Halcyon Neighborhood Association • Berkeley, CA | |
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Halcyon Neighborhood
Association E-News 11/3/11
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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. Neighborhood Disaster
Preparedness Meeting, Wednesday, November 9, 7:30 p.m.
2. Hosts Needed for Post-Holiday Progressive Potluck,
Sunday, January 29, 2012
3. HNA Planning Meeting for 2012: Sunday,
December 4, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
4. Crime Watch Updates: Burglary
on Halcyon; Aggressive Behavior at Corner of Telegraph/Prince
5. Halcyon Neighborhood AssociationÕs Guiding
Principles
EditorÕs
Introductory Note:
Thanks to everyone who helped out with a very successful Berkeley
Project Day on October 15, which was coordinated by HNA Co-Chair John Steere,
who said it was one of the nicest, hardest working group of student volunteers
ever. DoesnÕt the park look great with its layer of mulch, all ready for the
wet months ahead? John will be posting some photos to the HNA Facebook page
sometime soon, so please be sure to join the group if you havenÕt already.
This E-News will be brief. While I had some interesting links and
forwards of neighborhood-related announcements set aside, my time for compiling
the newsletter is limited this month, and I want to be sure everyone has some
advance notice about the important (and timely) Disaster Preparedness
Discussion next week, on 11/9 (see item 1), so IÕve focused solely on our HNA
announcements in order to get this out today.
—Nancy Carleton, HNA Co-Chair and E-News Editor, halcyon92@gmail.com
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1. Neighborhood
Disaster Preparedness Discussion, Wednesday, November 9, 7:30 p.m.
EditorÕs note: I was out of town
for the first few of the recent series of quakes on the Hayward Fault, but back
in time for a few more. Consider those jolts, and then contemplate one hundreds
of times bigger. What better time to upgrade our personal, household, and neighborhood
preparedness? Thanks to neighbor Susan Snyder for organizing this upcoming
discussion to help us take next steps forward.
Disaster
Preparedness Discussion
(for Halcyon neighbors only)
Wednesday, November 9th, 7:30 p.m. (60-90 minutes)
Respond for address.
Has the recent earth shaking got you thinking about disaster preparedness? Then come join in a neighborhood discussion! WeÕll have brief presentations about the state of our neighborhood preparedness, whatÕs happening at the city and county level, and Berkeley CERT. WeÕll also have time to share our knowledge and brainstorm ideas for how we, as a community, can support one another and increase our preparedness. Plan for 60-90 minutes. Please respond to Susan at halcyonplaydate@gmail.com for the address and updates.
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2. Hosts Needed for Post-Holiday Progressive
Potluck, Sunday, January 29, 2012
EditorÕs note: HNA Potluck
organizer and Steering Committee member Tory Finn sent the following
announcement.
Dear neighbors,
My name is Tory Finn, and I live on Wheeler Street. Our January
Post-Holiday ŌProgressive PotluckĶ is one of my favorite neighborhood
events. Unlike the rest of our quarterly potlucks, we move from house to house
for each course; itÕs a great way to meet our neighbors and enjoy the community
we so value in Halcyon.
If you havenÕt hosted before or if youÕve enjoyed hosting in the past,
please consider being a host for one course this coming January 29, 2012. WeÕve
had the chance to go to some houses many times, and it would be nice to
involve more people. We need a total of THREE or possibly FOUR hosts
(Appetizers, Salad, and Main Course need hosts; Dessert will be at John and
MichelleÕs house unless someone else would really like to do it). Hosts
usually provide paper plates, cups, napkins, etc., but other people can help
with those resources if needed.
Please contact me if you are interested in hosting one of the courses on
January 29 — even if youÕre not sure whether you can or if you want
more info. Thank you, and I look forward to seeing you all in 2012!
Tory Finn
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3. HNA Planning Meeting for
2012: Sunday, December 4, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
EditorÕs
note: Each year, the HNA Steering Committee meets in
December to map out dates for neighborhood activities for the following year,
including work parties to maintain Halcyon Commons and nearby planted features
plus remove graffiti neighborhood-wide, disaster preparedness drills,
crime-watch meetings, and social events, such as our popular neighborhood
potlucks, celebrations in the park, Halloween parade, and more. So much is
possible, but we depend on new neighbors getting involved to help keep us keep
moving forward. 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. We would very much welcome your involvement! Please
email halcyon92@gmail.com if you want
more information and are interested in participating. All neighbors willing to
work in the spirit of HNAÕs Guiding Principles (see item 5 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! And if you have a special interest in crime watch or disaster preparedness,
we especially need your help. For a modest investment of time, you can make a
big difference right here where you live!
HNA Planning Meeting for 2012
Sunday, December 4, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Location to be determined.
Email halcyon92@gmail.com for details.
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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4. Crime Watch
Updates: Burglary on Halcyon; Aggressive Behavior at Corner of Telegraph/Prince
EditorÕs note: A Halcyon
Court neighbor submitted the following report.
ŌHi all. We just got back from vacation tonight [October 5] and
found that our house had been broken into. We live on the west side of Halcyon.
The person(s) broke into a side window into our bathroom, removed the side
jamb. They took a five-year-old iPod and emptied a can of change, yet left our
TV, stereo, and many other things of value. Seems like they were going for small things or in a hurry. This happened
sometime between Monday night [October 3] and tonight [October 5]. The Berkeley
Police just left — they sent a forensics person to dust for prints.Ķ
EditorÕs note: A Prince
Street neighbor submitted the following report.
ŌI want to let you know that the situation [behind and next to the church
at the corner of Prince and Telegraph] is getting worse, and lately I have been
noticing a very weird guy hanging out behind the church. He acts very
strangely. He runs back and forth from the back of the church to the stairs on
the side and then to the street. Two weeks ago I parked my car and when I was
locking it I saw him coming from the back of the church and standing in the
street looking at me. I got back in my car and drove around until I found a
police car on Ashby and asked the police officer to drive back with me so I
could park my car and get home safely. Two days after that, I saw . . . the
same guy with another man and a bike — both African American. I called
the police but they took too long to show up and by the time they arrived both
men had left. I went to talk to the police officer, and he told me to keep
calling 911 until they can see the men and find out who they are.Ķ [EditorÕs
note: Subsequent emails outlined other disturbing behavior, including
drug use and drinking and aggressive approaches to neighbors returning home late
at night. Someone from our Steering Committee will be joining with this
neighbor to meet with the principal of the Model School, whoÕs in the process
of purchasing the church property, to discuss possible steps that could be
taken, including improved lighting. Discussions with the Police are ongoing to
attempt to resolve this situation.]
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5.
Halcyon Neighborhood AssociationÕs Guiding Principles
EditorÕs
note: Given our upcoming
Planning Meeting for 2012 (see item 3) and many new neighbors, this seems like
a good time to highlight HNAÕs Guiding Principles (which can always be found on
our website).
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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Dates set as of May, 2011 (verify a couple weeks before event by checking HNA E-News):
Saturday, March 5, 2011 | 9:30 a.m. –3:00 p.m. | Work Party in Halcyon Commons & Surrounding Neighborhood with Cal students from Berkeley Project, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon Court at Prince Street) |
Saturday, April 30, 2011 | 10–11a.m. | Tai Chi Chih Practice in the Park with Judith Schwartz on World Tai Chi and QiGong Day, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince) Refreshments courtesy of Whole Foods Market. Hot tea courtesy of Mokka Café (Telegraph at Dowling). |
Saturday, May 14, 2011 | 9:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m. | Work Party in Halcyon Commons & surrounding neighborhood, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince) Refreshments courtesy of Whole Foods Market. Fresh coffee courtesy of Mokka Café (Telegraph at Dowling). |
Thursday, May 26 | 7 p.m. | Family
Disaster Preparedness Discussion email halcyonplaydate@gmail.com for location |
Sunday, June 5, 2011 | 3:00 – 5:0 p.m. | Disaster Prep Drill, Halcyon Commons park across from disaster prep cache (Halcyon at Prince) |
Sunday, June 5, 2011 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. | Summer Community Garden Potluck, 2329 Webster (John & Michelle’s) |
Saturday, July 9, 2011 | 9:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m. | Work Party in Halcyon Commons & surrounding neighborhood, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince) Refreshments courtesy of Whole Foods Market. Fresh coffee courtesy of Mokka Café (Telegraph at Dowling). |
Tuesday, August 2, 2011 | 6:00 –8:30 p.m. See detail | National Night Out Against Crime Potluck 6-7:30 p.m.; Safety walk, 7:30-8:30 p.m. Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince) Appetizer platter courtesy of Whole Foods Market. |
Weekday afternoon in late August 2011 (date TBD) | 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Weeding in Halcyon Commons & Graffiti Removal in Surrounding Neighborhood with student volunteers from UC School of Public Health, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince) Refreshments courtesy of Whole Foods Market. |
Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011 | 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. | Big 15th Anniversary of Halcyon Commons Celebration & Potluck in park with live jazz music, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince) Appetizer Platter & Cake courtesy of Whole Foods Market. |
Weekday night in Sept. 2011 (date TBD) | Time TBD | SNCPC Annual Meeting, North Oakland Senior Center (5714 Martin Luther King Junior Way, between 57th & 58th) |
Saturday, Oct 15, 2011 (date to be confirmed) | 9 a.m. – 3:00 p.m | Big Mulching Work Party & Graffiti Removal in surrounding neighborhood with Cal students from Berkeley Project, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince) Refreshments courtesy of Whole Foods Market. Fresh coffee courtesy of Mokka Café (Telegraph at Dowling). |
Monday, October 31, 2011 | Time TBD | Costume parade around park for kids, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince) with possible informal potluck beforehand. |
Sunday, December 4, 2011 | 4:30 –6:00 p.m. | HNA Planning Meeting to set dates for 2012, 2329 Webster (Steering Committee & Disaster Prep Committee) |
Sunday, January 29, 2012 | 5:30 – 9:00 p.m. | Post-Holiday Progressive Potluck, four locations TBD |
*HNA’s Disaster Prep Supply Cache Wish List
HNA’s Halcyon Commons Disaster Prep Supply Cache contains items
intended to benefit the entire neighborhood in the event of
disaster (primarily first aid, search & rescue, and
communications supplies plus items for command center setup in
Halcyon Commons). You can help us have what we need on hand in two
ways: (1) Make a financial contribution for purchasing additional
supplies to HNA (not tax deductible) or to Berkeley Partners for
Parks, earmarked Halcyon (BPFP
is our nonprofit fiscal sponsor, so a check through them is tax
deductible); mail or drop off your check to HNA Treasurer Susan
Hunter, 3044 Halcyon Court, Berkeley, CA 94705. (2) Contribute any
of the following items in-kind (supplies MUST be new or in
EXCELLENT condition):
Police Emergency Number:
911 (from landline);
981-5911(from cell; preprogram with this number to reach Berkeley
emergency from a cell)
Police Nonemergency Number: 981-5900
Link to beat maps and a list of beat officers:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BerkeleyPartnersforP/602147a249/9a00c7ec5d/0b15b20282
In the Halcyon neighborhood: west of Fulton is Beat 10; east of Fulton is Beat 9.
Link to crime stats, Berkeley:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BerkeleyPartnersforP/602147a249/9a00c7ec5d/42f61d76dd
Link to police bulletins:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BerkeleyPartnersforP/602147a249/9a00c7ec5d/d1559b4b0f
Other City of Berkeley Departments:
City Manager’s Office: Jim Hynes jhynes@ci.berkeley.ca.us 981-2493
Nonemergency Call Center for Public Services:
Dial 311 (you will be
directed to the appropriate department) to report problems with
street
lights (get the tag number off the pole), blocked storm drains,
tree
branches down, etc.
Public Works Customer Service: 981-6620
(streets, sidewalks, graffiti,
sewers, litter, storm drains, street lights)
Tree Trimming/Planting (Forestry)/Parks: 981-6660
Written Communication with City Council
To comment to the City Council, use following email addresses:
“City Clerk” clerk@ci.berkeley.ca.us,
“Mayor Tom Bates” Mayor@ci.berkeley.ca.us,
“Councilmember Linda Maio” LMaio@ci.berkeley.ca.us,
“Councilmember Darryl Moore” DMoore@ci.berkeley.ca.us,
“Councilmember Max Anderson” MAnderson@ci.berkeley.ca.us,
“Councilmember Jesse Arreguin” JArreguin@ci.berkeley.ca.us,
“Councilmember Laurie Capitelli” LCapitelli@ci.berkeley.ca.us,
“Councilmember Susan Wengraf” SWengraf@ci.berkeley.ca.us,
“Councilmember Kriss Worthington” KWorthington@ci.berkeley.ca.us,
“Councilmember Gordon Wozniak” GWozniak@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Representatives for Our Neighborhood
Councilmember Max Anderson (District 3) 981-7130
MAnderson@ci.berkeley.ca.us
West side of Wheeler Street to the west (except for Woolsey
between
Wheeler and Shattuck)
Councilmember Kriss Worthington (District 7) 981-7170
KWorthington@ci.berkeley.ca.us
East side of Wheeler to the east (includes block of Woolsey from
Wheeler to Shattuck)
Mayor Tom Bates 981-7100 Mayor@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Zoning Adjustments Board
To comment to the Zoning Adjustments Board regarding projects on
their calendar, email:
Zoning Adjustments Board zab@ci.berkeley.ca.us
(It’s best if at all possible to submit your comments 10 days
prior to meeting for inclusion in the advance packet to board
members, but late
submissions will be distributed the evening of the meeting.)
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 HNA’s primary goals and guiding principles.
The Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-News: The HNA E-News forwards items of general interest to neighbors in the Ashby/Telegraph/Woolsey/Adeline area of south Berkeley (HNA’s borders), including announcements about community-building potlucks, greening projects, crime watch, disaster preparedness, and work parties in Halcyon Commons park. If you’re receiving this email, you probably either signed up at a neighborhood event or a neighbor forwarded it to you. Please note that to prevent spam, HNA does not share your email address with third parties. If you wish to be removed from this list, please contact HNA Co-Chair Nancy Carleton/Halcyon Neighborhood Association at halcyon92@gmail.com. Feel free to pass the HNA E-News on to other neighbors you think might be interested.
To submit items for the newsletter: Email brief, unformatted
content or links (no graphics or attachments please!) to HNA
E-News Editor Nancy Carleton at halcyon92@gmail.com. Crime-watch
reports and news about neighbors (births, new jobs, announcements
about home businesses or creative projects) are especially
welcome. Please note that due to the volunteer nature of the
endeavor, the E-News does not include “letters to the editor” or
“commentary,” but will gladly include links to such items written
by neighbors in the Ashby/Telegraph/Woolsey/Adeline area and
published elsewhere (the
Berkeley Daily Planet has a large section devoted to opinion).
Also, please note that the E-News is typically published the
second week of each month; submit your item early if it relates to
a future event,
and there’s a greater chance it will be included.
HNA Halcyon Safety Walk & Neighborhood Watch Listserv: For those interested in getting breaking crime-watch news, discussing ways to make our neighborhood safer, and perhaps participating in night-time and daytime safety “dog” walks (dogs not required!) to build community and serve as eyes on the street, please contact halcyon92@gmail.com indicating your interest in this listserv, and you’ll receive an invitation to join. For everyone’s safety, be sure to include your full name, address, email, and phone.
HNA Disaster Preparedness Listserv: If you’re interested in helping out with neighborhood disaster preparedness, please contact halcyon92@gmail.com indicating your interest, and you’ll receive an invitation to join. For everyone’s safety, be sure to include your full name, address, email, and phone.
HNA Steering Committee Listserv: If you’re interested in serving on HNA’s Steering Committee in alignment with HNA’s Guiding Principles, email halcyon92@gmail.com to indicate your interest. The Steering Committee conducts most of its business via listserv (with one or two in-person meetings annually); members agree to assist with at least one or two HNA events during the course of the year and to answer Yahoo group polls to aid in planning.
Halcyon Neighborhood Association Facebook Group: Our HNA Facebook group (http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BerkeleyPartnersforP/602147a249/9a00c7ec5d/36acb93edf/gid=292160762499) gives neighbors fresh opportunities to network, build community, and share ideas about issues of mutual concern. Open to immediate neighbors, friends from nearby neighborhoods, and former neighbors who want to stay in touch.
HNA Blog: If you would like to view previous newsletters online (and comment via a blog format, though this is a low activity blog), please visit http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BerkeleyPartnersforP/602147a249/9a00c7ec5d/8af94d44a8.
HNA is an adopt-a-park affiliate with the nonprofit Berkeley Partners for Parks (BPFP). Thanks to VerticalResponse for the donation of email services for sending the HNA E-News!