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Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-News 5/3/13

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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 Editor’s introductory comments express her personal viewpoint.

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Contents

1. Your Help Needed: Work Party in the Park, Saturday, May 11, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

2. Follow-up on HNA Participation in Citywide Disaster Prep Exercise

3. Disaster Prep: Take Thirty Seconds to Help Berkeley Be Better Prepared!

4. Free CERT (Disaster Prep) Trainings with the City

5. Crime-Watch Updates

6. Link to Article on Berkeley Redistricting

7. Next Issue of Neighborhood Update from the BPD Available for Downloading

8. Update from Mokka Owners on Appeal to Stop a Starbucks at Ashby/Telegraph

9. Tool Library Reopening! Celebration, Saturday, May 11, 12:30-5 p.m.

10. Webster Street Neighbor Planning Yard Sale Saturday, June 1, and Welcomes Company

11. Wheeler Street Neighbor Invites Support for BUSD’s Garden & Cooking Program

Editor’s Introductory Note:

Thanks to HNA Disaster Preparedness Coordinator Susan Snyder and the team of volunteers and presenters who put on such a successful earthquake exercise in Halcyon Commons last Saturday — forty-nine neighbors participated! (See item 2 for a note from Susan, and see item 3 for a simple way you can help Berkeley be better prepared even if you missed the drill.)

Have a great May, and I hope to see some of you in Halcyon Commons the morning of Saturday, May 11, for our next work party in the park (see item 1); this small but precious bit of greenspace was created by the neighborhood in partnership with the City of Berkeley, and over the years we’ve been faithfully honoring our agreement to help with its maintenance. Fresh coffee from Mokka Café and treats from Whole Foods Market will reward you for your time and energy!

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

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1. Your Help Needed: Work Party in the Park, Saturday, May 11, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

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

Meet at Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince), Saturday, May 11, 9:30-1:00

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 park and 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 don’t. We don’t have any student volunteers to help with this work party, so it’s up to us neighbors!

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2. Follow-up on HNA Participation in Citywide Disaster Prep Exercise

Editor’s note: HNA Disaster Preparedness Coordinator Susan Snyder submitted the following note about the April 27 earthquake exercise.

THANK YOU, NEIGHBORS! What a great drill Saturday -- we had forty-nine participants! Thank you, planning committee (Ann Myers, Nancy Shaw, Rita Dichtel, Mary Stoker, Mikel Delgado, Leah Greenblat) and all of our volunteers today -- especially our station leaders (Mikel on Pet Prep, Kate on First Aid, Nancy on Fire Suppression, Rita on Radio Communication) and Ann as our in-charge Incident Commander. Thank you to Mokka and Whole Foods Market for fortifying us with delicious coffee and treats!

Editor’s note: Photographs of the Halcyon portion of the exercise, as well as photos of other neighborhoods that participated in the citywide drill, can be found at the Berkeleyside link (and one of our Disaster Preparedness Committee members, Rita Dichtel, appears in the lead photo for the article!). See the Berkelyside link. I’ve also listed the link for the Facebook album of photos I took at the event (I gave it a public setting, so I hope that means you can view it even if you don’t have a Facebook account.)

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2013/04/29/berkeley-unites-for-earthquake-safety/

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151564245268891.1073741827.678098890&type=1

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3. Disaster Prep: Take Thirty Seconds to Help Berkeley Be Better Prepared!

Editor’s note: Did you know you can help make Berkeley better prepared for a big earthquake or other disaster simply by registering to receive communications from the City of Berkeley’s Emergency Notification System (BENS) in the event of a disaster? If you missed the earthquake exercise and/or haven’t done it yet, please take thirty seconds and sign up today!

Background information:

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/BENS

The 30-second sign-up process:

https://alertregistration.com/Berkeley/

And another 30-second action: Like the Berkeley CERT page on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/BerkeleyCert?group_id=292160762499

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4. Free CERT (Disaster Prep) Trainings with the City

Editor’s note: Following our successful earthquake exercise last weekend, I’d like to encourage neighbors to attend any of the fun, free, and informative emergency preparedness training classes offered by the City. Sign up soon to be sure you get in!

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=57314

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5. Crime-Watch Updates

Editor’s note: Our HNA Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=292160762499 often shares breaking crime reports in between E-News editions. If you’re a neighbor who isn’t yet part of this closed Facebook group, you’re missing out! Remember, we rely on neighbors to fill in the details of crimes in our neighborhood, so, in addition to being sure to file a Police report, 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. Thank you, Mikel!

Recent crimes in the neighborhood:
3/16 theft, Shattuck & Essex
3/21 simple assault, Telegraph & Woolsey
3/25 theft, Shattuck & Ashby
3/28 disorderly conduct, Telegraph & Woolsey
3/30 simple assault, Telegraph & 66th
4/1 theft, Shattuck & Essex
4/2 robbery, Prince & Wheeler (6:30 p.m.)
4/3 vehicle break-in, Telegraph & Webster
4/4 robbery, Shattuck & Emerson (8 a.m.)

A Prince Street neighbor reported on Facebook:

“April 11: Crime unit on Prince at Halcyon.”

And a Halcyon neighbor added details:

“Just spoke to the officer: Attempted burglary just took place at one of the apartments at the building on the corner of on Prince at Halcyon. Suspect was halfway through bathroom window when resident saw him and called Police. Suspect is African American male, around 45 years old, dark complexion, no facial hair, slender build, with lots of freckles (‘like the actor Morgan Freeman’). If you see someone matching this description, call the Police so they can check it out (either 911 or the nonemergency number depending on the circumstances). And keep your eyes open. Do not hesitate to call the Police if you notice anything suspicious.”

A Halcyon neighbor reported on Facebook:

“April 9: Car break-in this evening on Halcyon near Prince. Unfortunately, [my housemate] had accidentally left her purse/bag in the backseat. Someone from Racine Street just the other side of Alcatraz in Oakland called to say they’d found her wallet with credit cards scattered (they have to be cancelled regardless). Not much cash lost, but still missing are her i.d. and checks, work keys and work i.d., plus a notebook with notes.”

A Prince Street neighbor reported on Facebook:

“Earlier that same day [presumably April 9] my apartment (and my neighbors) had been broken into and valuables stolen. . . . [U]pon returning from an overnight school excursion with my 2nd/3rd graders at the peaceful, bucolic Hidden Villa Farm (in Los Altos), I came home to yet another break-in [the apartment was broken into a year previously], again through the kitchen window. The previous kitchen window had been replaced by a double-glass window with a metal frame (thanks to my landlord and neighbor), but it seems it was popped open anyway. Again, only the most portable valuable was taken (video camera). (Don’t own a laptop or jewelry and don’t keep cash anymore.) The theft must’ve taken place between Tuesday morning and Wednesday late afternoon.”

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6. Link to Article on Berkeley Redistricting

Editor’s note: All of the proposed plans to redraw Council district lines, which were submitted and are under consideration by the City Council, will affect our neighborhood. The article at the link contains maps that allow you to compare the various plans. HNA itself will not be taking a position on district lines, given a range of views in the neighborhood (and the fact that our Guiding Principles require us to have near unanimity to take action, not a simple majority or even a supermajority), but we encourage neighbors to make their individual viewpoints known to decision makers. Contact information for various City officials can be found at http://halcyonneighborhood.org/ - Contacts.

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2013/04/26/redistricting-plans-focus-on-student-majority-district/

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7. Next Issue of Neighborhood Update from the BPD Available for Downloading

Editor’s note: The Berkeley Police Department has recently started putting out a multipage newsletter full of useful information. The April issue contains personal safety tips along with articles on the Ashkenaz robbery and shooting, auto burglaries, warning signs of a child’s involvement in gangs, and more. It also contains a beat map with contact information for the officers and coordinators covering our neighborhood. It’s available, along with prior issues, at http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Police/Home/BPD_Newsletter.aspx

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8. Update from Mokka Owners on Appeal to Stop a Starbucks at Ashby/Telegraph

Editor’s note: As reported in the last E-News, a large café -- apparently a Starbucks, though their name isn’t on the application -- is being proposed at the corner of Ashby and Telegraph, in the newly constructed building across from Whole Foods. An AUP (Administrative Use Permit) was granted by staff for such a use, and that decision has now been officially appealed by our sister neighborhood Association across Telegraph, Bateman Neighborhood Association. HNA itself will not be taking a position on the appeal, given a range of views in the neighborhood (and the fact that our Guiding Principles require us to have near unanimity to take action, not a simple majority or even a supermajority). HNA Co-Chair John Steere and I (Nancy Carleton, the other HNA Co-Chair), instead have sent a general letter in late April outlining the range of responses we heard back from neighbors. If you have strong feelings, pro or con, either in support of the permit for a large café or in support of the appeal and in opposition to the permit, we urge you to email your own, personally worded letter to the Zoning Adjustments Board, with copy to City Councilmembers. We support and respect the right of all our neighbors to make their individual views known! Contact information for various City officials can be found at http://halcyonneighborhood.org/ - Contacts. Below is an update received from Michael and Susan Iida, the owners of Mokka.

[Sent to Friends of Mokka]

Thank you for all your support! The Zoning Officer has acknowledged that several letters have been received regarding the coffee cafe at 3001 Telegraph. At Mokka, we have gathered about 800 signatures on petitions that have been filed or will be filed with the Zoning Officer. In addition, [some] neighborhood associations and individuals are also gathering signatures. If you have any signatures on petitions, you can drop them off at Mokka, and we will make sure they are filed with the Zoning Board.

The Zoning Officer responded to [neighbor] Jim Smith’s inquiry regarding the status of his appeal for the authorization of the coffee cafe at 3001 Telegraph. The ZAB will be scheduling a hearing for the appeal during May, at the earliest [more likely in June]. When the hearing date is finalized we will let you know. Supporters in attendance at these hearings can be very influential!!

[A] copy of the letter supporting the appeal, the City Council contact list, and a blank petition to this email [are available at Mokka]. Again, thank you for supporting the appeal of the coffee cafe zoning authorization!!

Michael & Susan Iida

[Owners, Mokka Café]

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9. Tool Library Reopening! Celebration, Saturday, May 11, 12:30-5 p.m.

Editor’s note: Received from the Berkeley Public Library.

Berkeley Public Library South and Tool Libraries Grand Reopening

The Berkeley Public Library will celebrate the reopening of the newly constructed and expanded South Branch Library on Saturday, May 11, 2013. Located at 1901 Russell Street at MLK Jr Way, the new branch library replaces the previous facility. The grand reopening celebration will begin at 12:30 p.m. Library services will begin immediately following the ceremonial program and the branch will remain open until 5 p.m. A ribbon cutting ceremony is planned with local and state officials, music and refreshments will be provided. Everyone is invited.

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10. Webster Street Neighbor Planning Yard Sale Saturday, June 1, and Welcomes Company

Editor’s note: Webster Street neighbor Carol Badran is planning on holding a yard sale on Saturday, June 1. While this won’t be an official HNA multiblock sale (which takes considerable advance work), it could still be a multifamily sale and draw more customers. Carol asked me to pass on this announcement.

“I’m planning on holding a yard sale on Saturday, June 1 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., or a little longer if people want. If you’d like to join me in selling your stuff (I’m at Webster at Halcyon), you could either sell alongside me or we could coordinate publicity. If you’re interested, you can contact me either via email:  c.badran@juno.com  (probably best) or by phone:  510-848-1594.”

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11. Wheeler Street Neighbor Invites Support for BUSD’s Garden & Cooking Program

Editor’s note: Wheeler Street neighbor Ros Harder, along with several other Halcyon neighbors, have asked that I pass on the following information.

“Please join me and fellow neighborhood parents in our effort to save BUSD’s Garden & Cooking program for all K-12 district schools. The petition and more info about this wonderful program are at:

https://www.change.org/petitions/berkeley-unified-school-district-board-of-education-save-berkeley-school-garden-and-cooking-programs-3 Please sign the petition and share with other folks who care about kids, education, nutrition, health, ecology, life-skills, science, math, and home-grown produce!”

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