HNA E-News: Good News about Ashby Flowers; Tai Chi Refreshers; Crime Watch; 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. Good News about Ashby Flowers
2. Berkeley City Manager's Statement about Oakland PD Loss
3. Prince Street Neighbor Offering Free Tai Chi Chih Refreshers at 11 a.m. at Halcyon Commons on Sundays 4/12 and 4/19
4. City Offering Free Emergency Preparedness Classes
5. Input for Whole Foods Market Meeting Sought (Submit by March 31st)
6. Crime Watch Reports: Car Theft on Prince Street and Prowler on Emerson Street
7. Warm Water Pool Meetings, Including Task Force Meeting Today, Weds. 3/25, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
8. News from Whole Foods Market
9. Volunteers Needed to Help Deliver HNA Flyers
10. Free Drop Off of E-Waste This Sunday, March 29, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 1300 Grand Avenue, Piedmont
* For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2009
* Disaster Prep Supply Cache Wish List
* City of Berkeley: Useful Contact Information
* Halcyon Neighborhood Association's Guiding Principles
Editor's Introductory Note:
I'd like to dedicate this issue of the E-News to the memory of Sgts. Dan Sakai, Mark Dunakin, and Erv Romans, and Officer John Hege, the four Oakland Police officers killed this past weekend. May this tragic loss remind us that the police and fire fighters who serve our communities put their lives on the line for us every day they go to work.
-Nancy Carleton, HNA Co-Chair and E-Newsletter Editor
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1. Good News about Ashby Flowers
As many of you may have heard, after a rally held in support of Ashby Flowers outside the regional headquarters of Whole Foods Market in Emeryville, and after receiving an outpouring of community support for renewing Ashby Flowers' lease, including from Halcyon Neighborhood Association, Whole Foods Market has decided to allow the flower market to stay at its site on the corner of Ashby and Telegraph.
Link to article supporting Ashby Flowers by HNA Co-Chairs Nancy Carleton and John Steere (similar to the letter sent by HNA to Whole Foods Market officials):
http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2009-02-26/article/32327?headline=Don-t-Shut-Down-Ashby-Flowers-
Link to articles about the outcome:
http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2009-03-05/article/32413?headline=Whole-Foods-Allows-Ashby-Flowers-to-Stay-On
Video report on the rally (from KPIX):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIghnDY3ssA
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2. Berkeley City Manager's Statement about Oakland PD Loss
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/PressReleaseMain.aspx?id=36410
Berkeley City Manager Phil Kamlarz ordered all City of Berkeley flags to half-staff today and sent this message to all City staff:
"To honor the Oakland Police Officers who were killed in the line of duty on Saturday afternoon, the City of Berkeley will fly our flags at half-staff until the funeral. We will share the funeral details once they have been officially announced.
"The loss of one officer in the line of duty is always cause for grief; to lose four is a terrible tragedy for the department and for Oakland residents.
"The Berkeley Police Department has always worked closely with the Oakland Police Department, and as long as crime is not limited by city borders, neither will the camaraderie and affection of our two police departments. The men and women of our department, and of our whole City organization, grieve with our Oakland counterparts.
"I also want to take this opportunity to honor the work done every day by our police officers. Even with the risks of police work so freshly in the minds of officers and their families, the members of the police department came to work today. They came to do traffic stops, investigate burglaries, arrest drug dealers, and educate children. They are an essential part of a safe and healthy community, and we thank them.
"Our thoughts go out to the families of the officers, as well as the entire Oakland community."
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3. Prince Street Neighbor Offering Free Tai Chi Chih Refreshers at 11 a.m. at Halcyon Commons on Sundays 4/12 and 4/19
Free Tai Chi Chih Refresher Practice with Judith Schwartz
Sunday, April 12, and Sunday, April 19, 11 a.m.
Halcyon Commons (Halcyon Court at Prince)
In preparation for World Tai Chi Day on Saturday, April 25 (which will be celebrated with Free Tai Chi Chih practice at 10 a.m. in Halcyon Commons park, and at locations around the world), Prince Street neighbor Judith Schwartz has offered to lead two Sunday morning refresher practice sessions featuring Tai Chi Chih. After the April 25 event, some neighbors along with Judith may decide to schedule regular free Tai Chi Chih practice at Halcyon Commons.
The refresher practice (as well as the World Tai Chi Day event on April 25) would be for those who already know the twenty basic forms (i.e., not appropriate for beginners) and who want a refresher or just a chance to practice while we build community and anchor good energy in our common space. If there are people who are totally new to Tai Chi Chih, they can contact Judith to see about attending a class (for a fee) in her Prince Street backyard this spring or summer.
Judith would appreciate getting some sense of who intends to show up on April 12 (11 a.m.), April 19 (11 a.m.), and April 25 (10 a.m.), so please email or call her in advance if possible (but feel free to show up on any of the dates if you know the Tai Chi Chih forms):
Judith Schwartz <juditte44@yahoo.com>
510-843-2062
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4. City Offering Free Emergency Preparedness Classes
[Editor's Note: Disaster preparedness classes fill up quickly, so please sign up soon if you want a chance at attending one of the classes still listed as open.]
The Office of Emergency Services offers free emergency preparedness training to any adult who lives or works in Berkeley. The schedule for March, April, and May has just been posted, so it's a great time to get a couple of friends, family members or neighbors together and sign up for a class on Basic Personal Preparedness, Fire Suppression, Disaster First Aid, or Pandemic Influenza.
See http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=3920 (and scroll down)
April 18, 9 a.m.-1p.m. Light Search and Rescue
April 25, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Disaster First Aid just added
May 9, 9 a.m.-12 noon Pandemic Influenza
May 16, 9 a.m.-12 noon Basic Personal Preparedness
May 30, 9 a.m.-12 noon Fire Suppression
Classes are held at the Fire Department Training Center at 997 Cedar Street, Berkeley, CA 94710.
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5. Input for Whole Foods Market Meeting Sought (Submit by March 31st)
As reported in an earlier edition of the E-News, members of HNA's Steering Committee and nearby neighbors met with representatives from Whole Foods Market in mid-January for a fruitful meeting to track various neighborhood concerns, including parking issues, trash pickup, noise, crime watch, graffiti removal, and so forth. We passed on concerns from individual neighbors as part of the meeting. The follow-up meeting will take place next Wednesday, April 1st. If you have concerns or kudos you'd like us to communicate to Whole Foods, email them to <halcyon92@gmail.com> by next Tuesday, March 31, and we'll pass them along (please indicate whether you want your contact information shared with Whole Foods; otherwise, your comments will be noted on a general list without your name attached). It would also be helpful to know if nearby neighbors on Webster and Halcyon have noticed any differences in the parking situation and other areas of recurrent concern over the past few months.
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6. Crime Watch Reports: Car Theft on Prince Street and Prowler on Emerson Street
A Prince Street neighbor submitted the following report:
"Our Honda Accord was stolen [the night of February 24]. At 6:30 p.m. I parked the car in front of our house, which is near the corner of Prince and Deakin. When I looked out the window at 9:30 p.m., the car was gone! The car was locked, and there was nothing left in it that would attract a car break-in. My wife called the police. An officer came by and made a report. He said that about half of the cars stolen from here are later found in Oakland or Richmond. Needless to say we are not happy about this, but wanted to let our neighbors know so that they can be more vigilant."
An Emerson Street neighbor reported the following:
"On Tuesday 3/3/09 at about 1:00 p.m., two different neighbors observed the same suspicious man prowling the premises. One of the neighbors observed this same prowler about one month ago. The man is described as in his twenties, about six feet tall, about 180 lbs. African American, casually dressed, driving a white late model compact car. He walked from the street back down the driveway and through the latched gate at the back of the house. On the prior occasion, he actually opened the door of the rear cottage, but was surprised to find the resident inside. On 3/3 the resident came out and asked him what he wanted. He replied with some vague story about 'looking for Andrew, a red-headed white man who lived in the 2147 apartment.' He claimed that 'Andrew' was inside the apartment, or coming soon. He had a cell phone on which he was speaking. Then he asked if he could sit and wait in our patio. The neighbor called the police. The neighbor in the front saw him walk back down the driveway, cross over to the 2147 apartment, pass apartment No. 3 without stopping or knocking, climb the stairs, and then turn around and walk back out to the street. He knew he was being observed. He walked west on Emerson, got into a white car parked in front of or near the Barbershop, and drove off. Heads up, everyone."
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7. Warm Water Pool Meetings, Including Task Force Meeting Today, Weds. 3/25, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Prince Street neighbor Yolanda Huang forwarded the following information:
The Pools Task Force has agreed on the Preferred option, which calls for the construction or 3 new pools and the renovation of Willard Pool and locker room. The Willard dive pool would be changed into a shallow pool for younger kids. A new competition size 25 meter pool would be built at King, and West campus would house 2 indoor pools, one warm/therapy pool, ad a second 84 degree instructional pool. The price tag is close to $30 million, and the costs of maintenance significantly exceed the current budgeted amount. The proposal is for the construction costs to be placed as a bond measure on the 2010 ballot. The pools task force is now grappling with less costly alternatives, and are considering closing either West or Willard and replacing it with the warm/therapy pool. The following are the public meeting times. Anyone interested is invited to provide comments and suggestions.
We have our final Task Force meeting Wednesday night March 25 from 5:30 to 8:30 in the 6th floor of City Hall. This is truly our last meeting and it is very important that you attend as we need input from all of you on the alternatives you will provide for CEQA analysis and also on the presentation to the School Board and City Council.
Task Force Meeting, Wednesday March 25, 2009 - 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Sixth Floor, City Hall, dinner will be provided.
Upcoming Meetings
Tuesday March 31- Willard Neighborhood Meeting - Willard Middle School Library - 7 to 9 pm
Meeting Purpose: To take comments on the Task Force Recommended Plan for Willard Pool
Thursday April 2: King Neighborhood Meetings - Live Oak Community Center 7 - 9 pm - Arts and Crafts Room
Meeting Purpose: To take comments on the Task Force Recommended Plan for King Pool
School Board Review of Draft Master Plan - April 15
City Council Work Session - April 21 - 5 p.m.
City Council Meeting - May 5
Task Force Meetings, as needed
Financial Subcommittee Meetings, as needed
E-Mail Updates to Task Force
Tina Stott, Planning/Outreach/Project Management
work: 510/420-0803
cell: 510/459-0399
The link to the pools master plan page (which will be posted Friday, March 27) is:
Scroll down the page until you come to the Draft Master Plan link.
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8. News from Whole Foods Market
Editor's Note: The following news was submitted by Community Relations Team Leader Nick Huestis of Whole Foods Market as part of the follow-up to HNA's meeting with Whole Foods in January.
Updates:
- There have been no reports of criminal activity affecting our team members this last month.
- We are working on our Disaster Preparedness plan this month, if there are suggestions, recommendations or questions from the community we ask that they be submitted this month to me.
- We are initiating new food education classes and demonstrations starting this month. It is very exciting; check out the link to attached calendar.
- Our donation programs are currently supporting the Whole Planet Foundation, East Bay Community Scholarship Fund, LunaFest, Lifelong Medical Care, Emerson Elementary, Montessori School, Peralta Elementary, Berkwood Hedge School, Oxford elementary, Mesa, California center for public health advocacy, jack and jill of America, Malcolm X School.
- We also have a great new program for mothers and newborns focusing on all natural options called "Whole Baby." Let us know if you have any questions.
You can always visit our website for events, program details, specials, and recipes at
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/calendars/BRK.html
All my best,
Nick Heustis
Marketing and Community Relations Team Leader
Whole Foods Market / 3000 Telegraph Ave. Berkeley CA 94705
(510)649-1333 ext 261
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9. Volunteers Needed to Help Deliver HNA Flyers
Looking for a simple way to help out in the neighborhood? HNA needs several more folks to help with flyer distribution five or six times a year (the next flyer will be going out mid-April). We've divided the neighborhood into territories, each of which takes about half an hour to cover. Our flyer distribution system is an important way to highlight HNA-sponsored events and to invite those who don't have email (there are still some!) as well as those new to the neighborhood to participate. We especially need more distributors for the western side of the neighborhood (Wheeler west to Adeline). Please email <halcyon92@gmail.com> if you can help out by regularly dropping neighborhood flyers! (You'll receive advance notice and the flyer packets will be dropped off to you to be distributed over the next five to seven days.)
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10. Free Drop Off of E-Waste This Sunday, March 29, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 1300 Grand Avenue, Piedmont
The following message was forwarded over the Le Conte listserve.
Free Drop-Off of E-Waste
Sunday, March 29, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (rain or shine)
1300 Grand Avenue, Piedmont
Hosted by Kehilla Community Synagogue
Clear out for Passover or Spring or whatever! Bring your electronic gadgets, old computers, cell phones, printers, etc THIS SUNDAY, March 29 to 1300 Grand Ave., Piedmont. Keep the planet green. Spread the word and thanks for your support!
They are accepting TVs, computer monitors, cellphones, wires and cables, and other e-waste.
They are NOT accepting lightbulbs, appliances, car batteries, or furniture.
You have to fill out a form when you submit e-waste. To receive a pdf of the form, email <halcyon92@gmail.com> and it will be forwarded to you.
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* For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2009
Dates set as of March 2009 (verify a couple weeks before event by checking HNA E-News):
Saturday, April 18 , 2009, 9 a.m. Earth Day Clean-up at Bushrod Park, Shattuck Avenue at 60th (Shattuck side)
Saturday, April 25, 2009, 10 a.m., T'ai Chi Chih Practice in the Park with Judith Schwartz on World Tai Chi and QiGong Day, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon Court at Prince Street); this will be the beginning of free ongoing neighborhood practice (days/times TBD)
Saturday, May 9, 2009, 10 a.m. - 12:30, Work Party in Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)
Sunday, May 31 (tentative date), afternoon (2-4 p.m.), Training in Urban Self-Defense Strategies, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)
Sunday, June 14, 5:30-8 p.m., Community Potluck, location TBD
Saturday, August 15, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. SNCPC Garage Sale at Bushrod Park, Shattuck side between 60th and 59th Streets (Neighborhood Rummage Sale to raise money for Crime Prevention Council, with HNA's participation)
Sunday, July 26, 2009, 10 a.m. - 12:30, Work Party in Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)
Tuesday, August 4, 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
Sunday, September 13, 4-6 p.m., Neighborhood Celebration with Live Music and Potluck in Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)
Thursday, October 29, 7 p.m., SNCPC Annual Meeting (elect sector representatives to Crime Prevention Council), North Oakland Sr. Center, 58th St. and MLK Jr. Way (with HNA's participation)
Saturday, October 10, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Big Work Party in Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince) and surrounding neighborhood in coordination with Cal student volunteers from the Berkeley Project
Sunday, December 6, 4-5:30 p.m., HNA Steering Committee meeting to set dates for 2010, John Steere's house, 2329 Webster
Sunday, January 24, 2010, 5:00-8:45 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: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/police
Link to police bulletins:
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/police/crimestats/policebulletins.html
Other City Departments:
City Manager's Office: 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 Jesse Arreguin <JArreguin@ci.berkeley.ca.us>,
Councilmember Laurie Capitelli <LCapitelli@ci.berkeley.ca.us>,
Councilmember Susan Wengraf <SWengraf@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 at <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 at <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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