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Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-News 6/2/10

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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. Halcyon Garden Potluck Party, This SUNDAY, June 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

2. Neighborhood Disaster Prep Follow-up Meeting, Monday, June 28, 7-8:30 p.m.

3. Two Small Steps toward Greater Personal Disaster Preparedness

4. Crime Watch Update: Car Break-ins on Prince Street

5. Free Monthly Tai Chi Practice in the Park, Sunday, June 27, 11 a.m.

6. Berkeley World Music Festival, This Saturday, June 5, Noon to 9 p.m., on Telegraph Avenue

7. Buckle Up Enforcement Increasing: BPD Press Release

8. For Parents with Small Children: Link to Article on the Ten Biggest Choking Hazards

9. BORP Fitness Center Update: Satellite Classes Plus Facebook Page

10. 2000 Block of Prince Annual Block Party, Saturday, June 12, Noon to 5 p.m.

Editor’s Introductory Note:

Many thanks to the thirty-nine neighbors who turned out for our Halcyon Neighborhood disaster preparedness drill on one of the most beautiful afternoons of the spring, when there were plenty of other temptations. Extra special thanks to HNA’s Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Dawn Trygstad Rubin and members of HNA’s Disaster Preparedness Committee for organizing a very successful drill. We plan to continue to improve our level of neighborhood disaster preparedness (see items 2 and 3), and hope everyone receiving this will help us keep moving step-by-step toward that goal! And remember that one of the important ingredients of the neighborhood aspect of disaster preparedness is getting to know your neighbors, including those who live a block or two away. A great opportunity for this will be Sunday’s community potluck (see item 1). We hope to see you there!

Happy voting next Tuesday, June 8 (if you haven’t already mailed in your ballot)!

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

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1. Halcyon Garden Potluck Party, This SUNDAY, June 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Halcyon Garden Potluck Party

Sunday (NOT Saturday!), June 6, 5:30–7:30 p.m., 2329 Webster (near Whole Foods)

Come appreciate the spirit of our community, share neighborhood news and delicious food, and enjoy the company of your neighbors in John & Michelle’s English Garden backyard.

Potluck suggestions: Appetizer: T–Z * Main Dish: A–H * Salad: I–N * Dessert: O–S

(If not obvious, kindly attach a label with ingredients for your dish to alert those with vegetarian and other diets. If so inspired, it's really helpful if you can also bring a beverage to share. Children welcome!)

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2. Neighborhood Disaster Prep Follow-up Meeting, Monday, June 28, 7-8:30 p.m.

Neighborhood Disaster Prep Follow-up Meeting

Monday, June 28, 7-8:30 p.m. on Wheeler Street

Thanks to everyone who attended the May 23rd disaster preparedness drill! Whether or not you were able to make it, you can help us take the next steps in increasing our level of neighborhood preparedness based on what we learned from the drill. Come to the next HNA Disaster Preparedness Committee meeting at HNA Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Dawn Trygstad Rubin’s house on Wheeler Street. You’ll receive the exact address when you email familyrubin@comcast.net to rsvp. Another way to participate in ongoing neighborhood disaster preparedness efforts is to get on our disaster preparedness committee listserv: Email halcyon92@gmail.comto be included.

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3. Two Small Steps toward Greater Personal Disaster Preparedness

Members of the Disaster Preparedness Committee put together a handout for the disaster preparedness drill entitled “12 Easy Steps to Increase Your Disaster Preparedness.” A one-page version of this handout is included on the back of the HNA event flyer currently being distributed door to door. In order to keep reminding everyone of these steps, each HNA E-News will include a reminder of one or two of these simple steps. Here are two really easy ones to get your started! Everyone receiving this E-News could easily take these two steps TODAY!

* Shoes: Put shoes under/near your bed (do this one TODAY!)

* Register with the City: Register with the City of Berkeley’s Emergency Notification System. Easy to do online at http://www.alertregistration.com/berkeley/

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4. Crime Watch Update: Car Break-ins on Prince Street

A Prince Street neighbor submitted the following report:

“My car, which was parked in front of my home [in the 2300 block of Prince], was broken into sometime between Sunday, May 31^st, at 3:00 p.m. and Tuesday, June 1^st, at 10:00 a.m. It’s kind of embarrassing to admit that the thieves found nothing worth taking. Shows you how smart they are at selecting cars! It cost me $149 to repair the window. When I made a police report, I was told that four other cars had been broken into in this area during the same time period.”

Editor’s note: If every car break-in in our neighborhood resulted in nothing of value to take, we’d become less of a target. Unfortunately, too many of us do leave valuables in our cars, often in plain view. Car break-ins tend to come in waves, so a bit of extra vigilance could help break the current cycle: Don’t leave valuables visible in your car, call the police nonemergency number if you notice anyone suspicious appearing to case cars or homes (see our new http://www.HalcyonNeighborhood.org website for the list of useful phone numbers), and please report all crimes, large or small, to both the police and to the E-News (at halcyon92@gmail.com). Over the years, we’ve noticed an upswing in crime in the early summer, so let’s do our best to curtail it!

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5. Free Monthly Tai Chi Practice in the Park, Sunday, June 27, 11 a.m.

Free monthly Tai Chi Chih Practice

Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)

Facilitated by Prince Street neighbor Judith Schwartz, 510-843-2062;

http://www.judithschwartz.com/

[Editor’s Note: Judith also offers ongoing classes to teach the Tai Chi forms in her peaceful Prince Street gardens; you can contact her for more information.]

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6. Berkeley World Music Festival, This Saturday, June 5, Noon to 9 p.m., on Telegraph Avenue

The following announcement was on the Le Conte Neighborhood Association’s listserv:

“Le Conte Neighborhood Association has decided to help support this major local music festival. Please plan to stroll on Telegraph between noon and 9 p.m. THIS Saturday. For information on specific performers, you can go to http://www.berkeleyworldmusic.org, or call 510-684-8910. There are also links to previous performances in order for you to get a taste of what's available.”

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7. Buckle Up Enforcement Increasing: BPD Press Release

Buckle Up Day or Night: California Seat Belt Ticket increases to $142

Berkeley Police Department (BPD) officers will be looking for unbelted drivers and passengers as part of the statewide 2010 Click It or Ticket mobilization through June 6. This year, fines and fees across California have increased from $132 to $142 for first-time adult seat belt violations. For children under 16, the fine is now $445 for a first-time offense. “Keeping buckled up at all times is the simplest and most effective way to protect you and your family when you’re on the road.” said Chief Michael K. Meehan, “Our officers will be looking out for motorists who are not buckling up, and taking enforcement action.”

“Ultimately, this is about educating the public and keeping our community’s drivers and passengers safe,” he said, “Traffic safety is a priority with the Berkeley Police Department, and we hope that the awareness caused by Click it or Ticket will help save lives and reduce injuries in Berkeley.”

The Click It or Ticket campaign relies on heavy enforcement and public education as a means to save lives and reduce injuries on California’s roadways. In spite of a seat belt usage rate of over 95% statewide, there are still hundreds of thousands of motorists who fail to use their seatbelt, or insure their passengers are using their seat belts. Motorists ejected from vehicles in crashes or roll-overs are up to 35 times more likely to die than restrained occupants. More than 150 local law enforcement agencies statewide and the California Highway Patrol are participating in this year’s Click It or Ticket Mobilization.

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8. For Parents with Small Children: Link to Article on the Ten Biggest Choking Hazards

Editor’s note: While the study cited in this New York Times article is from 2008, the information is still potentially life-saving:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/health/25bchoke.html?emc=eta1

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9. BORP Fitness Center Update: Satellite Classes Plus Facebook Page

Editor’s note: The following announcement was received from BORP’s Fitness Director (BORP will be opening soon in the new Ed Roberts Campus):

BORP Fitness Center update: We are now offering satellite classes locally while waiting for construction to be done. Here's a link to the fitness center info on our satellite classes. Scroll down this page a bit and look for “Satellite Classes” in red. http://www.borp.org/programs/Fitness_Program.php

We now have a BORP Fitness Center Facebook page! If you are a FB user please visit, leave a post, say hello, and click on the thumbs up “like’ button. I am posting weekly fitness tips, info on instructors, and various fitness tidbits. http://www.facebook.com/pages/BORP-Fitness-Center/344041898100?v=wall

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10. 2000 Block of Prince Annual Block Party, Saturday, June 12, Noon to 5 p.m.

A Block Party is being organized by the 2000 Block of Prince Street neighbors (and our newest HNA Steering Committee member Tony Hill), Saturday, June 12, noon to 5 p.m., featuring BBQ, an art show, ice cream, snow cones, salsa lessons, music, a treasure hunt, and more. Contact Tony Hill for information, 548-2306 or thill94703@gmail.com.

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