Halcyon Neighborhood Association

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

HNA E-News: Community Policing Annual meeting tonight 7 p.m.; Lighting project deadline 10/31; Neighbor News; 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. Big Neighborhood Cleanup Opportunity: Volunteers Needed Saturday, November 15, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., meet at Halcyon Commons
2. Shattuck Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council Meeting Weds. Oct. 29, 7 p.m., No. Oakland Senior Center
3. Enhancing Neighborhood Lighting: Order Deadline Oct. 31st
4. Another Neighborhood T'ai Chi Class Offered by Prince Street Neighbor
5. Neighbor's Mom Seeks Housesitting Placement mid-November to mid-December
6. Crime Watch Links: Emerson Homicide Arrest and North Berkeley Robbery Arrests
7. Prince Street Neighbor's Art in Show at Los Medanos College Art Gallery, Nov. 6 through Dec. 12
8. Halcyon Neighbor Seeks Volunteers for Ongoing Care of Park
9. Crime Watch Report: Gas Siphoning on Wheeler Street

* For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2008/2009
* Disaster Prep Supply Cache Wish List
* City of Berkeley: Useful Contact Information
* Halcyon Neighborhood Association's Guiding Principles

Editor's Introductory Note:

If you have a pet peeve concerning graffiti or trash in the neighborhood, please consider signing up to help with the November 15th Work Party (see item 1). We'll have 30 Cal student volunteers available to help with mulching in the park, and we also plan to send out crews to pick up trash and remove graffiti in the larger neighborhood. But to utilize these volunteers efficiently, we need some neighbors to take the crews out. This is a golden opportunity, but we will only be able to cover the larger neighborhood with your help. I hope to see many of you out on November 15th!

In the meantime, happy voting!

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

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1. Big Neighborhood Cleanup Opportunity: Volunteers Needed Saturday, November 15, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., meet at Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)

We plan to work even in light rain (dress accordingly).

Delicious breakfast and lunch food donated by Whole Foods Market.
Excellent Coffee courtesy of Mokka Cafe (Telegraph at Dowling).

Come join 30 Cal student volunteers from the Berkeley Project in helping weed and mulch Halcyon Commons and nearby landscaped features. This big work party day will also include sending crews out into the larger neighborhood to remove graffiti from signs, paint over graffiti on curbs, and pick up trash.

If you have a pet peeve concerning graffiti or trash in the larger neighborhood, please consider signing up to help by leading out a team of four to six students to the trouble spot you've identified. As little as an hour of your time leading out a crew will magnify your work many times over due to our volunteer labor of willing, strong Cal students. But to utilize these volunteers efficiently, we need some neighbors to take the crews out. This is a golden opportunity, but we will only be able to cover the larger neighborhood with your help. (Otherwise, the focus will inevitably stay centered on the park and immediate surroundings.)

Contact HNA Co-Chair Nancy Carleton at <halcyon92@gmail.com> if you can help on 11/15 by leading a crew out. (If you just want to stop by and help with weeding and mulching, there's no need to email back; just come on out. Even twenty minutes can help, and it makes for a much more satisfying event if there are neighbors there to work side by side with the student volunteers.)

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2. Shattuck Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council Meeting Weds. Oct. 29, 7 p.m., No. Oakland Senior Center

Community Policing: The Annual Meeting of the Shattuck Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council
Wednesday, October 29, 7 p.m.
North Oakland Senior Center (corner of 58th St. & Martin Luther King Jr. Way; park and enter on 58th St. side)

Meet your local community policing officer; voice your concerns about neighborhood issues; get action on noise, problem traffic, blight, and drug dealing; meet and work with your neighbors.

HNA Crime Watch Coordinator  Dawn Trygstad Rubin is working as the liaison for Halcyon Neighborhood Association with the Shattuck Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council (which recently has been more focused on the Oakland side of the Berkeley-Oakland border but is once again reaching out to include neighborhoods on the Berkeley side). She hopes to organize our neighborhood blocks in a similar fashion to the SNCPC organization, and to renew cross-border cooperation in dealing with issues that affect us all. For more information about how to get involved in this effort, contact Dawn Trygstad Rubin <familyrubin@comcast.net> or come to this evening's meeting.

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3. Enhancing Neighborhood Lighting: Order Deadline Oct. 31st

Our September HNA flyer included an order form for discount lighting fixtures on the back side. Jill Finn, the Block Captain of  2100 Oregon in the LeConte neighborhood, has launched a project to help residents obtain motion-sensitive lights for the front of their homes. She has gotten a quantity discount at $30 for a flexible two bulb unit, plus an estimate for installation (or you can install yourself). Her goal is to have such lights installed throughout LeConte [including Halcyon south of Ahsby] with the result that the sidewalks and driveways will "light up" when people walk by. (The Police Department confirms that "street lights" are not intended to prevent all dark spots on sidewalks, so our additions will make a difference. ) If you didn't receive a copy of the order form, or have misplaced it, you can get a pdf  of it by emailing jcf2525@gmail.com. Jill is collecting orders for a October 31st deadline, so act now!

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4. Another Neighborhood T'ai Chi Class Offered by Prince Street Neighbor

Prince Street neighbor Judith Schwartz sends along this announcement of the next neighborhood T'ai Chi Class she's offering:

Our Wednesday night T'ai Chi Chih class this fall had eight members. A good start for an ongoing practice in Halcyon Commons. Hopefully by spring we'll have enough people to have weekly practices in the park (free of charge).

T'ai Chi Chih is a very easy and highly beneficial QiGong/Tai Chi form.
Join the next series of beginning classes, Saturday mornings, in a lovely garden on Prince St. between Wheeler and Shattuck Ave.
10:30-11:30 a.m. Saturdays
November 8th to December 13th.
Cost:  $90.00
Contact: Judith Schwartz
510-843-2062

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5. Neighbor's Mom Seeks Housesitting Placement mid-November to mid-December

A Prince Street neighbor sent the following request:

House-sit needed for new grandmother
My mother-in-law is coming from Canada for approximately three weeks between November 15 and December 15 to meet my new baby and help out our new family. I would like to find her a house-sit in the neighborhood. Bianca is a great house guest, who could care for your plants or pets as needed.  She is young grandmother and so able to take care of a house.  Our dates are flexible as our apartment is really too small to accommodate my mother-in-law for more than a few days.  Thank you so much.  Claudia & Daniel. Please respond to <claudiaeyz@yahoo.com>.

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6. Crime Watch Links: Emerson Homicide Arrest and North Berkeley Robbery Arrests

The Berkeley Police Department has had success in solving several recent crimes.

To read about the arrests in the June homicide on Emerson Street:
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/PressReleaseMain.aspx?id=27998
http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2008-10-09/article/31291?headline=Police-Blotter

To read about arrests in the North Berkeley robbery cases:
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/PressReleaseMain.aspx?id=28534
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=28562

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7. Prince Street Neighbor's Art in Show at Los Medanos College Art Gallery, Nov. 6 through Dec. 12

Prince Street neighbor Nina Lyons' sculpture is featured in the following show:

Enclosed Passages, featuring artist Nina Lyons
November 6 through December 12
Los Medanos College Art Gallery
2700 East Leland Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565
925-439-2181

Opening Reception: November 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
http://www.ninalyons.com

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8. Halcyon Neighbor Seeks Volunteers for Ongoing Care of Park

HNA Steering Committee member (and Treasurer) Susan Hunter forwards the following note to neighbors:

Dear Park, Nature, and Green Lovers:

I have been contemplating an idea for the park that I think would be an new way to have some monthly creative input into our common space. For me, I'm starting to practice T'ai Chi Chih in the park (Halcyon Commons, at Halcyon and Prince) and realized I needed to clean the space of cigarette butts, trash, etc. before starting my movements. Then I cleaned the area and surrounds that week. My plan is to keep that one area clean, swept, and free from the impacts of urban living.

I realized it would be great to have a core group of ten people who would each sign on to care for one very small section of the park (even if it is two by two feet square), to pick up butts and trash, or pull a weed or two. The idea is that people would do their share when they had time, with no structure except to agree to do it now and then. We could then change the list/add/delete/revise as needed. My personal plan is once every two weeks, but you could choose once a month. It may take all of ten minutes. My personal plan is a bit more involved, as it is a creative endeavor, but yours could be very simple.

So, if you are interested, I'd like to set up a one-time meeting if I get around ten volunteers. I'd provide a lunch, and we could divide the areas. We might even form a community in the process. . . . Before I set a meeting/lunch date, I want to see if there is interest in the idea.  I'm open to suggestions and hope there is some mutual interest in the idea.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
Susan Hunter

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9. Crime Watch Report: Gas Siphoning on Wheeler Street

A neighbor on Wheeler Street reports that their vehicle had gas siphoned. She said that other neighbors on Wheeler Street have also noted loose gas caps and tanks that were suddenly lower than expected. Stay alert, and consider locking gas caps!

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For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2008/2009

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

Saturday, November 15, 9 a.m. -2 p.m. Cal's Berkeley Project Day;  Big Work Party in Halcyon Commons and surrounding neighborhood (weeding, mulching, picking up trash, removing graffiti); meet at Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)
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:

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>

[Editor's Note: While Councilmember Dona Spring is, sadly, no longer with us, her Council office is still operating and receiving emails at the above address;  although District 4 won't have a vote at Council meetings until a new councilmember is elected in November, then sworn in, Dona's existing staff is still tracking concerns sent their way, so I have not deleted her address from the list.]

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 please!) 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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