Neighbors, join Halcyon Neighborhood AssociationŐs Facebook group!

 

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Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-News 6/1/12

 

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Items appearing in the HNA E-News are deemed to be of general interest to neighbors but do not necessarily reflect the views of Halcyon Neighborhood Association (HNA), its Steering Committee, or the Editor. The EditorŐs introductory comments express her personal viewpoint.

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Contents

1. Multi-Block Yard Sale, Saturday 6/2, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

2. Your Help Needed: Work Party in the Park, Sunday, 6/3, 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

3. Report on Earthquake Exercise May 19 Plus Follow-up

4. Crime Watch Update: Overview of Crimes in May

5. Whole Foods Market News: Community Meeting Weds. 6/6, 8:30-9 a.m. plus Summer Music

6. Samba Keur Fouta in Concert at the Webster Haven, Sat. June 2, 7:30 p.m.

7. Update from a Neighbor on Efforts to Get Willard Pool Reopened

 

 

EditorŐs Introductory Note:

 

A beautiful weekend is in the forecast. If youŐre able, please spend a bit of it in the neighborhood, visiting the yard sales on Saturday (see item 1) and helping out at the work party Sunday (see item 2). The more we invest of our time in energy in our neighborhood, the friendlier, safer, and more livable it will be! And getting to know your neighbors helps in terms of both crime watch and disaster preparedness too.

 

Many thanks are due to the team who worked on the earthquake exercise on May 19, and all who attended or participated in the notification system drill (see item 3), with special appreciation to our Halcyon Disaster Preparedness Coordinator, Susan Snyder! Thank you, Susan, for keeping our neighborhood moving forward on the disaster preparedness front!

 

—Nancy Carleton, HNA Co-Chair and E-News Editor, halcyon92@gmail.com

 

 

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1. Multi-Block Yard Sale, Saturday 6/2, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

 

EditorŐs note: HNA Treasurer and past organizer of successful Multi-Block Yard Sales Susan Hunter submitted the following announcement. If youŐre selling Saturday, hereŐs wishing you a great sale! If youŐre not, be sure to walk around the neighborhood and enjoy your neighborsŐ sales and our wonderful community.

 

Multi-Block Yard Sale

Sat. 6/2, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

2137 Emerson (bet. Wheeler & Shattuck); 3052 Wheeler (near Essex); 2009 Prince (at Tremont) & 2137 Prince (bet. Wheeler & Shattuck); 3025 Fulton (near Ashby); 2218 Ashby (at Deakin); 3038 & 3044 Halcyon (three households at 3044); 3099 Deakin (at Prince); 2312, 2314 & 2329 Webster (bet. Telegraph & Deakin); 2218 Russell (at Deakin, north of Ashby).

 

Great Stuff: Furniture, Electronics, KidsŐ Stuff, Tools, Photog. Stuff, Household Items, Books, Clothes, Music LPs/CDs, Puppets & More!!!

 

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2. Your Help Needed: Work Party in the Park, Sunday, 6/3, 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

 

Work Party in the Park (and Surrounding Neighborhood): Volunteers Needed!

Meet at Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince), SUNDAY, June 3, 9:30-1:30

Delicious refreshments courtesy of Whole Foods Market.

Fresh coffee courtesy of Mokka (cafe at Telegraph and Dowling).

* Weeding & light mulching in Halcyon Commons and nearby landscaped barriers (rain or shine)

* Picking up litter from streets in the larger neighborhood (rain or shine)

* Graffiti removal in the larger neighborhood (if we have sufficient help)

 

Many hands make light work: Please lend yours! Even half an hour helps. Children welcome. Bring your own tools if you have them, or use ours if you donŐt. We donŐt have any student volunteers to help with this work party, so itŐs up to us neighbors!

 

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3. Report on Earthquake Exercise May 19 Plus Follow-up

 

EditorŐs note: Special thanks to HNA Disaster Preparedness Coordinator Susan Snyder who organized a successful drill May 19 as the Halcyon component of a citywide earthquake exercise and who submitted the following follow-up message. Please contact Susan Snyder at hnaprepared@gmail.com to be added to the Halcyon Disaster Prep email list.

 

Hi, Neighbors:

 

Thank you to the 21 neighbors who came out to participate in the citywide earthquake exercise on Saturday, May 19. It was a beautiful, sunny morning with lots of good learning experiences for all of us. Everyone met someone they didnŐt already know, which was a goal of mine for the drill since social connections are so important. Lots of learning too about what some of the challenges are (people had some trouble with the radios — we shouldŐve done more training), and I could see parts of the drill that could be simplified for the future. A big highlight was the visit from the Fire Department; they spent about 20 minutes with us and were great about answering questions and giving perspective about what to expect. One thing I didnŐt know before was that, in terms of priorities, after major infrastructures (Bridge/BART, etc.) and institutions (Alta Bates, etc.), known organized neighborhoods are the likely next check-in for first responders because they know where to find us. We also had a CERT volunteer documentary filmmaker with us for the morning, and he was happy with the footage, so it will be interesting to see what comes of that too.

 

We were one of 66 neighborhood groups (plus another 100 or so individuals) participating citywide. An extra big THANK YOU to the volunteers who made this happen — Carol, Rita, Shael, Leah, Stephen, Wendy, Karen, Mary & Ros! And for our neighborhoodŐs 30 seconds of fame, see the article from the Daily Cal: http://www.dailycal.org/2012/05/20/berkeley-residents-participate-in-emergency-training-exercise/

 

Finally, a little bit of drill follow-up from the city. If you registered for a BENS message the morning of the drill, please take 30 seconds to answer a survey by clicking on the link to the survey to answer six questions that may be a great help in improving these communications methods for future exercises and, more importantly, for real-life emergencies.

 

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/36MVSFR

 

Hi CERT Citywide Exercise Participants,

 

One of the main goals of the CERT Citywide Exercise was to test emergency communications. To gather more feedback and data and to improve performance of the communications systems, we are asking you to complete an additional feedback survey on your participation with BENS (Berkeley Emergency Notification System) and Radio 1610AM for the exercise.

 

Please take the time to click on the below link to our survey and answer 6 questions that may be a great help in improving these communications methods for future exercises and more importantly, for real-life emergencies.

 

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/36MVSFR

 

If possible, please also pass this survey on to your group members who signed up for the BENS text alert test. The more data on what worked and what did not we can obtain, the better our efforts at improving these systems can be.

 

Thank you,

Khin Chin

CERT Program Manager, Berkeley Fire Department, Office of Emergency Services 
510.981.5506

 

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4. Crime Watch Update: Summary of May Crimes in the Neighborhood

 

EditorŐs note: A reminder to join the HNA Facebook group at Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=292160762499 for breaking crime reports in between E-News editions. If youŐre a neighbor who isnŐt yet part of this closed Facebook group, youŐre missing out! Detailed reports of the crimes in the first half of May appeared there. Remember, we rely on neighbors to fill in the details, so please email halcyon92@gmail.com to make your report, or share it on our Facebook page, so we can all stay aware and vigilant!

 

HNA Steering Committee member Mikel Delgado submitted the following summary of crimes in or near the neighborhood. Thank you, Mikel!

 

May crimes in the neighborhood:
5/1 Halcyon/Prince theft
5/3 Prince/Halcyon car break-in
Prince/Deakin burglary
Woolsey and Shattuck robbery
Shattuck and Ashby burglary
5/12 Woolsey/Deakin burglary
5/17 Ashby and Shattuck burglary
5/19 Deakin/Webster felony theft
5/26 Woolsey and Shattuck robbery

 

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5. Whole Foods Market News: Community Meeting Weds. 6/6, 8:30-9 a.m. plus Summer Music

 

EditorŐs note: News from Whole Foods Market courtesy of Jim Hallock.

 

Construction Update

 

A revised project schedule for the installation of the roof refrigeration units is now available. Please note the crane will be here on Thursday and Friday May 31 and June 1. Most of the work will take place during June, with follow-up work the first couple of days of July.

 

Drop-In Progress Meeting (first Wednesday of each month)

Wednesday, June 6, 8:30-9:00 a.m.

Whole Foods Market (check in at Customer Service)

 

These meetings are held at the Community Table at the front of the store, and the purpose is to share our plans for noise abatement, the store remodel project [scheduled for 2012], street litter control, and progress on any of the ongoing issues we discuss [with HNA reps and nearby neighbors]. Mel [Store Team Leader] and I will meet, and anyone is welcome to join us. Of course there will be complimentary coffee, tea, and snacks. Our goal is to follow up immediately on any issues that we hear about, and to hear how the store can be a better neighbor.

 

Music Events This Summer and Fall

 

They are pretty much the same as last year, one time a month only. A jazz group that performed on Memorial Day will be back on July 4 and Labor Day. Here are the remaining music events we have scheduled. All music will be between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Please join us!

 

June 16

July 4

August 18

September 3

October 31

 

Jim Hallock

Community Relations Team Leader

Whole Foods Market Berkeley

3000 Telegraph Ave.

Berkeley, CA 94705

P: 510-649-1333 ext. 260

F: 510-649-1474

 

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6. Samba Keur Fouta in Concert at the Webster Haven, Sat. June 2, 7:30 p.m.

 

EditorŐs note: The following announcement was submitted by Webster Street neighbor (and HNA Co-Chair) John Steere.

 

You are warmly invited to groove to the dynamic rhythms and mesmerizing music of West Africa and beyond: Samba Keur Fouta in concert at the Webster Haven on 

Saturday, June 2; 7:30 doors, 8:00 show.

@ 2329 Webster St, Berkeley

 

Reservations are required as seating is limited: Please email jsteere@igc.org. This is not to be missed! $15 donation at the door

 

Samba Keur Fouta is a refreshing and energizing collaboration of West African percussion and vocals that blends Mbalax and Latin style rhythms with the traditional Djembe, Sabar, Tama, and Kora instruments. Samba plays with numerous musicians like Baaba Maal and is skilled in playing the tama (talking drum). Samba Keur Fouta is composed of four dynamic musicians with Samba Guisse on vocals and drums.

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/GuisseSamba?feature=mhee

https://www.youtube.com/user/GuisseSamba?feature=mhee

http://www.myspace.com/sambaguisse

 

Bio: Samba Guisse is a master Senegalese musician, who was enchanted by the spirit of the drum from an early age and was taught as a boy the rhythms and techniques by elder drummers Pape Malick Gueye and Mara. After much hard work and discipline Samba became the founding member of Groupe Kiss, the performing ensemble of the internationally famed drummer and performer Kissima Diabate. Samba has played with many ensembles and is skilled in playing the tama (talking drum) for which he is renowned in his native Senegal. 

 

Please join us to experience — and dance to — this unique and bright sound 

Love,

John and Michelle

 

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7. Update from a Neighbor on Efforts to Get Willard Pool Reopened

 

EditorŐs note: A neighbor involved in efforts to get Willard Pool reopened submitted the following report, which she thought would be of interest to other neighbors. Please note that HNA doesnŐt typically take stands on ballot measures, since there is a range of views in the neighborhood (see HNAŐs Guiding Principles on our website for our reasons for staying nonpartisan). You are of course free to submit your views to councilmembers either in agreement or disagreement with the recommendations in this pro-pools report.

 

UPDATE:

Great news!! All of your emails, calls and cheers at the meeting did pay off! It was reported that the council received vastly more communications on the pools than any other item on the agenda. A sincere thanks to all who participated. After much thoughtful discussion and consternation, the City Council almost unanimously (the mayor abstained) approved moving forward on a bond that would include a new warm pool, a new Willard pool, and minor necessary fixes to West and King pools. The only caveat is that Ňmoving forwardÓ only means looking at the language and exact numbers that would tie the bond together before they actually vote yes or no to put it on the ballot. They are going to let it ŇsimmerÓ for two weeks, until June 12th (the next meeting, I'm assuming) and revisit the whole package and consider how feasible it would be considering the other bonds that are on the top of the list (street repair and watershed). 

 

Their main concern is that with too many bonds on the ballot, none would pass. However, it was strongly argued by many council members that a ballot that would only attempt to improve potholes and not people would be a hopeless and sad state of affairs in Berkeley. SO, they really seemed to want to try both, yet try to keep costs low, which is great. 

 

NEXT STEPS:

Please take a moment to call or email the council members in the next week to thank them for moving forward with the pools measure and tell them you are confident they will come up with a workable solution. Tell them that we will all work together actively to support the campaign to ensure that it does pass in November. [This] validation and appreciation will go a long way toward winning the next vote on the 12th. 

 

ACTION YOU CAN TAKE (and please do!):

Cut and paste this string into your ŇTo BoxÓ to send an email to all nine council members:
mayor@cityofberkeley.info, lmaio@cityofberkeley.info, dmoore@cityofberkeley.info, manderson@cityofberkeley.info, jarreguin@cityofberkeley.info, lcapitelli@cityofberkeley.info, swengraf@cityofberkeley.info, kworthington@cityofberkeley.info, gwozniak@cityofberkeley.info

 

Mayor Tom Bates mayor@cityofberkeley.info 510-981-7100

Linda Maio lmaio@cityofberkeley.info 510-981-7110

Darryl Moore dmoore@cityofberkeley.info 510-981-7120

Max Anderson manderson@cityofberkeley.info 510-981-7130

Jesse Arreguin jarreguin@cityofberkeley.info 510-981-7140

Laurie Capitelli lcapitelli@cityofberkeley.info 510-981-7150

Susan Wengraf swengraf@cityofberkeley.info 510-981-7160

Kriss Worthington kworthington@cityofberkeley.info 510-981-7170

Gordon Wozniak gwozniak@cityofberkeley.info 510-981-7180

 

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