UPCOMING EVENTS
September 8, 9: E-Waste Drop-Off Event at ColiseumSeptember 9: Yoga in the Plaza/Cultivate Peace
September 11: Community Meeting about 601 MacArthur Excavation Site
September 13 and 20: CORE Training at Leaning Tower of Pizza
September 13: Pat Kernighan to be a Panelist at Retail Conference in San RamonSeptember 30: Madison Square Park Community Meeting
Sewer Construction Project – Lakeshore Avenue between Mandana Blvd. and Walavista Avenue
REPORTS
Oak to 9th: Another Twist in the On-going Saga
OUSD Property Sale Update – Outcome of the Third OUSD Hearing
PSO Encinias Gets Promoted to SergeantUpdate on Oakland Chinatown Asian Liaison Position
Update on Eastlake Beat Officer
The Grand Lake Guardian debuts
23rd Avenue Gets Cleaned...and Then Some...
Joanne Karchmer Joins Our Office
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 8, 9: E-Waste Drop-Off Event at Coliseum
WHAT: GOT E-WASTE??? FREE PUBLIC DISPOSAL/RECYCLING EVENT FOR ELECTRONIC WASTE Produced by Electronic Waste Management, a division of Acquisitions Office
WHEN: Friday, September 8th from 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
and
Saturday, September 9th from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PMWHERE: OAKLAND COLISEUM
Parking Lot D (7000 Coliseum Way, off 66th Avenue at the North Mall Area, Oakland)FEE: ABSOLUTELY FREE!! (This is a state-funded program established after the passage of SB20 and SB50)
ITEMS ACCEPTED: Computer Monitors; Computer Hard Drives and Cases; Keyboards; Mouses; Printers; Fax Machines; VCR’s; DVD’s; TV’s; Telephone Equipment; Toner Cartridges;Cellular Phones; Power Supplies; Audio & Visual Equipment; Digital Cameras; Stereo Equipment & Speakers; Household Batteries; Copy Machines; Video Game Systems; Wire; Steel Scrap; Ferrous & Non-Ferrous Metals; and Steel & Alloy Rims.
PLEASE - NO MICROWAVE OVENS, HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES, SMOKE DETECTORS, FURNITURE, OR CAR BATTERIES.Any California business, organization, agency, school and/or resident is welcome to drop off unwanted e-waste at no charge. There is no limit to the amount of e-waste that can be disposed of as long as the items are on the “accepted” list given above.
INFO: www.noewaste.com
Toll Free: (866) 335-3373To see the brochure, click here.
September 9: Yoga in the Plaza/Cultivate Peace
Yoga For Peace, Niroga Institute, and East Bay Community Mediation are joining forces to promote unity within our community from noon-4:00 p.m. on September 9th at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in front of City Hall. Similar events will take place in San Francisco, New York, Boston, Maui, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden and Dubai. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. The suggested minimum donation for participation is $25.00 per person. However, no one will be turned away for lack of contribution.
Participants will gather to do Sun Salutations, a traditional yoga sequence, led by the silent supervision of respected yoga teachers from the Bay Area and beyond. Refreshments will be available throughout the day. The three hours of yoga will open with Indian Classical music for mindfulness, and close with a 90 minute concert.
What You Should Bring
- Your own yoga mats, water, and towels
- Fruit, food bars or any other refreshments you will need over the course of the day
- Wear light, comfortable clothes and sunscreen
Be prepared for all possible weather conditions. Yoga for Peace will happen rain or shine!
What You Should Know
Please understand that the Yoga Mala is a physically challenging practice. Everyone is welcome to participate, but you must know your limitations and take responsibility for your own well-being. Please stop and rest when necessary. You should not do anything that is more thanyou can handle. Your presence at the event is in itself a wonderful demonstration of support for the cause.Children are welcome. There will be some kid-friendly activities available. Proceeds from the event are tax-deductible and will go to support Niroga Institute and East Bay Community Mediation programs. For more information or to register in advance (preferable), please visit http://www.niroga.org/events/yogaforpeace2006.html
September 11: Community Meeting about 601 MacArthur Excavation Site
Date: Monday, September 11
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Place: Trinity Lutheran Church, located at 650 Alma Avenue(between Park and MacArthur Blvds.)
We will discuss the status of the long-time and unsightly excavation site at 601 MacArthur Blvd.Scripps Investments, the lender for the original developer, foreclosed on the property at 601 MacArthur Blvd. and took ownership about two months ago. In the past three weeks, Scripps has done some of the short-term clean-up required by the City. Even with the clean-up, the area still remains an eyesore for the neighborhood. I look forward to a dialog with neighbors to discuss your continuing concerns with the excavation and with the proposed residential development that received Planning Commission approval in 2002.
Please contact my aide Joanne Karchmer (jkarchmer@oaklandnet.com) if you are planning to attend the meeting.
September 13 and 20: CORE Training at Leaning Tower of Pizza
The Oakland Fire Department’s Office of Emergency Services will present the first two classes of Citizens of Oakland Responding to Emergencies (CORE) training for Haddon Hill residents. If there are spaces available, others may sign up, too.
Over 12,000 Oakland residents have taken the training since 1985 in order to prepare for emergencies like major earthquakes and fires.
CORE I – home and family preparedness
CORE II – neighborhood preparedness and response
Go here for more information about CORE.Both classes will take place at 7 pm at the Leaning Tower Pizza, 498 Wesley. If you are interested, you must sign up and you must take CORE I before taking CORE II. To sign up, please contact David Bolanos at davbolanos@aol.com.
September 13: Pat Kernighan
to be a Panelist at Retail Conference in San Ramon
Because of my advocacy to bring more retail to Oakland, I have been asked to serve as a panelist at a day-long conference on September 13 in San Ramon, to be attended by representatives of cities and the retail industry. The other panelists include economic development staff from cities that have successfully built retail centers (such as Walnut Creek), retail developers, and other industry professionals. The conference will focus on how cities will be able to plan and zone for retail in the event that Proposition 90 passes this November. Both Emeryville and Walnut Creek made extensive use of government’s zoning power to create the retail centers in their cities. Prop. 90 would eliminate the use of eminent domain to take private property, but would actually go much farther than that. In effect, it would severely limit, or in fact eliminate, cities' ability to do any zoning or regulation that would negatively impact the value of private property. The conference is called “Tough Retail Decisions for Northern California Cities.” It is put on by the Northern California Alliance Program of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). The Northern Alliance serves retail real estate professionals in the public and private sectors. I am very happy to have this opportunity to highlight Oakland’s desire to attract stores to serve our residents.
For more information, please call Kathy Dwyer at 238-7246.
September 30: Madison Square Park Community Meeting
Just a reminder, we will be having our Madison Square Park community meeting to explore short-term and long-term improvements to Madison Square Park to accommodate Tai-Chi exercisers and other groups. The meeting will be held Saturday, September 30, 2006, from 10 am to 1 pm in the conference room in the Metropolitan Transportation Commission building, located at 101 Eighth Street (across from the Lake Merritt BART plaza).
For more information about Madison Park and the upcoming September 30 community meeting, please call my Legislative Aide Kevin Liao at 238-7022.
For many years, the BART Plaza, located at the Lake Merritt BART station, has been the site where Chinese seniors congregate to engage in the practice of Tai-Chi and other physical activities. Due to seismic and safety concerns, however, BART must demolish the now-vacant Administrative Building located on the BART plaza beginning next summer. As a result, I am working with a group of Chinese seniors to find an alternative site where they can continue their morning exercises. I am committed to improving Madison Square Park in time for their move to the park, now that BART Engineering has determined that the plaza area immediately adjacent to the building must be closed to the public to ensure safety. Steps are now being taken to fence off the area.
The short time frame and the lack of funds preclude a complete park renovation at this time but short-term fixes are possible. I am working with City staff to find a solution that is feasible and can be put in place in time.
Sewer Construction Project – Lakeshore Avenue between Mandana Blvd.
and Walavista Avenue
The construction of a relief sanitary sewer will begin in mid-October along Lakeshore between Mandana Blvd and Walavista Avenue. Construction is expected to last until April 2007 barring any delay, which might be caused by an excessively rainy season. The construction work will take place on weekdays only between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The staging area will not be permanently fixed in one location, but will be moving as construction proceeds on a day-to-day basis. Lakeshore above Mandana Blvd. adjacent to the park and playground will not be used as a staging area during this project.
The project is expected to correct problems that result in sewage overflow at the corner of Walavista and Lakeshore during major rainfalls. The project is much smaller in scale than the earlier flood control work, which was undertaken in the area by Alameda County. The project will install 12”-18” sewer pipe and rehabilitate existing sewers, using trenchless technology. All construction management will be provided by City staff.
October 4: Walk a Child to School Day
The City of Oakland’s Department of Human Service will be sponsoring their ninth annual Walk a Child to School Day on Wednesday, October 4.
My staff and I will assist at several elementary schools (possible schools include Lakeview, Franklin, Cleveland, Garfield & Lincoln) from 8 – 9 am. I invite you to join us. Volunteers will be distributing multi-lingual announcement flyers, safety tips and giveaway pencils; greeting the children and their families as they arrive at the school; possibly assisting the crossing guards (for those of you who missed this opportunity as a child, here is your chance); and at the intersections and in those areas with heavy and/or fast traffic conditions waiving signs asking drivers to slow down for the safety of the children crossing the streets.
If you can help during this very important hour on October 4, please contact my aide Kathy Dwyer at kdwyer@oaklandnet.com or 238-7246.
REPORTS
Lakeshore Albertsons Update
Finally, some progress is being made toward getting a food store at the vacant Lakeshore Albertsons. About three weeks ago, the lease owners, Sansome Pacific, and the landowners were successful in re-negotiating the terms of the lease to eliminate the percentage rent formula. This change in the lease terms now makes it financially feasible to lease to a food store. As I have written about before, the percentage rent had been a major barrier to getting the kind of tenant the neighborhood wants. All of you who e-mailed letters to Sansome Pacific earlier this summer in response to my e-mail alert should pat yourselves on the back. It was the overwhelming community response to the proposed drug store that catalyzed their willingness to amend the lease. Negotiations are now underway between Sansome Pacific and several desirable tenants and I am optimistic that they will have good news to report in the next couple of months.
Oak to Ninth: Another
Twist in the On-Going Saga
By now, all of you have probably read of the surprising turn of events regarding the referendum against the Oak to Ninth project. City Attorney John Russo declared that the signature-gathering effort was invalid because the petitions presented to voters contained an outdated version of the ordinance and omitted exhibits showing maps of the project. The petitioners are challenging Russo's decision in court.
Whatever the legalities of the referendum effort, it is clear that the community is divided over the Oak to Ninth issue. There are big constituencies and strong feelings on both sides. Because of the level of controversy, I am calling upon the developer to re-open discussions with community stakeholders and work to develop more consensus. It would be much better for the city if we could move forward with a shared vision on the project.
OUSD Property Sale Update –
Outcome of the Third OUSD Hearing
This past Wednesday, September 6, the Oakland School Board held its third and final hearing on the proposed sale of school district land near Second Avenue. The sale is being proposed by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell as a way of raising money to help pay off the district’s debt to the State. The speakers, most of them parents and teachers at the schools presently located on the site, were unanimously opposed to the sale. Many also spoke in favor of an immediate return to local control of the school district.
A demographer who specializes in projecting school enrollments gave a report showing that the recent dip in enrollment is not likely to continue, and that within several years, school enrollment district-wide is likely to grow. The most growth was predicted in the areas surrounding the Second Avenue site as many residential developments are being built in surrounding areas and downtown. The only school in the downtown area, Lincoln Elementary, is already overcrowded, and La Escuelita, the elementary school already on the site, is at capacity.
Six School Board members spoke in vehement opposition to the sale and in opposition to an extension of time to negotiate changes in the sale proposal. The primary reasons cited were that the property is needed to house the schools that are already on site and to expand them to accommodate the increased number of students who are expected to come from new residential developments. They argued that a short term gain in funds is insufficient reason to offset the loss of real estate that will surely be needed later. These Board members also felt very strongly that it was completely inappropriate for any entity other than the locally-elected School Board to make the irrevocable decision to sell District-owned land. All in all, the six board members felt the proposed sale was not in the best long-term interests of Oakland children. One board member, Kerry Hamill, advocated extending the negotiations to explore options for selling only part of the land, thus leaving adequate land for the five schools on-site. Ms. Hamill exorted her colleagues to be realistic in light of the District’s still serious financial situation. Her motion for an extension failed.
I share the concerns of the School Board members that a sale of this land does not serve the long-term educational needs of Oakland children. Though the sale price sounds attractive, it is based on selling almost the entire parcel and constructing 5 extremely tall high rise towers, which may or may not ultimately be approved by the City. Most importantly, it also does not take into account the costs of relocating and rebuilding the existing schools elsewhere. Therefore the net profit could be relatively small. (This point was totally lost on Chris Thompson, author of the fanciful article on this topic in the East Bay Express.)
Despite the local Board’s valiant attempt to protect the interests of our future school children, their decision is not controlling. The State Superintendent has the legal authority to make the decision to sell or not to sell. Even if he decides to sell some or all of the property, the proposed housing development will have to come to the Oakland Planning Commission and City Council for approval. So, there are still several local approval processes and opportunities for public debate on the issue. Most of the Council members have expressed severe reservations about the proposed sale. Stay tuned.
PSO Encinias Gets Promoted to Sergeant
On Friday, August 25, eight Oakland Police Officers were promoted by Chief of Police Wayne Tucker. One of them – our very own District 2 Problem Solving Officer Jill Encinias – was promoted to Sergeant. Congratulations to Sgt. Encinias and all of the OPD officers on their promotions. All of us who have worked with Jill as our Problem Solving Officer here in District 2 are very proud of her. She has earned a reputation among the citizens of our district as a "can-do" police officer. I can attest to the fact that when our residents are experiencing crime problems, she listens and responds with action, not excuses. Her dedication and professionalism have certainly not gone unnoticed.
As you know, Problem Solving Officers are often times the face of OPD to many people in our neighborhoods. Jill’s promotion to Sergeant is bittersweet to those of us in District 2 because, while we all wish her the best in her career in law enforcement, we will greatly miss her and her fine work as our Problem Solving Officer.
Again, congratulations and best wishes.
Update on Oakland Chinatown Asian Liaison Position
For the past month, I have been working with the Chinatown community to protest the transfer of the "liaison" police officer who works out of the police substation in Chinatown's Pacific Renaissance Plaza. We collected signatures on petitions addressed to the Mayor and Police Chief and conducted an e-mail campaign to them as well, urging them not to transfer Officer Teddy Chu to patrol. I also held a press conference on August 18th with many community leaders to publicly state our opposition to the loss of the police officer.
The community liaison officer at the substation provides crucial police and community services to the Chinatown area. In addition to providing police and community services, the liaison officer coordinates youth activities with the Asian Youth Services Committee and staffs the Asian Advisory Committee on Crime. The residents of Chinatown feel comfortable with an easily accessible officer who speaks their language, and are more likely to report incidents of crime to him. In addition to Officer, Chu, Chinatown still has one permanent walking officer who works in the afternoons and evenings.
Despite our entreaties, the Mayor and Police Chief have proceeded with the transfer of Officer Chu to patrol. They expressed regret at having to do this, but stated that the shortage of sworn officers in the patrol division was critical, and their first obligation was to have a patrol officer in every beat and provide prompt emergency response to 911 calls. They projected that a permanent officer who speaks Cantonese will be reassigned to the position in 4 or 5 months. In the meantime, the Chinatown substation will be staffed in the mornings by a rotation of other officers on overtime, and Deputy Chief Greg Lowe will staff the AYSC and AACC. I am very disappointed in the temporary loss of the permanent liaison officer, and will press to return him as soon as possible.
Update on Eastlake Beat Officer
According to Lieutenant Edward Tracey of the Oakland Police Department, Officer Sammy Kim, who normally covers the East Lake area, is still out on disability, and should be back on light duty in a week or two. We wish him a speedy recovery.
On August 26th & 27th, the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce presented its 19th Annual Chinatown StreetFest. I was happy to kick off the opening ceremony along with Alameda County Board of Supervisor Alice Lai-Bitker and fellow representatives from our local and state government.
In celebrating the Year of the Dog, the Chinatown StreetFest every year attracts thousands of people from all over the Bay Area to come savor the taste of Asia, and to experience the traditions that Oakland's Chinatown has so diligently preserved. This year is no different, as the turnout and booth activity exceeded that of previous years.
In addition to presenting information about the constituent services that my office provides to the residents of District 2 and greater Oakland, we also presented information about the upcoming Madison Square Park community meeting on September 30 (click here for more information).
The two-day event, free to the public, consisting of more than 280 booths, spanned nine to ten blocks of Chinatown. Every year small businesses and community organizations from all over California come to showcase a myriad of delicious foods, unique Asian products, and special services. There were arts & crafts, entertainment on three stages, and a Cultural Village presented by the Oakland Museum of California.
Thanks to all of you who stopped by our booth, and a great thanks to all of the volunteers who staffed our booth during the weekend.
The Grand Lake Guardian debuts
A new volunteer–powered, online newspaper serving the neighborhoods surrounding Lake Merritt was launched on September 1, 2006. This promises to be a fantastic, interactive resource for community dialog. Readers can read and then comment on any article in the Grand Lake Guardian for real-time community conversation on important news, events, policies and opinions shaping the Lake Merritt neighborhood. Congratulations to all those who have worked so hard to create this great source of information and exchange of views. Check it out here.
23rd Avenue Gets Cleaned...and Then Some...
The
neighborhood and the city getting together to clean up 23rd Ave! Members
of the Oakland Police Department, City Council, City Administrator, Public
Works and community groups get down and dirty!
Joanne Karchmer Joins Our Office
Joanne Karchmer has joined the District 2 Council staff as Council Aide, replacing Eva Paul, who retired in July after many years of dedicated service to the City of Oakland. Joanne is an attorney, who focused on litigation and public interest issues in the early part of her career. Just prior to joining us, she was the Executive Director of CareerDevelopment at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall), where she developed career-related programs, counseled law students and alumni, and managed a staff of seven people. Joanne will focus on public works projects, urban planning, code enforcement and constituent services. She is a graduate of Cornell University and earned her J.D. at Boston College Law School. Joanne is an Oakland resident and enjoys spending time with her husband and her two young children in our local parks, volunteering with non-profit organizations and in the classroom at her son’s school in the OUSD. Joanne works on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. She can be reached at (510) 238-7021 or jkarchmer@oaklandnet.com.
District 2 Elementary Schools in Spiffy Condition
What a welcome District 2’s elementary school children got this fall. Thanks to voters’ passage of school district facilities bonds, three of the district’s elementary schools look better now than they have in a long while. Both Crocker and Garfield have new interiors after many months of substantial physical improvements throughout. More improvements are in the works outside at both these schools. Cleveland’s exterior has been freshly painted and its school yard repaved.
Available Legal Services for District 2 Residents
Law Center for Families is pleased to announce that it is a recipient of the Oakland Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) which permits them to provide family law legal assistance to residents of the San Antonio, Eastlake and Chinatown neighborhoods.
Law Center for Families is a non-profit legal service that provides legal assistance to low-income and/or immigrant community residents of Alameda County. Their practice areas include housing and consumer law, language access/rights, and family law. Fees for their services are based on a sliding scale.
With this grant, they can provide family law legal services to residents who are domestic violence survivors or those who are at risk of domestic abuse. They also provide free workshops and trainings to local community organizations on family law and domestic violence restraining orders so that staff members at community organizations can more easily identify the family law issues which their clients face.
To make an appointment, please call 510-451-9261 (ext 260). Leave a message with your name, telephone number and address. You must leave your address to determine eligibility.
Our office has flyers in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Spanish. Please contact Kathy Dwyer at kdwyer@oaklandnet.com if you would like some flyers mailed to you for distribution.