Eyewitness Blues Band at last year's Oaktoberfest in the Dimond, join us for music, food, shopping and fun today.

   I'm finishing this week's newsletter on board a plane heading home to Oakland.  For the last few days I have been part of a team of city, school, and county representatives studying the Harlem Kids Zone, a comprehensive neighborhood based program that does "whatever it takes" to give the children and families in 97 blocks of Harlem a chance to be successful.  President Obama and several national foundations are looking to replicate the program, we hope Oakland will be chosen as one of the sites.

  Their goal is to start with parents before their children are born with Baby College, a program to teach parenting skills.  Outreach workers go out into the community and do whatever it takes to get parents of children 0-3 into a 9 Saturday course -- rides, childcare, meals, in home help, transportation, baby equipment, job help or social services. Next they try to get all 4 year old's into preschool; 100% of  their preschool kids are ready for kindergarten.  At each step of school there is help for the whole family. Of the 10,000 kids in the zone, they have had contact with 7,000.  Because of the higher support for schools and a 2:1 private contributions, the resources are above what most of us can imagine but you can't help think it is still cheaper than prison and failure.

   October is Domestic Violence Month and this week's tragic murder suicide and death of woman in Maxwell Park reminds us that it affects every community.   On Friday, October 16, 11am-1 pm, I host the 6th Annual Domestic Violence Forum. This year's focus is on the state budget cuts and their impact on services for victims of Domestic Violence.  At least two of the city's most critical domestic violence services had their funds cut in half by the Governor's elimination of all state funding--Safe Place, our only shelter, and Family Violence Law Center.  The program will also be televised on KTOP, Channel 10. (See  # 1)

   Our Saturday Office Hours will not be held at World Grounds Saturday morning BUT will be held at the Oaktoberfest in the Dimond, 11- 6 pm. You can also find us at Sundays in the Redwoods at Woodminster Amphitheater on Sunday. (See Item #3.) Please stop by.

.
 

  
  On Tuesday the Council rolled back parking hours to 6 pm.  Several of the business districts are planning a special evening shopping events to celebrate on October 23.  Nationally, the small business failure rate hit record highs of over 13%. Help your neighborhood by shopping locally.  Tuesday's A Taste of Montclair Restaurant Walk (above, at Il Porcellino) was delicious and festive, over 600 tasted samples at restaurants throughout the village.  This Saturday's Oaktoberfest provides the same opportunity to visit the expanding retail in the Dimond.  The Laurel District Association has distributed 3,000 coupon mailers in the neighborhoods for discounts at local stores in the Laurel. Money spent in the Laurel helps the Laurel District Association fund youth and art projects in the neighborhood.

  
 

• October is an auspicious month for the Bay Area--October 17 will be the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake and October 20 will be the 18th anniversary of the Oakland Firestorm. For tips on emergency preparedness, check out the City's CORE (Citizens of Oakland Respond to Emergencies) website as well as the front of your phone book for a handy list of items to keep on hand. Also check out our 20 Tips for Emergency Preparendess. For details about vegetation requirements for those living in the Wildfire Prevention District, check out the Wildfire Prevention District website.
  
  
  Register today for the City of Oakland Get Ready to ShakeOut, Thursday, October 15, 10:15 am: This is the moment that millions of Californians will "Drop,
  Cover and Hold On" in The Great California ShakeOut, the largest earthquake drill ever! Oakland is joining hundreds of other cities in this annual event. Nearly 5.5 million Southern Californians participated in the 2008 ShakeOut. It's easy-- just "Drop, Cover and Hold On" at 10:15 am on 10/15/09! For details and to register, go to www.ShakeOut.org

• "ShakeOut" Earthquake Preparedness Neighborhood BLOCK PARTY, Sunday, October 11, 3-6:00 pm, St. Lawrence O'Toole-St. Cyril Rectory Parking Lot, 3725 High St:  St. Lawrence O'Toole - St. Cyril Parish is working with the Red Cross and CORE to become a disaster relief shelter and anticipation of October the 20th Anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake  and in preparation for the Great California "ShakeOut" Drill to take place on October 15, 2009 at 10:15am.  All interested individuals welcomed to attend the event on Sunday, October 11. American Red Cross and CORE Representatives, Emergency Response and Local Resources will be present to answer questions and give out free information. Free Raffle, Give Aways, and Refreshments. For more information, 530-0761.

Red Cross Disaster Readiness Summit 2009, Tuesday, October 13, 8:30 am-5 pm, Westin St. Francis Hotel, 335 Powell Street, San Francisco: 

• Special Exhibit at Main Library, Out of the Rubble, Saturday, October 17, 1-4 pm through February 20, 2010, Oakland History Room, 2nd Floor, Oakland Main Library:  The exhibit contains photographs, ephemeral materials and publications in the collections of the Oakland History Room and is part of an on-going effort by the Oakland Public Library to expand those collections through contributions from those who experienced the historic seismic event of October 17, 1989. The Public Event on Saturday from 1- 4 pm in the West Auditorium at the Main Library  features a group of local residents who want to tell us their stories of what happened that day.

Reflect. Honor. Prepare--Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake, Saturday, October 17, 3-5:30 pm, Cypress Freeway Memorial Park, Mandela Parkway at 14th Street: Our office will be joining many other organizations at an emergency preparedness fair and commemoration of the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989. Free raffle for 100 earthquake preparedness kits. Free blood pressure checks. Remembrance ceremony at 5:04 pm honoring those who lost their lives in the collapse of the Cypress Freeway during the Loma Prieta earthquake on October 17, 1989. For details, go to www.oaklandnet.com.
 

• An Ounce of Prevention--Retrofitting Saves Lives: Two years ago, our office co-sponsored an ordinance that offered incentives to new homeowners and low income homeowners to retrofit their one to two-family wood frame homes. In addition, the City lowered the seismic retrofit permit fee to a flat $250. The New Homeowner Program was extremely successful--369 new homeowners took advantage of the program. However, funds to cover the reimbursement portion of the incentive program have since run out. On the other hand, our office and the City is working with the Association of Bay Area Governments and the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) to find other revenue sources that can be used to help defray the cost of retrofitting. We are hopeful that Oakland will participate in a pilot program through the CEA that will provide some financial support to property owners who retrofit their homes. (Above) Our office helped the Temescal Tool Lending Library put together  5 Seismic Retrofit Kits for do-it-yourselfers.
  
  In addition, the City is working closely with the Rental Housing Association of Northern Alameda County to implement a  multi-family soft story screening program that will help us identify properties that are at risk of collapse in a major earthquake. It will be the first part of a phased program where we hope to provide incentives to property owners to retrofit their soft-story apartment buildings and condominiums. These buildings, with large open spaces on the first floor (usually for parking), are probably the most vulnerable in a major earthquake. They represent about 20,000 dwelling units or two-thirds of the dwelling units forecast to fail in a major earthquake.

• 20th Anniversary of Loma Prieta Earthquake Symposium, Saturday, October 17, 8:30 am-3:30 pm, Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco: Here what progress has been made since the 1989 earthquake and what work remains to make our built environment safe from future earthquakes.  It will showcase a wide variety of topics including seismology, lifelines, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, long-term recovery, government response, community resilience, earthquake prediction science and the future of performance based engineering. Register before September 15 for the $50 advanced registration price which includes breakfast, lunch and the full day of educational presentations.  Registration at:  http://peer.berkeley.edu/events/2009/loma_prieta/registration.html

• The Earthquake Retrofit Institute is trying to map retrofit projects completed since the Loma Pieta earthquake.  Go to this site to register your project. 

Organize Your Neighborhood:  If you and your neighbors have not attended one of the CORE training classes-- or need a refresher-- there are openings  for CORE I's on  November 3, and CORE II's on November 10.  The other CORE III series will occur on 14, 21 and 24.


 

• Public Invited to Wildfire Prevention District Retreat, Tuesday, October 27, 8-5 pm, Richard C. Trudeau Center, 11500 Skyline Boulevard: Residents who live in the Wildfire Prevention District (generally above Highways 13 and 580 and adjacent to Dimond Canyon) are welcome to attend a retreat of the Wildfire Prevention District Advisory Committee. Learn how your $65 a year assessment is leveraged to help reduce vegetation and protect Oakland public and private properties from devastating wildfires. Please RSVP so that we can ensure sufficient refreshments. Contact Yeda Altes at 238-7388.

• Precautions for H1N1(Swine Flue) Flu Virus: Apparently the H1N1 Flu which appeared last winter gained strength in the southern hemisphere and is expected to have greater debilitating impact on residents in the northern hemisphere this fall and winter. Novel H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) cases have been reported in 168 countries, all 50 states in the U.S. and the District of Columbia. Although H1N1 cases continue to be mild in Alameda County, the County Public Health Department advises residents to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to reduce the risk of getting H1N1 or other influenza. For tips on how to prevent the spread of this virulent flu virus, check out Alameda County Public Health Department's website.
   

• Open House at Fire Stations During Fire Safety Month:  The Oakland Fire Department will be hosting Open House at the following Stations during the month of October. Tour the station, meet your fire fighters. >>Last year, OFD showed off the new Fire Trucks designed specifically for our narrow winding streets throughout the Wildfire Prevention District.
  
  Saturday October 10: 10 am-1 pm
  Station 24: 5900 Shepherd Canyon Rd
  Station 29: 1016 - 66th Avenue
  
  Saturday, October 10, 1 pm-4 pm
  Station 21: 13150 Skyline Blvd
  Station 5: 934 - 34th Street
  
  Saturday October 17, 10 am-1 pm
  Station 25: 2795 Butters Dr.
  Station 26: 2611 98th Avenue
  
  Saturday October 24, 10 am-1 pm
  Station 7: 1006 Amito Aveune
  Station 23: 7100 Foothill Blvd
  
  Saturday, October 24, 1 pm-4 pm
  Station 28: 4615 Grass Valley Rd
  Station 8: 463 51st Street
  
  Saturday October 31, 10 am-1pm
  Station 20: 1401 98th Avenue
  Station 17: 3344 High Street
  
  Saturday, October 31, 1 pm-4 pm
  Station 27: 8501 Pardee Avenue
  Station 12: 822 Alice Street
  
   

• City Rolls Back Parking Hours Back to 6 pm: Last Tuesday, Council approved reverting back to 8 am-6 pm parking hours, effectively immediately. The rollback in meter enforcement hours is projected to result in a loss of $1 million in revenue for the remainder of year, which is anticipated to be offset by adding 250 parking meters citywide, opening the Pacific Renaissance and other city garages for residential use at night, authorizing additional billboards, redirecting parking garage revenue to the General fund, selling advertising space on the back of parking receipts and increasing enforcement against the illegal use of disabled person parking placards. In downtown Oakland alone, several hundred vehicles displaying disabled person parking placards are parked at metered spaces on a daily basis. It appears that many drivers and/or passengers of these cars are improperly using the disabled person parking placards issued by the DMV.  Staff estimates that misuse of these placards results in the lost of at least $150,000 a year.
  
   
• Confronting Domestic Violence with Limited Resources--Brown Bag Forum, Friday, October 16, 11 am-1 pm, City Council Chambers, City Hall: Each year for the past 5 years during Domestic Violence Month in October, I have hosted a special brown bag forum on Domestic Violence, which until recently, was the hidden crime in our community.  Working with the DA's Office, Alameda County Health Services, the Oakland Police Department and  a number of non profits, our office has spearheaded efforts to provide comprehensive intervention and support to victims of domestic violence. Most recently, California's State Budget and our national economy have caused grim consequences to social services, particularly on the issue of Domestic Violence.  Many organizations have been impacted on the services they provide to survivors and loved ones.  
  At this forum, you will learn from a variety of people who are on the front lines handling this difficult matter during this historical economic period and still reaching out to those who have been scarred emotionally and/or physically by someone they know and love.  Guest speakers include
  • Jacqueline Orpilla - Field Representative, Assemblyman Sandrè Swanson
  • Raeanne Passantino - Assistant Director, Family Justice Center
  • Carolyn Russell - Executive Director, A Safe Place
  • Sgt.  Robert Chan and Officer Randy White - Oakland Police Department's Special Victim's Unit (SVU)
  • Erin Scott, Attorney - Family Violence Law Center
  • Survivors
    For details or to RSVP, contact Terrie Gillen in our office at 238-4742.
  
   
• Airport Connector Negotiations Planned:  In one of the most controversial issues facing the City Council this fall, the Council rejected a proposal to give $70 million in stimulus dollars to other Bay Area projects which would have effectively killed any chance of a connector for at least 5-6 years at best.  Instead, joining together with the Mayor and Assemblymember Swanson, the Council asked for negotiations on adding another station with expected savings from record low bids, more jobs for Oakland residents, and lower fares for employees and others who are not airport travelers.  Here are some of issues debated:
  • The cost:  Opponents say the connector will cost over $500 million and the bond costs will take away from other transportation.  Proponents say the bids are coming in at record lows down to 60 percent of recent estimates and now is the time to build; additional bonding may not be necessary or will be minimal.
     
  • Divert the money to AC Transit to save bus lines:  Because this is federal Stimulus Funding it has to go to capital projects that are "shovel ready,"  only ten percent can be used for operations and only a few million would stay in Oakland (see below).
     
  • Use the money to build a cheaper, bus connector:  The choice is not between a monorail or bus connector, but between the long planned monorail or nothing.  As explained above Stimulus Funds must be spent within 48 months.  There are no plans, approvals, or funding for an alternative right now or in the near future.
     
  • Only about 3-4 million would stay in Oakland:  If the money does not go to the Oakland Airport Connector it would be distributed around the Bay Area; the largest amounts would go to SF Muni and San Mateo County.  AC Transit would only get about $7 million, half of that to be spent in Oakland.  The other funds would like go to other Bay Area projects, too.
  • Jobs & Economic Boost:  Opponents say buses will employ more people than the monorail; proponents.  Proponents say the construction and the multiplier effect of the $300-400 million project in Oakland would immediately  provide between 2500 to 5000 jobs starting in the new year for over the 4-5 years.  25 percent of the jobs must be for Oakland residents; 50 percent of apprentices must be Oakland residents. It would also generate several million in other business taxes and fees for the City.  The project will help mitigate some of impacts of the overall recession.
     
  • Airport Competitiveness:  Proponents says the voters approved the connector by 86%.  Port representatives say that the connector will make the Oakland more competitive for the long term, that even a small shift of a fraction of flights to other Bay Area airports will cost hundreds of jobs.
     

• Travel Expenses Drop by Half Million:  This month the Finance & Management Committee received its first report after making drastic budget cuts and new regulations that I authored last year. This resulted in a reduction of over half a million dollars in travel with the remaining expenses primarily mandated police training and reimbursed/required grant funded travel. The new regulations implemented last year were similar to the recommendations of the Grand Jury this summer and in some cases more extensive: 
  • All travel must be approved by the City Administrator or City Council.
  • No more that 3 staff members may attend a specific conference without a rationale approved by the City Administrator.
  • Limits on reimbursements including economy travel levels and standard room rates were set.
     
  • City credit cards were reduced to 8 primarily used for on-line department purchases.
     

• Library Card Confirmation Program Delayed:  Last week we reported that the Oakland Public Library was going to will purge its files of anyone who has not used the library in the past 3 years as of November 1. We just heard that the date has been postponed to an unknown future date while Library IT staff fine  tune the on-line update system. Stay tuned for details....or call  Diane R. Satchwell, Administrative Librarian, at 238-6610, or visit the Library's Web site: www.oaklandlibrary.org.

• Save the Dates for Citywide Zoning Update Community Meetings-- Saturday, November 7, 10-Noon, Peralta Elementary School (460 63rd Street) or Thursday, November 12, 6-8 pm, Fruitvale-San Antonio Senior Center (3301 E. 12th Street, Suite 201): The third round of Community Workshops for the Citywide Zoning Update will be held on two separate dates and at two different locations. At these meetings Staff will present draft zoning proposals, including permitted land uses and development standards.  We encourage you to get involved with this important process! Zoning regulations affect many people living and working in Oakland.

• Governor Threatens to Veto 700 Bills If Water Deal Is Not Struck:  The Governor has until Sunday to sign the remaining bills on his desk from this session but won't sign them unless a complicated compromise is reached on the Sacramento Delta and water supplies.  EBMUD and other northern California water districts are afraid that too much water will be diverted to Southern California; environmentalists are afraid diversion will affect the health of Bay. This Sacramento Bee web page gives some good background information.
  
   
• State Markets Bond to Citizens: Ads for California's bonds have flooded local radio markets.  Are they a good investment and are they safe?  This column by Jane Bryant Quinn covers the issues.

• AC Transit Delays Action on Budget Cuts and Service Cutbacks as Billions Go Back to Public Transportation:  Another blow against the money grabs by the State came last week when the California Supreme Court upheld a lower-court ruling that raids on funding for bus and train service are illegal. It denied an appeal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration, which was seeking the right to divert $3.4 billion in transit funds to the general fund to ease the state budget deficit. The AC Transit Board of Directors will be asked not to make a decision on the Service Adjustments Plan on October 14 as originally planned. Instead, staff will suggest that the Board postpone any action until there is more clarity on at least two pending variables that could substantially impact the funds available to the District, and therefore impact the level of service adjustments required:
  
  A proposal to move Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program funds (and potentially Regional Measure 2 funds) from the San Leandro-Oakland-Berkeley Bus Rapid Transit project into the operating budget.

• State Drops Appeal in 2008 Redevelopment Case, Upholds Ruling that the $350 Million State Raid of Redevelopment Funds was Unconstitutional:  Last year the State seized $350 million in redevelopment funds, including $8 million from Oakland.  Lower courts ruled the seizure was unconstitutional, stating that redevelopment tax increment funds can only be used for specified redevelopment activities, specifically "to finance or refinance  redevelopment projects."  Last week the State decided not to appeal that decision.  This, however, did not prevent the state from trying to take $41 million in redevelopment funds from the City this year. A second lawsuit by a coalition of Redevelopment Agencies and the League of Cities will be filed before the second attempted grab takes place in May.
   
• 130,000 senior and disabled citizens will receive notices in October that their In Home Service grants will be cut effective November 1.  36,000 will lose all services, 97,000 will lose certain services. 
   

• Mills Project Chooses Design Team:  The design team of Kimley-Horn Sabbatini  have been selected to design a pedestrian and bicycle path from Mills College down MacArthur to the Laurel Shopping District. An outgrowth of community interest coalesced by the Envisioning MacArthur seminar I sponsored at Mills College several years ago, the LAAMP project (for Laurel, Mills and Maxwell Park) has been a remarkable public private partnership in that representatives of Maxwell Park and my office have worked together for several years now to develop ideas, and then public interest and support from a variety of entities ranging from AC Transit, Caltrans, and Mills, to the City's Transportation Services and Community and Economic Development departments. Now with a Caltrans grant, the project can move from idea to design and eventually to implementation. Claire Antonetti and Robert McGillis from Maxwell Park, David Ralston of CEDA, the Mills team and my office have devoted countless hours into bringing the project into fruition. The initial steering committee meeting will take place October 28.  If interested call my office for details at 238-7004.

• New Left Hand Turn Signal at Lincoln and MacArthur: MacArthur and Lincoln has recently had a new left turn phase (left arrow signal) installed from eastbound Macarthur to northbound Lincoln. The signal timing at the intersection was changed to accommodate the new left turn phase. However, the phase has not yet been activated since it requires new left turn lane striping. Once the left turn striping is installed and the left turn phase activated the timing should appear more balanced to motorists. That being said, it is important to note that MacArthur Boulevard is an important AC Transit route, and the signal timing is prioritized to keep traffic flowing along MacArthur.

• John Butchart Elected District 4 Rep to CAP Board: At this week's  CDBG meeting, John Butchart (center in photo) was elected to the CAP Board.  The Community Action Partnership administrating board is made up primarily of representatives of the 7 CDBG districts, plus the Mayor and reps from the private and public sectors.  It is headed by Mrs. Gladys Green of District 7 (in photo) and administers Federal poverty programs to the tune of $600,000 - plus additional Stimulus Money.

• CDBG Funds Crossing Guards for Bret Harte Middle School for Two Years: The drop off and pick up times at Bret Harte Middle School are always a safety concern, given the school's location, the bus stop on busy MacArthur Blvd. at Coolidge, and the age of the students. Unfortunately. the City's crossing guard program only funds staff for elementary schools--and earlier this year, previous funding from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program was not renewed. A small grant from the Rotary Club of Oakland and a scramble of funds from the Safe Walk to School Program was able to fund the position for 6 months. Then, this week our office heard that there was additional funding available from the CDBG. We presented the case and the CDBG approved $10,000 a year for two years to fund this very important position that will provide additional adult presence and contribute to improve safety at the busy intersection. Additionally, the Board provided $5000 for 2009 to Project Reconnect, and for 2010, the Maxwell Park park project will receive an additional $5,000.
  
   

• Walk to School at Montclair Elementary, Montclair Traffic Meeting:  On Tuesday, Supervisor Nate Miley, Alameda County Superintendent of Schools Sheila Jordan and I celebrated National Walk to School Day with students and parents at Montclair Elementary School who walked, car pooled, biked and rolled on their scooters to school. A number of other schools in District 4 celebrated the annual event on the next day. Walk Your Child to School Day encourages families to use the daily walk to school as a way to keep healthy, and serves as a reminder to drivers to slow down near our schools. Our office will be hosting a meeting of Montclair residents on Wednesday, October 28 at 7 pm  at the Montclair Recreation Center to brainstorm additional ideas to deal with speeding vehicles on our major arterials and near our schools.  (Above)  Jean helps students with charting how they got to school.

• Save Our Dimond Post Office" Update: 7,015 signatures on petitions have been sent to Postal Service officials.  Despite this, the Dimond Post Office is still on "the list" of potential closures that was published on Friday.  "Why Should the Dimond Post Office Remain Open?" statement was mentioned at the Postal Regulatory Commission hearing in Washington DC on 9/30/09.  See information at DIA booth at "Oaktoberfest" across from Farmer Joe's on Saturday, October 10.

• Laurel Farmer's Market, Every Saturday Year Round from  10 am-2 pm, at 4173 MacArthur Blvd.: Stop by for locally grown organic produce as well as information from local and youth businesses and organizations! New vendors: Free massage from Katy of Skin by Maisha (3623 MacArthur Blvd Suite D), and Oakland Garden School will be on hand once a month to share their program and to facilitate youth and family days. Please feel out the survey to help provide input to the Farmer's Market. Questions? Contact Tori at 482-1898.
   
• Laurel Book Store Now Open on Sundays, 4100 MacArthur Blvd., in the Laurel:
  • Kid's Story Time, Wednesdays at 3:30 pm: Bring the little ones for a nice afternoon treat.
  • Friday, October 23, 7 pm: Authors Ann Laughlin, Cliffi Henderson and Lucy Jane Bledsoe.
  • Friday, October 30, 7 pm: Julia Usher, author of Cookie Swap. 
  
   
• Montclair RR Trail Planning Workshop, Saturday, October 17, 1-3 pm, Montclair Rec Center:  If you walk the pathway from Shepherd Canyon to Montclair Village that was the old road bed for the Sacramento-Northern Railroad, then please join friends and neighbors to plan future work projects to enhance what is now known as the Montclair RR Trail. Please RSVP to Sue Piper at 238-7042.  (Above) Signing up volunteers for the Friends of the Montclair Railroad Trail.
   

• Montclair Traffic Workshop, Wednesday, October 28, 6:30 pm, Montclair Library: The Montclair Traffic Safety & Improvement Council (MSIC) and our office are hosting a creative thinking workshop on traffic in Montclair to try to devise a memorable educational program for drivers. Speeding issues up and down the major aterials in Montclair are problematic for residents walking, exercising their dogs and for children walking to and from school. There are issues particular to the drop off and pick up periods at the four schools in Montclair, as well. If interested, please contact Sue Piper a 238-7042 or email Nick Vigilante at nvigilante@msn.com.

• Fall Neighborhood Plant Exchange, Saturday, October 17, Noon - 4 pm, 3811 Lakeshore Avenue: Have plants you must prune or divide? How about trading your excess with others in your neighborhood? Take home new plants for your yard and have an instant new garden! All types of plants are welcome, from cuttings up to full size. Garden accessories and accents welcome: umbrellas, clippers, books on gardening, pots, stepping stones, tools and supplies-- even goldfish! Last year 300 people attended and more than 1500 plants, large and small, found new homes. For details, contact Odette Pollar at 866-8482.

• Where to Drop Off Outdated Medications: We've all heard that throwing outdated medications down the toilet is not an acceptable way of disposing outdated medication; nor is throwing it into the trash. Even though wastewater is treated, many drugs contain persistent chemicals that cannot be removed before wastewater is discharged to our waterways. As a result, over 80% of our waterways show traces of medications, and the impacts on our human
  and environmental health are of great concern. Now you can drop off unwanted medication in the lobby of the Elihu M. Harris State Building at 1515 Clay Street during business hours.

• FOSC Fall Native Plant Sale, Saturday, October 17, 10 am-3 pm, Joaquin Miller Native Plant Nursery, in Joaquin Miller Park.  Here's a chance to purchase native plants for your own garden. For details, contact nursery@sausalcreek.org.

>>Volunteers for Creek to Bay Day at the FOSC Native Plant Nursery.

 

• Solicitors Caught in Montclair, Thanks to Alert Neighbors: We constantly promote the benefits of Neighborhood Alert listservs and the partnership with OPD via community policing. This week's arrest of two suspicious solicitors in Montclair demonstrates the point. On Wednesday, we started reading reports of a suspicious female solicitor on Weldeck Court. On Thursday, a young man was reported knocking on doors in the same area. A resident not only posted to the listserv, but also called the OPD nonemergency number (777-3333). Two police cars responded.The police were told about both instances - which seemed to be connected - and the police left to search the area. The young man and the woman shortly thereafter were found by the police at the corner of Melville and Ascot. Without neighbors talking together about these events and taking action to notify the police, these two might not have been nabbed.
  
   

• Mail Theft Alert:  A Skyline resident saw a green Toyota Tercel with out-of-state plates (Nevada maybe) stealing mail from boxes.  When she saw them toss out some envelopes they had addresses from Snake and other Montclair streets. If you have a curbside mail box or unlocked mail box, consider getting a locked box.  The Montclair Safety and Improvement Council has a good webpage on this issue.

• Please call 777-3333 if you see anything suspicious in your neighborhood, or contact your problem solving officer directly,  While crime in Oakland has been down by 14%, home  burglaries and domestic violence are up. Learn more by attending your neighborhood's monthly Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council meeting.

 District Problem Solving Officers:  Have a chronic issue that involves criminal activity?  Let your beat's PSO know. Check here for a map to determine which Beat covers your neighborhood:

• Laurel 25x: Ryan Kabahit RKabahit@oaklandnet.com
• Dimond 22x: Rick Coglio RCoglio@oaklandnet.com
• Bret Harte/Joaquin Miller 22y: Ann Pierce Apierce@oaklandnet.com
• Jefferson 24x: Joseph Fong JFong@oaklandnet.com
• Montclair 13z: Maureen Vergara MVergara@oaklandnet.com
• Maxwell Park 28x: Keith Clement JClement@oaklandnet.com
• Melrose 27x: Greg Loud GLoud@oaklandnet.com
• North Hills 13y: John Haney JHaney@oaklandnet.com
• Allendale 24y: Jorge Pereda  jpereda@oaklandnet.com

• Montclair Elementry's 34th Annual Metrathon Day of Fun-Food&Music  (free), Saturday, October 17,  8:30 am-4 pm: Montclair Elementary's Largest Fundraiser of the Year!! Eat,shop and enjoy live entertainment. Fresh Pastries, coffee, face painting, shave ice in the moring;  entertainment, bbq in the afternoon. Big time auction items!! Admission and music is free; auction items and food for purchase. Entertainment includes Asheba!!!  Limited on-site
  parking. 

• Celebrate Black Panther Party History Month at the Oakland Public Library: West Oakland Branch gets things started with a month-long exhibit, Movement Papers of the '60s and '70s, a retrospective of the homegrown newspapers serving the black and poor communities and student newspapers that grew out of underground movements here in the Bay Area. On display are Black Panther Party newspapers, the Berkeley Barb, the Sun Reporter, Merritt College BSU newsletters, the Berkeley Tribe, SF Good Times, and Flatlands. West Oakland Branch is located at 1801 Adeline Street. Call 238-7352 for information.

• It's about Time presents the Black Panther Film Fest, Saturday, October 17, 1-5 pm, West Oakland Branch: Three films will be screened: Legacy of Torture: The War Against The Black Liberation Movement; Merritt College: Home of the Black Panthers; and Lord of the Revolution.  West Oakland Branch is located at 1801 Adeline Street. This event will take place in the branch's multipurpose room. Call 238-7352 for information.

• Free Dimond Library October Events:  Your neighborhood library at 3565 Fruitvale Avenue is full of community activities for the entire family:
  • Friday, October 9, 3:30-5 pm- Spooky Halloween Crafts
  • Saturday, October 10, 11 am-6 pm Oaktoberfest-See the Fabulous Goldrush Sisters on the Sausal Creek Community Stage at 1 pm (sponsored by our fabulous Friends). Kids who complete a library scavenger hunt, win a prize!
  • Friday, October 23--Library closed due to budget cuts
  • Tuesday, October 27, 7 pm- Scary Stories, Very Scary Stories, Very Very Scary Stories, Very Very Verrrrry Scary Stories
  • Every Tuesday at 7 except October 27- Family Story Time  for ages 0-6
  • Wednesday mornings at 10:15 am- Toddler Time for ages 0-2; 11 am Preschool Storytime for ages 3-5
  • Every Thursday, 3:30-4:30- Teen Time-music, food, video and board games for teens 12 and older
  • Adults: Spanish Conversation Group, 6:30-7:30 -m, Tuesdays, October 6 and 20
  • Book Discussion Group, Tuesday, October 13, 6:30-7:30 pm
  • Knitting Workshop, Fridays, October 16 & 30, 3:30-4:30 -m
     

• Sequoia School's Harvest Festival, Saturday, October 24, 10 am-2 pm: Celebrate the fall with lots of fun games and activities, including music! If you would like to perform, contact Nancy Deming at 29--4875 or Suzanna Farver at 387-1452.

• Check Out the New E-Newsletter from Friends of Oakland Public Library: Don't wait to hear what's happening at our library. Sign up for the new E-Newsletter from the Friends of the Oakland Public Library (FOPL).  Here's what's in this month's newsletter:
  • Sign up/Verify Library Cards in September: Beginning this month, as part of Library Card Sign-up Month, staff will ask patrons to verify their contact information.
     

• Kids Events at the Library Celebrate Hispanic American Heritage Month: Hispanic American Heritage Month, September 15-October 15, marks the national independence days of several Latin American nations and celebrates the cultural contributions of the diverse Spanish-speaking people who reside in the US.
   

• Lawyers in the Library: The Lawyers in the Library program makes legal information and referral available to the public for free. (If further legal help is required, clients are referred to the Bar Association Referral Service.) The program is co-sponsored by the Alameda County Bar Association. Sessions are popular, and getting an appointment often requires showing up early for advance sign-ups. Call your local branch for the schedule.
  
   

Oakland's Re-Create 2009 Art Contest Open to All Students (K-12: This annual art contest and exhibition is open to all Oakland youth who use discarded materials in a creative application of the 4Rs-- reduce, recycle and rot. November 8, 2009 is the deadline for submitting artwork to the contest. For locations and dates of the workshops, please visit www.oaklandrecylces.com. For additional information, contact Ferial Mosley,Recycling Specialist, at 238-7433.


 

• Redwood Heights Elementary School Harvest for Learning Auction, Saturday, November 7, Mills College Student Union: A fun night of shopping, entertainment, appetizers and no host bar.  Plus, you'll be supporting the biggest fundraiser for your local school. Invitations (with directions) and RSVP cards are available on the school website at: http://rhs.ousd.ca.campusgrid.net/home. Donations are also welcome. For details, contact Amy Gurowitz at 482-9502.
   

Help out Oakland East Bay Symphony & Get a Free Subscription: The Oakland East Bay Symphony (OEBS) is running a campaign to increase regular season subscribers. They're asking each current subscriber to "tell four friends" and one of the subscriptions will be free next season (2010-2011. The person who refers the most new subscribers will get 2 free ticket vouchers on Southwest Airlines for domestic travel. For details, check out their website or call 444-0801.
 

• Walking Tours of Oakland: A great way to introduce our fair city to yourvisitors, or to learn more about the richness of Oakland yourself: All tours are free and being promptly at 10 am. Reservations are encouraged. Call 238-3234. 
  • Saturday, October 10: Uptown
  • Wednesday, October 14: Churches & Temples
  • Saturday, October 17: New Era/New Politics
  • Wednesday, October 21: Chinatown
  • Saturday, October 24: Waterfront
  • Wednesday, October 28: Preservation Park
  • Saturday, October 31: City Center
    
    
     

• Diaspora Tale #2: 1969 Debut at Oakland Asian Cultural Center, Saturday, October 17, 8-10 pm, 388 Ninth Street: I will be one of the panelists at a discussion on the Third World Strike following the debut of Diaspora Tale #2: 1969, an interdisciplinary jazz composition by saxophonist and composer Francis Wong. It will be performed by the Francis Wong Unit with contributions by spoken word artist A.K. Black and dancer/ choreographer Lenora Lee. "1969" commemorates the 40th anniversary of the UC Berkeley Third World Strike for ethnic studies. Wong's brother, along with my husband Floyd Huen and I, were a participants in the Third World Strike and the composition is dedicated in part to Wong's brother. For ticket information and reservations, call 637-0455.

• Come Home to the Y, Celebrating 130 years of the YMCA in the East Bay, Wednesday October 21, 5:30-8:30 pm at Scott's Seafood at Jack London Square: Join friends and neighbors to recognize the YMCA of the East Bay's outstanding adult and youth volunteers and celebrate 130 years of building the spirit, mind and body of individuals and families throughout Alameda and west Contra Costa Counties. Tickets $40 if purchased by October 1; $45 thereafter. Contact Ginni Ring at 451-8039 ext. 139 or email her to register today.
   

• Oakland Shopping Night, Friday, October 23: Many retail districts will encouraging their shops to stay open until 8 pm in order to encourage people to shop locally. 

• Out of the Darkness Walk to Prevent Suicide, Saturday, October 24, 6:30 -8:30 am: The recent death of Officer Murray Hoyle, and another suicide in one of our neighborhoods brings to light the need for greater community awareness about suicide prevention. Friends of a recent suicide victim have organized the East Bay's first Out of the Darkness Community Walk in conjunction with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Meet at Belleue & Grant Avenue near Oakland's Lake Merritt and walk into the dawn, out of the darkness. I will be attending as a guest speaker. Registration starts at 6 am. Contact Alanna Coyote at 387-1040.

• Free Orchestra Concert, Sunday, October 25, 4 pm: The Oakland Civic Orchestra opens its 2009-2010 season with Concert Romantique at a free concert at the Lake Merritt United Methodist Church, 1330 Lakeshore Avenue. The program includes Vieuxtemps' Violin Concerto No 5 in A Minor, featuring guest soloist Alina Ming-Kobialka, a finalist in the Oakland-East Bay Symphony Young Artist Concerto Competition; Bizet's L'Alesinne Suite No 2; and Berlioz's Love Scene & Queen Mab from Romeo & Juliet. Admission is free.. For details, call 238-7275 or  check out their website.

• 2009 Dia de Los Muertos Festival, Sunday, November 1, 2009: This year's event is a collaborative effort between the Unity Council, the City of Oakland, and the Fruitvale Merchants Association, ACPO. The festival will not be as large as previous Dia De Los Muertos festivals, spanning a four block radius this year.  Despite it being a scaled down version of previous years due to the recession, as always this year's festival will be a fun, family-oriented festival with a focus on tradition. Artists and vendors interested in participation should contact Terry Alderete at 437-9703.

• Making Your Home Affordable Clinic, Saturday, November 7, 10 am-2 pm: Oakland City Hall:  Join the Office of Mayor Ron Dellums at this FREE one-day event to assist families vulnerable to foreclosure. Learn how you can save your home. The event features on-site HUD-approved housing counseling and home mortgage lenders to assist families impacted by  he current mortgage crisis. Participating lenders: Chase, WaMu, EMC, Wells Fargo, Wachovia, ASC and more. Fill out an application to get a head start. Please RSVP at 268-9792, ext. 26.
  
   

• Vacancy on Public Ethics Commission: The City of Oakland Public Ethics Commission is seeking applicants for the one open of four  Commission-selected seats. The term begins on January 22, 2010 and expires on January 21, 2013. Applicants must reside in Oakland and be registered to vote in Oakland. The Commission was created by a voter-approved City Charter amendment in 1996 to "assure fairness, openness, honesty and integrity in City government." For details or to obtain an application, contact Dan Purnell at 238-3593. Applications and resumes must be received no later than Friday, October 30 at 5 pm.
   
• Library Seeks Volunteer Storyreaders: Books for Wider Horizons is seeking adult volunteers to read to children once a week at a local preschool or childcare center. Participants must complete a 7-session training at Rockridge branch before they are placed. Please call 238-7453 for more information or to sign up! The fall schedule for classes is:
   
  • October 17,  9 - 11:30 am
  • October 19, 20, 6 - 8:15 pm
  • November 3, 4, 6, 6 - 8:15 pm
  • November 7, 9 am - 3 pm
     

• Allendale Park NCPC- cleans up streets, tree wells and storm drains on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays 38th Street between Nevil and Suter Streets. Call Steve Reuss at 536-9551.

• Keep Dimond Clean Every Week: 22x NCPC Beautification Efforts: Residents are invited to join neighborhood volunteers on Keep Oakland Clean and Beautiful volunteer clean up walks.Volunteers participating in Dimond/Dimond Park clean-up walks receive a complimentary card from La Farine Bakery/Dimond for 2 pastries or rolls/2 drinks.

• Monday, October 12, 11 am-Noon: Dimond Park Clean-up. Sponsored by Dimond Park Advisory Council (DPAC): meet at Scout Hut (Wellington/Canon entrance).Contact: Michelle Doppelt, Recreation Supervisor Dimond Park; cell 681-5129; office 482-7831.
• Tuesday, October 13, 8 am: meet in front of McDonald¹s for Dimond clean-up
• Saturday, October 17, 9 am: Monthly Community Clean-up walk in Dimond Merchant Area (even half hour helps). Pickup a 'litter map' between 9-10 am at Dimond Gateway Garden, corner of MacArthur and Lincoln. Monthly gardening project starts at 9:30 am: bring garden tools.

• Joaquin Miller Park: Two major events coming up:
  • Saturday, October 31, 9 am-- Join volunteers from the Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay at the trailhead to Sequoia Bayview Trail on Skyline Blvd. They'll head out at 9:30 am to mend wooden fences along the trail. Bring sunscreen, hat, work clothes and proper shoes. Contact Danieldrp.cafe@gmail.com for more information.
  • Saturday, November 7, 9 am-- Help complete new pathways as part of the renovation of Joaquin Miller's Abbey. Bring sunscreen, hat, workclothes, gloves and proper shoes. Contact Sue Piper in our office at 238-7042.
     

• Maxwell Park--Daily clean up by Friends of Maxwell Park. Contact Nancy Karigaca at 436-6680.

• Maxwell Park NCPC Monthly Clean Up, Third Sunday of the Month, 9 am.
   

• Peralta Creek Park (Corner of Rettig and Wisconsin): Meet the third Tuesday of the month from 6:30-7:30 pm.
   

• Garden with the Friends of  Sausal Creek--Harvest seeds of native plants, help propagate seeds at the native plant nursery, work to remove invasives throughout the Sausal Creek Watershed or attend their bimonthly educational workshops. There's something happening several days a week and on most weekends, in Dimond Canyon, Joaquin Miller Park at the Native Plant Nursery and Beaconsfield Canyon. Check out their monthly calendar of events at the FOSC website
   

• Horace Mann Garden Workday,  Saturday, November 14, 9-11 am:  Help weed the hillside gardens the NCPC/School Community planted in April. They'll also replace several plants that died when the irrigation wasn't working properly. Two hours of your time will make a difference in the appearance of our neighborhood school, so please plan to come! Horace Mann School is located at 5222 Ygnacio Avenue.

Experience Corps Seeks Volunteers 55+: Experience Corps seeks Baby Boomer volunteers to tutor and mentor students at our underserved elementary schools. They currently support students in seven elementary schools throughout North and East Oakland (Civicorps, Cleveland, Emerson, Monarch Academy, Piedmont Ave, Santa Fe, Think College Now) and they could use your time, talent and life experience.  As little as 2 hours a week can make a huge difference and scheduling is flexible.  No prior experience tutoring or working with kids necessary - full training and on-site support is provided, as are paid stipends for volunteers who serve 10+ hours a week!For more information, contact David Moren at  495-4966