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Longfellow Community Association adopts Linden Park
	The Longfellow Community Association voted unanimously to adopt Linden Park, in a recent online talley. The group's commitment means that volunteers will water areas out of reach of sprinklers, and will pick up litter twice a week. Students at the North Oakland Community Charter School, adjacent to the park, have been instrumental in improving and maintaining the park since it was abandoned by the City. Community members also join in the effort. In other business, the Association elected a five-member board, whose first order of business is to create by-laws. The organization, which typically attracts 3 or 4 dozen people to each meeting, has a number of active subcommittees, addressing concerns with problem businesses, transportation and parking, greening, arts & culture, and neighborhood development. The organization is open to residents of JAMMI and meets the first Thursday of each month at 1000 42nd Street.

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BART retrofit work underway
	The long-heralded retrofit work to the support pillars under Highway 24 at the MacArthur BART station is finally underway. As had been announced, the open space between the pillars will be much diminished. Pedestrians who used to cut across the street and median will now need to use the crosswalks because of the barriers. Some still have safety concerns: where can you run to if attacked in the long, dark tunnel?
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Billboard removed . . . and replaced
	On Tuesday night, June 15th, the Oakland City Council approved a deal that would allow ClearChannel Communications to build or remodel three large billboards near the Coliseum and Bay Bridge, if they removed 37 existing billboards and paid the city $1 million dollars. Less than three days later, a crew was busy dismantling an ugly billboard in our neighborhood, at the corner of 40th Street and MLK. For a moment, one might have thought billboards in the neighborhood were actually going to be removed, reducing visual blight. Only one concern: the billboard that was removed was immediately replaced with a new billboard about the same size. Does our City Council know how to cut a deal, or what?

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Destiny Arts Center hosts outdoor barbeque
	Destiny Arts Center hosted an outdoor barbeque on Saturday, June 12th at 1 pm. In addition to food, the crowd enjoyed a festival including games, a live DJ, film screenings, capoeira and freestyle dance demonstrations. At 3 pm, performances by Destiny students entertained the crowd, including dance, martial arts and theater. The local non-profit, known for its dance (excuse me, "movement arts") and anti-violence programs engaging local youth, has enhanced the area of 42nd and Linden for several years. The organization was founded in 1988. It currently offers martial arts, hip hop dance, modern dance and youth theater classes for children 3-18 years old. The classes are held in a building shared with the North Oakland Community Charter School. The center has outgrown the space and is planning to move to a larger facility at an undisclosed location in North Oakland. Destiny is over halfway to meeting its fundraising goal of $800,000. The funds will allow the Center to move to a better facility.

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Local artists open their studios
	OOn Saturday and Sunday, June 5th and 6th, from 11 am to 6 pm, and again the following weekend, East Bay artists opened their studios to the public, artists in our neighborhood among them. As in prior years, Alba Studios at 4219 Martin Luther King Jr. Way showcased multiple artists. This year's line-up included Benny Alba, Jennifer Downey, Cindy Ware, Lynn Richards, Vicky Mei Chen, L. Hickox Robinson, Mike Kimball, Hallie Strock, D. Love, Lynette Parker and Maggie Cockrell. The group displayed a diverse collection of painting, photography, prints, jewelry, textiles and more. Martin Morehouse, at 675 37th Street, exhibited conceptual padded "furniture." And Destiny Arts, at 1000 42nd St, also participated. The sculpture shown is by Mr. Morehouse; it is part of a collection of five sculptures (two of which are on display) that represent a human meat packing facility. This particular sculpture is supposed to tenderize human meat to make it fit for consumption. The companion vacuum stuffer mimics the sausage making equipment that injects and pressurizes meat into a casing. More information about the event can be found at the a href="http://www.proartsgallery.org/ebos/index.php" onclick="window.open('http://www.proartsgallery.org/ebos/index.php','usatg','width=767,height=485,resizable=yes,screeny=10,top=10,left=10,scrollbars=1,toolbar=0');return false"> ProArts website.

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New Hope Church holds health fair
	The New Hope Baptist Church, at the corner of 36th Street and Market Street, held a Health and Wellness Fair on Saturday, June 5th from 9 AM to 2 PM. Once one got past the registration tables, free blood pressure checks were available, as well as cholesterol and glucose screening and HIV tests.  Upstairs in the church, a dozen people watched a film about strokes while a similar number attended a live demonstration of healthy cooking techniques one floor below.  In the parking lot, a bounce house awaited children.  Tables were set up for blood screening and a spin-the-wheel game of chance.  Two volunteers from Vitas Innovative Hospice Care passed out literature about their in-home care program. Free (and healthy) lunches were offered to participants.

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Neighbors plan last ditch stand against cell towers
	Verizon Wireless has obtained City Planning Commission approval to erect cell phone antennas on a vacant commercial building across the street from the North Oakland Community Charter School. Some local residents, concerned about possible esthetic and health effects from the nine cell phone antennas planned for the site, appealed the Planning Commission's February 17th ruling, paying for the $1,200 cost for the appeal with donations from the community. Appeals of this type are heard by the City Council.  The City Council heard the appeal on June 15th. On June 11th at 3:30 pm, 100 or so residents gathered at 1001 42nd St to protest in front of the building where the antennas are to be located.  A local TV station covered the protest. However, City staff was not swayed.  Their recommendation to the Council was to reject the appeal.  But four councilmembers sympathized with the appeal.  There was talk of a moratorium until a new policy could be worked out.  Meanwhile, Verizon has resubmitted a proposal that only needs approval by the Planning Commission.  That approval is expected July 19th. Appeal of Planning Commission rulings has been an effective tool for the neighborhood in the past. About five years ago, a developer intended to construct condominiums at the California Linens site on 41st Street and Linden. A neighbor appealed and delayed the process; the condos were never built. In the current situation, however, no conditional use permit is required so the appeal can only be based on the towers' design. There has been intense debate about the dangers, if any, of cell phone towers, but much of the debate occurred some ten years ago. With few actual studies to support contentions on either side of the debate, a stark contrast can be found between the allegations of health risks and the assurances that such allegations are ungrounded. One bone of contention for human rights advocates is that the 1996 Telecommunications Act forbids communities from banning cell phone towers based upon environmental concerns, which has been interpreted as a restriction on the right to speak out about the purported health effects of the towers. The FCC's standards for cell phone towers, by the way, are less restrictive than those in place in Russia and Eastern Europe. Perhaps the Chernobyl experience made those countries more sensitive to health concerns posed by radiation-emitting industries.

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NCPC meeting focuses on redevelopment
	A big topic at the May 26th Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council meeting was redevelopment. Kathy Kleinbaum of the city's redevelopment agency presented a Powerpoint presentation to educate the crowd about the pros and cons of turning the neighborhood north of 40th Street into a redevelopment area. She had presented the same show the week before to the Market Street Corridor neighborhood association. Neighbors have considered and voted down redevelopment twice before, in 2001 and 2005. So why are we being asked again? Perhaps the City thinks third time's the charm. But the stated reason is that a neighborhood to our west, around Lowell Street, has opted to join the existing Broadway/MacArthur/San Pablo redevelopment area, so why not gain economies of scale and join the crowd?   Kathy was sincere, but failed to provide convincing arguments for making this commitment. If the area was to join the existing area, the reality is that the tax dollars saved by doing so would mostly go to develop retail on the Broadway corridor in the former Auto Row. Our neighborhood is built-out, without many large lots suitable for large-scale projects. The likely benefit would be relatively small sums for facade improvements for neighborhood businesses. But the price will be the need to build dedicated affordable housing within the area to satisfy state mandates. That means more high-density, low-income, unattractive and cheaply constructed rental units.

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Crowd honors deceased car wash employee
	On Sunday, May 23rd, a crowd of some three dozen people gathered at the "Car Wash" (formerly Burley's) at the corner of West MacArthur Blvd. and Martin Luther King Jr. Way, to honor Charles Taylor, an individual with a close connection to the car wash. Participants held candles and took turns giving testimony about Mr. Taylor's generosity and good deeds, taking in people who were hard up, babysitting or lending others a hand. Most of the crowd were relatives; some were friends or former co-workers. Mr. Taylor had been a long-time employee of Burley's car wash when it was owned by Mary Syon. But Burley's closed abruptly last year, was vacant for awhile, and recently re-opened as simply "Car Wash." A picture of Mr. Taylor, and more information about Burley's, can be found at the Oakland North website.
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Bus Rapid Transit discussed
	At the May meeting of the Market Street Corridor committee, an AC Transit spokesperson described the Bus Rapid Transit project proposed to run on Telegraph Avenue, near our neighborhood. Jim Cunradi showed the group a video that simulated a two-section accordian bus running in a dedicated lane from San Leandro to Berkeley. He explained that the bus would provide more frequent, faster service than current buses because the bus would have its own lane in many areas, and boarding would be streamlined. Patrons would have to purchase tickets in advance, people would wait at stations similar to streetcar stations, would enter through multiple doors, and the floor would be at station level so that wheelchair boarding would not delay service. Streetlights would be timed to reduce delays. One attendee wondered why AC Transit was pursuing this project in the midst of a fiscal crisis. Mr. Cunradi explained that the project had been under study for many years and that funding for capital improvements was frequently easier to obtain than operating subsidies.  AC Transit must study and resolve impacts to traffic flow and parking before any construction starts. More information on the project may be found at the AC Transit website.
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Grants awarded to "green" the neighborhood
	On May 12th, the West Oakland Project Area Committee voted to recommend the City Council approve three grants to "green" our neighborhood, totalling over $100,000. One grant, for $12,730, would fund "spot-greening" in various spots along sidewalks and medians. With the approval of property-owners, volunteers would plant attractive flowers and shrubs at specific, publicly visible locations currently neglected or weed-infested. A second grant, for $54,568, would assist in the landscaping of the 40th Street median, and would fund construction of one or two attractive bus stops on 40th Street. Both of these grants would be part of the Neighborhood Projects Initiative program. Separately, the WOPAC voted $60,000 in additional assistance for the Oakland Crossroads Community Garden, proposed to be established in an available lot at the corner of 39th Street and MLK. The WOPAC had previously recommended $100,000 for site improvement there, and the Broadway/MacArthur/San Pablo PAC had offered $160,000. The City Council approved those previous requests. The additional funds are necessary to remediate soil contamination at the site. These funding recommendations will go to the City Council for approval this summer.
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Second "Weedian" Day is a success
	A "Weedian Day" was held on May 8th by the Longfellow Community Association, to maintain attractive plantings in the street median on 40th Street. Volunteers chatted while removing unattractive weeds from the landscaping that the "guerrilla gardeners" had planted on that median last summer. Participants wore reflective vests and "coned off" a lane of traffic so that they could safely handle wheelbarrows and tools, filling compost bins with unwanted plant debris. One member fashioned a "Donations Wanted" sign in hopes of attracting support from passing motorists. The event was followed with a potluck barbeque at the home of one of the neighbors.
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AC Transit mulls route shuffle
	Proclaiming a fiscal emergency, AC Transit is considering a number of service changes and reductions, including some that would affect our neighborhood. One proposal would reroute the 26 bus so that it no longer services MacArthur BART or 40th Street in Oakland, instead extending into Emeryville. It would be replaced by service from the 31 bus, which would no longer service much of Emeryville. The 57 bus would run every 15 minutes on weekdays, instead of 12 minutes. The last PM trip for the C bus would be eliminated, and the F would only run every 60 minutes after 10 pm. AC Transit is projecting a deficit of $56 million in their operating budget by the end of 2011. Public hearings will be held at on May 26th at 2pm and 6pm in the Second Floor Board Room at AC Transit's offices, 1600 Franklin Street, Oakland.
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Transit village moves forward
	The development team for the MacArthur BART Transit Village held an informational meeting for the community on April 21st at Mosswood Park. Changes in the plan were detailed by Lydia Tan and other members of the team. The proposed parking garage was the focus of the presentation, since that will be built first. Construction is expected to start early in 2011 and finish in 2014. Construction on the entire project will continue in five phases to 2023. The garage has grown from 300 to 468 stalls, five stories. The roof may be open parking, or it may be covered with solar panels. Access to the garage will be to and from West MacArthur Blvd. Cars will not be able to access the garage from 40th Street. The viability of a proposed retail area on West Mac, on the ground floor of the garage, was greeted with skepticism from several of the two dozen or so community members who attended the presentation. Reconstruction of the BART plaza will also start in 2011. Ninety affordable housing units will be built from 2014 to 2016. Market rate units will be built starting in 2014 and ending in 2023. Additional bicycle lockers will be provided to encourage people to leave their cars at home. The developer has set aside funds to assist with creation of a permit parking area in a half mile radius of the station, should neighbors vote in favor of such a zone.
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Pop-up store offers occasional variety
	The Pop-up General Store is an occasional shopping experience that appears irregularly at the old Grove Street Streetcar Station, 4629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Until the mid-20th century, streetcars ran from downtown out what was then called Grove Street to Temescal Creek. The streetcars are long gone and the creek has been buried in a culvert. But the car barn is still there, refurbished and the headquarters for the Grace Street Catering company. Once or twice a month, an event happens there known as the Pop-up General Store. On a recent Tuesday, ten tables were set up inside the ground floor of the building, each staffed by independent cuisine craftspeople (mostly women). Some sold greens and green onions, others hawked homemade dog biscuits, handmade bowls, pasta, mole, barrel-aged vinegar, olive oil, cookies, marmalade, cheesecloth, recycled tote bags and a variety of other quirky and individually made items. While many in the neighborhood might find the prices daunting, if you want a unique food-oriented gift or have a specific need for an organic or gourmet ingredient, it's fun to browse. The next sighting of the Pop-up General Store is rumored to occur on Wednesday, June 30th from 5 pm to 7 pm.
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Bike lane project moves forward
	On April 13th at 9:30 AM, the City Council's Public Works Committee will be asked to request an allocation of grant money to start Phase II of the MacArthur BART bicycle access project, including design of the lanes on 40th Street from Adeline to Webster, and actual construction of the lanes from Webster to Piedmont, as well as along West MacArthur. $242,500 worth of Measure 2 (Senate Bill 916 from 2004) regional grant funds will be used to pay for this portion of the project. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission controls the funds. Apparently obtaining the funds for this purpose is merely a formality at this point--approval of a resolution by the City Council. A presentation to local residents a couple months ago elicited several ideas, including removal of traffic lanes (nixed by City staff), undergrounding the street poles using redevelopment funds, and preserving the median that volunteers landscaped last year (the City countered with a proposal to shorten turn lands to make up for narrowing the median). At the current time, however, it seems clear that staff intends to plow ahead with their original plan under the justification that it conforms with the approved 2007 Bicycle Master Plan. However, 40th Street's sidewalks do NOT meet the "6 to 15 foot" width that the Master Plan trumpets as typical in the City, and local residents are well aware that pedestrian improvements would benefit more BART riders than bicycle lanes will. For more comment on the City's proposal, click here!
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NOCCS community celebrates Cesar Chavez Day
	The students and families of the North Oakland Community Charter School ("NOCCS") joined nearby residents in a celebration of Cesar Chavez Day on April 10th in Linden Park, adjacent to the school. While some labored to prepare swaths of barren dirt for new sod, or designed tiles to enliven a concrete wall, others munched hot dogs and caught up on local events with their neighbors. Linden Park, along with every other park and median in our neighborhood, has been formally abandoned by the Parks and Recreation department in the face of current budget problems, although the annual Lighting and Landscaping fee imposed on local property owners has not dropped a penny. The school has taken the initiative to adopt Linden Park. Students spend part of each Wednesday working to maintain and improve what had degenerated into a bare dirt field flanked by aging play structures underlaid with disintegrating rubber padding. The threat of rain did not seem to dissuade over 100 people from attempting to make a positive improvement at a location forsaken by City officials and staff.
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Rezoning could increase density
	A decade after the General Plan was adopted, Oakland is finally rezoning. While the zoning for our neighborhood may not change substantially, height limits could be eased and further density could be promoted.  The current "R-40" designation, prevalent in our neighborhood, will be replaced by RM-2, which will allow residential buildings to be 5 feet higher. The City's new zoning maps do not yet include our neighborhood. There is still a chance to influence decisions on what can be built around us. There will be a presentation on Monday, May 17th, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Fruitvale/San Antonio Senior Center, 3301 East 12th Street, Suite 201.  There will also be a public hearing on May 26th at 4:00 pm in Hearing Room 1 at City Hall. In the late 1940's, Oakland advertised itself nationwide as an "Industrial Garden," where contented workers lived in modest bungalows, walked to work and enjoyed beautiful backyard gardens and delightful weather. Our neighborhood was characteristic of that vision. Unfortunately, creeping density has turned many of the backyard gardens into second or third units, the owner-occupied properties have become rentals, garages have become in-law apartments and parking is starting to vanish. The new zoning has the potential to exacerbate further this decline in our quality of life.
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Police Chief Batts addresses neighborhood gathering
	On March 25th, Police Chief Anthony Batts addressed a meeting of the Beat 10Y Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council. The chief was hired by Mayor Dellums five months previously, to replace departed Chief Tucker. Chief Batts was most recently chief of the Long Beach police department, where he spent 28 years on the force. An engaging speaker, Chief Batts talked at length about both his past and the future of the Oakland Police Department. The Chief relayed a moving story about mentoring a young man who later died in his arms from a gunshot wound. The experience was pivotal in convincing Chief Batts to forego law school and instead remain in law enforcement. The top priority of the department will be responding to 911 calls. "We will be there when you need us," Chief Batts promised. Recently thirty detectives were put back into patrol cars to beef up this top priority, at the expense of investigative work. The Chief places an emphasis on understanding gang rivalries and knowing who the players and alliances are. Quarterly progress reports will provide metrics on how the force is doing; crime has dropped dramatically in the past three months. Chief Batts has a reputation from Long Beach for turning around a struggling police department. The Chief intends to remain involved in the community. You can meet the Chief at the Beat 06X NCPC meeting on May 27th at 6 pm, 900 34th Street.
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Smoke shop reopens as Tahoe Discount Market
	The former "Smoke Shop" at 3856 Martin Luther King Jr. Way reopened as the Tahoe Discount Market in January. In addition to cigarettes and lighters, the store sells sodas (2 for $1), candy, snacks and knicknacks. It even boasts an ATM, if you have a sudden need for cash. Neighbors hope the location does not degenerate into a hangout for drug dealers and dice games. In its former incarnation, street toughs were known to congregate in front, until a drive-by homicide inspired some to move to another corner. The bench outside, the cigarette posters and the graffiti-like hand-painted ads seem to invite similar activity now that the store is open again.
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Road diet results in rush hour gridlock
	Long-heralded freeway retrofit work by CalTrans has finally begun at the MacArthur BART station. The roadway on 40th Street has been reduced from two lanes to one in each direction between MLK and Telegraph. This "road diet" has resulted in rush hour gridlock. At a community meeting about bike lanes a couple months ago, some community members suggested that reducing the number of traffic lanes on 40th Street would calm traffic without causing any major transit problems. Their optimism has been proven unfounded by these coincidental lane closures associated with the earthquake retrofit work on the pillars supporting Highway 24. At 5:40 pm recently, eastbound traffic on 40th was backed up all the way to Lusk. The City's decision to disregard the "road diet" idea now seems prudent and justified to local residents who have to breathe the air and access driveways in the immediate area. The retrofit, which is expected to take months to complete, will result in partial blocking of the previously open median on 40th under the freeway. It will be more difficult for pedestrians to cross the street there without using the crosswalk.
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Night club killer up for parole
	Frankie Williams, who shot down Eli Thornton in 1979, has been approved for parole, according to a story in the Oakland Tribune (Feb 5th). Mr. Thornton and his wife, Alberta, were the owners of Eli's Mile High Club, the blues venue that later became widely renowned under the management of Troyce Key. Ms. Williams was convicted in 1982 of gunning Eli down at the club, where she was a singer, during a heated argument. Ms. Williams was said to be Mr. Thornton's mistress at the time, Alberta having filed for divorce in 1978. The Tribune pleaded for Ms. Williams' release by portraying her as a victim of abuse, not normally prone to violence.  The paper reports "the idea of Williams turning violent was hard to believe for many of her family and friends."  However, accounts published at the time of the murder, such as an East Bay Express story on June 1, 1979, tell a different story.  "Frankie was known for her quick temper," the Express notes, relating a story about Ms. Williams attempting to run two people down with a car in front of the club in 1978.  Nearly 30 years later, the Tribune suggests the 74-year-old Ms. Williams is a victim of political reluctance to grant parole to anyone convicted of murder, regardless of how much of a threat to society they may currently pose. To read a history of the club, click here. After a long series of ownership changes, the club has persisted under new ownership for a year and a half, despite being denied a cabaret permit by the city after neighbors expressed concerns about noise, rowdy behavior, crime and parking problems, based upon their experience with previous club owners. For more details on the permit issue, click here.
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School plans community projects
	Students at the North Oakland Community Charter School ("NOCCS") are planning community improvement projects as part of their course work. Students presented their ideas to the community on January 27th. NOCCS is located at 1000 42nd Street, adjacent to Linden Park. Sixth and seventh grade students are designing the projects for their service learning/community outreach curriculum. Principal Marissa Berman assembled a panel of community members, who listened to oral presentations from the students about what they hope to accomplish. One of the community service projects the students will engage in is planting and maintaining new turf in Linden Park.  Once a week, students will learn the value of contributing to the community by watering and caring for the grass in this park, which the cash-strapped City government has announced they will no longer maintain.
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West MacArthur Blvd to be repaved
	In conjunction with street median improvements planned for this May, sections of West MacArthur Boulevard will be repaved. According to a community member in contact with redevelopment staff, the City has decided to repave West MacArthur at the same time the street median is relandscaped, although the scope of the landscaping does not include street work. Landscaping is being done by the Community and Economic Development Agency, as part of their Neighborhood Project Improvement program. While the street is not in as bad shape as 37th Street nearby, it does have substantial potholes and cracks that need attention. The City's decision is a welcome indication of interest in a community that is reeling from lack of park, median and infrastructure maintenance due to budget conditions.

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Vandals disrespect the neighborhood
	The holiday season was blemished by a tagging crew who vandalized private residences on 40th Street during the night before Christmas Eve. Numerous buildings along 40th Street and Telegraph Avenue were hit by taggers who used several colors of paint. The tags do not seem to be gang-related, based upon their crudeness and placement. The uninspired markings were found on houses, apartment buildings, street poles and bus signs. One resident was out the next day, removing tags from a wooden utility pole with an electric sander. But with Public Works on furlough and residents distracted by holiday duties, it will probably be awhile before all the damage is repaired.

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NCPC holiday potluck honors unsung heroes
	The holiday gathering of the Beat 6X Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council on December 3rd paused to recognize various volunteers, city employees and clergy who, through their efforts, have helped to improve the neighborhood. The noisy crowd of two dozen or so neighbors hushed to hear Chairperson Madeline Wells recite the contributions of various activists while she presented those who were present with certificates of appreciation. Among those cited were Pastor Jasper Lowry, attorney Leila Moncharsh, Neighborhood Services Coordinator Annie Sloan and others. The individuals honored are rarely appreciated, but consistently make a difference in the community with their hard work and persistence. Following the presentations, everyone chatted while enjoying a smorgasbord of casseroles, fried chicken, salads and desserts, many homemade.
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Somebody's got money
	A camera to spot red-light violators has been installed on 36th Street at Market. Just when you thought the State was broke, an expensive-looking camera has been installed at the corner of 36th and Market, pointed at the freeway off-ramp. One might conjecture it is designed to record and ticket anyone foolish enough to run the light or to make an illegal right turn from the off-ramp. Is this the work of CalTrans? A community group offered OPD $200,000 in redevelopment money to purchase crime surveillance cameras, and OPD recently turned them down, citing insufficient staff to monitor such cameras. It seems unlikely, therefore, that this is the work of the City (even though it is installed on city property). In any event, be careful at that intersection. Those red light fines run around $500 these days.

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Landlady agrees to spruce up properties
	Absentee landlady Elizabeth Williams reached an agreement with the City on October 22, 2009 to further repair her rental properties in Oakland, including several in our neighborhood. As part of the agreement, tenants will be able to report issues via a 24-hour hotline, and will expect a response with 24 hours and a resolution by the end of three days. The City filed a lawsuit against Ms. Williams three years ago, alleging that her 13 properties were maintained in substandard, dangerous, unhealthy and unsanitary conditions. Since that time, Ms. Williams has taken an active interest in our neighborhood, joining a neighborhood watch group while repainting and repairing properties. As part of the settlement, Ms. Williams agreed to conduct background and eviction checks on potential tenants, and to allow quarterly exterior and semi-annual interior inspections of her properties. The City in turn forgave a portion of the civil penalties that had accumulated against her. We hope that this agreement becomes a model for responsible rental property management.

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You can't teach an old dog new tricks
	The effectiveness of anti-graffiti coatings has long been debated, with various manufacturers touting the ability of their particular products to make graffiti disappear with power washing or by scrubbing with special compounds.  The State of Texas even has a written procedure for testing and comparing the coatings.  But if the coatings are ignored by Public Works and merely painted over, any potential they have is moot.   The 40th Street underpass at BART was remodeled last year.  The ugly pebbled concrete walls were replaced with smooth cement that was coated with a shiny anti-graffiti coating.  The improvements were not yet complete before it was tagged, and city workers painted over the graffiti instead of washing it off. The oversight was brought to the attention of Redevelopment staff prior to a walkthrough with the contractor, and the anti-graffiti coating was replaced. The memories of city workers are, apparently, short.  Over the summer fresh graffiti appeared, and the City's response was to paint over it, rather than to wash it off.  The result is the too-familiar patchwork of unsightly mismatched paint. The issue was again brought to the attention of redevelopment staff, who contacted public works.  On November 10th, Arthur Watson (awatson@oaklandnet.com, 434-5112) responded that a passing worker saw the graffiti and painted it out with paint at hand on his truck.  Mr. Watson promised the worker would return and correct the error by repainting the wall "with the right paint."  Does that mean the anti-graffiti coating will be replaced?  So far nothing has been done.

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Local businessman narrowly loses council race nailbiter
	You may remember Frank Flores in his role as John Protopappas' frontman promoting the long-delayed condo conversion project at 3900 Adeline Street, which spans the Emeryville/Oakland border in our neighborhood. Frank just conducted a spirited race for a seat on the Emeryville City Council, only to be disappointed with a loss by seven votes in an extremely close race. Frank is a native of Boston who has been living in the area for seven years or so. After earning a Master's in Urban Planning from U.C. Berkeley in 2002, he joined Protopappas' Madison Park Financial group on 46th Street near Linden, where he is Director of Development. Frank resides in the Bakery Lofts nearby. He has served for three years on the Emeryville Planning Commission, and earlier was on the Housing Advisory Committee. Condolences to Frank on his narrow loss.

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City takes a pass at buying blighted lot
	A community advisory group recommended the City pass on a proposal to purchase the empty lot at 3701 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, corner of 37th Street. City staff had proposed purchasing the lot for as much as $153,000, as part of a package to take control of properties owned by the now-bankrupt Community Development Corporation of Oakland. But the WOPAC Planning Subcommittee, at their November 5th meeting, felt the price was way too high for a lot with known toxic problems. Site of a former gas kiosk and car wash, the property contains monitoring wells and barrels of contaminated groundwater. Likely, the property will now sit vacant for years. The City had loaned CDCO $109,909  to purchase the closed service station with the intent of building low-income senior housing on the site. But those plans never went anywhere. CDCO folded, sticking the taxpayers with the loss. Meanwhile a southern California party, recognizing the historical merit of the picturesque kiosk, purchased the structure and transported it down south. The community gets stuck with a garbage-strewn lot, where once was a building of architectural worth.
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Halloween in the 'Hood
	Halloween used to be a non-event in our neighborhood. Parents were afraid to walk their children down the street after dark, and neighbors were reluctant to attract local youth to their front doors with candy. Rather then hike down long streets lined with darkened doorways, people would drive their children to more prosperous neighborhoods to go door-to-door. But now, people seem to be more inclined to invest time and effort into creating a sense of community. Several buildings boast lavish front-yard displays. Could Halloween be a good excuse to take your family and introduce yourselves to your neighbors?

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Auditions held for new youth dance company
	Destiny Arts Center, at 1000 42nd Street, held auditions on October 5th for a new dance/theater company for 7 - 12 year olds. Some 30 children tried out. They were asked to perform mundane material like reciting the alphabet or the happy birthday song while demonstrating their stage presence, vocal abilities and body movements. A crowd of parents watched with riveted attention while staff encouraged the children and taped the auditions. The Destiny Junior Company will perform modern dance, spoken word and theater in collaboration with professional artists. Requirements are rigorous, involving participation in three different classes. For more information, check out the Destiny Arts website.
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A million dollars for a new library
	On September 16th, the WOPAC voted to set aside $1,000,000 as seed money for a new library in our neighborhood, or close by. The West Oakland redevelopment area extends as far north as 40th Street. The proposed library would serve the "Hoover/West MacArthur" neighborhood from 40th Street south to 24th Street, between San Pablo and the 980 freeway. There are several purposes for setting the money aside: to start accumulating the necessary funds to build such a public work, to start serious conversations about where a library might be located, and to attract grants by indicating commitment and providing matching funding. The WOPAC is currently seeking a volunteer to represent businesses in the Hoover/West Mac neighborhood. If you run a business in the area and are interested in advising the City Council on how redevelopment funds should be spent, contact Hui-Chang Li at 238-6329.
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42nd Street barbeque is all about food and community
	42nd street neighbors held a block party on September 19th. It was all about food: barbequed chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, salad, fruit, home-made bread and desserts. . . but more, it was about community: getting to know your neighbors, sitting in chairs in the street and enjoying a warm, sunny afternoon. Long-time activist and 42nd Street resident Verdis Whittaker was a motivating force behind the event, Tanya organized it, and many people helped out. At one point, some fifty-four people mingled.  A four piece band played.  It was a mellow event.
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OPD says "No thanks" to funding for security cameras
	After two years of vacillation, the Oakland Police Department has declined to accept $200,000 in redevelopment funds offered by community activists to purchase a dozen state-of-the-art security cameras for use in high crime areas of West Oakland. OPD had gone before the WOPAC citizens committee in 2007, pleading for funding for the cameras, and the WOPAC had responded by earmarking public funds for that purpose. But the author of the proposal, OPD Lieutenant Paul Berlin, retired, triggering two years of studies, committees, budget cutbacks, unexplained delays and politics. In mid-2008, then-Chief Tucker sent then-City Administrator Edgerly a memo enthusiastically outlining a vast plan for a citywide camera program, involving a new monitoring center at Eastmont Mall and dedicated staff.  The City Administrator endorsed that plan and sent it on to the City Council.  A $5.6 million camera proposal was floated in hopes of attracting stimulus funds from the Federal government. In May 2009, the Mayor's office caught wind of the modest West Oakland plan and made inquiries through the City Administrator. The City dealt with draconian budget cuts in June.  Next thing you know, WOPAC was informed via a memo from redevelopment staff that the camera project "had been determined to be infeasible". The memo carefully avoided mentioning who had made that determination (it was Deputy Chief Kozicki), but reported that OPD had neither the funds nor the staffing to make effective use of the cameras in the long run. On September 16th, WOPAC reluctantly returned the funds to their unallocated reserves. Read the memo! Do security cameras reduce crime? Click here to read the 411 !
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WOPAC picnic unfazed by hurricane Linda
	The West Oakland Project Area Committee ("WOPAC") hosted a picnic in the rain on Saturday, September 12th at Durant Park.  A couple brief showers, courtesy of hurricane Linda, did not deter the nearly 50 picnickers who attended. WOPAC members, curious neighbors and representatives of other community groups braved the hostile weather to munch hot links, veggies and chips while discussing plans for Durant Park and other neighborhood issues. The redevelopment area includes the blocks surrounding Durant Park, and extends north to 40th Street in our neighborhood.

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Tree planting transforms West Mac
	On Saturday, August 22nd, Urban Releaf returned to our neighborhood to plant fifty more trees on West MacArthur, as well as on San Pablo Avenue. From 10 am to 2 pm, 150 volunteers continued the work started on April 2nd by extending the tree plantings west to Market Street. Additional trees were placed on San Pablo, in locations requested by property owners. It then becomes the property owner's responsibility to water and care for the tree.   The event was organized by Urban Releaf, in partnership with the Ella Baker Center, CommuniTree, the cities of Oakland and Emeryville, the Peace Corps and numerous other organizations.  A video about the planting can be viewed on the Oakland North website.

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Manzanita offers a quality vegan dining experience
	If you are looking for a good vegan restaurant, or simply want a different dining experience, the Manzanita Restaurant at 40th and Linden Streets awaits. The restaurant offers refreshingly different fare in a quiet, relaxed setting. The restaurant is somewhat unique in that each meal is prepared "comida" style; everyone get the same thing. Your only decision is portion size (full meal or moderate), although a "simple meal" is available for those on a tight budget. Service typically starts with a bowl of soup, followed by a plate containing a wheel of five delightful entrees, with a rice dish as the hub. Tea or water comes with the meal. Items can be ordered a la carte. A recent meal began with a hot bowl of yam, squash and miso soup swimming with a few brave slices of green onion. The plate that quickly followed was anchored by a scoop of baked rice with quinoa, surrounded by sauted broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and carrot, soy beans with onion, garlic and ginger, a mixed green salad with dressing of lemon-mustard and almond butter, and steamed greens with an eye-catching pink sauce of beet, apple, onion and shitake mushrooms. During nice weather, the patio on Linden Street offers your choice of sun or shade under the flowering vines. The patio boasts a large wire sculpture of a unicorn by Mardi Storm.  Inside seating is arranged in two rooms to allow quiet conversation without one having to strain to be heard.  Service is prompt but unobtrusive. In the 1990's, the site housed the Macrobiotic Cafe.  That establishment offered meal cards for daily patrons.  Volunteers were encouraged to work at the cafe in return for board.  A small store offered for sale the types of ingredients used in preparing the restaurant's dishes. The current enterprise rests on the shoulders of Julie S. Ong, head chef and a graduate of U.C. Berkeley and the Kushi Institute.  From time to time, Ms. Ong hosts a macrobiotic workshop at the Manzanita. The Manzanita Restaurant (510-985-8386) is open seven days a week at 4001 Linden Street, with lunch from 11:30 to 2:30 and dinner from 5:30 to 9:00. Daily menus are posted on the www.manzanitarestaurant.com website.  Mastercard and Visa are accepted. While not exactly a restaurant district, JAMMI features other dining opportunities. Cafe Dejena, Las Palmas, and Eli's Mile High Club offer a small variety of dining options. The cuisine varies from burgers and hot dogs to Eritrean specialties and Mexican food. Read more about these restaurants, and share your own opinions!

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