HNA News: "Dog" Walk Sunday 2:30 a.m., Tenth Anniversary Planning, Owl Box, Disaster Supplies, etc.

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Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-Newsletter*

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In This Newsletter

1. Nighttime Neighborhood-Safety "Dog" Walks Continue: 2:30 a.m. Walk Sunday

2. Tenth Anniversary Celebration Planning Committee Meeting, Thursday, August 31, 7:30-8:30 p.m.

3. Crime Watch Report: Shoulder Bag with Battery Charger Found Near Prince Street

4. Owl Box Project: Volunteer(s) Needed

5. Halcyon Neighborhood Selected to Receive Emergency Supply Cache! 

Following on the heels of the exciting news that our neighborhood received one of the UC Chancellor's Community Partnership grants, yesterday I received word that we've been awarded one of the emergency supply caches the City Council funded in this year's budget.

Receiving the emergency supply cache is both an honor and a responsibility: I hope it will help inspire all of us to take disaster preparedness to the next level, both as individual households and as a neighborhood. You'll be hearing more later about drills so we can learn to use the cache effectively -- and to the maximum benefit of the entire neighborhood -- in the event of a disaster.

The first cache will be located close to Halcyon Commons Park (our neighborhood "command center" in the event of disaster). In future years (presuming the City Council keeps funding this important program), we will apply for additional caches to cover more of the neighborhood. Our success in future applications will depend on our increasing level of organization -- and your participation.

Many thanks to all who sent back the questionnaire during the summer, which allowed me to complete the application as accurately as possible. What better time than the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina to make sure we each "take the next step" in our personal preparedness!

-Nancy Carleton, HNA Co-Chair and E-Newsletter Editor

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1. Nighttime Neighborhood-Safety "Dog" Walks Continue: 2:30 a.m. Walk Sunday

Pamela Dameron, who has been organizing the regular (and irregular) nighttime "dog" walks to improve neighborhood safety, reports:

"Early next Sunday morning, Sept. 3 2006, at 2:30 a.m. [following Saturday night Sept. 2], we would like to make another early morning dog walk. For those uncomfortable walking so early to Halcyon Commons Park (Halcyon at Prince), the group will meet you at your house; send me an email with your address. Anyone who can make it please send me an email.  We need at least 4 to 5 people to make the walk safe for everyone.  The Halcyon patrol officer will also be cruising the neighborhood as his/her time permits. I hope to see you next Sunday morning at 2:30 a.m."

For more information and to get the schedule for the future (plus to confirm the dates listed here and let us know you're coming), contact Pamela Dameron <usasleigh@sbcglobal.net>. (Remember: No dog required to participate!)

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2. Tenth Anniversary Celebration Planning Committee Meeting, Thursday, August 31, 7:30-8:30 p.m.

HNA Co-Chair John Steere sends the following announcement:

Join us to plan the 10th anniversary Party of Halcyon Commons (late September). By spending a couple of hours between now and the event, you can help make this a truly memorable celebration!

Planning Meeting

When: Thursday, August 31 , 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Where:  Home of John and Michelle Thelen Steere, 2329 Webster

What:  Scope out program and needs for the 10 -year celebration (music, speakers, invitees, kids' activities, food, etc.)

Call John at 849-1969 or email <jsteere@igc.org> to confirm.

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3. Crime Watch Report: Shoulder Bag with Battery Charger Found Near Prince Street

A neighbor at Prince and Deakin reports:

"While I was doing some gardening the other day, I found what looked like a stolen bag thrown into some bushes: Yellow and black small nylon shoulder bag (for carrying camera's or small accessories). Inside: LG Fast Battery Charger base and plug. I'll hang onto it for a bit to see if anyone will claim it. If you wouldn't mind posting this to the list, maybe it can be returned to its owner. I can be contacted by email: <kopslaurel@yahoo.com>"

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4. Owl Box Project: Volunteer(s) Needed

As part of our Tenth Anniversary Celebration of the completion of Halcyon Commons Park, HNA hopes to install an owl box in the palm tree across from the south end of the Commons (this tree is in the City right-of-way median strip in front of the Model School).

Palm trees are ideal sites for barn owls, and the owls perform a wonderful service in keeping the local rodent population (i.e., the rats we occasionally spy scurrying around) under control. In fact, the City of Berkeley has recently adopted the barn owl as our official city bird.

We need a volunteer or two or three to guide this project (the usual suspects already have too much on our plates). LeConte Neighborhood Association (LNA) and HNA Co-Chair Nancy Carleton have volunteered to cover the costs of either purchasing a pre-made owl box from the Hungry Owl Project in Marin (would need to arrange for pickup) or paying for supplies to build one. The volunteer(s) would need to:

1. Obtain permission from the City of Berkeley Forestry Department for placing an owl box in the palm tree (cc: to Councilmember Kriss Worthington and Neighborhood Liaison Jim Hynes (HNA can follow up with a letter on our letterhead to email as a pdf), or consider alternate placement of box (if on Model School grounds, would require permission from the property owner, which may be the church on the corner).

2. Research proper means of installing box in palm tree (boxes need to be cleaned annually) and locate volunteer(s) who could help with both installation and maintenance.  Research would include whether the box would best be on the palm itself -- often a "natural" habitat for barn owls in this area -- or simply nearby on a post (it's hard to imagine annual cleaning of a box forty feet up!).  Part of the research would include looking into local groups that might help with the project (the attached links provide some leads), including City of Berkeley resources.

3. Get in touch with the Model School to let them know about the project (it could be a great educational tool for their students as well as neighborhood children in general).

Some excellent articles by Joe Eaton have appeared in the Berkeley Daily Planet about barn owls and their benefits:

"In Defense of the Sometimes Annoying Barn Owl"

http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/article.cfm?archiveDate=10-25-05&storyID=22614

"Introducing Berkeley's New City Bird"

http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/article.cfm?archiveDate=04-25-06&storyID=23990

More information can be found at the Hungry Owl Project's website:

http://www.hungryowl.org

To sign up to help with this project, please send reply email to Nancy Carleton <ngc2@mindspring.com>.

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5. Halcyon Neighborhood Selected to Receive Emergency Supply Cache! 

HNA Co-Chair Nancy Carleton, who wrote the HNA application for two emergency supply caches for the neighborhood, received the following letter dated August 28:

Dear Nancy,

Congratulations! A selection panel, consisting of staff from the Office of Emergency Services, City Manager's Office, and Neighborhood Services liaisons, has reviewed the applications for the emergency supply caches. Your neighborhood has demonstrated a high level of achievement, and will be awarded a cache.

This cache is intended to bolster the City's emergency response and provide greater protection for all residents. The City is extremely appreciative of the time and effort your neighborhood has invested in community emergency preparedness and your sincere willingness to become a partner in these crucial activities.

The equipment was ordered for the caches in June, but some of it will not be here until late September. We will be in touch with you then to let you know when the equipment will be available for pick-up.

Again, congratulations, and thank you for your enthusiastic support.

Sincerely,

Gil Dong

Assistant Fire Chief

City of Berkeley Department of Fire and Emergency Services

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The Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-Newsletter:  The HNA E-Newsletter forwards occasional crime watch notices as well as announcements about events of interest to neighbors in the Ashby/Telegraph/Woolsey/Adeline area of south Berkeley, including community-building potlucks, greening projects, disaster preparedness meetings, and work parties in Halcyon Commons Park. If you're receiving this email, either you signed up at a neighborhood event or a neighbor may have forwarded it to you. Please note that to prevent spam, HNA always uses bcc and does not share your email address with third parties. If you wish to be removed from this list, please reply to HNA Co-Chair Nancy Carleton/Halcyon Neighborhood Association <ngc2@mindspring.com>. Please feel free to pass the HNA E-Newsletter on to other neighbors you think might be interested.

HNA Listserve:  If you would like to receive messages (and participate in discussions) on the HNA Listserve, please reply to Halcyon Neighborhood Association <ngc2@mindspring.com> indicating your interest, and you will receive an invitation to join.

HNA Blog:  If you would like to view previous newsletters online (and comment via a blog format), please visit http://halcyoncourt.blogspot.com/

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