HNA E-News: Thank You; Proclamation Honoring HNA; Upcoming Events; Crime Watch; 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 personal viewpoint.

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1. A Big Thank-You to All Who Helped with HNA's 15th Anniversary Celebration!

2. City of Berkeley Proclamation in Honor of the 15th Anniversary of Halcyon Neighborhood Association

3. Big Neighborhood Work Party, Saturday, Oct. 27, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Volunteers Needed

4. Fall Neighborhood Watch Meeting, Sunday, Oct. 28, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Chochmat HaLev (Prince at Fulton)

5. Crime Watch Report: Bike Stolen from Basement on Ashby Avenue

6. Crime Watch Report: Car Break-in on Emerson Street

7. Concert/Labyrinth Walk with musician Margie Adam, Sunday, October 28, 4-6 p.m.

8. Large Gray Cat Missing from 2900 Block of Fulton

* For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2007/Early 2008

* Disaster Prep Supply Cache Wish List

* City of Berkeley: Useful Contact Information

* Halcyon Neighborhood Association's Guiding Principles

Editor's Introductory Note:

Thanks to all who made last Sunday's party in the park such a success (see item 1). And a personal thank-you for the birthday greetings and the delicious birthday cake arranged by Susan Hunter! It was the perfect way to round out my birthday celebration surrounded by community.

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

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1. A Big Thank-You to All Who Helped with HNA's 15th Anniversary Celebration!

HNA Co-Chair John Steere, the lead organizer for last Sunday's 15th Anniversary Celebration, submitted the following:

Dear all:

 

What  wonderful and truly memorable celebration we had of our neighborhood Sunday night!!! Thank you, Peter, of the Zazous, for your fab performance and, thank you, Dan, of Rodeo Victory as well. Your groups really helped to animate and make the party so festive and fun; not to mention the host of hula hoops that showed up and folks were dancing with. . . . Kriss, THANK YOU for loaning your chairs and tables and especially for organizing the City proclamation [see item 2] to pay tribute to the collaborative work of Halcyon Neighborhood Association to steward our place and create community. It was a fitting demonstration that this has occurred that almost 150 neighbors came and brought a great feast with them and that so many stayed well past dark to talk and dine and dance.

 

Many thanks, too to those of you who helped at the event - to Dawn, Carolyn, and Tory for  being crew for the event - to set the stage for the gathering. It turned out to be fine performance, so to speak. And thanks to Nick and Whole Foods for their ongoing in-kind support of our events and work parties. Please pass along my appreciation, Nick, to Kelly for coming to represent the store last night.

 

Cheers,

 John

And from HNA Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Dawn Trygstad Rubin:

Thank you, John, for doing the lion's share of the organizing and to everyone who made this event so successful.  It was a great event - the most fun we've ever had,  I think.  The music was amazing, the proclamation appreciated, the food fabulous, the attendance impressive, and the neighbors charming.

Thank goodness we had scheduled this before the recent crime wave.  When we all know each other, and remember how much we like each other, it's easier to do more together on the "work" issues of maintaining the park and neighborhood watch (crime prevention and reporting, emergency preparedness).

Ciao,
Dawn

Editor's Note: Thanks as well to all who helped distribute flyers letting people know about the event - and to Chochmat HaLev for donating the photocopying!

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2. City of Berkeley Proclamation in Honor of the 15th Anniversary of Halcyon Neighborhood Association

The following Proclamation honoring HNA was read at the event last Sunday, and signed copies were presented to the individuals named. Thanks to Councilmember Kriss Worthington for sponsoring the Proclamation, and to the Mayor and all the rest of the City Council who supported and signed it!

WHEREAS, in 1992, the desire to create a park in what was then a parking lot led to the birth of Halcyon Neighborhood Association (HNA); and

WHEREAS, a core group of neighborhood leaders - Nancy Carleton, Susan Hunter, Michael Lamb, John Steere, and Bruce Wicinas - formed a Steering Committee to give birth to HNA, which organized more than one hundred community volunteers to design and create Halcyon Commons through a collaborative City-neighborhood partnership; and
 

WHEREAS, subsequent leaders, including HNA Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Dawn Rubin, Halcyon  Safety "Dog" Walk Founder Pamela Dameron, and Halcyon Community Potluck Coordinator Tory Finn, have joined HNA Co-Chairs John Steere and Nancy Carleton and a variety of Steering Committee members to keep HNA vital and active for fifteen years;

WHEREAS, HNA has consistently practiced a nonpartisan approach to neighborhood organizing that has encouraged participation from hundreds of neighbors across Berkeley's political spectrum, making possible exemplary community building, disaster preparedness, crime watch, greening, and information-sharing efforts, including the often-emulated HNA E-News; and

WHEREAS, HNA has thus served as a model for other neighborhood and greening efforts in the City of  Berkeley through positively organized community collaboration and partnership,
 
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Berkeley City Council gratefully acknowledges

Halcyon Neighborhood Association on its Fifteenth Anniversary and the neighbors who created

and have sustained it through the years, for their extraordinary service on behalf of building community and improving quality of life in this South Berkeley neighborhood.

Signed by Mayor Tom Bates, Councilmember Linda Maio, Councilmember Darryl Moore, Councilmember Max Anderson, Councilmember Dona Spring, Councilmember Laurie Capitelli, Councilmember Betty Olds, Councilmember Kriss Worthington, and Councilmember Gordon Wozniak

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3. Big Neighborhood Work Party, Saturday, Oct. 27, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Volunteers Needed

Saturday, October 27, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Meet at Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)

Refreshments courtesy of Whole Foods Market

Weeding, Mulching, and Planting in Halcyon Commons and nearby landscaped barriers

Painting Addresses on the Sidewalk to help make our neighborhood easier to navigate by police and emergency personnel

Picking up Litter from Streets and Removing Graffiti from as wide an area of our neighborhood as we can reach that day

Please mark your calendars now to spend a few hours helping us with our big annual fall work party. Around 30 student volunteers will be helping us out as part of Cal's Berkeley Project day.

In order to accomplish the most we can with this much-appreciated help from the Cal volunteers, we need plenty of neighbors on hand to provide guidance. If you can help for any or all of these two-hour shifts -- 9 to 11, 11 to 1, 1 to 3 -- please let us know by emailing <halcyon92@gmail.com>. We need your help to make this day as successful as it can possibly be. THANK YOU!

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4. Fall Neighborhood Watch Meeting, Sunday, Oct. 28, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Chochmat HaLev (Prince at Fulton)

Please mark your calendar now for our semi-annual neighborhood watch meeting (the spring meeting emphasizes emergency preparedness; the fall meeting emphasizes crime watch, though both are included each time). This is our big chance to network with our beat officers and city reprentatives and share our concerns about neighborhood safety. More on the agenda in the next E-News! And the evening is especially timely given the recent upsurge in crime along the Berkeley-Oakland border.

If you can help HNA Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Dawn Trygstad Rubin set up at 6 p.m. the evening of the 28th, please contact her at <familyrubin@comcast.net>.

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5. Crime Watch Report: Bike Stolen from Basement on Ashby Avenue

An Ashby Avenue neighbor reports:

"A bike was stolen out of the basement of our house on Ashby Ave, within the last two weeks.  I was out of town and hadn't used the bike since 9/16, so not sure when it happened, but may have been the night of 9/28 because the basement was left unlocked for a period of time.  It doesn't appear that anything else was stolen (e.g., there areother bikes that are stored there). It was a 17" blue Giant Mtn. bike, like new condition, with a rack on the back & disc brakes.  If by chance anyone happens to spot it, please contact me." [Editor's Note: Email your reply to <halcyon92@gmail.com> and we will forward your message to the neighbor in question.]

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6. Crime Watch Report: Car Break-in on Emerson Street

An Emerson Street neighbor reports:

"My neighbor has informed me that her boyfriend's truck (which was parked out front in my carport) was broken into Tuesday early morning (10/2) at 5:45 a.m. The thief also made an attempt to get into another car (which he keyed up and messed up pretty badly) when my neighbor heard noise below and yelled at him out the window  - he took off quickly and jumped into a silver car and drove off. He was an African American male. The incident was reported to the police.  We live on Emerson St. near Wheeler."

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7. Concert/Labyrinth Walk with musician Margie Adam, Sunday, October 28, 4-6 p.m.

[Editor's Note: A number of Halcyon neighbors, including HNA Co-Chair Nancy Carleton, are involved with this project.]

Singer, songwriter, and pianist Margie Adam will bring her "PORTAL Experience" concert/labyrinth walk to Berkeley City Club, , 2315 Durant, Sunday, October 28, 4-6:30 p.m., to benefit the East Bay Labyrinth Project (EBLP). This intimate afternoon event will feature Margie's piano and vocal music, followed by a community walk on a 40-foot Chartres-style canvas labyrinth enveloped in large screen projections of Scotland's ancient Callanish Stones. Lauren Artress, author and labyrinth movement visionary, will be EBLP's special guest. The concert/walk launches EBLP's campaign to raise $100,000 to install a public and accessible labyrinth at the Berkeley Marina at a site approved by the Waterfront Commission and Berkeley City Council after an extensive public process. Tickets $25 advance; $30 door; $15 students. www.margieadam.com or (510)526-7377.

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8. Large Gray Cat Missing from 2900 Block of Fulton

A Fulton Street neighbor from just across Ashby sends the following notice:

Hello Neighbors: We seem to have lost our cat. His name is Koshi, and he is a large [dark] gray cat who spends his days scheming ways to get outside. Wednesday (10/3) was the first night he did not come home, and we are getting a little worried (especially as he does not have claws (rescued him that way)). He is pretty big and normally very friendly. We checked the shelter this afternoon and no luck. We fear he might have trapped himself somewhere. So if anyone hears a 'meow' from an odd place, we would appreciate if you gave a quick look. We've posted a few sheets up around the neighborhood with his picture. [Editor's Note: The picture is up in the bulletin board in Halcyon Commons.]

Thanks, Shadrach & Rhyen

503-679-6670; 503-998-2016

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For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2007/Early 2008

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

Saturday, October 27, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Fall Mulching in Park & Neighborhood Work Party (including painting addresses on sidewalks) with help from Cal volunteers of Berkeley Project

Sunday, October 28,  6:30-8:00 p.m., Big Neighborhood Watch Community Meeting, Chochmat HaLev (Prince at Fulton)

Sunday, January 13, 2008, 5:00-8:30 p.m., 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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* Halcyon Neighborhood Association's Guiding Principles

HNA is a community group dedicated to stewardship of the Halcyon Neighborhood in South Berkeley (bounded by Telegraph, Ashby, Adeline, and Woolsey). We encourage positive, proactive, partnership-oriented approaches to improving the well-being of our neighborhood, with an emphasis on the following goals:

• Community building (such as regular potlucks, special events in the park, mutual support among neighbors, and multiblock yard sales);
• Ongoing care of Halcyon Commons (a park conceived of and created by the neighbors who founded HNA) under the nonprofit umbrella provided by Berkeley Partners for Parks and in partnership with the City of Berkeley;
• Continued greening and care of the neighborhood (planting trees, cleaning litter off streets, graffiti removal, and helping maintain public landscaped features);
• Strengthening neighborhood watch (crime watch, community safety walks, emergency preparedness, and disaster supply cache);
• Networking with the larger Berkeley community (nearby neighborhood groups, neighborhood businesses, City staff, and elected officials);
• Sharing information and empowering residents to become proactive in addressing neighborhood needs and in expressing individual viewpoints regarding civic affairs (spreading news through meetings, flyers, and the HNA E-Newsletter, and providing contact information).

        To fulfill these goals, HNA provides a sanctuary from partisan politics so that neighbors with diverse viewpoints feel welcome to participate. Thus, HNA only takes stands on larger issues when there is near-unanimity among neighbors. By focusing on immediate local concerns, we find we can have a greater impact and get better results from the time we invest.

       Guided by these principles, HNA invites neighbors who are willing to work together in a spirit of partnership to participate at whatever level makes sense for them. Opportunities for serving on our volunteer Steering Committee and project-oriented committees are available to neighbors who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work together in a nonpartisan spirit. Neighbors are invited to step forward into leadership positions defined by the work they do in accordance with HNA's primary goals and guiding principles.

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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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