B Y C H R I S O L S O N

Connecting the neighborhoods from Fruitvale Avenue to Seminary Avenue and from Foothill Boulevard to Warren Freeway since 1989Volume 22 Number 1 February 2010

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bigail King Kaiser beganserving as pastor atFruitvale Presbyterian

Church (FVPC) on the corner ofMacArthur and Coolidge in Oc-tober 2009. I had a chance to meetwith Pastor Abby on November11, 2009, after she had been atthe church for less than one fullmonth. We sat in the office lastoccupied by Pastor MonteMcClain, affectionately knownas “Monte” to his congregationand the surrounding community.Monte left the church in July,2009, when he was hired to as-sume a new pastoral position inthe town of Poissy, France. Montehad served the church for sevenyears and was well known in theFruitvale and Laurel districts. Hewill be missed, but the position inFrance was a once-in-a-lifetimeopportunity for the young pastor. cont inued on page 2

Year of the Tiger.

Abigail King Kaiser likes tobe called “Abby.” She is a youngand energetic woman who wasselected to serve as designatedpastor with a two-year term.Abby was raised and baptizedin a Presbyterian church in Cin-cinnati, Ohio. Nurtured in thechurch, she began a lifelong in-terest in social action and justice.Now she hopes to be ordainedthis spring.

As a young person Abbybegan to tutor and engageunderserved children in chil-dren-in-art work and went onmission trips with her youthgroup. When she left for collegeshe worked in a campus ministrycenter, served as an intern, andcontinued to grow in the minis-try. After her service, Abby andher husband packed up theirdog and squeezed everythingpossible into their small car anddrove to California. She spent

akland is changing zoninglaws to make them com-patible with the General

Plan of 1998. The Plan changedland use designations, but zon-ing did not keep up. Some areashad existing zoning compatiblewith industrial use, but the landuse had become residential.Other areas allowed increaseddensity where there had notbeen zoning laws to support it.A city’s general plan or blueprintneeds actual zoning laws thatmatch the desired land use.

For several months the city’splanning staff has been holdingpreliminary meetings withinterested individuals and repre-sentatives of the commercialdistricts. The meetings providecity staff with feedback to theirideas about reworking the zon-ing designations of the commer-cial areas. The Laurel’s commer-cial strip was rezoned in the early1990s to C31, which meant “retailonly” on the ground floor of thebuilding, less emphasis on autoaccess and more on pedestrianaccess, and a height limit of 35feet. A recent example of this is

Abigail Kaiser.

New Pastor Brings Art & Spirit to Churchthree years in the Master ofDivinity program, Pacific Schoolof Religion in Berkeley. Abbyalso had experience at the Insti-tute for Civic Leadership at MillsCollege in Oakland throughwhich she served as an intern ata child care center at Glide. Inthis capacity, she provided in-struction and artistic opportuni-ties to elementary school chil-dren. During that time Abbyrode a bus to San Francisco thatwent past Fruitvale PresbyterianChurch, never remotely consider-ing herself as a pastor there.

Still new in her position,Abby has begun to build a faithcommunity with her thoughtfulsermons filled with messages ofpossibility and hope and pastoraland community visits. Abbycontinued the FVPC’s traditionof the Thanksgiving communitydinner at Fruitvale. She has a

the new development at thenortheast corner of 35th andMacArthur. That building isat the height limit.

The planning staff wantsto increase the height limits inour commercial area to 60 feetat 35th and MacArthur and atHigh and MacArthur with a45-foot limit and then a taperingback to the existing 35-foot limitin just the central properties ofthe business district. If thathappens, buildings at both endsof the Laurel District wouldbe nearly twice as high as the35thMac development and asignificant portion of otherproperties will be 10 feet higherthan that building. The two otherC31 districts, Rockridge andPiedmont Avenue, are keepingtheir 35-foot height limit.

When I questioned how thiszoning meets the General Plandesignation for the Laurel Dis-trict as “maintain and enhance,” I was told that other consider-ations in the General Plan couldbe used to justify this significantdifference in the height laws.“Transit corridor” status wasmentioned. Yet Rockridge has aBART station and numerous buslines. Other BART stations are

being selected for major develop-ment into Transit Villages,such as we see at FruitvaleBART. Rockridge is keepingits 35-foot limit.

MacArthur Blvd. from 35thto High Street has a significantNorth-South orientation and isnarrower than current standardsfor four-lane boulevards. Thismeans that tall buildings along

this commercial corridor will castshadows on the street as well asthe properties on Masterson andRedding Streets, and the sidestreets that feed into MacArthurBlvd. One can question whethersuch new building heights will bedesirable for the existing busi-nesses and the surrounding resi-dential properties. The LaurelDistrict Association has hosted a

community meeting showingshadow studies developed bythe Mills College Masters inPublic Policy department.

Being new laws, thesezoning changes will have to beapproved by the city council.Interested residents, businessowners, and property ownersneed to give feedback regarding

Zoning Update

cont inued on page 6

B Y M A U R E E N D O R S E Y

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Small numbers in shaded areasare proposed height limits.

35th

High Street

2February 2010

HOT NUMBERSPUBLIC AGENCIES

ABAT—the Alcoholic 777-8670Beverage Action Team

Graffiti hotline 238-4703

Abandoned cars 238-6030

O.P.D. Non-emergency 777-3333

Animal control 535-5602

Beat Health (drugs) 777-8630

Crime Stoppers 238-6946

Drug Hotline 238-DRUG

Public Works 615-5566

Truancy 224-1001

Noise Hotline: 238-6777(Oakland CEDA,property complaint line)

C.O.R.E. 238-6351(Citizens of OaklandRespond to Emergencies)

City Tree Unit 615-5850

Oaklanders Assistance 444-CITYCenter can direct you tothe appropriate governmentalservices in Oakland.

PRIVATE AGENCIES

A Safe Place 536-7233(domestic violence)

East Bay Community 548-2377Mediation (neighborhood disputes)

Managing EditorSheila D’AmicoCopy EditorsAnne FoxJody BerkeAdina SaraDiane StoneFinances/BookkeepingReuben GoldbergAdvertising ManagerKrista GulbransenArt DirectorAndreas JonesWord ProcessingBaby DjojonegoroPhotographyNick LostraccoJody BerkeBryan FarleyDistributionopen position—volunteers neededMailingGloria WilmerCalendarMarilyn GreenFriends and Money HoneysGloria WilmerEditor EmeritusToni Locke

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Opinions expressed in the MacArthurMetro are those of the contributorsand do not necessarily reflect theviews held by the publication.©2009 by the MacArthur Metro,P.O. Box 19046, Oakland, CA 94619,www.macarthurmetro.org,(510) 287-2655.

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Celebration of CommunityThe Dimond Improvement Asso-ciation (DIA) meeting on January6 celebrated the contribution ofvolunteers to the Dimond com-munity in 2009. Marilyn Miller,DIA board member, hosted themeeting and said, “It is theefforts of many organizationsand individuals in Dimond,people connecting, that makeDimond events successful.”Laurie Earp of Earp Events re-ported that “Oaktoberfest wasa fantastic celebration enjoyed bya crowd of more than 10,000. Wehad performers on two stages,terrific craft beers, 68 vendors,and fun for the entire family.”The Dimond Business and Profes-sional Association acknowledgedthe efforts of Stan Dodson, man-ager of La Farine Bakery, andKathleen Russell, Keep DimondClean, for their contributions toDimond in 2009. Leslie Ann Jonesand Tim Chapman narrated thephoto show produced by Tim,which featured Dimond Picnic,We Saved Our Dimond PostOffice, Oaktoberfest, Dimonddistrict and park cleanupsand gardening, ThanksgivingDinner, and Winterfest. Photosand event slideshows can beseen on the DIA Web site atwww.dimondnews.org. Theaudience made suggestionsabout their plans to contributeto the Dimond in 2010, includingeating at a local restaurant;shopping locally; involvement

Dimond Neighborhood Newswith one of the many groupsin the Dimond; traffic calmingon Whittle and Lyman; andplanting more daffodils andflowers.

The full house enjoyedentertainment by Lillian, Nettie,and Rejoyce, who opened themeeting with “It’s A WonderfulWorld” and wrapped up theevening with “If I Had A Ham-mer” and “Amen.” For informa-tion, go to www.myspace.com/thestovallsisters.

2010 EventsZero Litter: May 5-11Dimond Picnic: July 18Oaktoberfest: Oct. 9Thanksgiving Dinner: Nov. 25Winterfest: early Dec. (date TBD)

Volunteer in DimondDIAmembership:

www.dimondnews.orgKeep Dimond Clean

(krussell@russell-gordon.com)Oaktoberfest 2010

(laurie@earpevents.com)Whittle and Lyman Traffic Calm-

ing (lajones@aol.com)Dimond Picnic, Thanksgiving Din-

ner (robertraburn@ebbc.org)Winterfest: Ruth

(peacewarrior@earthlink.net)Friends of Dimond Library: Karen

Marie (kaes544@comcast.net)Daffodil Planting: Tim

(threeoars@mac.com)Dimond Gateway Garden

(tricia.christopher@gmail.com)Friends of Sausal Creek

www.sausalcreek.orgMerchants in Dimond:

www.shopdimond.com

B Y K A T H L E E N R U S S E L L

NCPC Meeting: February 2222X Neighborhood Coalitionfor Positive Change AnnualMeeting and Steering Committeeelection will be held on Monday,February 22, at 7 p.m. at the GreekOrthodox Church, 4700 LincolnAve.

DIA Meeting: March 3To hear about upcoming PublicArt projects in the Dimond anda presentation by Circus Bella,come to the March DimondImprovement Association meet-ing on Wednesday, March 3 at 7p.m. at the Dimond Library, 3565Fruitvale Ave. For more informa-tion, email dia@dimondnews.org.This is a community meetingand is open to the public.

Oakland Running FestivalOn Sunday, March 28, themarathon participants willfollow the course map, whichincludes the route downLincoln Ave./Champion Ave.To see the course map andfor more information, go towww.oaklandmarathon.com.

Tanya Scott and family—their 2nd year volunteering at Two Star Market'sCommunity Thanksgiving Dinner. More photos at: www.2starmarket.com.

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o All Our Loyal MetroReaders,

We would like toextend a big thank you to allwho responded to our appealletter last month and made adonation to the MacArthur Metro.The Metro is truly your small,local paper, and it continues topublish and be a part of this com-munity because of people likeyou. Whatever the amount, thestaff and board of the Metro ap-preciate all that you can give. Ifyou haven’t already given, it’snever too late—please send your

check to the MacArthur Metro,Box 19046, Oakland, CA 94619,or donate online by clicking onthe Network for Good link atwww.macarthurmetro.org.We have a goal of getting over100 regular Money Honeys(gifts of $50 or more), andthough we are close we arestill counting on you.

Thanks again to all of youwho have already contributedto the Metro. And to all of youabout to contribute. We can’tdo it without you.

See you on the boulevard.Bart WrightMacArthur Metro board member

From the Board

B Y B A R T W R I G H T

quick sense of humor. Duringthe children’s portion of theservice, she includes their toysin the worship experience.Abby is approachable andinterested in learning moreabout the Fruitvale community,particularly its multiculturalaspects.

Some of Abby’s oil paintingsare displayed on the churchaltar during church services.She has made decorations forthe senior center and has plansfor a mural project for middle-school children as well as non-traditional evening churchservices that include walkinga labyrinth and other spiritualexperiences. Abby has been in-strumental in transforming thechurch’s third floor into work-ing space for local artists. Checkout the Web site ww.fvpc.org,contact the church at 530-0915,fruitvalepresbyterianchurch@gmail.com.

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February 2010

3

t’s hard to believe thatwe’re already over a monthinto 2010. The overcast,

cold months of winter haveonce again been warmed by theholiday spirit demonstrated byLeona Heights residents whoput up holiday lights on theirhomes and in their yards. As wemove forward this year, LeonaHeights, like most other neigh-borhoods in Oakland, willoccasionally wrestle with issuesof crime and the like, but theinherent quality of our neighbor-hood always shines through.One example of improvementin our part of Oakland that hasa good karma effect on LeonaHeights is the restoration ofLake Aliso across the freewayin Mills College.

Mills Seminary, now MillsCollege, was established nearly130 years ago in 1871. LeonaCreek flowed through the cam-pus and added to the beauty.Along the way, someone hadthe bright idea to construct adam on the creek and create alake, Lake Aliso. Lake Alisobecame one of the gems of thecampus and figured often intothe students’ recreation and

B Y G O R D O N L A V E R T Y ceremonies. As late as theearly 1960s, residents of LeonaHeights could hear the studentssinging during bonfires, torch-light processions, and other cer-emonies held at the lake. It wascommon practice for continuingstudents to sing across the laketo graduating seniors. With theconstruction of the Interstatecame the end of the lake, and fordecades the lake sat as a silted-inwasteland. Recently, however,a group of Mills College alumniand employees has undertakento bring the tiny gem back to life.

On a recent visit to the lake,I noticed that some work hasbeen done. Evidently, comple-tion of the lake’s renovation ison hold until the finances be-come available. But hope is alive.

We value having Mills Col-lege as a neighbor, and we sharea lot of history together. Howmany of you remember the big‘M’ for Mills, chalked on the hillabove the top of Seminary Ave.,or the horseback riders whodaily took off from Mills’ stablesto ride the streets and fire trailsof Leona Heights? Life goes on,but good memories sustain us. ——————————————Gordon Laverty can be reachedat lavertyhillmob2@sbcglobal.net.

Leona HeightsNeighborhood News

Musical Chairsat Melrose Branch

I stopped by Melrose Branchlibrary on a gray Saturday earlyin January and found a lot to pon-der. The Oakland libraries hadbeen closed during a long holidayweek for the second year, andmonthly furloughs continue. Butmore distressing, I learned thatbranch manager Sandra Toscanois still on temporary assignmentelsewhere in the city, and therehad been three librarians fillingin during one month. During thisfiscal crisis, staffing is like a gameof musical chairs, except thatthere are more chairs than staff,so employees move about the cityfilling the empty chairs for shortperiods (until the music beginsagain). It would seem far moreeffective to fill a vacancy with onetemporary employee, especiallya leadership position, where con-tinuity makes all the difference.

I contacted Jerry Garzon. He

B Y A D E L L E F O L E Y

High Street Neighborhood News

computers. Young volunteerslike Kimberley Avalos put inservice hours, and the Branch’sanchor, Library Assistant VicVickers, has the experience andknowledge to keep serving thecommunity.

Resolutions for a New DecadeSomeone circulated a list ofworthwhile resolutions at work.It got me thinking about whatwe might resolve realistically tomake our community the place

agrees that we need continuity.But labor agreements limit theduration that a substitute librar-ian can work out of class. Heasked me to email my concernsto him and he will respond inwriting. Sandra won’t be backtoo soon, but we hope to have aChildren’s Librarian in a coupleof months.

Despite the gloom, it’s hardto miss the bright spots—chil-dren run up the library steps,check out books and magazines,play games, and sit glued to the

Melrose-High Hopes walkers start the year right.

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Annual NeighborhoodMeeting in March

On March 24, the RedwoodHeights Neighborhood Associa-tion (RHNA) will host the AnnualNeighborhood Meeting, whichis planned for 7 p.m. at FirstCovenant Church next toLincoln Square Center. Detailsabout the agenda and guestspeakers will be posted on theRHNA Web site in mid February:www.redwoodheights.org.

The RHNA serves the com-munity through a range of activi-ties. Currently, one of the RHNAcommittees is working on thetraffic issues of Redwood Road,particularly between Aliso andLincoln Square. To learn moreabout this and other projects inthe neighborhood, visit the Website. While you’re there, renewyour membership and downloadthe new electronic neighborhoodnewsletter. Also be sure to let theRHNA know if you would liketo save resources and discontinue

the paper version that is deliveredto your home four times a year.New members are always wel-come and encouraged to attendthe ongoing meetings everythird Wednesday of the monthat the Redwood Heights Recre-ation Center.

Celebrating Diversityin Redwood Heights

Contributed by the R.H. School Dads’ Club

On Saturday, March 20, 2010,help celebrate the rich diversityof the people and cultures inour community at the RedwoodHeights Elementary SchoolMulticultural Faire. From 11 a.m.to 2:30 p.m. The day is filledwith live on-stage performances,multicultural cuisine, and artprojects from around the world.Admission is free. Food ticketsare 50 cents each. Most dishesrequire two to three tickets.

Started by the Dads’ Club 12years ago, the RHS MulticulturalFaire has grown into a local tradi-tion, in which everybody is wel-come and encouraged to attend.The mouth-watering food at the

B Y D E N I S E D A V I L A

Redwood Heights Neighborhood NewsFaire is prepared by the RHScommunity. The Dads’ Clubasks that participants contributea dish that is representative oftheir culture or home cuisine.The food is served by volunteersin the auditorium, where thereis ample seating to enjoy the on-stage entertainment, too.

Moreover, the Dads’ Clubwarmly welcomes local restaura-teurs and food businesses tosponsor a food booth at the Faire.The Faire provides great exposureand raises awareness of localbusinesses that support the com-munity. Contact Steve Barretto(steve@barretto-co.com).

Entertainment has includedthe RHS band, Bret Harte band,traditional Chinese ribbon danc-ing, Afro-Haitian dancers, Gospelsingers, Skyline Dance Troup,Aztec dancing, and many moreschool and local groups. TheDads’ Club welcomes new actsevery year, too. In fact, if you area performer or know of a commu-nity performance group interestedin participating, please contact

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cont inued on page 6

B Y P A T P A T T E R S O N

4February 2010

PauletteAvery,

R.N., M.S.N.,I.B.C.L.C.

To Your Health

bout two years ago Ilearned that I had devel-oped sensitivity to gluten,

a protein found in wheat, rye,barley, spelt, kamut, and oats.Eating too much of it resultsin unpleasant gastrointestinalsymptoms for me. If I eat it insmall amounts occasionally,I seem to be fine. However,after reading more about glutenintolerance, the severe form ofwhich is called celiac disease,I began wondering if continuingto eat gluten in small amountswas all right, or was I causingdamage by doing so?

Two articles I read recentlyindicate I probably am incurringfurther damage to my healthwhen I eat gluten. Researchershave discovered that a proteincalled zonulin explains whygluten protein is able to passthrough the intestinal wall insome people when normallyit would be too large to do so.

Zonulin acts as a gatekeeper.In people with increased levelsof zonulin, the gate is left open,allowing gluten and otherallergens to pass into the body,causing a host of problemsas various organs becomedamaged by an autoimmuneresponse. Recent research alsoindicates that many diseasespreviously believed to be iso-lated problems may sometimesbe the result of an asymptomaticintestinal reaction to gluten.

According to a recent articlein the Huffington Post by MarkHyman, M.D., “A recent largestudy in the Journal of the Ameri-can Medical Association foundthat people with diagnosed,undiagnosed, and “latent”celiac disease or gluten sensitiv-ity had a higher risk of death,mostly from heart disease andcancer.” Researchers nowbelieve that diseases such as

asthma, diabetes, osteoporosis,and many others may developin response to an intestinalreaction to gluten, even whenthere are no intestinal symp-toms.

The easiest way to learnif you have gluten sensitivityis to eliminate it completelyfrom your diet for two to fourweeks. An intestinal biopsy hasbeen the usual standard fordiagnosis, and blood tests canalso be done to identify allergicresponse, but the eliminationdiet is cheaper, noninvasive,and may be more accurate,based on this recent research.

Be aware that gluten is hid-den in many products such assoups, ice cream, and even lip-sticks, so eliminating it requirescareful label-reading and be-coming familiar with termsthat may indicate gluten (seewww.celiac.com for a full list).After the gluten-eliminationperiod, return to eating glutenand see how you feel. If younotice that you are feeling lesswell, chances are you shouldeliminate gluten permanently.

Going gluten-free presentsa real challenge, but as morepeople are doing so, more glu-ten-free products have becomeavailable. Whole Foods is oneof the best sources in the BayArea, and Trader Joe’s alsocarries a variety of gluten-freeitems. Recently Betty Crockerbegan marketing severalgluten-free cake and cookiemixes, and they are good!You can even find restaurantsoffering gluten-free menuitems, and as more peopleask for them, the options willcontinue to grow. —————————————Paulette Avery is a registerednurse and a freelance writerwho specializes in health issues.

News onGlutenSensitivity

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Maxwell Park CyclistsKick Off Sunday Rides—

Your Help NeededRegarding Theft

The idea was inviting and a greatway to kick off the New Year.An offer was first posted lastDecember in Maxwell Park’slistserv—a rally call for a bikingexcursion. “Do you have a bikein your garage, or basement?” itread. “Have you wanted to ride,not sure if you can or don’t knowwhere to ride?” Who amongstus didn’t need to add exercise totheir new year’s regimen?

The invitation was for amonthly Sunday morning bicycleride. Alameda was the suggestedlocation, with its flat terrain—aneasy start, especially for begin-ners or those who just received abicycle for Christmas. Nonriderswere even invited to join in thefun by walking and cheeringon the group.

Alice Ross Leon, the chieforganizer, sent out the initialinvite through the listserv, andsoon several others chimed inwith ideas of where and whento ride, and the group set uptheir inaugural ride. They metin early January and geared upfor the ride in Alameda alongthe water. Josh Singer, MaxwellPark’s own bike expert, host ofthe bike booth at the Day in thePark and the Melrose HighHopes block parties, broughttools and assisted with quickcheck-ups before starting.

It turned out to be a perfectday. Biker Joe Dorado andformer NCPC Chair stated,“With good company, a beautifulpath to follow, the air so clearyou could reach out and touchSan Francisco.” Another rider,

It appears that the criminals wereon foot, as they only took bikesthat were operable. Two of thebikes are distinctive-looking.The third bike was a brown/burgundy Fuji with a silver wirebasket in front.

Please take an active part inour neighborhood watch. Viewthe photos of the stolen bikes inthe Web edition of this column,at macarthurmetro.org. If youspot the bikes, contact both theOakland Police Department, andJosh at Josh@atomtan.com. Yoursupport is needed!

On the upside, if you areinterested in joining the bike ex-cursions, leave a message atalice@redtaildog.com, or atpmacp@aol.com, and I willforward to the organizers.

Maxwell Park Neighborhood News

and former Metro writer SarahHipolito, commented, “It wasa beautiful morning to re-experience the joys of peddlingby the bay to the sounds ofgulls wheeling above us andsmall wavelets lapping at theshore. Thanks, Alice, for jumpstarting the adventure.”

Knowing the level ofenthusiasm of our MaxwellPark neighbors, it’s certain thatmore bikers will join in on thenext ride, and it will continueto be a regular event, as theweather moves into spring.

The unfortunate twist tothis great story of unity, goodneighbors, and healthy livingis that a few days after the ride,thieves broke into Josh’s homeand stole four bicycles and tools.

Maxwell Park Riders are prepped and ready to ride: l to r: Rosetta,grandson Michael, Josh, Sarah, Keven, Rachel, Jose.

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Laurel Neighborhood News

B Y J O H N F R A N D O

Laurel Village AssociationThe Laurel Village Association(LVA) has a new board president,Jo-Ann Maggiora Donivan.Jo-Ann is a long time associationboard member, Laurel resident,and native. Many know Jo-Annas Graffiti-Buster for her dedicatedgraffiti removal campaign.

LVA, a nonprofit neighbor-hood association begun by resi-dents in 2004, sponsors the annualLaurel Summer Solstice Music Fes-tival, organizes community socialand volunteer events, and main-tains the Laurel Village listserv.To participate in the listserv,send an email to laurelvillage-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

The association hosts commu-nity meetings on alternatingmonths, beginning Tuesday, Feb-ruary 9, 7 to 8:30 p.m., at the chapelof St. Lawrence O’Toole Church at3725 High St. The February meet-ing will include a presentation bythe Mills College Masters in PublicPolicy students who are workingwith the commercial business im-provement district on buildingshadow studies as part of the city’songoing update of zoning regu-lations. (See Zoning Update p. 1.)

Laurel Pet ChoiceFred Choi said that he was happyreturning to the Laurel to open anew pet business. He lived in theneighborhood for 20 years as ayouth and describes the Laurel ashis hometown. “We all love ani-mals, and the Laurel didn’t havea pet store.” Co-owner Andy Luois a pet groomer. Before openingthe store, he volunteered for manyyears as a care attendant at Oak-land Animal Services, where hiswife continues to volunteer.

Fred credits Andy’s researchfor the care in selecting the line of

pet products: “We looked forhealthy, organic food withoutwheat or fillers. We also listen toour customers. We want to be full-service. We carry a wide range offood to fit many dietary needs andbudgets, as well as toys and sup-plies.” Pet Choice offers grooming,day care, offsite boarding services,and now dog licenses, becausethe animal shelter hours aren’tconvenient for some people.”

Acme MusicMusician and store owner JayRose turned 84 this month. After39 years of keeping the store opensix days a week, he said that he’sready to start “taking a day off.”John Middle recently joinedJay as business partner. Jay

acknowledged changing times andsaid, “Having someone else in thestore is an advantage that I neverhad before. John brings a lot tothe store, like knowledge of what’sin that box [he’s pointing to acomputer]. I’ll still come in,maybe only four days a week.”

John modestly calls himselfa disciple of Jay’s, but clearly, hehas plans to make the small, inde-pendent store competitive withchain stores and online sources.The store will continue its corebusiness: music lessons and instru-ment repair. John plans to reorga-nize the space, exhibit work of lo-cal artists, add an online sheet mu-sic machine, and use the Internetfor marketing and purchasing.“I often find sources of qualityinstruments online, allowing usto sell instruments at prices com-petitive with a chain store thatlocals would have to leave theneighborhood and drive to.”

He added: “We plan tomirror the needs of the neighbor-hood. We’re looking for aSpanish-speaking music teacher.My wife, Annette Loveless,set up our new Web site:www.acmehouseofmusic.com.” ——————————————John Frando can be reached atjfrando@gmail.com.

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Afr ican-American manicur is t ,located in the Laurel District,specializing in manicures, pedicuresw/paraffin wax treatments, sculp-tured nails, silk and fiberglass wraps.Over 20 years experience andservice in this area. Call (510)482-3229 for appointment.

Turning Point Educational Services.Boost academic success in yourhome, school site, or our office (nearHoly Names). Learning specialist/diagnostic teacher & skilled tutors.Stock up on confidence and know-how in foundational-level reading,writing and math; as well as sci-ences, languages, organizing & pri-oritizing. See review atwww.yelp.com. Carolyn Edwards,M.Ed., 482-1301, www.turning-point-edu.com.

Storytelling for all ages and occa-sions. Educational, magical and fun.Professional storyteller and teacher,Mary Ellen Hill, 636-4155,m e h s t o r i e s @ n e t z e r o . c o m ,www.mehstories.com.

C&H Construction. Painting exterior/interior. Quality work. Remodeling.Tiling, Doors. License #825802.Contact Salvador at 236-6171.

CLASSIFIED RATES: Classified ads are$.50 per word. Discounted prices areavailable for five- and ten-issue frequen-cies. Send your copy along with pay-ment to The MacArthur Metro, PO Box19046, Oakland, 94619 or email yourcopy to metroadvertising@yahoo.com.Deadline for submission and payment isthe 15th of the month. For additionalinformation on discounts or other infor-mation contact Krista Gulbransen at 287-2655, fax 291-2944.

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6February 2010

Calendar of Community Events

BY MARILYN GREEN, COORDINATOR

The MacArthur Metro calendar welcomes a range of listings. We emphasize commu-nity meetings and actions that address neighborhood concerns as well as culturalevents that enrich our lives. To have your event listed, please contact Marilyn Green nolater than the 12th of the preceding month at 531-9233 or marilynmetro@aol.com.

February 2010

Neighborhood Crime Prevention CouncilsMaxwell Park Neighborhood Council Meeting: Wednesday, February 10, 7 p.m. to8:30 p.m., Melrose Leadership Academy, 5328 Brann. Check our Web sitemaxwellparknc.com or call Jan Hetherington at 534-4978 for more info.Allendale Park Meeting: Wednesday, February 17, 7 p.m., 3711 Suter St.Melrose-High Hopes NCPC Beat 27X: Thursday, February 18, 7 p.m., Horace MannElementary School, Congress and Ygnacio.NCPC Beat 22X Neighborhood Coalition for Positive Change: Monday, February 22, 7p.m., Greek Orthodox Church, 4700 Lincoln Ave. Annual Meeting and SteeringCommittee election. Information, DanielSwafford@aol.com or www.Oakland22X.org.

Dimond Library 3565 Fruitvale Ave. Information: 482-7844.Free Tax Assistance: Tuesdays, February 2 through April 13, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., andThursdays, February 4 through April 8, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Call to make anappointment.Family Storytimes: Tuesdays, 7 p.m.Lawyers in the Library: First Tuesday, February 2, 6 to 8 p.m.; sign-up for lottery at5:45 p.m. Free legal information. Call to confirm on the day of the program.Spanish Conversation Group: First and Third Tuesday, February 2 and 16, 6:30 to7:30 p.m. Contact Sarah Hodgson 482-7844, shodgson@oaklandlibrary.org. Im-prove your skills and learn new vocabulary. Be familiar with the basics.Storytime: Wednesdays, 10:15 a.m. and 11 a.m., 10:15 a.m. for toddlers up to 2years; 11 a.m. for ages 3 to 5 years.Teen Time: Thursdays, 3:30 to 5 p.m. Music, snacks, and board games. Come hangout with your friends at the library.Book Discussion Group: Tuesday, February 9, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Second Tuesday ofeach month. Call for current title. New members welcome.Meeting of African Genealogical Society of Northern California: Third Saturday,February 20, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Topic: the importance of social history.Beginners, intermediate, and seasoned genealogists are welcome.

Melrose Library 4805 Foothill Blvd. Information: 535-5623.Book Club: Tuesday, February 24, 5:30 p.m. Fourth Tuesday of each month. Call forcurrent title. New members welcome.

General CalendarJoin the Oakland Strokes Rowing Crew: Ongoing. Open to all high school students.Contact Phil Caruthers at lafrance-caruthers@sbcglobal.net or 527-4595.Environmental Classes at Merritt College: Classes are ongoing. www.ecomerritt.org or434-3840. Register online at www.peralta.edu.Allendale Recreation Center “After School All Stars”: Monday to Friday, through June17. 3 to 6:30 p.m. and 1 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, 3711 Suter Street. Forelementary-aged youth. Includes a healthy snack, tutoring, environmental awareness,fitness, health education, cooking, and art. Child pickup from Allendale and LaurelElementary School. 535-5635.Fruitvale Presbyterian Church Senior Center: Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.,2734 MacArthur Blvd. 530-0915.

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Nia Speaker of Color Series: Friday, February 5, 7 p.m., Head-Royce School, 4315Lincoln Ave. Dr. Harry Edwards will speak on “Diversity in the 21st Century.”Nursery Work Days: Saturdays, February 6, 20, 27, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., JoaquinMiller Park Native Plant Nursery, 3594 Sanborn Rd. Join the Friends of SausalCreek for native plant propagation and maintenance. Contact Megan atfield@sausalcreek.org to RSVP.Be a Reader at Sequoia Elementary’s DEAR Day—Drop Everything and Read Day:Wednesday, February 10, 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. You can be a guest reader. Theschool is looking for people whose professions are connected to reading or writing,people whose shoes students may want to fill, and multicultural, multilingual guestreaders. Spend two hours reading to two different classes. Bring your favorite book.Share something about your work. Details, Giovanna Queeto 879-1510.Allendale Park “Feet on the Street”: Thursday, February 11, 7 p.m., corner of Daleand Minna.Oak Knoll Produce Market: Saturdays, February 13 and 27, 10 to 11 a.m., St.Cuthbert’s Episcopal Church, 7932 Mountain Blvd. Second and fourth Saturday ofevery month except holidays. www.stcuthbertsoakland.org.Allendale Park Beautification: Saturday, February 20, 10:30 a.m. Suter and 38thStreets.Creek Restoration Work Days: Saturday, February 20, 8:45 a.m., Dimond Park,3860 Hanly Rd. Join Friends of Sausal Creek to remove invasive species and cleanup the creek. Contact Megan at field@sausalcreek.org for more information, or toRSVP for groups of six or more.Aquatic Insect Sampling: Saturday, February 20, 9 a.m. to noon, Dimond Park,3860 Hanly Rd. Join Friends of Sausal Creek for insect sampling. ddie Dunbar,eddie@bugpeople.net, 506-2837 to get involved.Book reading: Saturday February 27, 6 p.m., Laurel Bookstore, 4100 MacArthur.Novelist and longtime resident of the Allendale neighborhood, Elaine Beale, willread from her new novel, Another Life Altogether, a coming-of-age story set in hernative Britain.

we want to call home. Don’tpromise what you can’t orwon’t do; and do what youpromised.

Change just one thing.Donate one warm coat, one canof food. Spare some change.

Post the community contactnumbers. Actually call about aproblem. Speak up and get acouple of friends or neighborsto call as well.

Try something you’ve neverdone before. Choose somethingthat interests you or somethingthat needs work. Go to a meet-ing or a local event. Do it to-gether. It’s more fun, it saveson gas and increases theprobability that you’ll go.

Plant a tree; pick up litter;pull up weeds. Walk or bike;knit or garden or read; help ata school. Be prepared. Get toknow a neighbor. Gather someneighbors and get started onthe CORE program.

Look around at the wonder-ful Mediterranean light. Smile,listen, appreciate the good stuff.Give someone a compliment.

Help the next generation.If you’re ready to volunteer ata neighborhood school, parent/activist Ashley Thomsak andprincipal Moyra Contrerastold me that Melrose LeadershipAcademy is looking for help atthe Farmers’ Market (Wednes-day afternoon), in the office, thelibrary or reading with kids.Call 879-1530 for more informa-tion. At Horace Mann, organizerJeanne Nixon put out the call forSalad Bar volunteers who cancommit to help students choosehealthy vegetables. Volunteersneed to be available the sameday each week from 11:15 a.m.to 12:30 p.m. Call Jeanne at533-3120.

Don’t promise too muchIt’s the sum of little thingsThat reshapes our world ——————————————Adelle Foley can be reached atjandafoley@sbcglobal.net.

these proposals. The city staffperson involved with theupdating of the zoning is NeilGray (ngray@oaklandnet.com).The councilmembers to contactare Jean Quan for this district(jquan@oaklandnet.com) andRebecca Kaplan, the at-largecouncilmember (rkaplan.org).The Laurel District Associationcan be contacted regarding pos-sible future meetings about thisat laureldistrictassociation@yahoo.com. —————————————Ed note: Zoning in the Laurelwas a page one story in the firstMacArthur Metro, April 1989.If you care, make your wishesknown. The Laurel VillageAssociation (LVA) will host ameeting on this matter, See theLaurel Neighborhood News, p. 5for details.

ZoningC O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1

Steve Barretto (steve@barretto-co.com).

In addition to food andentertainment, there will be freearts and crafts activities fromaround the world. Local artisansare also welcome to sponsor atable to display their wares.

Steve Barretto of the RHSDads’ Club says, “Don’t misssuper-fun, family-friendly, com-munity-building event wherewe can all come together andcelebrate our unique culturalupbringings!”

For information, or tolearn more about how to get in-volved, send an email to Steve atsteve@barretto-co.com. ——————————————Ed. note: To see more photosabout the children’s ballet inthe Dec./Jan. RH column, go tohttp://tinyurl.com/opcballet.

Redwood NewsC O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 3

February 2010

7

$1000 and aboveMary Morris Lawrence Trust

Special acknowledgment for the generousgift of $2,000

$150 and aboveNancy Scott & William A. Ince

Katy & Vito VanoniJeff Kelley

Gary D. Yee & Caroline C. YeeReuben Goldberg &

Eileen Carlin-GoldbergRenais Winter & Doug Stone

Nancy SidebothamBart Wright

Ignacio De La Fuente

$50 up to $150Carolyn Adams

African American Genealogical SocietyJody Berke

Lawrence J. &Margaret O. BowermanJanet & John BroughtonPhilip & Kathleen Caskey

Chris & Andy CohnDeborah Cooper

Eleanor & Michael DunnDouglas Ferguson

Michael FerroAndretta Fowler

Anne FoxJohn Frando

Jeffrey & Judy GreenhouseMarcia Henry & Gary Delgado

Erin HughesBeverly JamesLois Johnson

Stella Roda & Scott H. LambLaurel Hardware/David Vahlstrom

Phil Wong & Lisa LemusNancy MeyerWilliam Milny

Don Braden & Sue MorganLydia Palmin & Tom Daley

Susan PappsPatricia Quinn

Frank Tulleners & Christine RallsTrudi & Don Robinson

Karen M. SchroederVirginia S. & Wade Sherwood

Helen J. & William R. Shyvers. Jr.Beverly Smith

The Metro acknowledges contributions of $50 or more by listing your name orbusiness as a Money Honey for 10 issues. You keep our paper alive and well.

MONEY HONEYS

$50 up to $150 (continued)

Sharon TothNancy Lindsay & Timothy Vendlinski

Victoria WakeSusan & Ted Tanisawa

Jeff Green & Pat DombrinkHal & Lori Wine

Nancy Erb & Dick KolbertPaula Kimbro

E. Elizabeth SummersBenjamin Visnick

Fred RussilloMichael Wirgler & Nancy Taylor

Sarah A. FinneganLesley & Gloria Wilmer

Roussel SargentMadeline Smith Moore

Constance PfeilToni Locke

Sheila D’AmicoJohn R. Elk and Claude M. Elk

Joan Dark & Cliff FalloonAmerican Legion, East Oakland

Post 471, Robert Cacy, Adjt.Margaret M. O’Halloran & Chris Lute

M.A. DrellingDavid J. PittaRuth Malone

C. A. Peddle & Pamela Magnuson-PeddleFelicity Buxton

Will & Riba EdwardsLaurie UmehMerry Luskin

John & Jo-Ann Maggiora DonivanAdelle & Jack Foley

Deborah Cooper & Kenneth ShawDiane TebaultLois Johnson

Val and Mel JonesKimiko and Yoshi Wong

in Memory of Katie,Oakland Veterinary Hospital

Susan Audap-PageSusanne Lea & Russ BrunoAna Rauch & John Torpey

Laurie SpryJane L. Stallman

Kimiko & Yoshi Wong/Komodo ToysWilliam A. & Nancy Scott-Ince

Dal & Virginia SellmanJoanna & Richard Roberts

Our hearts go out tothe people of Haiti who aresuffering in the wake of the7.0 earthquake that struck onJanuary 12. If you are still look-ing for a place to make a finan-cial contribution, considerwww.doctorswithoutborders.org,Partners in Health (pih.org), orthe Red Cross. You can look onthe Web for more. If you decideto contribute to an unfamiliarorganization, check it out first.

The Haiti earthquakeis also a tragic reminder thatthe 1989 Loma Prieta quakewas not the Big One. Havea safety plan. Take COREtraining. Know the emergencyplan of your children’s school,and while you are there,ask whether the school isseismically safe. We can neverbe perfectly safe, but we canbe prepared.

On the state scene, inNovember 2008, Californianswere determined to take thepower of legislative redistrict-ing out of the hands of politi-cians when we passed theVoters First Act. But by mid-January, only 5,500 eligibleapplications were received,

more than 1,000 from Sacra-mento. So far, 73 percent ofapplicants are male and 80percent are white. Politicalparty breakdown is about evenbetween Democrats and Re-publicans, with about one-fifthspread among unaffiliated orother parties. If you are inter-ested in applying for one ofthe 14 positions on the Citi-zens’ Redistricting Commis-sion, you have until February12. Fill out an online applica-tion, or find more statisticsand learn how to comment onmembers in the applicant poolat the state auditor’s Web sitewww.WeDrawTheLines.ca.gov.

Oakland Public Librarycard holders need to visit anOPL branch before March 11to update their library cards.Better do it by the end of Feb-ruary, though, because onlineaccess will be cut off on March1 for those who haven't up-dated by then.

Chief Tony Batts iswinning the support of localresidents with his charismaticappearances at neighborhoodmeetings and his pledge oftransparency in the OaklandPolice Department (OPD).At the January 7 meeting withDistrict 4 NCPC members andleaders, he spoke before anaudience largely supportiveof the OPD, even though thereport criticizing OPD actionson March 21 had just beenreleased. Batts promised hewould come back beforethe group to present hisStrategic Plan.

The NeighborhoodServices Coordinators (NSC)received the evening’s loudestapplause when they wereintroduced. The NSCs alwaysseem to be threatened and,at present, are topics of rumors

Sheila D’Amico

that the program will be cut.But attendees at this meetingare the folks who know theNSCs provide effective liai-sons between neighbors andOPD and that they are criticalto Community Policing.

One proposal by the Chiefthat didn’t seem to have uni-versal acclaim is his supportof a youth curfew. It workedin Long Beach, he said. A cur-sory look on the Web foundthat the effect of curfew lawsis controversial. For example,a 1999 paper in WesternCriminology Review concluded“. . . Curfew enforcementgenerally has no discernible ef-fect on youth crime,” and a re-view of curfew in cities includ-ing Long Beach (apparentlybefore Batts was Chief) foundthat the crime rates had been“displaced”—that is, more ju-venile crime was occurring inthe noncurfew hours.

Chief Batts may well bethe OPD leader we are hopingfor. But, in a metaphor heseems fond of using, whenthe cowboy rides into town onhis horse, he can’t do it alone.He needs the help of the citi-zens. He means we need toget involved.

Tony Batts meeting with District4 NCPC members.

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8February 2010

A Healthy CreekIs a Buggy Creek

As the restoration of SausalCreek progresses, it’s easy tosee fish in the pools and birdsenjoying the maturing vegeta-tion. But one of the more sensi-tive methods of assessing creekhealth involves looking forsome of the smallest and mostcryptic of creek creatures—aquatic insects. We are fortu-nate to have an active volunteeraquatic insect monitoring teamkeeping an eye on what’s in thecreek. This article will introduceyou to the basics and inviteyou to two upcoming events.

“Insects don’t have totweet to get our attention,”says Eddie Dunbar, new mem-ber of the FOSC Board ofDirectors. “Just by their type

or abundance we can tell awhole lot about stream health.”Dunbar, who is also presidentof Oakland’s own Insect Sci-ences Museum, has been moni-toring Sausal Creek’s aquaticinsects. “By themselves, insectsmight be just food for fish—butwhen considered within theirecological context, insects areindicators of stream health.”Some insects are super sensitiveto pollutants, fluctuations inwater temperature, or changesin pH. “With this knowledge,”says Dunbar, “Sausal Creek’saquatic insects are voices in anensemble that speak volumesabout how well FOSC is doingin its restoration efforts.”

FOSC and the InsectSciences Museum are collabo-rating to review ten years ofstream insect data collected byFOSC. Dunbar hopes to use thedata to begin building an online

Friends of Sausal Creek

B Y P A T B A C H E T T I

guide with photographs ofSausal Creek Watershed floraand fauna. The public can assistin stream monitoring on Febru-ary 20 and March 20, 9 a.m. tonoon. For more information,contact Eddie Dunbar,eddie@bugpeople.net, 506-2837.

The Friends of Sausal Creekis a nonprofit local organizationof neighbors, teachers, students,merchants, and elected officialsworking to improve the SausalCreek watershed. Our goal isto promote awareness and ap-preciation of the Sausal Creekwatershed and to inspire actionto preserve and protect thecreek and its watershed as botha natural and a community re-source.—————————————Pat Bacchetti is Vice President ofthe Friends of Sausal Creek Boardof Directors and can be reached atbacpab@comcast.net. To find outmore about the organization,please visit www.sausalcreek.org,call 501-3672, or emailcoordinator@sausalcreek.org.

Krisztian Varsa explains principles of stream insect monitoring tostudents from Joaquin Miller School.

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