Artist's rendering of the 12th Street Project at south end of Lake Merritt,
soon to break ground
Good News and Bad News on the Parking Front
City Budget Discussion Continues on March 16 and April 1
Senior Presidential Advisor Valerie Jarrett Visits San Antonio Health Clinic
Measure DD's 12th Street Reconstruction Project Is About To Start
Major Changes to AC Transit Service Effective March 28
Demonstration of New LED Lights for San Antonio Park
Make Oakland Feather River Camp (OFRC) A Family Tradition!Cleveland Cascade Improvements Project Gets Underway
Washing Cars with Biodegradable Soap
Update: Acute Tower Replacement Project at Highland Hospital
I Love Oakland: 2010 Video Contest - Grand Prize: $3,000
Participate in Census 2010Wi-Fi Access Available at Oakland Libraries
Keep Oakland Beautiful’s Small Grants Program – Deadline to Apply is April 30
6th Anniversary Celebration of Cantonese-Speaking Citizens Academy Alumni
EVENTS
Thursday, March 11 Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts Presenting Department’s Strategic Plan Framework to Make Oakland One of Safest Large Cities in California Friday, March 12 I Like the Parkway Fundraiser for Local Filmmaker's Documentary on Rap Therapy for Kids Saturday, March 13 Volunteer Work Party: Building Monarch Butterfly Way Station at Morcom Rose Garden Saturday, March 13 FRESH, a Movie Celebrating Farmers, Thinkers and Business People Across America Who Are Re-inventing Our Food System Wednesday, March 17 Zoning Update Committee of the Planning Commission will consider View Corridors, an element of the Zoning Update Saturday, March 20 Oakland Parks and Recreation Summer Hiring Fair Tuesday, March 23 Hearing on Central Estuary Specific Plan – Draft Community-Preferred Land Use Alternative Thursday, March 25 Community Meeting on Oakland Zoo’s Proposed Plans for Implementing Remaining Elements of Its 1998 Master Plan Thursdays March 25 to April 22 Food and Words, a Free Culinary and Writing Seminar for Youth Saturday, March 27 Fifth Lakeshore Neighborhood Plant Exchange Saturday and Sunday, March 27 and 28 Oakland Running Festival Thursday, April 1 Special Council Budget Hearing Friday, April 2 Deadline for Oakland Public Library Patrons to Confirm their Library Record Saturday, April 3 I-580 Exit Ramp Clean-up Sponsored by Grand/Lake Improvement Committee Wednesday, April 14 Visioning the future of the area surrounding the Lake Merritt BART Station and Chinatown: A Community Meeting Saturday, April 24 5th Annual CORE Citywide Emergency Response Functional Exercise Every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday until April 15 (Tax Due Date) Free Tax Preparation Services (VITA) Offered by EBALDC
EVENTS
Thursday,
March 11: Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts Presenting Department’s
Strategic Plan Framework to Make Oakland One of Safest Large Cities in
California
Manzanita Recreation Center in the San Antonio, 2701 22nd Ave, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
(To drive there from Glenview area, take the Ardley Street freeway overpass to 23rd Avenue.)Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts will be presenting the Oakland Police Department’s strategic plan framework to make Oakland one of the safest large cities in California.
OPD’s Strategic Plan framework presents a new mission, vision and strategic goals for the Oakland Police Department and the community of Oakland. This framework is based on information from surveying community members and police employees over the past few months. Members of the community will have the opportunity to provide input and feedback on the strategic plan framework, and shape the services provided by the Department. Information on the priorities and expectations of the community regarding police services will be discussed. The strategic plan will be completed over the next several months using the input and feedback provided by the public.
Friday, March 12: I Like the Parkway Fundraiser for Local Filmmaker's
Documentary on Rap Therapy for Kids
The New Parish, 579 18th Street (at San Pablo) 7:00 pm, after party at 9:30 pm. Tickets: $50 at Brown Paper Tickets ($25 for artists and teachers). All proceeds will go towards the completion of the film.
In a time when producers are looking at Oakland to be the backdrop for TV shows about drugs and gangs, this film is about something positive in Oakland – about a rap therapy after-school program in Oakland High School.
For this film – her first feature-length film, Kerri Gawryn teamed up with Beats Rhymes and Life, an Oakland group of mental health professionals, educators and community artists that addresses the psychosocial needs of youth of color. She and her crew captured the stories of three of the after-school program’s participants on film.
And this is where the I Like the Parkway group comes in, which is running a fundraising campaign to help Gawryn raise more money.
Speakers include District 2 Councilmember Patricia Kernighan and Oakland High School Principal Alicia Romero. Performances by A-Plus from Oakland-based Hip-Hop collective Hieroglyphics, Bicasso of Living Legends, DJs Platurn of Oakland Faders, and Pam the Funkstress from The Coup.
For more information about the fundraiser, go here.
For more on the film and to see the trailer, please go here.
Saturday, March 13: Volunteer Work Party: Building Monarch Butterfly Way
Station at Morcom Rose Garden
700 Jean Street off Grand Avenue, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Monarchs and Painted Ladies, the two species of migrating butterflies in the Bay Area, need way stations because their usual sources of food have been eliminated by development and agricultural practices. This work party will plant a way station at the Olive Street entrance of the Morcom Rose Garden. Eddie Dunbar, President of the Insect Sciences Museum of California, will hold entomology workshops during the work party, kicking off the new Monarch Butterfly Garden/Way Station. For more information about the Insect Sciences Museum of California, go here.
Volunteers also will plant some of the new roses and weed, too. Come join the fun and help create the new habitat garden for butterflies.
Saturday, March
13: FRESH, a Movie Celebrating Farmers, Thinkers and Business
People Across America Who Are Re-inventing Our Food System
Regeneration Church, 238 E. 15th St – suggested donation at the door: $5 - $10. FREE valet bike parking!
Doors open at 6:00 pm, showing of FRESH starts at 7:00 pm. Sponsored by Eat Well Farms, Shooting Star Community Supported Agriculture, Phat Beet Farms and other Oakland neighbors who care about FRESH food in Oakland
At 6:00 pm, enjoy an art Show, food vendors, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) information booths, community garden booths, other Oakland food organizations, and food from Oakland vendors like Taco Grill, proudly serving Neiman Ranch Beef in the Fruitvale. Meet farmers! At 7:00 pm, showing of FRESH begins.
For more information about the movie, go here. To participate as a volunteer or vendor at the event, contact Betsy Johnson here.
Wednesday, March 17:
Zoning Update Committee of the Planning Commission with consider View
Corridors, an element of the Zoning Update
Oakland City Hall, Hearing Room, 4:00 pm
As a continuation of the Central Business District rezoning process, staff will present proposed view corridors to protect views of City Hall and the Oakland Tribune Tower from four view points on the east side of Lake Merritt, with five view corridors (two of the view corridors are from the same view point). The proposal includes three views to the Oakland Tribune Tower and two to City Hall, with analysis of height maximums along the view corridors in order to retain the view corridors.
For the agenda and staff report, go here.
Saturday, March 20:
Oakland Parks and Recreation Summer Hiring Fair
9:30 am to 4:30 pm, 150 Frank Ogawa Plaza, 2nd floor, entrance on Oakland’s City Hall Plaza
The City's Office of Parks and Recreation (OPR) is gearing up for its annual summer hiring fair. Application are now being accepted. For job announcements and descriptions of open positions, see here.
Applicants attending the summer hiring fair will be able to fill out applications and be
interviewed on-site. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. These are great opportunities for summer jobs for youth; please help spread the word.For more information, contact Montrice Goodman at (510) 238-3849 or go here.
Tuesday, March 23: Hearing on Central Estuary Specific Plan – Draft
Community-Preferred Land Use Alternative
Community and Economic Development Committee (CED Committee) -- 2:00 pm – Oakland City Hall, Hearing Room 1
At its last meeting the CED Committee asked for additional information to evaluate the community-preferred alternative. A large number of advocates gave public testimony about the importance of retaining union jobs in the Plan Area. The CED Committee requested a comparison of employment and tax revenue impacts under the various land use scenarios, particularly for the Owens-Brockway site and the Tidewater Avenue area to highlight the respective pros and cons of residential land uses and industrial land uses, and the extent to which they can co-exist in adjacent areas.
Thursday, March 25:
Community Meeting on Oakland Zoo’s Proposed Plans for Implementing
Remaining Elements of Its 1998 Master Plan
Elements include the California! Exhibit featuring exhibits related to native California species, a relocated Veterinary Medical Hospital, and associated perimeter fence – Zoo’s Marian Zimmer Auditorium – 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
For more details on the plans, go here.
Thursdays March 25 to April 22: Food and Words, a Free
Culinary and Writing Seminar for Youth
Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 9th St Suite 290 (2nd Floor, Pacific Renaissance Building, Directions to OACC); 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm; presented by Oakland Word and OACC, taught by Thy Tran and Claire Light; free and open to all youth, ages 15-18!
In this 5-week class, students will explore the creative process in both cooking and writing. While learning fundamental concepts and skills, students will also gain insight into the psychological, emotional, social and cultural forces that shape what we eat and the stories we tell.
The OACC's kitchen will be the laboratory where students engage with foods both new and familiar. Participants will prepare traditional dishes from scratch, experiment with flavors, and, most importantly, learn from each other the diverse roles food played in their families. In addition to preparing meaningful, healthful meals, participants will examine assumptions about the foods they cook and eat.
Each cooking lesson will be paired with a writing theme. As participants cook, they'll be encouraged to think about how we use our senses, interact with society, and find beauty and meaning in our lives. Participants will read stories and learn writing techniques, and then write stories about their own lives, inspired by cooking, eating, and the importance of food in every aspect of their own culture.
This seminar is free, but registration is required. To register, e-mail here with full name, phone number and workshop name with the workshop location (click here for class info and schedule). You can also leave
this information at 510.238.6572.Space is limited, please register by March 22!
Saturday, March 27: Fifth
Lakeshore Neighborhood Plant Exchange
3811 Lakeshore Ave, 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm – Free event – Easy parking
Have plants you must prune or divide? How about trading your excess with others in your
neighborhood?Take home healthy new plants for your yard and have an instant new garden! All types of plants are welcome, from cuttings up to full size.
Garden accessories and accents welcome: umbrellas, clippers, books on gardening, pots, stepping stones, tools and supplies – even goldfish.
Last Fall’s event was a rousing success and now it's time to do it again, just in time for
spring pruning and planting! Last year, 300 people attended and more than 1,500 plants, large and small, found new homes.This event is a great way to meet new neighbors and foster community spirit. The
volunteers helped make the experience smooth and easy. Participants came from
Oakland, Berkeley, Walnut Creek, Alameda, and San Francisco.The three most common comments were:
“I got to take home so much more than I expected.”
“What a large selection and so well organized.”
“What fun, everyone was so friendly!”Want to donate plants before the event? No problem. Interested in volunteering in the afternoon? The organizers will happily accept.
For more information, go here or email here to or call (510) 866-8482.
Saturday and Sunday,
March 27 and 28: Oakland Running Festival
Experience all the sights and sounds that Oakland has to offer at the upcoming Oakland Running Festival, featuring Oakland's first marathon in 25 years!
Saturday: Twilight 5K Race at Lake Merritt Starts at 6:30 pm
Sunday: Marathon and Team Relay Races Start at 7:30 am and Half Marathon Starts at 9:00 amThere is still time to register for this exciting event, in addition to fun volunteer opportunities
for the whole family throughout the weekend!
For more information please visit here.
Thursday, April 1: Special
Council Budget Hearing
6:30 pm, City Council Chambers, on-line agenda material available here10 days before hearing
Friday, April 2: Deadline for Oakland Public Library Patrons to Confirm
their Library Record
All patrons checking out material will be asked for current address and contact information. Patrons who have not yet updated their records must do so by Friday, April 2 or lose access to online services. Go to the Main Library or any branch to confirm your
record. It only takes a few minutes to do so. For more information on how to confirm library records, go here.
Saturday, April 3: I-580 Exit Ramp Clean-up Sponsored by Grand/Lake
Improvement Committee
10:00 am to 2:00 pm, meet at 10:00 am in front of the Grand Lake Theater
Sponsored by the Grand/Lake Improvement Committee. Volunteers are needed to spruce the overgrown, eastbound exit of I-580. Tools, refreshments, and gloves provided.
For more information, contact Eric Hughes at (510) 384-4907 or on Facebook here.
Wednesday, April 14: Visioning the Future of the neighborhoods surrounding
the Lake Merritt BART Station: A Community Meeting
If you live or work in the area surrounding the Lake Merritt BART Station and Chinatown, here is a great opportunity to share your vision for the future and hear the ideas of others.
Where: Metropolitan Transportation Commission Auditorium, 101 8th Street (across from Lake Merritt BART station), 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, RSVP here ( RSVP not required but preferred). Light refreshments will be served. Go here for more information.
The City of Oakland, joined by Bay Area Rapid Transit and Peralta Community College District, is preparing an Area Plan for the area around the Lake Merritt BART Station. The planning area includes Chinatown; Oak Street in Jack London Square east to 5th Avenue; part of the Eastlake; Laney College campus; Oakland Main Library and Oakland Museum of California; County, BART, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, East Bay Municipal Utility District and Peralta Community College District Administration buildings.
This is the first of four community workshops that will take place over the next 18 months to discuss your vision for the Lake Merritt Station area. Issues will include future land uses and development, desired character of the area, transportation infrastructure for pedestrians, bicycles and cars and connectivity with other surrounding neighborhoods and anything else that the community thinks is important for the future of this area of Oakland.
Go here for up-to-date information on the plan and to view documents as they are prepared. Return regularly to the site for more information.
Saturday, April 24:
5th Annual CORE Citywide Emergency Response Functional Exercise
9:00 am to12:00 noon, throughout multiple Oakland neighborhoods, advanced registration is required here
The Oakland Fire Department is gearing up for the annual CORE Citywide Emergency
Response Functional Exercise to enhance neighborhood preparedness to respond to an earthquake scenario including physical evacuation.As in the past, the exercise will take place in dozens of neighborhoods across the city. Neighborhood watch groups are also being invited to attend for the first time. For more
information on how you can participate, please contact Emergency Services Director, Renee Domingo at 510.238.3939.Click here for more info.
Every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday until April 15 (Tax Due Date): Free
Tax Preparation Services (VITA) Offered By EBALDC
Asian Resource Center, 310 8th Street; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm; Saturday -11:00 am to 3:00 pm
Since 2003, the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) has been a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) provider as part of the United Way of the Bay Area's Earn It! Keep It! Save It! campaign. EBALDC operates one of only a few VITA sites in Oakland Chinatown where low to moderate income households are offered free income tax preparation services, asset development materials, and pre-screening for food stamps. Working families and individuals are also assisted in claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit, and in accessing financial services and training.
EBALDC has two free tax preparation sites – one in Oakland’s Chinatown (at the Asian Resource Center) and one in East Oakland at the SparkPoint Center. Please call 510.287.5353 to make an appointment. Both sites will be open until April 15th.EBALDC also offers VITA services at the location and times below:
SparkPoint Center, 885 69th Avenue Suite 102, Oakland, CA 94621:
Monday, Thursday -1:00 pm to 7:00 pm
REPORTS
Good
News and Bad News on the Parking Front
The bad: Two weeks ago there was big media coverage over allegations that City parking enforcement had favored some neighborhoods over others in the way it enforced parking violations. A memo from a parking enforcement supervisor was produced that directed staff to give warning notices for two types of violations in some hill areas but not other neighborhoods. Let me say emphatically that City rules of whatever type should always be uniformly applied throughout the City. There should be no favoritism. I also believe that citizens should be treated fairly by City departments and that warning notices should be given whenever there is a change in City policy for enforcement.
As a result of these allegations, the City Administrator is researching the records of all tickets given last fall for the two violations in question, parking in the wrong direction and parking on the sidewalk (which constitute only about 2% of all tickets given). The results will be out in a few weeks.
A good thing that has come out of this is that the Parking division has adopted better procedures for directing and training parking enforcement staff. All policy directions must be in writing and must be reviewed by the Parking Director before being given to staff.
Parking in the Wrong Direction: The whole issue of warning notices arose last July when the Parking Division started sending roving crews into residential neighborhoods at night and early mornings on a regular basis. Previously such ticketing was done only on a complaint basis. The crews started giving tickets for parking in the wrong direction and parking with two wheels on the sidewalk on narrow streets including in areas where these practices had been allowed for decades. I heard from countless residents who got tickets and thought it wasn't fair to change the policy without any notice. I agreed and advocated that the City should give one warning notice before giving actual tickets for these two offenses. This should have been done all over the City, not just in some neighborhoods. Also last fall, to address the difficulties of parking on narrow streets, I brought to Council a proposal to adopt a uniform policy to make wrong-way parking the lowest enforcement priority on streets less than 30 feet wide. Council adopted the policy, but defined narrow streets slightly differently by saying wrong-way parking would be enforced only on blocks that have a median or center line painted down the middle the street.
Good news for the future: I know it's hard to see anything "good" when it comes to parking tickets, but I am happy to report that the City's system will get much more user-friendly in the next two months. The new Parking Director, Noel Pinto, has put in motion some big changes to fix the long-standing problems with ticket processing and ticket appeals. A new vendor has been selected to process tickets, track appeals and do collections. The system will go live in about 7 weeks. After that, you can look up your ticket on-line, appeal on line, and track progress of any activity. No more waiting 45 minutes or longer on the phone to get information about your ticket. There will also be several kiosks in the vicinity of City Hall where you can pay your ticket without waiting in a long line as is the case now. Another new feature is that enforcement staff will use a new handheld device that includes a camera. Every ticket will be accompanied by several photos of the car and how it was parked. Thus there will be documentation of whether the violation occurred or not. I am sure we will continue to debate various aspects of parking tickets, ticket prices and parking policy, but at least the system will be vastly improved so that paying and appealing a ticket no longer wastes hours of your time.
City Budget Discussion Continues on March 16 and April 1
The City Council is still struggling to close the remaining deficit in this fiscal year's budget, about $4 million. Last week, we eliminated 26 positions to close the budget gap in one of the non-General Funds which pays for the Planning, Zoning and Building Inspection departments. It was a difficult and painful decision, as it resulted in laying off some very fine people who work in each of those divisions.
At the March 16 City Council meeting, the Council will consider proposals to close the General Fund budget gap, including a proposal by Council President Brunner to cut by 15% the personnel budgets of all elected officials' division, including the Mayor, Council, City Attorney and City Auditor.
At a Special Council Meeting on April 1, the Council will look at proposals to balance the budget for next fiscal year, 2010-11. The projected gap between revenues and expenses is approaching $35 million. Given that we have already cut many millions of dollars in the past 18 months, our major departments are already very lean, so further reductions are going to result in visible service reductions.
An opinion that has been voiced by several citizen groups and on blogs about Oakland is to reduce the staff of the Mayor and Council and to eliminate free employee parking. I agree that some staff reductions in those offices are called for, and I agree that the City should not offer free parking, both as good transportation policy and because the City can no longer afford it. (Presently, 208 City employees and electeds receive free parking (out of 4,000 total employees). If those 208 had to pay market rate or at least half of market rate and continued to rent a parking space, the City would realize between $250,000 - $400,000 dollars.) Cutting the Mayor's staff or the Council staff would result in a total savings of $1.5 million at most. I think we should make these reductions, both for the savings and for the symbolic message that all City offices are sharing the pain of our financial crisis. But that still leaves us with well over a $30 million gap to grapple with.
Given the dramatic reduction of revenue coming to City government, many people are saying the City should eliminate any functions that are not "core services." I agree. The problem is that almost no one wants to say what is NOT a core function. Obviously, police and fire protection are core, as well as maintaining streets, sewers and other infrastructure. In my opinion, so are libraries and staffing in our parks and recreation centers. There is not a whole lot left that the General Fund pays for after that. We are certainly looking at ways to reduce our costs for pensions and health benefits, but those are issues over which we are required to bargain with our employee unions before any action can be taken.
These are the difficult issues for the City Council to decide in the next couple of months. I hope to hear from you about your priorities before we make the decisions on the FY, ’10-’11 budget. Thank you for reading this -- I look forward to hearing your thoughts here.
Senior Presidential
Advisor Valerie Jarrett Visits San Antonio Health Clinic
VIPs visit newly renovated and expanded San Antonio Health Clinic, l-r: Congresswomen Barbara Lee; honored guest Valerie Jarrett, senior advisor to President Obama; and Jane Garcia, Chief Executive Officer of La Clinica De La Raza, Oakland.
Last week our Congresswoman Barbara Lee hosted a very special guest to Oakland, President Obama's Senior Advisor and long-time friend, Valerie Jarrett. After a VIP breakfast reception, Ms. Jarrett's first stop was in District 2, at the newly remodeled San Antonio Health Clinic on International Blvd at 11th Avenue. The San Antonio Health Clinic is one of the several excellent health clinics run by La Clinica de la Raza her in Oakland.
We are honored to have such an important visitor to one of our District 2 neighborhoods and we congratulate La Clinica for the excellent health care that they provide for our residents.Senior Presidential Advisor Valerie Jarrett toured La Clinica de la Raza on March 5 and said: “In an area where the population is struggling each and every day to make ends meet, and doesn't have insurance, you provide an opportunity for them to have the most important care whether it's maternal health care, or helping children with immunizations."
Measure
DD's 12th Street Reconstruction Project Is About To Start
Oakland achieved a huge milestone this week. The City Council unanimously approved the construction contract for the 12th Street project, which is the crown jewel of the Measure DD Lake Merritt improvements. Construction will start in May. When finished in about two years, the existing 12-lane expressway and seismically deficient bridges will be replaced by a six-lane tree-lined boulevard. There will be a new four-acre park at the south end of Lake Merritt. At the channel crossing, the existing set of culverts will be replaced with an open channel and a bridge for pedestrian traffic. Other improvements along the channel between 10th and 12th Streets will take place. For a good article on the project go here.
Because contractors are hungry for work right now, the City received numerous bids and a very good price on this project, $32 million, which was $13.5 million below the engineer's estimate. With soft costs the whole project will cost $47.9 million, of which $8 million is coming from a State grant, $13.4 from a federal grant, and $26.5 from our local bond Measure DD.
It has been a long road getting to this point. The 12th Street project was envisioned in year 2000 as an alternative to then-Mayor Brown's proposal to build a cathedral at the south of the Lake. A citizens' group called CALM, Coalition of Advocates for Lake Merritt, which included local architects, landscape architects and preservationists, drew up a conceptual plan that is much like the present project. This concept was included in the Lake Merritt Master Plan is 2002. My predecessor, former Councilmember Danny Wan, initiated the idea of a local bond measure to make the Lake Merritt Master Plan a reality. I worked with Danny to write Measure DD and build a coalition to support it. The bond measure passed with 80% of the vote in November 2002. A steadfast group of citizens called the Measure DD Coalition has bird-dogged everything along the way, and I thank them for their stewardship.
The design and engineering work on the 12th Street project took about two years and was followed by environmental review and at least one lawsuit challenging the removal of trees, all of which took several years. City staff successfully applied for a federal grant to supplement the local funds, and the NEPA (federal) environmental review added another two years. It's been quite an odyssey, but we made it. All the approvals are done and the funds committed. Not only will Oaklanders get a beautiful new park, we also will get a lot of construction jobs, including for Oakland residents, at a time when people really need them.
Many people have contributed to this project, but I want to recognize two of them now. They are Joel Peter, who has overseen all the Measure DD projects since 2003, and Jose Martinez, who has been the project manager for 12th Street from the very beginning. These two men have been thorough, meticulous and dedicated in bringing this project to this point. I hope to see them both with shovel in hand when this project breaks ground in May.
Major Changes to AC Transit Service Effective March 28
On Sunday, March 28, AC Transit will implement major service changes in every community from Richmond to Fremont. These changes--resulting in an 8.4 percent reduction in service--were driven by the realities of reduced state funding and declining sales-tax revenue, among other economic factors that make for these difficult times. For detailed information about the changes, please visit here.
The changes are extensive, and getting familiar with them will take some time and effort. Riders are encouraged to review the quick reference to major changes by city and the
detailed list of changes. (Links below.) This list incorporates links to individual schedules and line maps. Riders can also view the new system map.
Some editorial comment from your Councilmember: Despite some service reductions, there are also some significant service improvements included in these changes. To the great credit of AC Transit, they did detailed studies of ridership on every single line at various times of day and then re-designed the system to actually improve service on the most heavily used bus lines, including the north-south lines from downtown Oakland to Berkeley. One benefit to our district, was new service to and from Chinatown from the Laurel and other neighborhoods to the east. Council District 2 took one big loss, which is the elimination of line 13 which served Crocker Highlands. To replace some of what the 13 did, the B line will go from Trestle Glen and Lakeshore to San Francisco during commute hours only. Also, the 58 will run from Lakepark Avenue down Lakeshore to downtown Oakland. Check out the "Quick Reference to Major Changes by City" and "Detailed List of Changes" below-they are quite readable.AC Transit will make every effort to help riders get ready for March 28 and then experience a smooth transition to the new service. Printed materials, including brochures and maps, will be available on buses very soon. AC Transit staff has also scheduled information tables to distribute materials in person.
Please visit AC Transit for more information, or click on the links below for direct access to:
New System Map
Quick Reference to Major Changes by City
Detailed List of Changes
Schedule of Information Tables
Background Information
Demonstration
of New LED Lights for San Antonio Park
About a year ago, due to the then-existing inadequate level of lighting at San Antonio park, the City applied for and received federal Housing Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for supplemental lighting at the park.
The new LED lights that will be used are energy efficient, long lasting, uniform-intensity lights that provide better performance than traditional lights. LEDs give off a white glow - as opposed to the yellow glow emitted from traditional low-pressure lights, providing better illumination and contrast resolution.
A few LED lights have already been installed near the San Antonio Recreation Center area, at the top of the hill in San Antonio Park, for demonstration and testing purposes. More will be installed in the near future. You are welcome to drop by the Recreation Center at the park after dark to see what the lights look like. Click here to see an article about San Jose's experience with LED lights for their street lights. It looks like the LEDs are the way of the future!
Make
Oakland Feather River Camp (OFRC) A Family Tradition!
Oakland Feather River Camp has a Family Camp … where kids get to be kids and parents relax more than they have in a long time. OFRC has been around for 86 years and is a rustic facility within a magnificent natural setting in the low Sierra Mountains. It’s a place that encourages community, connection, joy and a love of nature. Kids get to run free within a safe and wholesome environment.
The family camp provides kid-friendly activities every morning. And parents get two hours of free time to relax or to join other activities. Evenings are filled with bonding activities for the whole gang. At Camp everyone gets their needs met, including three delicious meals a
day and lodging in cabins or spacious tents. Many say that it’s the easiest and best family vacation ever! For more information about Feather River Camp including how to register, go here. For a 30-second youtube video on Family Camp, go here.
Another OFRC option is the Youth Camp, called Camp Kidd & Camp Sierra: Where kids come to have fun! For a 30-second youtube video on Camp Kidd/Sierra go here.
Cleveland Cascade Improvements
Project Gets Underway
The Cleveland Cascade will get a facelift soon, thanks to successful fundraising by the Friends of Cleveland Cascade and additional funding from Measure DD. The Cascade, developed in 1923 as a park with an extensive stairway system and a cascading fountain, extends from Lakeshore Avenue to Merritt Avenue on Haddon Hill in Cleveland Heights. The fountain hasn’t worked for many years and, in fact, it no longer exists. Its basins were filled in long ago. Yet the Cleveland Cascade is a much loved element of the Lake Merritt area landscape and is used extensively as a recreational resource. You may have seen exercisers running up and down the stairs, sometimes backward, sometimes on all fours.
The long-range plan is for a complete restoration, subject to successful fundraising. Phase 1 rehabilitation consists of demolishing and disposing of existing handrails; furnishing and installing illuminated handrails and lighted bollards, installing new electrical service, electrical control equipment, conduit and electrical conductors; and placing interpretive signage. Go here for background and pictures of the Cleveland Cascade.
The project specifications require the contractor to coordinate and maintain pedestrian circulation and pedestrian safety during the construction. At least one stairway on Cleveland Cascade will be open during construction to allow pedestrians to move between Lakeshore Avenue and Merritt Avenue. Work will begin after the rains, probably some time in April. In preparation for the work, seven trees are being removed and overgrown vegetation pruned in order to open up vistas along the Cascade to Lake Merritt. The City’s tree crew will undertake the work during the week of March 8. There will be some noise from chainsaws and a chipper. Foot traffic on the stairs may be temporarily interrupted at times during the day.
Washing Cars with Biodegradable
Soap
Soapy suds can reach Lake Merritt and the Estuary in a very short amount of time. The following are some tips to prevent the wash water from entering storm drains where it may flow untreated to bodies of water where they harm fish and other living creatures.
How does runoff from car wash harm the the ecosystem?
When washing cars in a paved area, the wash water, which contains soap and detergent, residues from exhaust fumes, brake pads, gasoline and motor oil, washes off the cars, flows off the pavement and into nearby storm drains (usually openings in the curb or gutter). Unlike the sewers that serve our homes and businesses (called sanitary sewers), which carry wastewater to treatment plants, storm drains carry any water entering them directly and quickly to the nearest water body with no pollutant removal. Soap, detergents (even biodegradable ones) can be poisonous to crabs, oysters, and rockfish, damaging their gills and depleting the water of oxygen. A single fundraising event can pour thousands of gallons of soapy, oily, and gritty water into local streams.Environment-Friendly Tip
Consider washing your car at a commercial car wash. Wash water from commercial car washes goes eventually to sewage treatment plants rather than down a storm drain.
Planning a Low Impact Car Wash
If you choose not to wash your car at a commercial carwash, try to incorporate these practices to reduce the overall environmental impact of your car wash:
- If there are no storm water management controls in place, choose a site where the wash water can soak into grass, gravel, or be diverted to nearby landscaping. This will allow the wash water to filter through the vegetation and/or soil instead of flowing directly into a storm drain. Absorbent pads, which can be purchased at automotive shops, can also be placed in the curb or grass swale to catch oils and other chemicals.
- Remove all trash and debris from the car washing area.
- Do not use acid-based wheel cleaners or engine degreasers.
- A soap-free wash is best for the environment. If you do use soaps, use cleaners or detergents labeled “non-toxic,” “chlorine-free”, “phosphate- free,” or “biodegradable.” The safest products for the environment are vegetable or citrus-based products. Using biodegradable soap does not lessen its immediate environmental impact – it simply means that the soap will degrade in time. A flush of “biodegradable” soap suds will still harm fish or invertebrates in your local stream.
- Use a bucket of soapy water to re-soap rags or sponges throughout the wash rather than adding soap directly to rags or sponges.
- Wring sponges and washrags into buckets, not onto the ground.
- Conserve water by using a spray nozzle with an automatic shut-off.
- Remember to clean up afterwards; pick up trash and debris and dispose of it properly.
Remember to stop and think before you allow anything to go directly into the gutter or storm drain.
*article courtesy of the Maryland Department of the Environment
Update: Acute Tower Replacement Project at Highland Hospital
Alameda County is gearing up its multi-year project to replace the Acute Tower at Highland Hospital in order to meet state seismic safety standards. The $660 million project has many elements and will take seven years to complete. For the most recent construction update go to the Neighborhood Update here. If you’d like to receive future Neighborhood Updates electronically, email here. For more information, go here.
Oakland Word Offers
Free Creative Writing Workshops: Second Session Kicks Off March 13 at
Oakland Public Library
Oakland Word, funded by a grant from the California State Library, continues with a second (and final) session at the Oakland Public Library. Oakland Word is a series of free creative writing workshops designed to provoke dialogue and encourage creativity among underrepresented youths and adults.
The month-long session begins March 13, 2010, at 3:00 pm, with a student reading, featuring participants who will read from their writings, at César E. Chávez Branch, 3301 East 12th Street, Suite 271.
Classes and seminars begin the following week. A variety of Oakland Word workshops will be available at four Library locations:
Asian Branch, 388 9th Street (238-3400)
• Intro to Writing Short Fiction: What is a Story? (Saturdays, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm, 3/20 – 4/17)
• Food and Words: A Youth Culinary Writing Workshop (Thursdays, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm, 3/25 – 4/22) (click here for story above about this event)
• I Could Not Tell: Life Stories and Creative Non-Fiction (Fridays, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm, 3/19 – 4/16, bilingual English/Cantonese)Cesar E. Chávez Branch, 3301 East 12th Street, Ste. 271 (535-5620)
• Urban Fiction: Elements of Short Story Writing (Saturdays, 2:15 pm – 3:45 pm, 3/20 – 4/17, bilingual English/Spanish)
• “You’re Not Going to Believe This”: Writing Your Life Story (Saturdays, 4:00 pm – 5:30
pm, 3/20 – 4/17, taught in Spanish)
• Usted no lo va a creer: Escribiendo cuentos de su vida (Sabados, 4:00 pm – 5: 30 pm, 3/20 – 4/17, en español)Main Library, 125 145th Street (238-3134)
• Life Stories in Poetry and Prose (Thursdays, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm, 3/18 – 4/15)
• Writing and Speaking Word: Poetry and Spoken Word (Saturdays, 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm, 3/20 – 4/17)
• Soul Song: Song Writing Seminar (one day only: Sunday, April 11, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm)
• Literature of Oakland: Writing Poetry and Stories Inspired by Oakland (Wednesdays, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm, 3/17 – 4/14)
• Women’s Poetry Seminar (one day only: Sunday, March 27, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm)West Oakland Branch/Second Start Adult Literacy Program, 1801 Adeline Street
• Poetry in Our Lives (for Second Start Students only: Thursdays, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm, 3/18 – 4/15)
Courses at Chávez Branch will be taught by instructors fluent in Spanish and English, and the course “You’re Not Going to Believe This” will be taught in Spanish; students must be proficient in Spanish to attend, although it will be permissible to write in English. The course “I Could Not Tell” at the Asian Branch will be taught by an instructor fluent in English and Cantonese.A new event (not included in the first session) is Food and Words, a culinary and writing workshop for teens, aged 15 – 18. The five-week course begins March 25 and concludes April 22. Youths will explore the creative process in both cooking and writing. While learning fundamental concepts and skills, students will gain insight into the psychological, emotional, social, and cultural forces that shape what we eat and the stories we tell. This
course will be held in the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, upstairs from Asian Branch, at 388 9th Street, Suite 290. Register before March 22.Anyone interested in participating in the Oakland Word writing workshops will need to register in advance. For information, call 510.238.6572 or email here. Information is also available online. For information in Spanish, call the Chávez Branch, 510.535.5620.
I Love Oakland: 2010 Video Contest - Grand Prize: $3,000
What do you love most about Oakland? What do you think visitors should see? Share your short films with us. Amateur and professional videographers are invited to enter the 2010 Oakland Convention & Visitors Bureau Video Competition to showcase their best short films featuring Oakland.
What to Enter
We are looking for videos that portray Oakland as an attractive, interesting destination.
Films will be judged on originality, technical excellence, composition, overall impact and artistic merit. Surprise us!A total of at least $5,000 in prize money will be distributed, including at least one Grand Prize of $3,000. Winners and finalists in the video competition will be listed on the OCVB's website here for up to one year, including contact information for referrals. For more details, contact here.
Guidelines
Entrants must submit an original video of a minimum of 25 seconds and a maximum of four
minutes in length featuring Oakland, CA. (Two minutes is the ideal length for the YouTube format; however, quality videos up to four minutes will be accepted for consideration.)
Winning entries will be selected by their depiction of Oakland as well as overall video quality. All entries and completed entry forms must be received by June 1, 2010.The competition is open to everyone except employees of the Oakland Convention & Visitors Bureau. The Oakland Convention & Visitors Bureau shall have the right to verify, in their sole judgment, winner eligibility.
How to Submit Entries
Complete the official entry form. Scan the form and email it here. Or
mail the form to: Oakland Convention & Visitors Bureau Photo Contest, 463 11th Street, Oakland, CA 94607Entries must not include any identification throughout the entire video, but may include credits at the beginning and end (such as a name or website.)
Upload your video to YouTube.
Go to the OaklandCVB2010 group page and click the Join Group button.
Submit up to 10 videos to the group.
To ensure your entries have been seen, email here and include the links
to the 10 videos you are submitting. You will receive an email confirmation that your entry form has been received.IMPORTANT NOTE: This group account is moderated and it may take a week to 10 days for your video to be added to the group and for you to receive confirmation.
Formats
Videos may be submitted to YouTube in any format.
The winners will be asked to submit a copy of the video in the original format, such as .avi,
.mov or .mpg.
Entries Close: June 1, 2010
Questions?
Questions and inquiries about contest rules can be emailed here or here, or call 510-208-0526
Around March 15 to17, every address in the nation will receive a Census questionnaire - by filling out the questionnaires, we will ensure that everyone is counted and that our area will get its fair share of federal resources. I would strongly urge everyone fill out the form and mail it back by April 1, 2010.
By filling out and returning the Census questionnaires, we can achieve an accurate and complete count, and ensure that all the communities get their fair share of our tax dollars flowing back into our communities.
For more information, contact Minzi (Monica) Xu, our local representative with the US Census Bureau, at (510) 847-6273, or email, or go here.
Wi-Fi Access Available at Oakland Libraries
For those of you who don't know, all Oakland libraries have wireless (WiFi) access for the public, as well as at Oakland City Hall area in downtown. Click here for more info.
Keep Oakland Beautiful’s
Small Grants Program – Deadline to Apply is April 30
The City’s Keep Oakland Beautiful program is accepting applications for the Spring round of its Small Grants Program. The grants awards range in size from $200 to $500. Individuals, neighborhood groups and organizations can apply to use the fund to undertake highly-visible neighborhood improvement projects such as pocket park makeovers and cleanup and beautification of median and easement strips. Evidence of sustainability is an important component of the application. The deadline for the Spring round of application is April 30, 2010. Go here for information on how to apply.
6th Anniversary Celebration of Cantonese-Speaking Citizens Academy Alumni
I was happy to celebrate the 6th Anniversary of the Cantonese-speaking Citizens Academy Alumni last week. That's a long name for an excellent community group that formed in Chinatown after their members attended one of the City's Citizens' Academies. For a number of years, the City has run a series of educational programs about City government and how to get involved and advocate in an effective way for your neighborhood. The Academies were offered in Cantonese and Spanish as well as in English. The alumni of the Cantonese-speaking series decided to stick together and do something positive for their neighborhood. They regularly do neighborhood clean-ups and sponsor other community events. I congratulate them on six years of service to the community.- PK