Don't forget to turn your clocks forward one hour Saturday night before you go to sleep. Daylight Savings Time starts 3 weeks earlier this year, and will continue through Sunday, November 4.(More daylight for Halloween). Slow down and enjoy the day, let your body adjust to the time change. Be a little more cautious driving and walking the streets.

The week the City Council passed a resolution marking the 4th Anniversary of the War in Iraq and the economic impact the war economy has on the City.

The war is costing the nation $100,000 a minute and current plans will bring the cost over Vietnam. Oakland's share is over $512 million today, with that money over the last 4 years we could have:

• Built 4600 units of housing
• Insured about 75,000 children each year, making every child in the insured.
• Hired enough teachers to cut class sizes in every classroom in half.
• Provided 24,000 4-year scholarships = approximately every high school senior
• Provided 16,000 children a year Head Start =every low income child in the city

 

• On Saturday March 24th, 10am-Noon, Congresswoman Lee will holding her annual Town Hall Meeting on the War at the Grand Lake Theater.

• Following the Town Hall meeting at there will be March to City Hall at Noon starting the Lakeview Library at Lake Merritt across from the Farmer’s Market. We're bring our whole family. Lailan helped design the leaflet and my husband Floyd is organizing first aid and monitors for the march. You can contact him if you can help at fhuen@gmail.com

• A short Rally at City Hall, 1-2pm will address how the cost of the war and resulting budget cuts at home are linked to the violence in Oakland. Congresswoman Lee, Assembly Members Swanson & Hancock, the Mayor's Office, Presidents of the Council & School Board, Alameda Labor Council & Teacher Representatives, and speakers from Oakland church and youth groups will speak on ending the war in Iraq and ending the violence here at home.

• Envisioning Peace Concert, music and spoken word to inspire peace, 7 pm at Fruitvale Presbyterian Church, 2735 MacArthur Blvd at Coolidge. Music by Damond Moodie, the Apple Pie Hopes, Phoenix & Luke Thomas of After Buffalo, and the Renaissance School Chorus. Donations $5-10, youth free. 530-0915.

For more information, fliers, and more:

• Short Line Rail Road Legacy: With the passage of the new State Infrastructure Bond, the 4th bore through the Caldecott Tunnel is closer to reality. For some of our senior Montclair residents it’s a reminder that a major freeway was once planned to go straight through Shepherd Canyon following the Sacramento Railroad Line. Two major projects are honoring the legacy of that railroad.

The Montclair Safety and Improvement Council under the leadership of Jim McClardy and Jill Broadhurst, has been working on the corner of Thornhill and Moraga on the “Short Line” pocket park. Their work has made this formerly weed covered patch a pleasant place to wait for the bus. They still need about $16,000 to finish the work.

Eagle Scout candidates, Matt Forman and Daniel Levy, have completed the installation of story boards that tell the history of the railroad and the fight to save Shepherd Canyon from the freeway. Take the paths along Shepherd Canyon Road and Escher and enjoy the history, views, and new picnic areas built by Eagle Scout candidate Mark Ceraldi. (Left) Short Line RR crossing the intersection of Thornhill and Moraga.

 

• In order to become eligible for grants/funding, our office commissioned a survey and trail design that would install a five-foot wide asphalt trail from Joaquin Miller and Montera Schools to the corner of Scout and Mountain up to the sidewalk that goes to Montclair Village. The city's engineers estimate the trail will cost $450,000. We are told by the grant writers that our chances of being awarded a state or federal grant will vastly increase if we raise matching funds, about $100,000. I have committed $25,000 towards this project. Our office is talking to the PTAs at Joaquin Miller and Montera Schools, local neighborhood associations about raising the remaining $75,000 or more that we will need. If you are interested in contributing to this project, please contact Sue Piper in our office at 238-7042. We are making arrangements to make contributions tax deductible.

• African American Basketball Pioneers at AAMLO March 10: Sports journalist Ron Thomas will discuss and sign his book, They Cleared the Lane: The NBA's Black Pioneers, at a panel discussion on Saturday, March 10, 2-4 pm. This free event accompanies a new exhibit at the AAMLO, Quest for Equality: African American Pioneers in the Sport of Basketball through March 17. AAMLO is located at 659 14th Street in downtown Oakland.

• Community Meeting on AAMLO Master Plan: The African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO) will hold public meetings to introduce the master plan for the second floor museum gallery renovation. The project is funded by a California Department of Parks and Recreation grant. Meetings are scheduled for Wednesday, March 14, 1-3 pm; and Saturday, March 24, 2-4 pm. For details, contact Chief Curator Rick Moss at 637-0200.

• Oakland Public Library's 2005-2006 Annual Report: is now available on the library's website. The report covers the highlights of the library from July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006. Just click on the link from the home page to let the library know what you think about the report. Copies are also available at your local branch or contact the library's Community Relations Office at 238-3271.

• District Meeting on Affordable Housing: At the end of last year the Council was divided on plans for Inclusionary Housing (requiring developers to include a percentage of affordable units in new projects) and on proposals to expand Condo Conversions (converting rental apartments to condominiums). Both issues were sent to a Blue Ribbon Commission made up of appointees by Mayors Brown and Dellums, Council Members, and others. Their recommendations will come back to Council hopefully before the summer break. As part of their process, a meeting will be held in each District. The meeting for District 4 has been set for March 29st, 7 pm, Location TBA.

Their web page has information of their activities and a good bibliography on Inclusionary Housing, Condo Conversion, and Affordable Housing Issues.

• Architect and Maxwell Park Neighborhood Council Board member Robert McGillis also posted some useful links recently on their website regarding the laws governing some of the issues that the City is required to follow and "smart growth" information:

• California Government Code -The law protects and rewards developers who provide housing for seniors and homes for low, very low, and moderate income families. Density bonuses, financial incentives, reductions in zoning standards and parking requirements are among the benefits available to developers.
• These “Anti-NIMBY” laws, are intended to balance County’s, Cities and neighborhood groups who seek to prevent housing projects for lower income families and seniors.
• Housing Advocates Group : http://www.housingadvocates.org
• Housing Facts & Issues : http://www.housingadvocates.org/default.asp ?ID=171
• Association of Bay Area Governments : http://www.abag.ca.gov/planning/hous ingneeds/resources.html
• Greenbelt Alliance - http://www.greenbelt.org/whatwedo/iss ues_smartgrowth.html

 

(Right) Captain Lowe attends the Local Heroes/ Lunar New Year Celebration last month.
This week the Police Department announced their second major reorganization under Chief Tucker. Last spring the Chief shifted more police to evening and Thursday-Monday schedules, times when there are more crimes. He also assigned some officers to 5 day weeks. The result was an improvement in Priority 1, 911, response time.

Yesterday he announced a second move to improve police services – a plan to return the department to a system with more geographical accountability. While the final plans are expected to come to Council in the next weeks, it is expected that the city will be divided into 3 areas. Each area will be headed by a captain, who will be responsible for all officers working in the area, on all shifts. Most areas will have two sub-areas headed by a Lieutenant.

Patrol officers to be increased by 20%. In order to make this happen the Chief plans to put all of the graduates of the next two academies, the ones that graduates tomorrow and in the summer, into patrol. This will be about 50 officers in total. More officers working in more defined neighborhoods should further reduce response time and to give patrol officers more time to interact with citizens and become “community policing officers.”

What happens to our current, new Problem Solving (PSO) /Beat/ Walking Officers? None of the current beat or walking officers will be changed. We currently have 30 or just over half of the beats covered by the Problem Solving Officers funded by Measure Y. This is about double the number that existed when I became a Council member 4 years ago. Each new class of officers assigned about 40 percent of the graduates to Problem Solving beats. Under this plan no new problem solving officers will be assigned until the end of the year, but some the Crime Reduction Teams will work with the remaining beats on an interim basis.
 

For information on jobs with the Oakland Police...

• Meet the New Dimond District Walking Officer: Officer Sean Hall is enjoying his new assignment in the Dimond Business District. Recently he has been working with patrol buddies on truancy sweeps in the commercial area. Because of the bus transfers, it is not unusual to see students hang around the Dimond instead of catching the next bus to school. During this initial period he has also been assigned overtime and is in the area some evenings. Please remember his assignment is the commercial (not residential) areas of the Dimond. Contact him about issues of the commercial area at: slhall@oakland net.com or 773-0989.

• Call for Community Assessors on the Oral Boards for Police Recruits: The Oakland Police Department seeks community members to serve on the hiring oral boards to interview potential candidates for the Police Officer Trainee and Lateral positions. Normally this is a 2-day commitment--8 am-5 pm. The assessor panel consists of one sergeant, one officer and one civilian. The only requirement is that you live, work or own a business in Oakland. Upcoming interviews: March 20 & 21; April 23 & 24; May 21 & 22; June 25 & 26; July 23 & 24; August 20 & 21; September 24, October 23 & 23; November 13 and December 18. If interested, please contact Cee Belue at 238-3339.

• Public Tour of the Dispatch Center, March 13: See how our Oakland Police Department Dispatch Center works -- Tuesday, March13 at 5:45 pm. Tours run between 1.5-3 hours. Space is limited; reservations are required. Meet at the Fruitvale Substation at 3002 E 9th Street, (between Albertson's and the laundromat). Call Edith Guillen at 238-7159 to reserve your space.

• How To Find Out What Police Beat You are In: Here is a link that his helpful in identifying, by address, what police beat you may live in. Click on geocode to enter a specific address, then a map appears with the beat number. This is helpful if you are trying to figure out which Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council you are covered by. We also encourage residents to organize their neighbors into a Neighborhood Watch (formerly Home Alert) group. For details, contact 238-3091

• BayTech Math Matters Contest for 5th Graders, Saturday, March 10, 10 am at the Bay Area Technology School, 1920 Telegraph Ave. This math contest consists of 15 math problems--easy to hard--that need to be solved in 30 minutes. Students will not be allowed to use calculators.

• AAUW 25th Annual Summer Programs for Children Informational Fair, Sunday, March 11, 1-4:30 pm, at the Scottish Rite Center, 1547 Lakeside Drive. Find the right summer program for your child at the American Association of University Women's Fair. You can check out hundreds of programs from day camps to resident camps for kids in preschool through high school all in one spot! Admission is free. Call 287-9855 or for more info.

• Skyline H.S. Jazz Band Performs at Yoshi's Jazz Club, March 12, 8 pm and 10pm : Yoshi's Jazz Club Jack London Square Tickets $10, reserve in advance: Skyline Music Dept (510) 879-3060, Skyline High School Jazz Band's benefit performances to send the band to the Reno Jazz Festival.

• The Glenview Odyssey Teams Need Help to Continue in Competition: Glenview competed against other teams from across the Bay Area last weekend and need funds to travel to the next round in Visalia on March 31st. Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that encourages students to analyze a situation, imagine all the possibilities, then synthesize the best qualities of their ideas into a workable solution. If you can help, please go to the Glenview PTA site at: http://www.glenview pta.org/

• Oakland Museum's Family Explorations, Sunday, March 18, 1-5 pm: (Photo Above) Celebrate the creative spirit of 100 Families Oakland and the first 100 days of Mayor Ron Dellums.

• Hands-on art activities led by artists from 100 Families Oakland
• Music, puppet show, and face painting
• Spoken word poetry workshop for teens with Youth Speaks (2:30 & 3:30 pm)
• Performances by Prescott Elementary School Circus (3 pm)
• Learn about resources available from the Fire Department, Public Library, Parks & Recreation, Head Start, Oakland Children & Youth Services, and other city agencies

For more information, or call 238-2200.

• Sequoia School Workday, Saturday, March 11, 1- 5 pm: Parents will be building shelves for Sequoia Garden's new greenhouses and assembling two benches. Bring your hammers and electric drills if you have any. Refreshments & coffee will be served.

• Sequoia School Multicultural Festival and Silent Auction, Saturday, April 28, 4-8 pm: Come join the fun and help raise funds for new play structures at the school. There will be performers, great food, and wonderful items to bid on. The committee still needs donations or services for the Silent Auction. Contact Giovanna Queeto. Or advertise in their auction catalog: $40 business card size; $75 for 1/4 page size; $150 for 1/2 page ads and $300 for full page ads. Direct donations for the new play structure are also welcome.

• Teen Homework Assistance Center Offers Free Tutoring in math, science, English and Spanish, eight hours per week to middle and high school students on Saturdays and Mondays at the Eastmont Branch Library. The program also seeks volunteer tutors. For details contact Don Waters, who spearheads the program for the library, at (510) 615-5726.

• Park Days for Incoming Glenview Kindergarteners: Beth Houghton, a new resident of Glenview whose daughter will be attending Kindergarten at Glenview Elementary this fall, is organizing Sunday gatherings in Dimond Park for other entering kindergarteners so that students and families can get to know each other prior to the start of school. She'll be at the Dimond Park playground nearest to El Centro Avenue every Sunday (weather permitting) from 10-11:30 am starting April 1. If you have questions, contact Beth.

A few weeks ago I read that Athens is having a crisis because their landfills are full, garbage is literally piling up. Toxics leaching from the landfills are contaminating the environment. The Bay Area governments are considered national leaders in the movement to reduce waste following the 4 R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot. Oakland and Alameda County have dramatically reduced waste over the last decade. These are Oakland’s diversion (tonnage diverted from land fills) rates:

• 1990 11%
• 1993 Curbside Recycling Begins
• 1995 27%
• 2000 50%
• 2004 54%
• 2005 58% City adds weekly green waste & compostable foods/paper to residential service
• 2006 ? First full year of organics recycling

 

Saturday, March 10, 9 am-Noon; Riparian Site Restoration at El Centro Trailhead, removing weeds to provide improved wildlife habitat; 1:30-4:30, site preparation at Nursery for annual plant sale.

Saturday, March 31, 9 am-4:30 pm: Restoration and Nursery Programs meet at Joaquin Miller Park Nursery to prepare for the May 6 annual plant sale.

• FOSC 10th Anniversary Party, March 24, 4-7 pm: Tickets are now on sale to the Friends of Sausal Creek's 10th Anniversary party, at the Joaquin Miller Community Center. Email Sara Marcellino. Tickets are $20 per person and directly fund FOSC's wonderful nursery and restoration programs. You can use Paypal or easy, on-line reservations.

• Lots of Fabulous Items at the Silent Auction:

• Dazzling Trips: A week at Bear Valley Sierra Cabin; 1 night at B& B Lingonberry Farm at Point Reyes Station, 1 night at Wilbur Hot Springs; 2 nights at Feather River Camp.
• Great Outdoors: Lift tickets to Sugar Bowl; 1 Commonweath Club Membership; 1 North Face Cat's meow sleeping bag; 1 North Face Tadpole Tent; 1 Mountain Yoga Mat, t-shirt and 5-class pass.
• Sports: Warriors Tickets, Giants Tickets, A's Tickets
• Cultural Experiences: Chabot Solar Car Birthday Party; Ahart Aviation "Bay Tour" Flight
• Art:from local artists

Donations for the auction are still being accepted. www.sausalcreek.org

 

• Seeking a District 4 rep to the City Budget Advisory Committee: The City's Budget Advisory Committee meets once a month to provide community input on the City budget and budget process. As Chair of the Finance Committee, I am filling the position vacated by our new Auditor Courtney Ruby. Interested candidates should send a letter to my office listing your qualifications and interest in serving on the BAC.

• Opening on the Oakland Fund for Children & Youth Advisory Board: The OFCY Board, comprised of youth and adults, oversees Kids' First Funding, 2.5 percent of the city budget or about $11 million dedicated to after school and youth funding. I am now accepting applications for my adult appointment. Please send a letter with your qualifications and why you are interested to Jennifer Argueta in our office.

• The Community Development Block Grant Central Oakland District seeks new Board Members. Meetings are currently held on the first Monday of each month from 7-9 pm. Board Members must be a District 4 resident, business owner or property owner within the boundaries of Central District (MacArthur Blvd and west). The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 5, 7-9 pm at Project Re-connect, 3350 MacArthur Blvd. For details, Lease Wong, 482-5921, or Bill Miller, 534-4500 (before 7 pm only please).

 

• Oakland Youth Orchestra Benefit March 4: The Oakland Youth Orchestra will be sending 80 young musicians to Greece this summer to perform five concerts. They need funds for the tour;

March 28: Mayor Delllums' hosts a Gala Fundraising Cocktail party at the Waterfront Plaza Hotel. For details, contact Maurice Arnold, president of the Oakland Youth Orchestra, at 836-7478.

• CORE 2 Class at Bethany Gospel Chapel on March 12: Learn how to organize your neighborhood for emergency preparedness. Contact Bente Peterson for details. Class runs from 7-9:30 pm at 4677 Tompkins Avenue.

• The Western Festival Ballet 2007 Spring Concert: A youth opportunity performance presented by The Ronn Guidi Foundation Saturday, March 20, 2 pm and 7 pm at the Regent's Theatre at Holy Names University, 3500 Mountain Blvd. General Admission: $20. Richard Cowan's daughter will be one of the performers! Tickets available on line or at 530- 7516.

• Nominations for 2007 Mother of the Year Award: The Office of Parks & Recreation is launching its annual city-wide search for candidates for the Oakland Mother of the Year Award. Nominees must be nominated by an organization, not by a relative or personal friend. Nominations are due Friday, March 30. Nominating organizations will be notified of the awardees by April 16. The 54th Annual Mother of the Year will be honored at a special ceremony on Saturday, May 12 at the Morcom Rose Garden at 10:30 am. For more information, call 238-3094.

• Adult English Skills Program at Mills College: The English Center, based on the Mills College campus, is now registering students for the spring semester which starts March 12. Immigrants and refugees who need high level English language skills in order to re-enter their profession or begin new careers are invited to contact Monica Arredondo at 430-2055. Or check the website.

• Tax Help at the Library: Oakland Public Library, in partnership with the American Association for Retired Persons, offers free tax assistance through April 16, 2007. Trained volunteers are ready to help at the following library locations. Be sure to bring copies of your last year’s federal and state tax returns and all materials pertaining to your 2006 tax forms (and your spouse, if filing jointly!). Seniors, ages 60 plus, will be given preference at walk-in sites only. Please call ahead to confirm times:

• Oakland Main Library: 125 14th St, Mondays, 10 am-1:30 pm; Fridays, 12:30- pm; Saturdays, 10 am-3 pm; 238-3134. Walk-ins only; no advance appointments .
• Dimond Branch Library:3565 Fruitvale Ave; Tuesdays, 12:30-5 pm; Thursdays, 10 am-3 pm; 482-7844. Call for appointment; some walk-ins accepted.

For more locations.

 

• Earned Income Tax Credit Help: Did you know that in the Bay Area, over $75 million in Earn Income Tax Credits goes unclaimed each year? If your family earned less than $39,000 in 2006, you could be eligible for $4,400 or more in federal tax credits. Tax centers  To learn more : Call 800-358-8852 or email vita@uwba.org. US citizenship NOT required.