HNA E-News: Work Party Sat.; crime watch; etc.

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Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-News
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Items appearing in the HNA E-News 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 Work Party in Halcyon Commons & Surrounding Neighborhood, This
Sat. 10/10, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
2. Halcyon Commons Play Dates for Toddlers and Preschoolers (Next
Dates: Saturdays, Oct. 10 & 24, 4–5:30 p.m.)
3. A Halcyon Halloween: Saturday, 10/31, Parade at Halcyon Commons,
6-6:30 p.m., followed by trick-or-treating, 6:30 - 9 p.m.
4. Nic Nak Liquors Link
5. ZAB Hearing on Ashby/Telegraph Project This Thurs. 10/8
6. Halcyon Honey Available!
7. Neighborhood Dream & Meditation Inner Work Group Forming
8. Multi-Household Yard Sale, Sat. 10/17, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 2321 Webster
(at Halcyon)
9. Crime Watch Updates: A Creepy Encounter on Halcyon; Plant Stolen on
Prince; Bicycle Stolen on Ashby
10. Disaster Prep Communications Drill, Sat. 10/17, 9-11 a.m.
11. Free Monthly Tai Chi Chih Practice at Halcyon Commons, Sun. 10/23,
at 11 a.m.
12. Councilmember Kriss Worthington on Rededicating BRT Funds to
Reduce Bus Service Cuts
13. Le Conte Neighborhood Assn. Meeting, Thurs. 10/15, 7:30-9 p.m.

* For Your Calendar: HNA Dates for 2009
* City of Berkeley: Useful Contact Information
* Halcyon Neighborhood Association's Guiding Principles

Editor's Introductory Note:

My apologies for the delay in getting out an E-News over the past five
weeks (and for the announcements missed during that period). I've run
into major technical issues sending to multiple addresses. After
ridiculous amounts of time spent trying to resolve the technicalities,
I'm having to switch formats, and this is the first E-News going out
via VerticalResponse. I hope it makes it through to everyone!

—Nancy Carleton, HNA Co-Chair and E-News Editor

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1. Big Work Party in Halcyon Commons & Surrounding Neighborhood, This
Sat. 10/10, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Meet at Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)
Delicious refreshments (& water) courtesy of Whole Foods Market
Fresh coffee courtesy of Mokka Cafe (Telegraph at Dowling)

Chat with neighbors & UC student volunteers from Cal's Berkeley
Project while we weed, mulch, pick up trash, and remove graffiti in
the park and surrounding neighborhood. Please bring weeding and
trimming tools (with labels) if you have them (extra tools will be
available if you don't). Let's get our precious common space ready for
the winter months!

Note: If there's a public area in the larger neighborhood where you'd
especially like to see trash picked up or graffiti removed, please
consider volunteering for an hour to lead a student crew out to clean
it up!

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2. Halcyon Commons Play Dates for Toddlers and Preschoolers (Next
Dates: Saturdays, Oct. 10 & 24, 4–5:30 p.m.)

Come to Halcyon Commons to play with the neighbors. We'll have
impromptu games for small people and their grown-ups. Communal toys
and snacks are a welcome addition to the good time! Questions?
Contact Rose Lynn & Susan at halcyonplaydate@gmail.com.

* * * * * * * * * * * *
3. A Halcyon Halloween: Sat. 10/31, Parade at Halcyon Commons, 6-6:30
p.m., followed by trick-or-treating, 6:30-9 p.m.

Editor's note: A few neighbors have pulled together a suggestion for
making our neighborhood more Halloween-friendly.

Hello Neighbors,

This year will mark the first ever Halcyon Halloween for kids and
adults. We have two ways to participate: (1) simply get some treats of
your choosing and turn on your light and/or (2) bring your child for a
parade in the park. This is a small trial run to test the level of
interest in the neighborhood; if the participation is high we can make
more plans next year (potluck maybe and/or pumpkin carving together).

When: Saturday 10/31 starting at 6 p.m. in the park AND/OR 6:30-9 p.m.
at your house to host trick-or-treating.

The goal: Provide a trick-or-treat experience for kids in the
neighborhood as well as fun for all others who love Halloween

Participation is simple: IF your household would like to participate
in trick-or-treating, then please turn on your porch light, grab some
treats/prizes, and decorate if you feel like it. IF you'd rather NOT
have ghouls and goblins at your front door, then please turn off your
front porch light (and other lights inside at the front of the house
if possible).

Costume parade:
6 p.m.: Gather in Halcyon Commons park near the picnic table
6:15: Begin parade for 10-15 minutes, then toddlers and those who
don't eat sugar go home
Trick-or-treating:
6:30: Trick-or-treating around the park homes and surrounding blocks
for 30 minutes in small mixed-age groups
7 p.m.: Younger kids go home (and everyone "says good-bye" to make
this possible for their parents without temper tantrums)
Older kids can then continue on together for more trick-or-treating in
the neighborhood and/or go off to other activities.
9 p.m: Suggested time to end all trick-or-treating. End earlier if
appropriate for your household: just turn off your lights.

Happy Halloween!

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4. Nic Nak Liquors Link

Editor's note: The East Lorin Neighborhood Association and other
concerned neighbors have been tracking the possible reopening of Nic
Nak Liquors. While HNA hasn't taken a position, neighbors may be
interested in learning more.

http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BerkeleyPartnersforP/270643175b/3a1db999f2/2c1f4aa01c

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5. ZAB Hearing on Ashby/Telegraph Project This Thurs. 10/8

Editor's note: While HNA will not be taking a position on the
potentially controversial aspects of the development at Ashby and
Telegraph since there is a range of views in the neighborhood, we did
pass on some comments, concerns, and desires submitted by neighbors
earlier in the process and encouraged design improvements and open
space mitigations.

Zoning Adjustments Board Meeting
Thursday, 10/8/2009, 7-11 p.m.
2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way (Old City Hall)
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BerkeleyPartnersforP/270643175b/3a1db999f2/9507839283/id=13104

Public hearing on 3001 Telegraph Ave.: 5-story mixed-use, 38 dwelling
units, 4039 sq. ft. ground floor commercial space, 42 parking spaces
on the corner of Ashby and Telegraph where the old gas station was.

* * * * * * * * * * * *
6. Halcyon Honey Available!

Prince Street neighbor Bruce Wicinas submitted the following
announcement.

For sale: Organic, raw honey made from the flowers of your gardens.
Arrangements will be as before.
Pint: $6.50
Half-pint $3.50 (few are available.)
$.50 credit for returned jars.
Limit: 3 pints per customer.

The "Honey Store" is open daily, 6:30-7:30 p.m., or all day Friday,
Saturday, Sunday. We suggest you phone before coming to make certain
we are here, see that we have not run out, and learn our address if
you have not visited before.
"Halcyon Hives" 848-1797

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7. Neighborhood Dream & Meditation Inner Work Group Forming

Editor's note: An East Lorin neighbor who often participates with our
neighborhood events submitted the following announcement.

Dreams and the Journey of the Soul:
A dream and meditation inner work group

In our group, we'll cultivate presence by beginning with a silent
meditation, then oil the wheels of our nonrational processes with a
brief period for spontaneous writing or drawing. Then we'll explore
archetypes and symbols through the sharing of dreams. We will adopt
the standard 10 Guidelines for Dream Work as articulated by
Dreamworker Jeremy Taylor, as summarized in his book The Living
Labyrinth. The group is free, participants will be selected by
interview process, and we will meet once a month in the
Berkeley/Oakland area, day/time/place yet to be determined.

Contact person and facilitator: Deborah Mikuteit, MA, Transpersonal
Counseling Psychology, JFK University.
fiddlehigher@yahoo.com
510-420-8983

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8. Multi-Household Yard Sale, Sat. 10/17, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 2321 Webster
(at Halcyon)

Several neighbors at the big apartment building at 2321 Webster are
having a multi-household yard sale on Sat. 10/17, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. If
anyone else would like to bring their stuff over and join in the sale,
contact Ann at 649-1361. Items for sale include women's clothing
(plus-sizes available), shoes (sizes 9 & 10 wide and extra wide),
household items, cassettes, flower pots, and miscellaneous items.

* * * * * * * * * * * *
9. Crime Watch Updates: A Creepy Encounter on Halcyon; Plant Stolen on
Wheeler; Bicycle Stolen on Ashby

Editor's note: Neighbors submitted the following neighborhood watch
reports.

Creepy Encounter on Halcyon Court, Thurs. 9/10:
"I was hanging out on our front stoop with my 5-year-old son, by
Halcyon Commons park a bit after 8 p.m. A white male, in his early
40s, dirty blonde hair in pony tail, medium build, 5'8, wearing tan
shorts, red t-shirt (he later put on a green fatigue jacket),
approached us, coming close to our son. My son noticed that he had a
sack tied around his waist with small balls in it. The man seemed high
or drunk. He asked me if the boy was my son. I said yes. He said, 'He
doesn't look like you.' I said that a lot of people think he does. The
man started to get agitated, fast. In a more a forceful voice, he
said, 'I know people, and he doesn't look like you. He's not your
son.' The man moved closer to my son and stuck out his hand. Our son
took his hand, like a handshake, but the guy didn't leave. I got my
son and hustled him inside. Something about the guy didn't seem quite
right. After a few minutes, I walked around the house to make sure the
guy wasn't hanging around. He was in the bushes just across the street
in the park, staring at the house. He then stepped out onto the street
and came towards me aggressively. I started towards him as well and
asked him if he had a problem. He said he did. For whatever reason, he
then walked away suddenly towards the wooden bench. I came inside and
called the police. The police arrived about an hour after the
incident. Apparently, our regular beat cop was on vacation, and the
replacement didn't respond. Another female cop saw the listing of the
event, sped over, and took it very seriously. She decided to spend
much of the night in the park area to make sure he didn't return. She
was going to make sure our regular beat cop knows about this so she
can keep an eye out. She also said that there has been an uptick in
these types of 'creepy' incidents being called in, so to be aware of
that. If you notice anyone who fits the description hanging around the
park or approaching children, please call the cops." [Editor's note:
No report of the man being seen since.]

Potted plant stolen off Wheeler Street porch:
"A very minor (and odd) little theft from our house on the night of
9/13: a large potted plant was taken off our front porch. It was a
largish (~10" tall, ~10" diameter) aqua-blue ceramic pot with a
Lantana plant in it. There are several other potted plants on our
porch, but this was the nicest pot. I reported the theft to the BPD,
but don't expect to ever see my pot again except maybe for sale at
Ashby Flea Market."

Bicycle Stolen from Ashby:
"Bicycle taken from house off Ashby late Thurs. 8/28 or early Fri.
8/29. He/she walked in through the front porch. I believe the dog was
being walked at the time."

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10. Disaster Prep Communications Drill, Sat. 10/17, 9-11 a.m.

On the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake, the City of
Berkeley will be conducting a disaster preparedness communications
drill. HNA, which hosts one of the City's Disaster Supply Caches, will
be participating by testing our walkie-talkies from Halcyon Commons
(Halcyon Court at Prince) between 9 and 11 a.m. that Saturday. A few
Halcyon neighbors plan to be there so far, but if more folks come,
we'll be able to test taking the walkie-talkies around to surrounding
streets. Come on out if you're available!

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11. Free Monthly Tai Chi Chih Practice at Halcyon Commons, Sun. 10/25,
at 11 a.m.

Free monthly Tai Chi Chih Practice (fourth Sundays)
Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)
Facilitated by Prince Street neighbor Judith Schwartz, 510-843-2062;
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BerkeleyPartnersforP/270643175b/3a1db999f2/8e6f8cdaf8

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12. Councilmember Kriss Worthington on Rededicating BRT Funds to
Reduce Bus Service Cuts

Editor's note: The following information was received from
Councilmember Kriss Worthington's office. HNA doesn't have a position
on this issue but encourages neighbors to become informed. See also
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BerkeleyPartnersforP/270643175b/3a1db999f2/9c97515307/headline=AC-Transit-to-Request-Use-of-BRT-Funds-to-Stave-Off-Service-Cuts

AC Transit has been hit with massive budget cuts and is considering
dramatic reductions in bus service. There is a proposal to avoid most
of these cuts by moving millions of dollars from BRT Capital funds to
operating funds. It involves possibly moving up to $35 million in CMAQ
funds and $45.6 million in RM2 funds to avoid service reductions. The
urgency to stop these bus cuts requires speedy funding.

Please support this transfer of funds to operating funds to avoid the
AC Transit cuts. Call the AC Transit Board:
Rocky Fernandez (President) 510-891-7143
H.E. Christian Peeples (Vice President) 510-891-7151
Joe Wallace (Ward 1) 510-891-7143
Greg Harper (Ward 2) 510-891-7145
Elsa Ortiz (Ward 3) 510-891-7211
Jeff Davis 510-891-7171
Joel B. Young 510-891-7146

Kriss Worthington, 510-981-7170

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13. Le Conte Neighborhood Assn. Meeting, Thurs. 10/15, 7:30-9 p.m.

The Le Conte Neighborhood Association will be meeting on Thurs 10/15
at the Le Conte School from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Besides a report from our
Police beat officer, we will be discussing several major property
developments in our District or close enough to affect us. Contact
KarlReeh@gmail.com.

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* For Your Calendar: HNA Dates for 2009

Sat. 10/10, 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
Thurs. 10/29, 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)
Sun. 12/6, 4-5:30 p.m., HNA Steering Committee meeting to set dates
for 2010, John Steere's house, 2329 Webster
Sun. 1/24/10, 5:00-8:45 p.m., Post-Holiday Progressive Potluck, four
locations TBD

* * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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://cts.vresp.com/c/?BerkeleyPartnersforP/270643175b/3a1db999f2/b74da592a6

In the Halcyon neighborhood: west of Fulton is Beat 10; east of Fulton
is Beat 9.

Link to crime stats:
Berkeley:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BerkeleyPartnersforP/270643175b/3a1db999f2/3c316a362c

Link to police bulletins:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BerkeleyPartnersforP/270643175b/3a1db999f2/d50f78f9c6

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 the City Council, use 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 the west (except for Woolsey between
Wheeler and Shattuck)

Councilmember Kriss Worthington (District 7) 981-7170
East side of Wheeler to the 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
zab@ci.berkeley.ca.us
(It's best if at all possible 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-News, 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-News: The HNA E-News forwards
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, crime watch, disaster preparedness meetings, and
work parties in Halcyon Commons park. To prevent spam, HNA 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 at
halcyon92@gmail.com. If you would like to view previous newsletters
online, please visit
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BerkeleyPartnersforP/270643175b/3a1db999f2/5141025900

To submit items for the newsletter: Email succinct, unformatted
content or links (no graphics or attachments please!) to HNA E-News
Editor Nancy Carleton at halcyon92@gmail.com. Crime-watch reports and
news about neighbors (births, new jobs, announcements about home
businesses or creative projects) are especially welcome. Due to the
volunteer nature of the endeavor, the E-News does not 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). The E-News is published as items accumulate and
as the editor's time permits rather than on a regular schedule; submit
your item early if it relates to a future event, and keep it brief,
and there's a greater chance it will be included.

HNA is an adopt-a-park affiliate with the nonprofit Berkeley Partners
for Parks (BPFP).

______________________________________________________________________
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Halcyon Neighborhood Association (HNA)
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3044 Halcyon Court, Berkeley CA 94705

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