Neighbors, join Halcyon Neighborhood AssociationÕs Facebook group!
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Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-News 5/1/14
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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 EditorÕs introductory comments express her personal viewpoint.
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Contents
1. Nickels for Nonprofits: Bring Your Own Bag
When You Shop Whole Foods Market April 14 – July 6 and Benefit Halcyon Commons!
2. Multiblock Yard Sale Sat. June 7, 10-2:
Sign up Now!
3. Crime-Watch
Updates & Links
4. Whole Foods Market
News: Next Drop-in Progress Meeting, May 7, 8-8:30 a.m.
5. HNA Mid-Year
Steering Committee Meeting Thurs. June 5, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
6. HNAÕs Guiding
Principles
7. Neighborhood
Bee-Swarm News
8. Residential
Preferential Parking (RPP) Renewal Now Available Online
9. Prince Street
Sculptor Nina Lyons Announces the Halcyon Bird Commission
10. Disaster Prep
Fair a Success!
EditorÕs Introductory Note:
Whole Foods Market has made Friends of Halcyon Commons a recipient of its Nickels for Nonprofits program from April 14 through July 6 (see item 1). What this means is that if you bring your own bag when you shop at Whole Foods Market during that period, you can donate the nickel refund(s) for your bag(s) to special projects in the park. For the eighteen years since the parkÕs dedication, HNA/Friends of Halcyon Commons has faithfully fulfilled our agreement to help with the maintenance of this community-initiated greenspace. We appreciate the ongoing support of Whole Foods Market, and we ask neighbors to make a special point of supporting our Nickels for Nonprofits grant!
Many thanks and happy spring!
—Nancy Carleton, HNA Co-Chair and E-News Editor, halcyon92@gmail.com
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1. Nickels for Nonprofits:
Bring Your Own Bag When You Shop Whole Foods Market April 14 – July 6 and
Benefit Halcyon Commons!
EditorÕs note: WeÕre thrilled to announce that Whole Foods
Market has made Halcyon Commons a recipient of their Nickels for Nonprofits
program. Bring your own bag(s) between April 14 and July 6, 2014, and tell the checkout team member that
you want to donate your nickel refund(s) to Halcyon Commons. Cumulatively, the
funds raised will be channeled to special projects in the park through our
nonprofit fiscal sponsor, Berkeley Projects for Parks. The plan is to use the
funds to pay for supplies to refurbish the pathway in the park using volunteer
labor (with work party dates to take place in late August or September). Please
be sure to bring your own bags during this period, and make sure the team
member at checkout is aware you want to donate your refund! Thanks to Whole
Foods Market for making us a recipient of this program, and to all neighbors
who help us out in this way.
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2. Multiblock Yard Sale Sat.
June 7, 10-2: Sign up Now!
EditorÕs note: HNA Treasurer and Halcyon neighbor Susan Hunter, who has
organized many successful multiblock yard sales in the past, is planning on
organizing another one for early June. See her message below.
ÒSpring Cleaning?
Early Summer Sale? Anyone else out there up for another Multi-Block Yard
Sale sponsored by HNA? Cost to participate will be $5 toward ads and supplies
for flyers, and everyone who plans on selling will need to post about 30 flyers
in areas assigned and make two large posters, which
will be hung in certain areas to be determined. ItÕs best to put the flyers and
posters in assigned areas so that all the areas get covered adequately. Once we
have determined whoÕs participating, IÕll break up the areas accordingly. In
the past some households have just set up on the day of the sale without
participating in our advance organizing, but what really makes this multiblock
sale work best for all of us is having enough houses registered beforehand so
we can include this in our advertisements; people really turn out in bigger
numbers when they know there will be multiple sales, so please participate in
this tried-and-true method and sign up ahead! Please email halcyon92@gmail.com by Saturday 5/24 to
sign up.Ó (Your response will be forwarded to the event organizer, Susan
Hunter.)
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3. Crime-Watch Updates & Links
EditorÕs note: Our HNA Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=292160762499 often shares breaking crime reports in between E-News editions (your home and email addresses plus phone are required to participate so we can be sure the group is kept safe for neighbors, and we require this information prior to accepting your request). Remember, we rely on neighbors to fill in the details of crimes in our neighborhood, so, in addition to filing a police report (which can now be done online through the City of Berkeley website for some kinds of crimes: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/onlinereport/), please email halcyon92@gmail.com to pass the word on to your neighbors, 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 recent crimes in or near the neighborhood from the second half of March and during April. Thank you, Mikel, for your ongoing work collecting the information!
3/22 car stolen, Woolsey at Telegraph
3/23 vehicle break-in, Telegraph and Webster
3/25 vehicle break-in, Woolsey and Wheeler
3/26 burglary, Prince and Wheeler
3/26 car stolen, Wheeler between Prince and Ashby
3/29 commercial burglary, Shattuck and Essex
4/2 vehicle break-in, Ellsworth and Ashby (just outside our neighborhood)
4/6 larceny theft, Telegraph and Ashby
4/7 assault, Woolsey and Wheeler
4/16 residential burglary, Deakin and Prince
4/16 car break-in, Fulton and Ashby
4/17 commercial burglary, Shattuck and Essex
4/19 car break-in, Emerson and Shattuck
4/20 residential burglary, Prince and Dana
4/21 residential burglary, Woolsey and Tremont
4/22 armed robbery, Alcatraz and Colby (a little out of the neighborhood, but FYI)
From a post to our Facebook group:
ÒWeÕre bordering Halcyon. On Deakin between Ashby and Russell. My neighbor had all the wheels stolen out from under his car [the night of April 6/7].Ó
Reported on Nextdoor Bordertown (incident to the west of Halcyon neighborhood):
Robbery west of Ashby BART: (from Nextdoor Bordertown, April 27): ÒA young woman was attacked at Prince and Ellis last night around 9:50 p.m. after getting off of BART. The assailants were two young males with a gun and pepper spray. She was hit in the head and bleeding plus pepper sprayed in the eyes. They stole her bag with her cellphone, wallet, computer, and kindle. Please be careful walking home from Ashby BART at night.Ó
Notes from the
Berkeley Safe Neighborhoods Committee Meeting
EditorÕs note: Submitted by HNA Steering Committee member Mikel Delgado through our Facebook page:
I just wanted to share some notes from the Berkeley Safe Neighborhoods Committee Meeting 4/7/14.
Chief Meehan: BPD trying to have more information on the website.
Crime is at a 50 year low, but there are increased robberies and burglaries, especially South and East Berkeley.
Most robberies are people alone with their phones out; 45% of burglaries are because of unlocked doors or windows.
There are currently nine open officer positions open at BPD.
Matthai Chakko: Announces BerkeleyÕs piloting of use of Nixle for a six-month trial. To sign up for messages via text or email: text your zipcode to 888777 or sign up at Nixle.com
Eric Lipson: Explains the current division of Berkeley into 4 areas and 18 beats. These beats are used to analyze crime issues and trends for that area. All beats are fully staffed from 11 AM to 2 AM. From 2 AM – 11 AM, the BPD uses a 9 beat system.
The current beat map was developed in 1993 when the main problems were crack cocaine; the department is currently analyzing crime data so that areas can be staffed evenly. Beats may be changed.
The BPD works with Albany, UCPD , Oakland, and Emeryville Police as needed for backup during lower staffing times.
There was some discussion about issues in particular beats of the city (generally robberies, burglaries, students/parties, panhandling).
Attendees then broke into groups by Area with Area Coordinators.
Nixle Public
Notification Service Now Available from the BPD!
EditorÕs note: Received from the BPD.
Hello community members:
The Berkeley Police Department is now utilizing Nixle, a public notification service designed to improve communication with the people who live, work, and visit our City. Nixle enables community-policing outreach in new ways. It help us build a communication structure to help us solve crimes, build a safer community, and promote a positive partnership between the community and law enforcement.
Using Nixle, BPD delivers information to you instantly via text, email and/or web message. Nixle messages are also viewable via mobile device. The service is secure, reliable and easy to use. You decide what information you receive and whether you want it sent to your cell phone, email, or just simply over the web. Notifications will also be available through the City of Berkeley Police Department web page at: http://www.cityofberkeley.info/police
Nixle is the most comprehensive communications tool that the department uses and it will include all of the department's urgent and nonurgent communications. We encourage your participation. On the sign-up form, you can subscribe to and view the departmentÕs Nixle messages, which launch May 1st. Find and click the ÒSign upÓ button at www.nixle.com. If you have any questions, you can contact us at police@ci.berkeley.ca.us.
Thanks!
Ofc. Jessyca A. Nabozny #118
CSB: Area 2 Coordinator
2100 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Berkeley, Ca. 945704
Ph: 510-981-5778
Fax: 510-981-5819
Link related to Crime
Watch:
EditorÕs note: The smart phone kill-switch legislation sponsored by State Senator Mark Leno failed on its first round, but is coming back for another vote in May. This article points out that 30 to 40 percent of all robberies in major cities are related to smart phone thefts. Also: ÒAccording to Consumer Reports, an estimated 1.6 million people were victimized for their smart phones on 2012. A New York Times study claimed Ô113 smart phones are lost or stolen every minute in the United States.Õ Ó
http://beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=12599
See also: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Smartphone-kill-switches-on-the-way-5405455.php
Map on levels of residential burglary (almost all of our neighborhood falls into the medium category).
Information about the number to have on hand if your cellphone is stolen.
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4. Whole Foods Market News: Nickels for Halcyon; Next Drop-in Progress
Meeting, May 7, 8-8:30 a.m.
EditorÕs note: News from Whole Foods Market. If youÕd like to be added to the neighbor notification list that Lizzie Brimhall maintains for the neighborhood-WFM meetings (and to notify neighbors when work is being done at the store), please email her at lizzie.brimhall@wholefoods.com.
Nickels for Halcyon
Commons! Bring Your Own Bag April 14-July 6 and Donate Your Nickel Refund to
Refurbishment Projects in Halcyon Commons!
EditorÕs note: See item 1 above, and be sure to bring your own bags during this time period and ask that your refund be donated to Halcyon Commons!
Free Events
Coming May 10, 2014: Free MotherÕs Day event.
Ongoing: Final Fridays at Oakland Museum of California.
Contact Lizzie.Brimhall@wholefoods.com for information about free events.
Next Drop-in Progress Meeting, Wednesday, May 7, 8-8:30 a.m.
Whole Foods Market (check in at Customer Service)
ÒThese meetings are held at the Community Table
at the front of the store, and the purpose is to share our plans for ongoing
changes in the store, street litter control, and progress on any of the ongoing
issues we discuss [with HNA reps and nearby neighbors]. The Store Team Leader
is usually present, 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.Ó
As always, if there are ever any urgent issues, please call the store at 510-649-1333 and ask for the shift manager on duty. If itÕs between 7: 30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Melody, Carlisle, or Curt will be in the store, so always feel free to swing by, too, if youÕd like to have a word with us. Call the store during business hours (8 a.m.-10 p.m.) at 649-1333 and ask for a Shift Manager:
Melody.Mestemacher@wholefoods.com
Curt.Sundin@wholefoods.com
Carlisle.Crumley@wholefoods.com
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5. HNA Mid-Year Steering Committee Meeting Thurs. June 5, 7:30-8:30
p.m.
EditorÕs note: Midyear, the HNA Steering Committee meets to track our progress to date and to plan for the rest of the year. We welcome new neighbors getting involved! The HNA Steering Committee uses a Yahoo listserv group for most of its planning to spare us from too many meetings in our already commitment-full lives (weÕll likely have just two meetings in all of 2014). If youÕre interested in getting involved, please email halcyon92@gmail.com. All neighbors willing to work in the spirit of HNAÕs Guiding Principles (see item 6 below) are welcome to join the Steering Committee. WeÕre very much open to new projects (for example, a couple of neighbors came forward to organize play dates for neighborhood children; another organized a neighborhood singalong, etc.). So if you have an aspect of the neighborhood youÕd like to see addressed, please step up! For a modest investment of time, you can make a big difference right here where you live!
HNA Planning Meeting
for Second Half of 2014
Thursday, June 5,
7:30-8:30 p.m.
The meeting will take place at a home on Webster Street. Email halcyon92@gmail.com and youÕll receive details a couple of days before.
This meeting is open to Steering Committee members plus
interested members of our Crime Watch and Disaster Preparedness groups, and
others who are willing to work together in the spirit of HNAÕs Guiding
Principles.
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6. HNAÕs Guiding Principles
EditorÕs note: Any time we have a Steering Committee meeting scheduled is a good time for a reminder of HNAÕs Guiding Principles. Here they are!
HNA is a community
group dedicated to stewardship of the Halcyon Neighborhood in South Berkeley
(bounded by Telegraph, Ashby, Adeline, and Woolsey). We encourage positive,
proactive, partnership-oriented approaches to improving the well-being
of our neighborhood, with an emphasis on the following goals:
* Community building (such as regular potlucks, special events in the park,
mutual support among neighbors, and multiblock yard sales);
* Ongoing care of Halcyon Commons (a park conceived of and created by the
neighbors who founded HNA) under the nonprofit umbrella provided by Berkeley
Partners for Parks and in partnership with the City of Berkeley;
* Continued greening and care of the neighborhood (planting trees, cleaning
litter off streets, graffiti removal, and helping maintain public landscaped
features);
* Strengthening neighborhood watch (crime watch, community safety walks,
emergency preparedness, and disaster supply cache);
* Networking with the larger Berkeley community (nearby neighborhood groups,
neighborhood businesses, City staff, and elected officials);
* Sharing information and empowering residents to become proactive in
addressing neighborhood needs and in expressing individual viewpoints regarding
civic affairs (spreading news through meetings, flyers, and the HNA E-News, and
providing contact information).
To fulfill these goals, HNA provides a sanctuary from partisan politics so that
neighbors with diverse viewpoints feel welcome to participate. Thus, HNA only
takes stands on larger issues when there is near-unanimity among neighbors. By
focusing on immediate local concerns, we find we can have a greater impact and
get better results from the time we invest. Guided by these principles, HNA
invites neighbors who are willing to work together in a spirit of partnership
to participate at whatever level makes sense for them. Opportunities for
serving on our volunteer Steering Committee and project-oriented committees are
available to neighbors who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work
together in a nonpartisan spirit. Neighbors are invited to step forward into
leadership positions defined by the work they do in accordance with HNAÕs
primary goals and guiding principles.
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7. Neighborhood Bee-Swarm News
EditorÕs note: HereÕs an update from neighborhood beekeeper Bruce Wicinas on the successful retrieval this past week of a bee swarm. This is the season when bees tend to swarm, which is when a new queen and her workers set off to find a new home. If you see a swarm alighting on the branch of a tree or bush, call Bruce at 510-740-5651 M-F daytime or 510-848-1797 other hours and heÕll retrieve them if theyÕre low enough and give them a nice home.
ÒTuesday evening when I got home from the Red Cross at 7:30 p.m. my wife Noriko informed me that ÔsomeoneÕ had reported a swarm on Wheeler. The ÔsomeoneÕ was super-neighbor Susan Snyder. The swarm was in a tree in front of her house on Wheeler but pretty high up -- maybe 18 feet. Capturing a high-altitude swarm was not the medically recommended way to ÔrestÕ following a blood donation. To make a long story short, Noriko, my two daughters, and I went down there with improvised equipment. We captured nearly the swarm, with effort. It turned out that daughter Kay was about 6 inches too short to work the branch lopper at full extension. Wheeler neighbor Scott Parker stepped up and worked the lopper though he wasnÕt wearing protective clothing -- or even shoes. Scott helped me drop and tilt the bee-bearing cut branch into my bucket on the end of a 12' 2x4 while Noriko and daughter Tami held flashlights aimed up into the tree. Bees in bucket, I carried them back to my house a couple blocks up Prince.
ÒAs of this (Wednesday) morning the bees are all within my prepared hive located in my backyard. They are showing normal behavior. The "capture" looks like a success.
ÒWednesday afternoon Kay returned to the spot and noticed we had missed about 1,000 to 2,000 bees. They were huddled in a forlorn ball in the high-up spot we had gathered bees the previous night. When I returned from work Wednesday evening Kay and I returned with equipment, including two ladders. Thanks to the previous nightÕs rehearsal and two ladders -- and to daylight! -- we smoothly captured the remaining bees, brought them home and reunited them with their sisters.Ó
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8. Residential Preferential Parking (RPP) Renewal Now Available Online
EditorÕs note: See this link for more on the RPP program and a way to renew online for the first time: http://www.cityofberkeley.info/RPP/
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9. Prince Street Sculptor Nina Lyons Announces the Halcyon Bird
Commission
EditorÕs note: As reported earlier, weÕre pleased that local
sculptor Nina Lyons has agreed to help us realize the long-held goal of
installing a sculpture of a halcyon bird in the oval planting area next to the
Father Sun bench in Halcyon Commons. This project has already been approved by
the Civic Arts Commission and the City Council, but was awaiting
implementation. Please see NinaÕs April newsletter for a brief piece on the
sculpture plus to get a sense of her other work: http://ninalyons.com/AprilEnews.html
And if youÕd like to contribute to help us fund the project, there are two
ways: 1) Make a financial contribution directly to
HNA (not tax-deductible, but allows us maximum flexibility), by writing a check
to ÒHNAÓ and mail or drop it off to HNA Treasurer Susan Hunter, 3044 Halcyon
Court, Berkeley, CA 94705; (2) Make a tax-deductible financial contribution
with check made out to ÒBerkeley Partners for ParksÓ (BPFP, our nonprofit
fiscal sponsor), earmarked Halcyon Commons, and mail or drop off to HNA
Treasurer Susan Hunter, 3044 Halcyon Court, Berkeley, CA 94705.
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10. Disaster Prep Fair a Success!
EditorÕs note: Many thanks to neighbor and HNA Disaster Preparedness Coordinator Susan Snyder, who worked hard to make the citywide disaster preparedness fair held on April 26 such a success. HereÕs a link to an article prior to the fair that features a photo of Halcyon neighbors at our disaster prep drill last year: http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/04/21/are-you-ready-to-help-kids-pets-when-disaster-strikes/
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