HNA E-News:Work Party in Park Tomorrow, Sat. 9-noon, "Dog" Walk Tonight at 9 p.m., 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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1. Work Party in Halcyon Commons, Saturday, August 4, 9 a.m. to noon

2. National Night Out Against Crime, Tuesday, August 7, 6-8:30 p.m., Halcyon Commons Park (Volunteers Needed)

3. Disaster Prep Drill at the Berkeley Marina, Saturday, August 4, 1:30-4:30 p.m.: Spaces Still Available!

4. Halcyon Safety "Dog" Walk Tonight, Friday, 9 p.m.

5. Update from Dawn Rubin on Alcohol Sales on 2525 Telegraph & on Shattuck

6. Crime Watch Report: Laptop Burglarized from Prince Street House

* For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2007

* Disaster Prep Supply Cache Wish List

* City of Berkeley: Useful Contact Information

Editor's Introductory Note:

If you possibly can, please take a bit of time tomorrow morning to help with the work party in Halcyon Commons (see item 1). As the saying goes, many hands make light work. Even if you can only spare half an hour, you'll make a big difference.

And note the Halcyon Safety "Dog" Walk this evening at 9 (see item 4) -- no dog required.

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

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1. Work Party in Halcyon Commons, Saturday, August 4, 9 a.m. to noon

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). Taking good care of our park is crucial to keeping it a safe and inviting center of our neighborhood. Please lend a hand!

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2. National Night Out Against Crime, Tuesday, August 7, 6-8:30 p.m., Halcyon Commons Park

Let's show the City our neighborhood is united to prevent crime and cultivate a strong and safe community! After the armed robberies earlier this summer, it's clear we need to keep working together. Join us for a fun evening sharing food, information, and crime-prevention strategies. Representatives from the Police and Fire Department as well as other City officials will be stopping by during the course of the evening. There will be special activities for kids.

Tuesday, August 7, National Night Out Against Crime

Children welcome & encouraged to attend!

6-7:30 Potluck in the Park

Halcyon Commons Park (Halcyon Court at Prince Street)

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

Potluck suggestions: Appetizer: N-R * Main Dish: S-Z * Salad: A-G * Dessert:  H-M

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

7:30-8:30 Safety Walk through the Larger Neighborhood up to BART

starting at Halcyon Commons Park (Halcyon at Prince)

(We'll identify problem areas for possible future action.)

Volunteers Needed to Help Set Up, Clean Up, and Plan Children's Activities.

Please contact HNA Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Dawn Rubin if you can help: <familyrubin@comcast.net>

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3. Disaster Prep Drill at the Berkeley Marina, Saturday, August 4, 1:30-4:30 p.m.: Spaces Still Available!

Saturday, August 4

1:30-4:30 p.m.

Berkeley Marina (M dock area/park and classroom)

The training includes deploying hose, radio communications, use of medical equipment, cribbing, fire suppression, use of the 5-gallon backpack/pump, generator set-up and hooking to hydrants.

Three HNA members have signed up so far to attend this City-sponsored Disaster Prep Drill, which will train us in more effectively utilizing the supplies in our Neighborhood Disaster Prep Cache on behalf of the neighborhood. More spaces are available, and the City is making many resources available at this afternoon training. Let's get some more folks from our neighborhood there! Please respond asap to HNA Disaster Supply Cache Coordinator Nancy Carleton at <halcyon92@gmail.com> if you could join us in attending this useful training. The more of us who attend, the better prepared we'll be!

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4. Halcyon Safety "Dog" Walk Tonight, Friday, 9 p.m.

Meet at the picnic table at Halcyon Commons park (Halcyon at Prince Street)

Friday, August 3, 9 p.m.

Halcyon Safety Walks typically last 40-45 minutes (with the option of taking longer to cover more of the neighborhood if some of the group so desire).

Note that the HNA Halcyon Safety Walk Listserve enables members to plan impromptu walks (most aren't listed in the E-News).

To sign up for the 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. This listserve exists solely to plan walks; you will not be exposing yourself to random spam, political notices, etc. Please join us!

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5. Update from Dawn Rubin on Alcohol Sales on 2525 Telegraph & on Shattuck

Hello Folks,

 

FYI - Here is a communication from Greg Powell from the City Planning department responding to concern about additional alcohol sales with my response to him.

 

Dawn Rubin

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From: Rubin Family

Sent: Friday, July 27, 2007 8:04 AM
To: 'Powell, Greg'
Subject: RE: 2525 Telegraph Ave - Former Blue Nile Restaurant

Hi Greg,

 

I really appreciate your responding to the concern about more alcohol outlets in our neighborhood.  We have such an overconcentration, and some of us have spent lots of time trying to clean up messes, that we do get concerned when we see a proposal for anything else.  Even the one additional use that we have recently supported as a neighborhood (Spud's Pizza) has had issues with selling alcohol to minors.

 

It sounds like staff is on top of this issue. I can't speak for the neighborhood as a whole, but I personally support Blue Nile expanding their spacewithout being able to add distilled spirits, especially as long as they close by midnight. Our family eats there periodically and it is a nice, local business with delicious food.  One note - with other businesses, neighbors have asked that they close by 10 p.m. Sun.-Thurs. so people can get to sleep on work nights.

 

As it turns out, I think the business that was referenced in the previous email was actually the Chevron at the corner of Shattuck (not Telegraph) and Ashby.  I and many other neighbors would be strongly opposed to that business becoming a mini-mart that could sell any kind of alcohol, even beer and wine.  We already have Black & White Liquors, a full-service, minority-owned liquor store practically across the street from the Chevron.  Please let me know if this issue comes before the ZAB.

Dawn Rubin

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From: Powell, Greg [mailto:GPowell@ci.berkeley.ca.us]

Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2007 3:43 PM

Subject: 2525 Telegraph Ave - Former Blue Nile Restaurant

Hello [Neighbor]:

Wanted to let you know that the proposal for tonight's meeting at the ZAB is for a proposal to expand the former Blue Nile Restaurant into an adjacent space + extend the hours of operation + add the sale of distilled spirits to the existing beer and wine license. Staff's recommendation is to allow the expansion of the former Blue Nile Restaurant but to limit the hours to no later than midnight and to not allow the sale of distilled spirits. Should the ZAB elect to not follow staff's recommendation, staff will encourage the ZAB to continue the matter.

Your correspondence will be forwarded to the ZAB.  Thanks for your interest.

Greg Powell
Senior Planner
Land Use Planning Division
City of Berkeley
2120 Milvia Street
Berkeley CA 94704
(510) 981-7414
gpowell@ci.berkeley.ca.us <mailto:gpowell@ci.berkeley.ca.us>

Fax: (510) 981-7420

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6. Crime Watch Report: Laptop Burglarized from Prince Street House

A Prince Street neighbor reports:

"Last Sunday (7/29/07), between 7 and 9 p.m., somebody broke into our house and stole a laptop computer.  The computer was noticed missing until Monday morning, and was confirmed gone after a thorough going-over of the house.  I contacted our beat cop at  5 p.m. on Monday night after work; the officer on duty, came by to take the report."

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For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2007

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

Saturday, August 4, 9 a.m.-noon, Work Party in Halcyon Commons park (Halcyon Court at Prince St.)

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,  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, 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 <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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