HNA E-News: National Night Out Against Crime This Tuesday, August 5: Potluck 6-7:30 in Park, Then Safety Walk; 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. National Night Out Against Crime, Tuesday, August 5, 6-7:30 Potluck at Halcyon Commons; 7:30-8:30 Safety Walk

2. Memorial Celebration Honoring Councilmember Dona Spring, Sunday, August 10, 2 p.m., Civic Center Park

3. Slide Show and Talk on Ecovillages, Monday, August 18, 7:15-9 p.m., 2329 Webster

4. Community Labyrinth Peace Walk, Willard Labyrinth, Sunday, August 17, 3 p.m.

5. Crime Watch Alerts: Robberies Up in Berkeley

* 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:

Please take a stand for neighborhood safety and a healthier community by taking part in this Tuesday's National Night Out Against Crime on August 5th (see item 1), which will conclude with an optional safety walk through the larger neighborhood. Come have a good time in the park while sharing potluck items with your neighbors and strategizing about how to prevent crime.

Hope to see you tomorrow evening for this fun annual event!

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

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1. National Night Out Against Crime, Tuesday, August 5, 6-7:30 Potluck at Halcyon Commons; 7:30-8:30 Safety Walk

National Night Against Crime, an annual nationwide and citywide evening to take back our streets, is held on the first Tuesday each August. Once again, HNA is participating. We still could use a couple of volunteers to loan tables and/or chairs (please label them with your address and just bring them by the park a few minutes early).

Please plan on showing up if you possibly can for our National Night Out event.  it's a powerful way for us to let the police and our city representatives know our neighborhood is committed to doing our part to fight crime!

National Night Out Against Crime!

Tuesday, August 5, 6-8:30 p.m.

6:00-7:30 p.m. Potluck in the Park (Halcyon Commons: Halcyon Ct. at Prince St.)

7:30-8:30 p.m. Walking Safety Tour of the larger neighborhood

(we will join up with any East Lorin neighbors who care to join us by stopping at Nomad Cafe at 7:45, leaving again at 8 p.m.)

Potluck suggestions: Appetizer: A-F * Main Dish: G-N * Salad: T-Z * Dessert: O-S

(If not obvious, kindly attach a label with ingredients for your dish to alert those with vegetarian and other diets; bring
a beverage to share as well if you're able.)

Police, firefighters, and City officials will stop by this fun annual event. Children especially welcome! It's a great chance for them to meet our local police and firefighters!

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2. Memorial Celebration Honoring Councilmember Dona Spring, Sunday, August 10, 2 p.m., Civic Center Park

The following link provides rough information on the public memorial service (all welcome) in memory of Councilmember Dona Spring.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/02/BARQ12397G.DTL&hw=Dona+Spring&sn=001&sc=1000

A memorial service has been scheduled for five-term Berkeley City Councilwoman Dona Spring, who died July 13 of complications from rheumatoid arthritis.

The public service will be held at 2 p.m. Aug. 10 at Civic Center Park, on Martin Luther King Jr. Way between Allston and Center streets. [Note: Following the public event in Civic Center Park, all are welcome to attend a gathering at the North Berkeley Senior Center from 4-8 p.m., which will include a chance for people to speak about their memories of Dona, either on or off camera.]

Spring, who represented District Four in the downtown area, was a longtime crusader for the disabled, elderly, animals and the environment, and one of the city's most outspoken progressives.

She had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, for 36 years.

For more information, go to http://www.donaspring.com.

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3. Slide Show and Talk on Ecovillages, Monday, August 18, 7:15-9 p.m., 2329 Webster

[Editor's Note: HNA Co-Chair John Steere and his wife Michelle are hosting the following evening, to which neighbors are invited (rsvp if you plan to attend).]

A wonderful old friend of mine is staying with us, who is one of the foremost experts/writers on the growing movement in sustainable living called "ecovillages."  Please join us in our home for a truly inspirational talk and visual, global tour showcasing them that she'll be giving. . . .

 

When:  Monday August 18, 7:15 to 9:00 (slide show and talk starts promptly at 7:30)

Where: The Webster Haven (home of John & Michelle) - 2329 Webster Street, Berkeley (behind Whole Foods); tea will be served.

What: Ecovillages: Where They Are, What They're Doing, Why They're Important

Slide show and talk with Diana Leafe Christian

 

With over 200 photos, this hour-long slide show with Diana Leafe Christian shows the ecological, economic, and social/cultural/spiritual aspects of sustainability in ecovillages worldwide. Diana shows how ecovillages use:

* Permaculture design, natural building, off-grid power

* Alternative technology, sustainable agriculture

* Local currencies, on-site cottage industries

* Cooperative decision-making, conflict resolution, and much more

 

Three kinds of ecovillages:

* Intentional communities in the Industrialized North

* Ecologically aware traditional villages in the Global South

* Sustainability education centers in both hemispheres.

 

Ecovillage examples include:

* Findhorn in Scotland, Auroville in India, Crystal Waters in Australia

* Ecovillages in Italy, Germany, Denmark, and the whole of Europe

* In Japan, Thailand, South Africa, Senegal, Brazil, Mexico

* In North America, including Earthaven, Dancing Rabbit,

   Ecovillage at Ithaca, and Los Angeles Ecovillage

 

Who: Diana Leafe Christian is author of Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities and Finding Community: How to Join an Ecovillage or Intentional Community (New Society Publishers, 2003 and 2007). Former editor of Communities magazine, she now publishes "Ecovillages," a free online publication (EcovillageNewsletter.org). Diana speaks at conferences, and leads workshops for and does consultations for cohousing communities in the U.S. and Canada. She lives at Earthaven Ecovillage in North Carolina. www.DianaLeafeChristian.org.

 

Hope you'll be there!  (RSVP if you will!)

-John & Michelle Thelen Steere <jsteere@igc.org>

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4. Community Labyrinth Peace Walk, Willard Labyrinth, Sunday, August 17, 3 p.m.

SUNDAY, August 17, 2008

Community Labyrinth Peace Walk at 3 p.m., Willard Middle School (Telegraph Ave. between Derby & Stuart, Berkeley). Everyone welcome. Wheelchair accessible.  Contact marilou_sturges@yahoo.com, 510-526-6032, if you need more information.

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5. Crime Watch Report: Robberies Up in Berkeley

[Editor's Note:  I have heard indirect reports of a couple of armed robberies near BART, but overall this has been a quieter summer than last year in the Halcyon neighborhood. However, robberies are up overall in Berkeley, and it's wise to exercise urban smarts to keep from being a victim.]

http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2008-07-24/article/30698?headline=Wednesday-s-Robberies-Bring-Berkeley-s-July-Total-to-45

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For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2008

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

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, Sunday afternoon, 4-5:30 p.m., Steering Committee & Disaster Prep 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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