HNA E-News: City Safety Analysis on Prince at Fulton Tonight; Halcyon Singing Group Sunday; 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. Crime Watch Follow-up: Safety Analysis by City Staff Outside Chochmat HaLev This Evening, Weds. Jan. 16, 6:30 p.m.

2. Disaster Prep Planning Meeting, Sunday, January 27, 4-6 p.m., 3049 Wheeler Street

3. Halcyon Singing Group Starting: First Meeting Sunday, Jan. 20, 5-6:30 p.m.

4 . LeConte Neighborhood Association meeting, Thursday, January 17, 7:30-9 p.m., LeConte Cafeteria

5. Community Labyrinth Walk, Sunday, January 20, 3 p.m., Willard Middle School

6. Low-Cost Used Bricks Available on Fulton Street

* 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:

Sunday's post-holiday potluck was a tremendous success, with over 60 neighbors attending among the four households. Thanks to all who came, as well as to those who passed out flyers and spread the word. Besides being good to see everyone, it was also a great opportunity to wish HNA Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Dawn Trygstad Rubin a very Happy Birthday and to thank her for all she does to make our neighborhood a wonderful place to live.

Another nice outcome of the potluck was that some of us set the first meeting date for a new Halcyon singing group (see item 3). A few of us had so much fun caroling with the East Lorin folks that some of our night-time safety walks in the coming year may incorporate singing as well (there are plenty of songs besides carols, and we observed that it wasn't likely that anyone would commit a crime while we were out there on the block singing!). We'll see what evolves!

Please do keep in mind that the E-News now goes to 350 households in the immediate neighborhood, and another 100-plus in the larger neighborhood, so if you have an idea about something you've been wanting to get started - a drumming circle, a book club, or the sky's the limit - keep this resource in mind to share your idea with the neighborhood. You'll find there are many convivial, like-minded people within a short walk. And a welcome side effect is that building community is one of the best (and most enjoyable ways) to increase neighborhood safety and create a healthy, thriving place to live.

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

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1. Crime Watch Follow-up: Safety Analysis by City Staff Outside Chochmat HaLev This Evening, Weds. Jan. 16, 6:30 p.m.

As part of a response to the mugging of two women affiliated with Chochmat HaLev at the end of last year, City staff will be meeting with members of Chochmat HaLev (Prince at Fulton) to evaluate logistical changes that could help prevent crime along the corridor leading to the synagogue (i.e., Prince Street to BART and surrounding blocks). This could include recommendations on changes to lighting, tree trimming to allow more light at night, bush trimming to prevent hiding places, and so on). Neighbors are welcome to attend, or if you have something you'd like brought to the attention of City staff relating to City infrastructure that might have an effect on safety, feel free to email <halcyon92@gmail.com> by 6 p.m. today and your idea will be passed on.

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2. Disaster Prep Planning Meeting, Sunday, January 27, 4-6 p.m., 3049 Wheeler Street

Your participation is needed and appreciated to help move our emergency preparedness forward at a planning meeting on January 27th! It looks like we have the likelihood of getting an additional disaster supply cache for the part of the neighborhood west of Shattuck, especially if enough folks from that end show up to help move things forward.

From 4 to 5 p.m., we'll begin the process of planning a big neighborhood-wide disaster preparedness drill (scheduled for May 18). We'll also discuss logistics for another 55-gallon water barrel order and other ways we can move our disaster prep efforts forward step by step.

From 5 to 6 p.m., we'll brainstorm about getting another disaster supply cache located  in the area west of Shattuck and east of Adeline. We especially invite the participation of those who live west of Shattuck! Agenda topics will include getting clear on the best location for the cache (the likeliest possibility so far looks like the corner of Tremont and Woolsey) and getting started filling out the required City application. If you have another location to suggest or want more information, contact <halcyon92@gmail.com> or come to the meeting!

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3. Halcyon Singing Group Starting: First Meeting Sunday, Jan. 20, 5-6:30 p.m., 2127 Essex Street

Several neighbors have expressed interest in forming an informal singing group in the neighborhood, and at the progressive potluck, a core group of four set the first date!

The idea is for the group to be open to singers of various abilities and experience, and to sing as we build community and have fun. At the first meeting we can discuss what shape we'd like the group it to take (musical focus, how often to meet, whether to sometimes take our singing onto the streets as part of night-time safety walks, openness in terms of membership, etc.). Here are the details for the first meeting:

Halcyon Singing Group, First Meeting
Sunday, January 20, 5-6:30 p.m.
Irene Kessel's house
2127 Essex (between Wheeler & Shattuck)

Feel free to bring a song to lead us in singing.

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4 . LeConte Neighborhood Association meeting, Thursday, January 17, 7:30-9 p.m., LeConte Cafeteria

Karl Reeh, President of LeConte Neighborhood Association (which includes neighbors south of campus  to the Oakland border and west of Telegraph to Shattuck, overlapping with Halcyon Neighborhood Association south of Ashby), sends the following announcement of LNA's monthly meeting:

Thursday, January 17 is the date for our next LeConte Neighborhood Association. It will be held at the LeConte School cafeteria from 7:30 to around 9:00 p.m. Our agenda will include:

2516 Ellsworth: The architect who is planning this expansion will present the details. Chris Lien who represented LNA at the recent ZAB meeting got them to agree that we should have a chance to learn more about this project before their final vote.

Increased robberies and other crimes in our neighborhood: One or both of our BPD Area  coordinators is expected to be present to answer questions about recent events. We will then have a discussion about ways to work collectively to increase our personal and community safety.

Nancy Carleton will be presenting details of a group purchase of barrels for water storage for disaster preparation. Following a major earthquake, adequate drinking water will be top priority.)

Board Election: Most of our current board members have agreed to run again but we are always looking for additional help in carrying out association duties.

If you have announcements or other agenda items, please let me know. See you Thursday!

Cheers, Karl

P.S. Annual dues of $10 per household will help us pay for future meeting sites. (BUSD now requires us to pay for insurance at a minimum of $100 for up to 3 meetings.)

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5. Community Labyrinth Walk, Sunday, January 20, 3 p.m., Willard Middle School

SUNDAY, January 20

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.

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6. Low-Cost Used Bricks Available on Fulton Street

Hey, neighbors! Looking to limit mud in your yard? Make a patio?

It's earthquake hazard reduction time and we're having our 3-story 1880 chimney taken down. The part above the roof line is already off. So far there are about 200 (very authentic, used) red bricks, most of them whole. What little mortar is left (in many cases none or nearly so) is very easily scraped off. These are ideal for rustic paving, and if you live in the 'hood, transportation is easy. (We even have a wheelbarrow you can borrow.) I'm thinking $60 for the 200 or so? E-mail me at: donna@lmi.net, or call me in the evening at home, 848-8744. (We'll put them on craigslist if no one around here wants them.)

Thanks,
Donna Mickleson

2926 Fulton Street

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For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2008

Dates set as of  January 2008 (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 (see flyers and E-News)

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;  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 to reach Berkeley emergency from a cell)

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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