HNA E-News: Last Call for Disaster Prep Water Barrel Orders (Due Thurs. 3/20); etc.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-Newsletter

* * * * * * * * * * * *

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.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

1. The 2008 Neighborhood Disaster Prep Water Barrel Order: Orders Due This Thursday, March 20!

2. LeConte Neighborhood Association Meeting, Thursday, March 20, 7:30 p.m., LeConte School (Russell St. entrance)

3. Permaculture Bike Tour (including Halcyon Commons), Sunday, April 6, 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. (starts at No. Berkeley BART)

* 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:

Last call for ordering disaster preparedness water barrels at a great discounted price. Orders must be received by the end of the day (10 p.m.) Thursday, March 20 (get them in the mail TODAY, Tuesday, or drop through the mail slot at 3044 Halcyon to be safe; please do NOT use Express mail -- If I'm not here all they leave is a slip -- first-class is actually more likely to reach me). It looks like we're on track to reach the minimum discount threshold of 70 if everyone who's indicated interest follows through and gets their order in, but the more the merrier, so if you've been meaning to take care of your disaster prep water needs, now's your chance!

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

* * * * * * * * * * * *

1. The 2008 Neighborhood Disaster Prep Water Barrel Order: Orders Due March 20!

If you missed out on ordering a 55-gallon water barrel last year, or if you've realized you'd like to store even more water, here's your chance, at a great price (with a discount off last year's prices)!

Halcyon Neighborhood Association is coordinating this joint neighborhood order of water barrels to enable households to easily store 55 gallons of water for disaster preparedness. In the event of a major quake on the Hayward Fault, it will take time for government help to reach us. Even if the main water supply through the Caldecott Tunnel area escapes damage, EBMUD predicts at least 5,000 breaks in its system! And when government trucks finally arrive with water, there will be long lines and frustrating waits to get limited supplies. Water is essential for survival! The recommendation is to store a MINIMUM of 1 gallon per person per day (2 gallons per person per day preferable, to allow for cleaning and other needs), to last for at least 5 to 14 days.

By ordering at least 70 water barrels at a time, we are obtaining a substantial discount of approximately 49% (the discount for the pumps and wrenches is more like 30%). Willard Neighborhood Association and LeConte Neighborhood Association are joining with HNA so we can place this minimum order and get more water stored in our South Berkeley neighborhoods! The water barrels cost $50; the manual pumps $10; and optional bung wrenches $10. (This is an all-volunteer effort; prices reflect actual costs.) Orders are due by 10 p.m. Thursday, March 20 (received, NOT postmarked!). To obtain a pdf of an order form for yourself or to copy and distribute to your neighbors, email HNA Co-Chair Nancy Carleton at <halcyon92@gmail.com>. Within the Halcyon neighborhood (bordered by Telegraph, Ashby, Adeline, and Woolsey), we have also passed out the order forms door to door. If you haven't received yours, please email <halcyon92@gmail.com> for the pdf version.

FYI, here's a link to the purveyor of the water barrels:

http://www.southsummit.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=674

(As you can see, because of the bulk of the barrels, the shipping costs almost as much as the barrel when ordered individually, so an individual order would be $97.95 for the barrel, as opposed to the $50 we're paying because of the bulk order and the shipment to a central location)

* * * * * * * * * * * *

2. LeConte Neighborhood Association Meeting, Thursday, March 20, 7:30 p.m., LeConte School (Russell St. entrance)

[Editor's Note: Karl Reeh, President of LeConte Neighborhood Association, whose territory overlaps with the part of Halcyon south of  Ashby, forwarded the following announcement concerning this month's LNA meeting.]

LNA Meeting, Thursday, March 20, 7:30 p.m.

LeConte School (Russell Street entrance)

Due to a PTA meeting the same evening, we will probably be meeting in the school library. (Follow the signs from the Russell St. Entrance) If you have announcements or items for the agenda, please forward them to
me. Thanks, Karl

NOTE: At our February meeting, we reelected the following individuals and officers:

Karl Reeh, President
Dick Lerner, Vice-President
Patti Dacey, Secretary
Jerry Miller, Treasurer
Members of the Board
Paul Rabinow
George Conklin
Gale Garcia
Chris Lien

Gianna Ranuzzi was also elected for her first term

* * * * * * * * * * * *

3. Permaculture Bike Tour (including Halcyon Commons), Sunday, April 6, 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. (starts at No. Berkeley BART)

The East Bay Permaculture Guild presents a:

Permaculture Bike Tour through Berkeley Gardens

Sunday April 6, 2008 - 11:30 a.m. -6 p.m.

Meet at North Berkeley BART Station, 1750 Sacramento Street

We will visit gardens we haven't featured before. There'll be youth and community gardens, fruit trees, vines, and veggies, buildings of strawbale and salvaged materials, graywater and water catchment, not to mention much mulch, chickens, a bunny rabbit, and more. The total distance we will ride throughout the day will be about 6 miles, on mostly flat terrain.

A $5 donation is requested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. We'll have a snack break around the middle of the tour, with light snacks provided. Please bring water, weather appropriate clothes, your favorite munchies and your thirst for knowledge.

Questions? <yNaught@gmail.com>

* * * * * * * * * * * *

For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2008

Dates set as of  February 2008 (verify a couple weeks before event by checking HNA E-Newsletter):

Thursday, March 20, 2008, 10 p.m., Deadline for ordering 55-gallon water barrels, drop off order forms and payment to HNA Co-Chair Nancy Carleton 3044 Halcyon Ct. (must be received by end of the day on March 20th; postmark not sufficient)

Early April (date TBD), 2008,4-6 p.m., Big Disaster Prep Planning Meeting, location TBD

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

Sunday, June  15, 5-9 p.m., Summer Garden Party, Potluck, & Program on Neighborhood History, 2329 Webster

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

* * * * * * * * * * * *

* 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.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

* 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)

* * * * * * * * * * * *

* 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.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

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/

* * * * * * * * * * * *