HNA E-News: Prince Street Update; Meeting re Solar & Undergrounding Wires, This Thursday, Aug. 23

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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 personal viewpoint.

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1. Crime Watch Report: Prince Street Update

2.  Meeting for Neighbors Interested in Solar Power and Possibly Undergrounding Overhead Wires, Thursday, August 23, 7 p.m., 2005 Prince Street

3. Halcyon Community Potluck with Live Music at Halcyon Commons, Sunday, September 30, 5-7:30 p.m.

4. Pandemic Flu Training, Saturday, October 6, 9:00-Noon, Plus Other CERT Classes Scheduled for Fall

* 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 the Prince Street neighbors, including Nina Lyon, who've taken the initiative to help spread the word about some recent burglaries and attempted thefts in their vicinity. It makes all the difference when more of us take responsibility to be proactive in this way. Thanks as well to Webster Street neighbor Ann Myers, who has volunteered to print out and post the E-News in the bulletin board in Halcyon Commons park (Halcyon Court near Prince) so that those who don't have Internet access will have a regular place to check for updated neighborhood news, and thanks to Fulton Street neighbor Pat Cody for spurring us to action on this! It would be great to have a volunteer willing to fill in with the posting task when Ann needs backup. Reply to <halcyon92@gmail.com> if you'd be willing to help in this way from time to time.

Please see item 4 for a list of upcoming classes on emergency preparedness offered at no charge by the City of Berkeley. If you possibly can, take at least one of these classes this fall to help our neighborhood be better prepared for a large earthquake or other disaster. Current events following the catastrophic 8.0 earthquake in Peru demonstrate once again how important it is for us as a neighborhood to be able to take care of ourselves following a major disaster, since government assistance takes time to arrive.

As always, please continue to send crime watch reports as well as positive news (births, new home businesses, neighborhood book groups, etc.) to <halcyon92@gmail.com>.

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

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1. Crime Watch Report: Prince Street Update

A Prince Street neighbor reports concerning last week's events:

"I'm writing on behalf of myself and several neighbors here on Prince St. between Shattuck and Wheeler. We were aware of the attempted auto theft last Thursday, which was reported to the police by the car's owner. We live next door to this attempted crime and across the street from the bicycle theft which occurred yesterday.  We returned midafternoon today to find that someone had been in our yard, but everything looked okay.  (We had been away on Monday night).  However, when I went across the street to find out about the bicycle theft, I saw several garden tools, a small screwdriver, and the metal bolt that holds our gate closed lying in the garden in front of the house where the bicycle theft had occurred.  So, it appears that the person involved  had been at our home first, then spotted the open door across the street and put our stuff down (similarly to what happened on Prince when the shed was broken into earlier in the day), then went in to get the bike and abandoned my things. Since two of us are next-door neighbors and the other is directly across the street, we feel  there seems to be a connection  and maybe the same person who broke into the shed as well. . . . [This has been reported to the police.]  Meanwhile, the description my neighbor gave of the bicycle thief is as follows:  Dark-skinned male (Hispanic or African American) late 30s-40 years old, about 5'10" tall and approximately l40 lbs., dark hair, maybe missing a tooth, wearing black jeans and tan sweater, and spaced out probably due to whatever he is using. While the police did pick someone up, there was some confusion as to whether it was the same person. We have printed up copies of these incidents and are placing them around neighborhood on telephone poles."

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2.  Meeting for Neighbors Interested in Solar Power and Possibly Undergrounding Overhead Wires, Thursday, August 23, 7 p.m., 2005 Prince Street

A Prince Street neighbor sent the following announcement:

Dear Neighbors,

We're calling a meeting on Thursday August 23 at 2005 Prince St at 7 p.m. to discuss information about solar power in our neighborhood and the possibility of undergrounding the overhead power, cable and phone wires on the telephone poles around the neighborhood. Anyone who wants to give or receive information on these two topics is welcome.  We've talked a little before about undergrounding but are looking for a neighborhood effort at getting this done and reducing prices if possible.  Bring all the knowledge you have about these topics.

Sincerely yours,

Tony Hill  548-2306

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3. Halcyon Community Potluck with Live Music at Halcyon Commons, Sunday, September 30, 5-7:30 p.m.

Halcyon Commons - Community Potluck with Live Music

Sunday, September 30, 5 to 7:30 p.m.

15th Anniversary of Halcyon Neighborhood Association and 100th Anniversary of Berkeley Parks, Halcyon Commons is at Halcyon Court at Prince St.

Come celebrate the life in and around the newest park in the City's park system (dedicated in 1996) - and the only one designed and built and maintained through the partnership of  the neighborhood around it. Bring food and drink to share with others (see suggested guide below). Lively musical offerings by Rodeo Victory, an acoustic folk band (confirmed), and Foreal Foreal, a Cajun-jazz fusion group (invited). Come share in the good vibes and vittles.

Please bring a dish to share (and also a beverage if you're able).

Appetizer:  U-Z * Salad: I-O * Main Dish: A-H * Dessert:  P-T

(If not obvious, kindly attach a label with ingredients for your dish to alert those with vegetarian and other diets.)

Volunteers needed to help set up before the event and clean up after. We also need someone willing to purchase and donate paper plates, cups, and napkins as well as plastic forks to replenish Halcyon Neighborhood Association's supplies so we're stocked for this event. Loan of additional lawn chairs also appreciated! Please see following contact information to volunteer.

Contact John Steere for more information or to volunteer: 510-849-1969 or <jsteere@igc.org>

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4. Pandemic Flu Training, Saturday, October 6, 9:00-Noon, Plus Other CERT Classes Scheduled for Fall

Dory Ehrlich of the City's Office of Emergency Services sent the following note:

Dear Cache Participants,

Thanks to all who participated in our Cache Equipment Training on August 4 [Editor's Note: three of us from HNA attended]. We had 96 participants (53 in the morning, 43 in the afternoon), and evaluations have been very positive. We will study the evaluations and take your comments into account when we plan next year's training.

Our September/October CERT schedule will be on-line soon. We'll be offering Disaster First Aid on Sept. 15 and Oct. 13, Light Search & Rescue on Sept. 29, and Fire Suppression on Oct. 20. All classes will be held in the morning at 997 Cedar Street.

On Saturday, October 6, from 9:00-12:00, Berkeley's Public Health Division's Preparedness Staff will be piloting a new curriculum for an on-going CERT class on Personal and Community Preparedness for Pandemic Influenza. We'd like to offer this special training especially to you, our cache groups, before we make it part of our regular CERT training. Participants will be asked for feedback to help make the course more interesting and relevant to Berkeley residents. Since this is a pilot class, attendance is limited, but we are very interested in having you attend. To register, please email me at dehrlich@ci.berkeley.ca.us. Contact Kathy Dervin, 981-5361, kdervin@ci.berkeley.ca.us, for more information on this particular class.

Please pass this information along to your neighbors. I hope to hear from you soon.

Best wishes,
Dory Ehrlich
Berkeley Fire/Office of Emergency Services

981-5506

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For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2007

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

Sunday, September 30,  5:00-7:30 p.m., Halcyon Community Potluck with Live Music, 15th Anniversary of Halcyon Neighborhood Association and 100th Anniversary of Berkeley Parks, Halcyon Commons park (Halcyon Court at Prince St.)

Saturday, October 27, 9 a.m. on, Fall Mulching in Park with help from Cal volunteers of Berkeley Project

Sunday, October 28,  6:30-8:30 p.m., Big Neighborhood Watch Community Meeting, Chochmat HaLev (location and date/time 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):

Duct Tape (this is a versatile supply that allows us to improvise with common household items in the event of a disaster: lots needed!); 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; Two-Foot Lengths of 2x4s and 4x4s (good for cribbing and creating fulcrums for removing heavy objects during search & rescue operations).

Contact HNA Co-Chair and Cache Coordinator Nancy Carleton at <halcyon92@gmail.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.

Link to crime stats:

Berkeley:  www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/police

Link to police bulletins:

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/police/crimestats/policebulletins.html

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/)/Parks: 981-6660

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 <halcyon92@gmail.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 <halcyon92@gmail.com>. Crime-watch reports and news about neighbors (births, new jobs, announcements re home businesses) 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 Halcyon Safety Walk Listserve: For those who'd like to participate in night-time and daytime safety "dog" walks (dogs not required) to build community and serve as eyes on the street, please reply  to Halcyon Neighborhood Association <halcyon92@gmail.com> indicating your interest, and you will receive an invitation to join. For everyone's safety, be sure to include your full name, address, email, and phone.

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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