HNA E-News: Sign up NOW for Yard Sale 6/9, Work Party 6/2, Potluck 6/24, etc.

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Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-Newsletter*

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Items appearing in the HNA E-Newsletter are deemed to be of general interest to neighbors but do not necessarily reflect the views of Halcyon Neighborhood Association (HNA), its Steering Committee, or the Editor. The Editor's introductory comments express her own personal viewpoint.

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Items in This E-Newsletter

1. Work Party in Halcyon Commons Park, Sunday, June 3, 10 a.m.  - 2 p.m.

2. HNA's HUGE Multi-Block Yard Sale, Saturday, June 9, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. (sign up by June 3)

3. Halcyon Community Potluck, Sunday, June 24, 6-8 p.m., 2116 Emerson

4. Webster Street Neighbor Lupe Alcala Participating in AIDS/Life Cycle Fundraiser

5. Meeting on 3100 Shattuck Proposed Development, Tuesday, May 29, 7-8:30 p.m.

6. Community Forum on South Branch Library (and Possible Relocation to Ed Roberts Campus), June 9, 10:30 a.m. - noon, AME Church, 2024 Ashby

7. AC Transit Workshop on Bus Rapid Transit Proposed for Telegraph Ave., Thurs., June 14, North Berkeley Senior Center

8. Southside Student Move-Out Trash Removal: Drop-off Point This Weekend and Hotline Number

9. Upcoming ZAB Items Affecting Shattuck Avenue

10. Link to Chronicle Front-Page Article on Berkeley's Plans to Reduce Greenhouse Emissions

* For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2007

* Disaster Prep Supply Cache Wish List

* City of Berkeley: Useful Contact Information

Editor's Introductory Note:

Thanks to all who are helping to distribute flyers over the coming week concerning our upcoming June events (see items 1, 2, and 3). This gives new neighbors a chance to sign up for the E-News and to keep posted on our activities.

Thanks to Tory Finn for picking up C and D new batteries for our Disaster Supply Cache (an easy way to contribute to the cache is to grab something needed on the placeholder Disaster Supply Cache Wish List toward the end of the E-Newsletter the next time you're at a hardware store). And thanks to Claudia Polsky and Ted Mermin for donating a printer and cartridges to the Cache. Now if some folks decides they're ready to retire a still-usable laptop and donate it to the neighborhood, we'll be able to produce flyers in the wake of disaster! Communication is one of the most crucial factors in preventing panic after something catastrophic has happened, so we're planning for ways to keep people informed.

The upcoming Multi-Block Yard Sale may be prompting some of you to clean out your closets and garages. If you find items that might be usable for our Disaster Supply Cache (again see the list at the end of the E-News), please consider donating instead of selling them!  And whether or not you're participating in the sale, your financial contributions toward the Supply Cache will help make sure we have what we need to act together to save lives in the event of a major quake. So look out for the form on the back of the flyer you'll be receiving over the next week.

Have a safe and fun holiday weekend!

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

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1. Work Party in Halcyon Commons Park, Sunday, June 3, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Meet at Halcyon Commons Park (Halcyon Court at Prince Street).
Refreshments courtesy of Whole Foods Market.

Chat with your neighbors while we all help weed, trim, pick up trash, and remove graffiti. Please bring extra weeding and trimming tools if you have them (extra tools will be available if you don't).

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2. HNA's HUGE Multi-Block Yard Sale, Saturday, June 9, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. (sign up by June 3)

Sat. June 9 Yard Sale: Set up in Front of Your Home or Apartment

(set up by 9 a.m. recommended; when multi-block yard sales are advertised, dealers come early)

In years past, HNA has sponsored several hugely successful multi-block yard sales; it's time to do it again! HNA now includes neighbors living in the area bordered by Ashby, Telegraph, Woolsey, and Adeline. Households in this area are encouraged to participate, but preregistration is required.

* Sale will be advertised widely in local newspapers and on the web; we expect a huge turnout.

* Sign up now - $5 checks to HNA required to participate (goes toward ads and flyers). To sign up for the Yard Sale, please make check payable to Halcyon Neighborhood Association (HNA) and drop off with form through the slot in the front door or mail to: Susan Hunter, Treasurer, HNA, 3044 Halcyon Court, Berkeley, CA 94705. Questions? Email Susan Hunter <huntersec@gmail.com> [note new email!] or call her at 517-0241. Sign up by June 3 to be included on map (include your address, phone, and email with your check).

* In addition to being a chance to clear out closets and garages, this event is a fundraiser for the HNA Disaster Preparedness Fund; on the day of the event, HNA reps will ask you to contribute 5-10% of your proceeds (or more, if you're feeling generous); all of these funds will go directly toward purchasing supplies for the Halcyon Disaster Supply Cache, which contains materials to support setting up a Command Center in Halcyon Commons Park following a major disaster.

* Volunteers needed to help post flyers on poles in this and/or nearby neighborhood the week before; help paint posters for intersections the week before; help set up signs at major intersections Saturday morning, June 9. Email Susan Hunter <huntersec@gmail.com> or call her at 517-0241 if you're willing to help.

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3. Halcyon Community Potluck, Sunday, June 24, 6-8 p.m., 2116 Emerson

Halcyon Community Potluck Sunday, June 24, 6-8 p.m.

at the home of Jessica and David

2116 Emerson (between Wheeler & Shattuck, two blocks north of Prince)

A chance to socialize and share neighborhood news. Please bring a potluck item to share. If so inspired, it's really helpful if you can also bring a beverage to share. Children welcome.

Potluck suggestions: Appetizer: A-F k Main Dish: G-N k Salad: T-Z k Dessert: O-S
(If not obvious, kindly attach a label with ingredients for your dish to alert those with vegetarian and other diets.)

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4. Webster Street Neighbor Lupe Alcala Participating in AIDS/Life Cycle Fundraiser

Editor's Note: Webster Street neighbor (and amazing cyclist) Lupe Alcala sends the following message (looks like a great opportunity to support a good cause and get your own bike tuned up at the same time!):

" I am riding the ALC (AIDs/Life Cycle: 545-bike ride from SF to LA) this year (June 3-9)!  I signed up late and have to raise $2,500 dollars in 2.5 weeks! I have already raised $1,076.16. Yay!  My profile link for neighbors to support this worthy cause is http://aidslifecycle.org/6270. I am offering to do repairs to people's bikes for those who donate.  I can do minor wheel truing, brake adjustments, and derailleur adjustments.  I was a bike mechanic in college. Thanks!"

 -Loops (Lupe Alcala)

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5. Meeting on 3100 Shattuck Proposed Development, Tuesday, May 29, 7-8:30 p.m.

We received the following announcement:

Dear Halcyon Neighbors,

You are welcome to an informational meeting for neighbors of 3100 Shattuck Avenue to learn about the co-owners plans for a building with three small, environmentally friendly residences and a small commercial space on the corner of Prince and Shattuck.

The meeting will be held on the evening of Tuesday, May 29th from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. The discussion will begin at 7:15 p.m. with a presentation of the project plans that is expected to take 30 minutes. Community conversation will begin at 7:45 p.m.

The meeting will be held at the Ashby Stage at 1901 Ashby Avenue at the corner of Ashby and Martin Luther King. The MLK entrance to the theatre is handicap-accessible.

Please note that this is a City-required but not a City-sponsored meeting. The City of Berkeley has its own process for gathering neighbor comments after the project application is submitted. We plan to submit the application soon after this meeting.

To ensure that as many voices are heard and as many questions are answered as possible, the meeting will be facilitated by Sabrina Klein, http://www.creativeeducationconsulting.com. If large forums are not useful or pleasant for you to participate in, or if this meeting time is not good for you, please feel free to contact me by email at brian42@lingerhere.org to arrange a time to view and discuss the plans privately.

Finally, to make reviewing the plans more convenient, shortly after the meeting, scans of the current version of the building plans will be placed on-line at http://picasaweb.google.com/brhill/3100ShattuckPlans.

Best wishes,

Brian Hill

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6. Community Forum on South Branch Library (and Possible Relocation to Ed Roberts Campus), June 9, 10:30 a.m. - noon, AME Church, 2024 Ashby

Community Forum on South Branch Library: Identifying Library Needs of South Berkeley

*AND* Exploring Relocating to the Ed Roberts Campus

http://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org/weblog/2007/05/community_forum.php

The public is cordially invited to a community forum to discuss possibilities for addressing library needs in South Berkeley. The forum will be hosted by the Berkeley Public Library and will be held on Saturday, June 9, 2007, 10:30 am to noon at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E.), 2024 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley.

Download PDF flyer for event:  http://berkeleypubliclibrary.org/weblog/files/CommunityForumflyer.pdf

Download PDF press release:  http://berkeleypubliclibrary.org/weblog/files/CommunityForumPressRelease.pdf

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7. AC Transit Workshop on Bus Rapid Transit Proposed for Telegraph Ave., Thurs., June 14, North Berkeley Senior Center

AC Transit Bus Rapid Transit Public Hearing, June 14,5:30 p.m. (Open House), 7:00 p.m. (Public Hearing)

North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst St.

Public Hearing on the Draft Environmental Impact Report

AC Transit and the Federal Transit Authority have released the Draft Environmental Impact Report for Bus Rapid Transit in the East Bay (http://www.actransit.org/news/articledetail.wu?articleid=42622c20&PHPSESSID=943e42ff8d0d244657dfa99b6571e9c1#online). The project proposes to implement transit-only lanes on Telegraph Ave. in order to increase the speed and on time rate of buses between Berkeley and downtown Oakland. The Draft EIR describes the potential environmental impacts of the proposed alternatives and a no action alternative.

This is the opportunity for Berkeley residents to voice their opinions about the Bus Rapid Transit system. You can speak for or against the project,  or ask for specific mitigations to the expected negative impacts. All comments must be received by July 3, 2007

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8. Southside Student Move-Out Trash Removal: Drop-off Point This Weekend and Hotline Number

 

Editor's Note: The following item is reprinted from the WIllard Neighborhood Association (WNA) eNews. While our neighborhood doesn't fall within the half-mile radius of campus covered by this year's program, we have many students living in our neighborhood, and often experience similar issues with debris being left behind when students move. Note at the end of the article that there is a drop-off site open this weekend  for students, and also numbers you can call if student move-out leaves debris on our streets.

Move Out program  (written in part by UC Government & Community Affairs Office)

As spring semester ends at the University of California, Berkeley, the campus and the city of Berkeley are launching a new effort to make sure students vacating their apartments, fraternity and sorority houses, and co-ops properly dispose of furniture, mattresses and trash - items that in previous years were left on city sidewalks.

"This is a problem in most university or college towns," said Jim Hynes, assistant to the city manager. "And it has been costly for the city to continually pick up discarded material and haul it away."

The campus has partnered with the city in the past on this issue with some success. But the problem continued in private housing areas, prompting this more sweeping plan that now encompasses a much larger area in Berkeley neighborhoods where students rent apartments and live in cooperative housing.

The first step was to see the problem from the perspective of students as well as from their Berkeley neighbors, said Irene Hegarty, director of UC Berkeley Community Relations. "When we studied the problem, we realized that many students do not have easy ways to dispose of their surplus items, especially if they don't own a car or truck to transport furniture."

In addition, students are often busy studying for their final exams right up until the required move-out date for their apartment or campus room. "Students often don't plan ahead for move-out, and many are unaware of how or where to take large items," Hegarty said.

The campus-city plan gives students several options. Beginning in mid-May, very large debris bins [was] placed for student use in areas near campus, from Oxford to Prospect streets and from Bancroft Way to Derby Street on the south side, and from Hearst Avenue to Cedar Street on the north side of campus. Trash of any size can be deposited in the bins, including furniture.

Here are the Debris Box locations:
     1.  Corner of Parker/Regent (on Regent)
     2.  Derby between College/Benvenue
     3. Benvenue:  2500 block, mid-block (large debris bin)
     4. Hillegass: 2500 block (northern end)
     5. Regent: 2500 block (southern end)
     6. College: 2500 block (at top of Parker)
     7. College: Between Garber and Stuart

Toward the end of the month, after the bins are taken away, city refuse compactor trucks will do area-wide "sweeps" to pick up any stray items.

For those who are moving out and don't know what to do with your unwanted furniture, appliances, mattresses, clothing, and non-perishable food items.  Bring them to the Cal Student Move-Out Center! Your items will be recycled, reused, donated or properly disposed of.

Location: Clark Kerr North St. Parking Lot, near intersection of Dwight Way & Prospect

The center will be open:
Saturday, May 19th - 10 am to 4 pm
Sunday, May 20th - 10 am to 4 pm

Saturday May 26th - 10 am to 4 pm

Sunday, May 27 - 10 am to 4 pm

UC Berkeley is setting up a hotline at (510) 643-5309 for local residents to call if they spot items left on the sidewalks. Refuse staff from UC Berkeley and the city of Berkeley will pick up reported trash within 48 hours of a report. The hotline will operate through the end of May.

The move-out campaign is funded jointly by UC Berkeley and the city with the goals of reducing waste, cleaning up Berkeley neighborhoods, and setting a precedent for future years. "We will learn through this effort what works and what needs to be improved," said Hegarty. "We also hope that students will learn they can't just leave their stuff behind."

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9. Upcoming ZAB Items Affecting Shattuck Avenue

Editor's Note: Robert Lauriston of a nearby neighborhood sent the following announcement.

"I just noticed a couple of Shattuck Ave. projects on the Zoning Adjustments Board's list of pending items:

2996 Shattuck, the Chevron station--maybe they want to add a convenience store? It's not clear. That's tentatively scheduled for a hearing on July 27.

2999 Shattuck, Roxie Food Center, wants to waive nine parking spaces, not clear for what purpose. That building's on Gordon Commercial's list of properties they sold in recent years."

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/planning/PermitStatus/LU%20Projects%20Quick%20View.pdf

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10. Link to Chronicle Front-Page Article on Berkeley's Plans to Reduce Greenhouse Emissions

Editor's Note: In case you missed it, a link to yesterday's Chronicle article on Berkeley's plans to reduce greenhouse emissions:

"It Won't Be Easy Being Green"

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/05/24/MNGJSQ0N671.DTL&hw=It+won%27t+be+easy+being+green&sn=001&sc=1000

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* For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2007

Dates set as of May 2007 (verify a few weeks before event by checking HNA E-Newsletter):

Sunday, June 3, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Work Party in Halcyon Commons Park

Saturday, June 9, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Giant Multi-Block Yard Sale, throughout the neighborhood

Sunday, June 24, 6-8 p.m., Halcyon Community Potluck, location TBD

Saturday, August 4, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Work Party in Halcyon Commons Park

Tuesday, August 7, 6-8:30 p.m., National Night Out Against Crime, Potluck in Park 6-7:30 p.m., walk through larger neighborhood 7:30-8:30 p.m.

Sunday, September 30, 4:00-5:55 p.m., Disaster Supply Cache Drill, including Fire Drill, driveway of 3044-B Halcyon and Halcyon Commons Park

Sunday, September 30, 6-8 p.m., Halcyon Community Potluck, location TBD

Saturday, October 27, Fall Mulching in Park with help from Cal volunteers of Berkeley Project

Sunday, October 28, 4-6 p.m., Big Neighborhood Watch Community Meeting, Chochmat HaLev (location to be confirmed)

Sunday, January 13, 2008, 5-8:30, Post-Holiday Progressive Potluck, four locations TBD

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* Disaster Prep Supply Cache Wish List

HNA's Disaster Prep Supply Cache contains items intended to benefit the entire neighborhood in the event of disaster. You can help us have what we need on hand in two ways: (1) Make a tax-deductible financial contribution to Berkeley Partners for Parks (BPFP, our nonprofit fiscal sponsor), earmarked Halcyon Disaster Prep, which will go toward purchasing additional supplies, and mail or drop off to HNA Treasurer Susan Hunter, 3044 Halcyon Court, Berkeley, CA 94705. (2) Contribute any of the following items in-kind (supplies MUST be new or in GOOD condition):

Batteries (AA, C, D), regular & rechargeable; Battery Recharger for AA, C, D; Quality Walkie-Talkies with 8-mile range, 22 channels (i.e., Motorola Talkabout T5500 two-way radios); Axes; Crow Bars, Hard Hats; Other Tools for Search & Rescue; Head Lamps; Heavy-duty Flashlights; Bullhorn; Laptop Computer with rechargeable power supply & USB port; Flashcard (for storing neighborhood database to transfer to laptop); Sheets (freshly laundered or new; good for first aid); Blankets; First Aid Supplies; Gas Siphon (for extracting gas from cars to run generator); 5-Gallon Drums for long-term gas storage; Work Gloves; Large Camping Tents (with all parts!); Coleman or similar Gas or Propane Stove; Shelving for Shed.

Contact HNA Co-Chair and Cache Coordinator Nancy Carleton at <ngc2@mindspring.com> or 644-0172 to contribute supplies.

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* City of Berkeley: Useful Contact Information

Police

Police Emergency Number:  911 (from landline); 981-5911(from cell; preprogram with this number)

Police Nonemergency Number: 981-5900

Link to beat maps and a list of beat officers:

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/police/department/beatinfo/beatlineup.html

In Halcyon neighborhood, west of Fulton is Beat 10, east of Fulton is Beat 9.

Other City Departments:

Neighborhood Services Liaison Jim Hynes <jhynes@ci.berkeley.ca.us> 981-2493

Public Works Customer Service: 644-6620 (streets, sidewalks, graffiti, sewers, litter, storm drains, street lights)

Tree Trimming/Planting (Forestry): 644-6566

Written Communication with City Council:

To comment to City Council, cut and paste the following email addresses:

City Clerk <clerk@ci.berkeley.ca.us>,

Mayor Tom Bates <Mayor@ci.berkeley.ca.us>,

Councilmember Linda Maio <LMaio@ci.berkeley.ca.us>,

Councilmember Darryl Moore <DMoore@ci.berkeley.ca.us>,

Councilmember Max Anderson <MAnderson@ci.berkeley.ca.us>,

Councilmember Dona Spring <DSpring@ci.berkeley.ca.us>,

Councilmember Laurie Capitelli <LCapitelli@ci.berkeley.ca.us>,

Councilmember Betty Olds <BOlds@ci.berkeley.ca.us>,

Councilmember Kriss Worthington <KWorthington@ci.berkeley.ca.us>,

Councilmember Gordon Wozniak <GWozniak@ci.berkeley.ca.us>

Representatives for Our Neighborhood:

Councilmember Max Anderson (District 3) 981-7130

West side of Wheeler Street to west (except for Woolsey between Wheeler and Shattuck)

Councilmember Kriss Worthington (District 7) 981-7170

East side of Wheeler to east (includes block of Woolsey from Wheeler to Shattuck)

Mayor Tom Bates 981-7100

Zoning Adjustments Board:

To comment to the Zoning Adjustments Board regarding projects on their calendar, email:

Zoning Adjustments Board <zab@ci.berkeley.ca.us>

(best to submit your comments 10 days prior to meeting for inclusion in the advance packet to board members, but late submissions will be distributed the evening of the meeting)

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The Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-Newsletter:  The HNA E-Newsletter forwards occasional crime-watch notices as well as items of general interest to neighbors in the Ashby/Telegraph/Woolsey/Adeline area of south Berkeley (HNA's borders), including announcements about community-building potlucks, greening projects, disaster preparedness meetings, and work parties in Halcyon Commons Park. If you're receiving this email, you probably either signed up at a neighborhood event or a neighbor 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>. Feel free to pass the HNA E-Newsletter on to other neighbors you think might be interested.

To submit items for the newsletter:   Email unformatted content or links (no graphics or attachments) to HNA E-Newsletter Editor Nancy Carleton <ngc2@mindspring.com>. Crime-watch reports and news about neighbors is especially welcome. Please note that due to the volunteer nature of the endeavor, the E-Newsletter does not typically include "letters to the editor" or "commentary," but will gladly include links to such items written by neighbors in the Ashby/Telegraph/Woolsey/Adeline area and published elsewhere (the Berkeley Daily Planet has a large section devoted to opinion).

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. [The HNA Listserve is currently inactive but can be revived if enough neighbors show interest.]

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

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