research shows that when neighbors know each other and look out for each other crime goes down. Every party in our district will receive at least one visit from our office and other city officials, police officers, or city employees.
Now that summer is here, picnicking and entertaining
outdoors allows families to take advantage of the Bay Area's
great climate. But keep in mind safe food handling practices
to avoid the risk of contamination with harmful bacteria.
* Plan ahead by packing the foods you'll need last at the bottom of the cooler-- they'll stay cooler. * Use separate coolers, one for frequently used foods and drinks, and one for perishable foods, like meats. * Wash hands frequently with soap or anti-bacterial towelettes to reduce the risk of spreading bacteria and virus that could cause illness. * Keep salads and desserts chilled by placing the containers in a larger plan that contains ice. * Remember the 2-hour rule: prevent perishable foods from standing outside for more than two hours, and not more than one hour if the outside temperature is 90 degrees F or above. * Use clean plates for cooked meat from the grill. * Keep mayonnaise-based foods cold. When mayonnaise is mixed with other foods (particularly those that have been handled a lot/and or are protein foods), bacteria can grow fast if the food is not refrigerated.
The CalFlora website offers great information about
California's native plants. It's free to amateurs. Go to
website
This past spring, photographers Heike Liss, Johanna
Arnold, and Bob Hsiang roamed up and down MacArthur
Boulevard in Oakland, California capturing an intimate
“portrait” of this East Oakland business district(Dimond and
Laurel), now in the midst of a major renaissance. The
photographers shot a series of “portraits” of the MacArthur
Boulevard storefronts and business owners as part of a
larger historical initiative sponsored by Mills College,
with support from the James Irvine Foundation.
Community members to speak of their concerns about development and share local heritage with our three photographers. The stories, collected in detailed photo captions, and the rich and arresting photo portrait itself will be put into the digital archives at Mills College’s Library and the project’s partner, the Oakland Public Library’s Oakland History Room for public access and use. For more information, or to arrange for an interview with the MacArthur Boulevard Portrait Project, please contact Patricia Wakida, Macarthur Boulevard Portrait Project Coordinator at 261-1573 or Nancy MacKay, Mills College’s Oakland Living History Program Coordinator at 430- 2028.
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