HNA E-News: Safety Walk Weds., 9:30-10; Labyrinth Walks 12/16 & 12/21; Crime Watch Updates; 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. Halcyon Safety Walk, Weds., Dec. 12, 9:30-10 p.m., leaving Halcyon Commons at 9:30 Sharp (with Hot Cocoa)

2. Chochmat HaLev Safety Task Force Meeting, Sun. Dec. 16, 9 a.m.

3. Upcoming Willard Labyrinth Walks,  Sun. Dec. 16, 3 p.m.; and Solstice Walk by Candlelight, Fri. Dec. 21, 6-8 p.m.

4. Clarification about (Lack of) Funding for Undergrounding From WNA President Vincent Cassalaina

5 New Stoplight Planned for Shattuck as Woolsey (Response to Concern Raised re Crossing at Prince Street)

6. Crime Watch Report: More Detailed Description of Suspects in Last Weeks Robbery on Prince at Wheeler

7. Crime Watch Report: Robbery on Shattuck at 66th (East Lorin) and OPD Response

8. Interesting Link Concerning Neighborhood Demographics by Zipcode

* For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2008

* Disaster Prep Supply Cache Wish List

* City of Berkeley: Useful Contact Information

* Halcyon Neighborhood Association's Guiding Principles

Editor's Introductory Note:

In the wake of the robbery on Prince of two of our Chochmat HaLev neighbors last week, we're hoping to step up our safety walks, and Chochmat HaLev is requesting additional police presence during the ten-minute window when people are getting out of  classes or services. But in order to accomplish putting together more walks, we could really use more a critical mass of neighbors willing to take an occasional walk. The walks don't have to be long to be effective, but more frequent random walks would really help. Please respond by reply email to <halcyon92@gmail.com> with your name, phone number, and address if you'd like to receive an invitation to join the Yahoo Group that plans both the walks that get announced in the E-News and impromptu walks (see item 1 for information on this Wednesday's scheduled walk).

Hope to see you tomorrow night or at  another one of our upcoming Safety Walks!

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

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1. Halcyon Safety Walk, Weds., Dec. 12, 9:30-10 p.m., leaving Halcyon Commons at 9:30 Sharp (with Hot Cocoa)

With the mugging a week ago Wednesday at around 9:30 p.m. in mind, the Halcyon Safety Walkers invite concerned neighbors to join them in a walk focusing on Prince and Wheeler this Wednesday evening, from 9:30 to 10 p.m., starting promptly from the picnic table in Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince). In the spirit of the season, neighbor (and HNA Treasurer) Susan Hunter will be offering some hot cocoa as we start out. Bring friendly dogs, flashlights, and cellphones preprogrammed with both the police cell emergency number  (510-981-5911) and nonemergency number (510-981-5900). Please email <halcyon92@gmail.com> if you plan to attend or if you'd like to be added to the Halcyon Safety Walk list to plan future and impromptu walks. We could really use some additional walkers so we can step up our presence as eyes on the street, all while having a good time and building community!

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2. Chochmat HaLev Safety Task Force Meeting, Sun. Dec. 16, 9 a.m.

[Editor's Note: Cheryl Bartky, who was one of the victims of last week's robbery, forwarded the following invitation.]

Hello friends,

 

Maurice Abrams and I have scheduled a CHL safety task force meeting for this Sunday Dec. 16 at 9 a.m. at Chochmat HaLev [Prince at Fulton]. We hope you can join us. We plan to brainstorm ways our community can pull together and create more safety as we enter and leave our building.  We'd like to be more involved with the Halcyon neighborhood watch group and so we hope we can all come together. I will request that a notice go out to the CHL community about the meeting.

 

Hope to see you Sunday morning.  Please let me know if you can come, and  please let the Halcyon group know about this meeting in case anyone is available and interested in coming.  And to all of you - please let anyone you know of that would be interested know.  We need as many people involved in this process as possible.  Thank you.

 

Warm Regards to all,

Cheryl Bartky  <sanctuarysuccess@sbcglobal.net>

Chochmat HaLev

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3. Upcoming Labyrinth Walks at Willard,  Sun. Dec. 16, 3 p.m.; and Solstice Walk by Candlelight, Fri. Dec. 21, 6-8 p.m.

SUNDAY, December 16

Community Labyrinth Peace Walk at 3 p.m., Willard Middle School (Telegraph Ave. between Derby & Stuart, Berkeley). Everyone welcome. Wheelchair accessible. Rain cancels. Contact  info@eastbaylabyrinthproject.org, 510-526-7377.

FRIDAY, December 21

Winter Solstice Labyrinth Walk by Candlelight, drop by anytime 6-8 p.m., Willard Middle School (Telegraph Ave. between Derby & Stuart, Berkeley). Take a break from the holiday stress to enjoy a quiet walk, hot mulled cider, and nibbles. Free. Everyone welcome. Wheelchair accessible. Rain cancels. Contact  info@eastbaylabyrinthproject.org, 510-526-7377.

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4. Clarification about (Lack of) Funding for Undergrounding From WNA President Vincent Cassalaina

[Editor's Note: Vincent Cassaliana, President of Willard Neighborhood Association, forwarded the following clarification about funding for undergrounding (in response to a prior E-News update from a neighbor on solar and undergrounding issues).]

The Willard Neighborhood Assoc. had a presentation on undergrounding utilities a couple of months ago.  The bottom line is that there is no new city/state/PG&E funding for undergrounding utilities in any residential neighborhood.

There was a special deal struck a number of years ago that let money flow to some neighborhoods for undergrounding,  but that is no longer possible.  The current neighborhoods that are seeing undergrounding are the last of the ones that had initially been approved.

The only money that is available is for undergrounding along major arterials and commercial areas.

We were very disappointed by that news, as the cost to fund the undergrounding is way too high for most homeowners to want to bear on their own.  Maybe if the solar power initiative goes through,  that low interest rate loan structure could be extended to undergrounding too,  but for now there is just no money to subsidize undergrounding.

Whether the City of Berkeley will use the same funding scheme on undergrounding that they do on Solar is a big issue as Solar is an individual decision to spend the money, while undergrounding affects every homeowner on the block whether they want to spend the money or not.

Vincent

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5. New Stoplight Planned for Shattuck as Woolsey (Response to Concern Raised re Crossing at Prince Street)

[Editor's Note: In a recent E-News, a neighbor shared concerns about pedestrian safety at the intersection of Shattuck and Woolsey and suggested some solutions. Another reader, Robert Lauriston, wrote in with the following information.]

"Re pedestrian safety at Prince and Shattuck, as part of the Ed Roberts Campus project, the City is planning to install a traffic light at Woolsey and Shattuck, which will provide a safer pedestrian crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists on the way to BART."

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6. Crime Watch Report: More Detailed Description of Suspects in Last Weeks Robbery on Prince at Wheeler

[Editor's Note: I asked for more detailed descriptions of the three robbers in last Wednesday's robbery of two women on Prince near Wheeler. Here's what one of them provided.]

"Three African American males, early 20s: #1:  Tall, skinny, 6'1'' or 6' 2" or so, wearing baggy pants, and a white hoodie over a watch cap.  White hoodie had a charcoal gray pattern on it made up of bars and "S" type shapes.  He was nervous, a bit jumpy, had a thin oval face, medium-dark complexion, high cheekbones.  He was the one holding a long  round-barreled revolver-type black gun.  This may have been a toy; the round barrel was a foot long at least, and I am not sure that is genuine, but it is better not to take a chance (!) 

#2:  Dark-complected stocky man, maybe 5'8 or 9"--with dark blue or black watch cap or backwards baseball cap.  He had on semi-shiny black zip jacket over a dark sweater, black pants, jacket unzipped.  He went through my pockets saying, "Where's the money--where's the money!" but when I said, "I have nothing," he did not press further, but did take my keys out of my pocket.

#3 was also dark complected, short and stocky, but I did not really get a look at him.

In general, I was looking away from their faces, just by instinct.

A man on the corner of Prince street said they got into a red Pontiac.  A few minutes after the robbery, I saw a red older Pontiac-like car with a sloped cab, with some dents in the body, at least 10 years old I think.  It went around and up Prince, FOLLOWING the police car which had just come.  It turned south on Deakin.  I got a bit off the plate; I ended up with three number/letters but I am not sure what they were now- perhaps H  0  1  though not in that order."

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7. Crime Watch Report: Robbery on Shattuck at 66th (East Lorin) and OPD Response

[Editor's Note; Nomad Cafe owner Christopher Waters, forwarded the following information from the OPD list:

On Dec 10, 2007, at 8:38 AM, Meeks, James wrote:

Off. J. Jochim (1L11) called in to report a Robbery 211(armed)P.C. that occurred in the 6600 blk of Shattuck Ave at ^:20 [this typo is in the original, so the exact time is unknown] p.m.

 A male adult victim, uninjured, was met at the scene by responding units.  Loss was a wallet, a cell phone and cash.  The suspect was an adult male, armed with a handgun, who fled the scene with the loss on foot.

We are conducting Robbery Suppression Operations five to six days a week for the month of December.  The community is asked to report all suspicious activity to the [Oakland] police, 777-3333 or 777-3211.  If a person observes a crime in progress, call 911 and stay on the line.  Give the best description possible.

Thanks,

Lt. Meeks

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8. Interesting Link Concerning Neighborhood Demographics by Zipcode

[Editor's Note: Lisa Bullwinkel, who puts together the FRNA neighborhood list, included the following interesting link in a recent message.]

Check out this website for statistical info on your zip code and you can compare with others.  Lowdown on the schools, economics, etc. 94705 is quite interesting.

 -Lisa

http://zipskinny.com/

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

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

Sunday, January 13, 2008, 5:30-8:45 p.m., Post-Holiday Progressive Potluck, four locations TBA

Sunday, January 27, 2008,  4-6 p.m., Disaster Preparedness Committee meeting  (4-5 p.m. plan spring disaster prep drill;  5-6 p.m., discuss supply cache for west of Shattuck), Wheeler St.

Saturday, February 23, 2008, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (heavy rain reschedules), Work Party, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)

Sunday, March 16, 2008,  6-8 p.m., Community Potluck, location TBD

Late March/Early April, date to be announced by Cal's Berkeley Project, Big Work Party in Halcyon Commons and surrounding neighborhood, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)

Sunday, March 30, 2008,  4-6 p.m., Big Disaster Prep Planning Meeting, location TBD

Sunday, March 30, 2008, 8 p.m., Deadline for ordering 55-gallon water barrels, drop off order forms and payment to HNA Co-Chair Nancy Carleton 3044 Halcyon Ct.

Sunday, May 18, 3-5:30 p.m. (setup 2-3 p.m.), Outdoors Neighborhood Watch event with BIG Neighborhood Disaster Prep Drill, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)

Saturday, May 31, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Work Party, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)

Sunday, June 1 (tentative date), afternoon, Neighborhood Watch Self-Defense Training, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)

Sunday, June 22, 6-8 p.m., Summer Community Potluck, location TBD (someone's backyard/patio)

Saturday, July 26, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.,  Work Party, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)

Tuesday, August 5, 6-8:30 p.m., National Night Out Against Crime (Potluck 6-7:30; Safety Walk, 7:30-8:30), Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince) and surrounding neighborhood

Saturday, September 20, 9:30 a.m.-12 noon, Work Party, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)

Sunday, September 28, 4-7 p.m., Party in the Park to Celebrate Completion of Halcyon Commons Rejuvenation Project (with potluck and live music), Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)

Late October/Early November, date to be announced by Cal's Berkeley Project, Big Work Party in Halcyon Commons and surrounding neighborhood, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)

Sunday, October 12, 4-5:30, Big Neighborhood Watch meeting, location TBD

Sunday, November 9, 6-8 p.m. Fall Community Potluck, location TBD

November/December, Sunday afternoon, 4-5:30 p.m., Planning meeting, 2009 dates, date TBD, location TBD

Sunday, January 11, 2009, 5:30-8:45 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 (LOTS of these needed!), 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:  981-6620 (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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