If you’re a neighbor, join Halcyon Neighborhood Association’s Facebook group!

 

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Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-News 1/17/12

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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 Editor’s introductory comments express her personal viewpoint.

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Contents

1. HNA Annual Fundraising Appeal

2. Post-Holiday Progressive Potluck, Sunday, January 29, 2012, 5:30-8:45 p.m.

3. Disaster Preparedness for Pets, February 8, 7-8:30 p.m.

4. Crime Watch Updates: Armed Robbery at Prince and Fulton; Attempted Car Break-in at Deakin and Prince; Catalytic Converter Stolen; List of Recent Crimes

5. Disaster Prep: Upcoming Free Classes & Other News from OES

6. Emergency Preparedness: Link to Video on Continuous Chest Compression CPR

7. Whole Foods News: Next Drop-in Progress Meeting, Weds. 2/1, 8:30 a.m., plus Announcements

8. A Thank-You to the Berkeley Fire Department from a Prince Street Neighbor!

9. A Neighborhood Child’s Essay on the Creation of Halcyon Commons

10. QiGong for Health, Workshop at Yellow Emperor Community Acupuncture Clinic, Sat. 1/21, 9-10 a.m.

11. Volunteers Needed: Neighborhood Flyer Distribution 4x a Year

12. Halcyon Neighborhood Association’s Guiding Principles

13. Redistricting Plans Affect Halcyon Neighbors: A Note from Councilmember Worthington about Tonight’s Meeting

 

 

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1. HNA Annual Fundraising Appeal

 

HNA doesn’t have a formal membership structure or require annual dues because we wanted to keep participation as broad as possible. At the same time, we incur various expenses during the course of a year, including paper for flyers, photocopying and ink cartridges, supplies for events in the park, and other miscellaneous costs, and at the moment our coffers are depleted. In addition, each year we raise funds to enable us to supplement the supplies in our neighborhood disaster preparedness supply shed (these items are intended to benefit the entire neighborhood in the event of disaster and include first aid, search & rescue, and communications supplies plus items for command center setup in Halcyon Commons park).

 

There are three ways you can respond to this appeal: (1) Make a financial contribution directly to HNA (not tax-deductible, but allows us maximum flexibility), and mail or drop off your check to HNA Treasurer Susan Hunter, 3044 Halcyon Court, Berkeley, CA 94705; (2) Make a tax-deductible financial contribution with check made out to Berkeley Partners for Parks (BPFP, our nonprofit fiscal sponsor), earmarked Halcyon Commons, and mail or drop off to HNA Treasurer Susan Hunter, 3044 Halcyon Court, Berkeley, CA 94705; or (3) Make a direct donation of any of the items listed in our Disaster Supply Cache Wish List found on our HNA website. Contact halcyon92@gmail.com to arrange to drop them off.

 

No contribution is too small (or too large!). Our neighborhood association’s health and vitality depend on your ongoing support! And in the event of a big earthquake, some of our lives may very well depend upon it too. Please pitch in!

 

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2. Post-Holiday Progressive Potluck, Sunday, January 29, 2012, 5:30-8:45 p.m.

 

Editor’s note: HNA Potluck organizer and Steering Committee member Tory Finn sent the following announcement.

 

One of the most popular Halcyon events of the year! Join your neighbors as we progress from house to house for a fabulous multi-course dinner; attend one course or all four.

 

Post-Holiday Progressive Potluck, Sunday, January 29, 2012, 5:30-8:45 p.m.

 

First Course: Appetizers, 5:30–6:15 p.m.

2141 Emerson (between Shattuck and Wheeler)

 

Second Course: Salads, 6:20–6:55 p.m.

3019 Wheeler (between Emerson and Essex)

 

Third Course: Main Dishes, 7:00–7:45 p.m.

3031 Fulton (between Ashby and Prince)

 

Fourth Course: Desserts, 7:50–8:45 p.m.

2329 Webster Street (two doors west of Whole Foods)

 

Potluck suggestions:

T-Z: Appetizer * H-L: Salad * A-G: Main Dish *  M-S: Dessert

 

Please bring a festive dish for 10-12, and, if possible, a beverage to share as well (it really helps if enough folks bring beverages too). Children welcome. If not obvious, kindly attach a label with ingredients for your dish to alert those with vegetarian and other diets. Bring the item assigned for your letter to the designated household, or substitute another suggestion if you won’t be attending the course for your letter.

 

* In addition, PLEASE bring along a check or cash contribution to HNA of whatever size (no amount is too small or large; your contribution will help us upgrade our neighborhood disaster supply cache plus continue to duplicate flyers in 2012)!

 

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3. Disaster Preparedness for Pets, February 8, 7-8:30 p.m.

 

Editor’s note: At the disaster preparedness discussion at Susan Snyder’s house late last year, neighbors Shael Barger and Mikel Delgado (both on the Disaster Preparedness Committee and HNA Steering Committee members) agreed to host a disaster prep module on disaster preparedness for our companion animals. This is your save-the-date notice. Please use the email listed if you’d like to attend.

 

Disaster Preparedness for Your Pets

Wednesday, February 8, 7-8:30 p.m.

The primary focus of the prep will be on information sharing; most of the discussion will focus on cats and dogs. Shael and Mikel have requested that if you have exotic companion animals or birds that you contact your veterinarian for instructions, etc., for disaster preparedness care for your animal species that you can share with the group at the time of the meeting. 

Location in our neighborhood TBA to those who rsvp by Sunday, February 5 (this will allow time to find a larger location if necessary depending on interest)

Email for more info or to HNADisasterPrep@gmail.com

 

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4. Crime Watch Updates: Armed Robbery at Prince and Fulton; Attempted Car Break-in at Deakin and Prince; Catalytic Converter Stolen; List of Recent Crimes

 

Editor’s note: Thanks to new HNA Steering Committee member Mikel Delgado, who’s agreed to track lists of crimes in or near our neighborhood so we don’t miss items that might not get reported by our neighbors themselves. (Neighbors, you’re the only ones who can provide more details, so please make one of your resolutions for 2012 to pass on to halcyon92@gmail.com news of any crimes you experience or hear of so we’ll all stay fully informed.)

 

Editor’s note: Recent crimes in the neighborhood FYI (from Mikel Delgado):

1/6 home burglary Wheeler between Prince and Woolsey
1/9 robbery at Woolsey and Adeline
1/9 and 1/10 home burglaries near 66th and Irwin (a little outside the neighborhood but very close to Woolsey)

From December:

12/13 Burglary at Telegraph and Woolsey
12/15 Vehicle break in Prince and Fulton (I think already posted on here)
12/16 car theft on Webster at Telegraph/Dana
12/19 Burglary at 66th and Irwin (not Halcyon directly, but close by)
12/19 Assault near Ashby Bart

 

Editor’s note: A neighbor near Prince and Fulton reported on Facebook (a good reason to join the Facebook group so you can get such reports as they’re posted!):

 

“Neighbors beware — there was a robbery at gunpoint ten minutes ago [posted on HNA Facebook group page, Saturday, January 14, 6:45 p.m.] at Prince and Fulton. Police have been called and are on their way. The person is a skinny, young black male wearing a white shirt. . . . They picked someone up at Smokehouse and we gave them our security footage. Looks like two kids. Very scary! [posted at 7:03 p.m.]”

 

Editor’s note: A neighbor near Deakin and Prince reports:

 

“[Thursday, December 22] I saw three teenagers attempt to break into a car at 4 p.m. in full daylight on Deakin at Prince. They couldn’t see me watching from the window. Two looked down the block and around, and then signaled to the third. He tried to break into the passenger side door with some kind of a pick, was unsuccessful, and after a minute they continued down the walking south on Deakin to 66th, walking normally. I called the police and am awaiting a response. One appeared to be Latino and was in a red shirt, slight build and medium height. The other was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, also medium build and height, and I only saw his back. The third was African-American, taller than the others, and a little more heavyset and wearing a gray shirt. UPDATE: A police cruiser and motorcycle cop were cruising the neighborhood within 15 minutes. They didn’t find them, but I spoke to Officer Meredith, who said there have been several arrests in the last few weeks which have cut down on break-ins in the neighborhood. He says people will break in if they see anything potentially of value visible, and that older Hondas and Toyotas are particularly vulnerable.”

 

Editor’s note: A Prince Street neighbor reported the following to the Le Conte chat list.

 

“Alert: Last night [Friday, December 16], thieves cut the exhaust pipe and stole the catalytic converter off our Toyota truck, which was parked in our driveway. The catalytic converter had been welded on after the last spate a few years ago of thieves unbolting them. My husband thinks it was with a pipe cutter — fast and clean.”

 

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5. Disaster Prep: Upcoming Free Classes & Other News from OES

 

Editor’s note: The City’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) class schedule is now available online at http://www.cityofberkeley.info/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=57314. Classes fill quickly so sign up now! HNA currently hosts a disaster supply cache to help Halcyon neighbors east of Shattuck get organized in the event of a disaster, and our Steering Committee would be delighted to help support an application for a similar cache west of Shattuck. Email halcyon92@gmail.com if you’d like to help the part of our neighborhood between Shattuck and Adeline (Ashby to Woolsey) apply for a cache! The following announcement is from the City’s CERT Program Manager Khin Chin. Neighbors are also encouraged to email halcyon92@gmail.com if you’re interested in joining our Halcyon listserv focused on disaster prep.

 

Hi CERT Community,

 

Happy New Year! 2012 will be a busy year for us as we continue to train and prepare.  Let’s get started.

 

·             The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) class schedule is now available on the Berkeley CERT website (http://www.cityofberkeley.info/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=57314).  Sign up now for classes!  Check back as we add additional classes to the schedule.

 

·      The Community Emergency Supply Program (Disaster Caches) application period is now open.  This program awards a limited number of qualifying groups an initial emergency cache of equipment and a container for storage.  The open application period is from January 9-May 25.    See the application on the Office of Emergency Services website for more information. 

 

·      Reminder that our next CERT Volunteer Meeting is on January 19 at 7 p.m., 997 Cedar St.  Come to join other CERT Volunteers who are working to improve the CERT program and disaster preparedness and response community wide. 

 

Khin Chin

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

 

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6. Emergency Preparedness: Link to Video on Continuous Chest Compression CPR

 

Editor’s note: The tag for this video reads: “Learn Sarver Heart Center’s Continuous Chest Compression CPR: Every three days, more Americans die from sudden cardiac arrest than the number who died in the 9/11 attacks. You can lessen this recurring loss by learning Continuous Chest Compression CPR, a hands-only CPR method that doubles a person’s chance of surviving cardiac arrest. It’s easy and does not require mouth-to-mouth contact, making it more likely bystanders will try to help, and it was developed at the University of Arizona College of Medicine.”

http://medicine.arizona.edu/spotlight/learn-sarver-heart-centers-continuous-chest-compression-cpr

 

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7. Whole Foods News: Next Drop-in Progress Meeting, Weds. 2/1, 8:30 a.m., plus Announcements

 

Editor’s note: Here’s this month’s news received from Whole Foods Community Relations Team Leader Jim Hallock.

 

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

Wednesday, February 1, 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.

 

January Announcements

 

Healthy Living Fair

12 noon - 4 p.m.

Sunday, January 22

To help you make the right choices, ask our vendors and in-house experts on cleansing, healthy diets, skin and body care, and all things healthy. Free samples and information. Make your Choices Count!

 

Join us on Facebook

We are updating our wall regularly with recipe ideas, diet advice, sales and events at the store. All you have to do is search for Whole Foods Market Berkeley (WFMBerkeley) and Like us, and we’ll do the rest! Please join us today!

 

Wellness for Life

Since 2008 we’ve been delighted to partner with Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in sponsoring the Wellness For Life educational series, promoting healthy eating and living habits. Now we find we must change directions, and we will no longer be offering this series in 2012. We thank you for your continued support and participation, and we hope you’ll check our monthly calendars for upcoming special events.

 

Winter Greens are in season, and our Produce Pick of the Month. A great way to get your iron fix!

 

Kid’s Club

Clif Bar for Kids are the free giveaway this month. Just stop by the Customer Service desk!

 

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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8. A Thank-You to the Berkeley Fire Department from a Prince Street Neighbor!

 

Editor’s note: Neighbor Kay Trimberger passed on the following link to her powerful article about the fire in mid-December at her Prince Street home.

“Some but not all of you know that I had a fire in the second floor of my home [on Prince Street] on Dec. 12. Here is a link to an essay I wrote about the fire for the web newspaper Berkeleyside thanking the Berkeley Fire Department for their great work.   For those of you who are Berkeley residents, I highly recommend signing up for the email edition of the paper to keep up with what’s happening in our city.”

 

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2011/12/28/a-thank-you-to-the-berkeley-fire-department/

 

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9. A Neighborhood Child’s Essay on the Creation of Halcyon Commons

 

Editor’s note: Proud father Bruce Wicinas — one of the four HNA Steering Committee members who have been serving every year since our founding in 1992 — recently came across his daughter’s award-winning essay about the creation of Halcyon Commons as seen through a child’s eyes. Kay Wicinas is now all grown up and just started her first year at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, so I’m sure her parents Bruce and Noriko will continue to have many reasons to feel proud of her. And I’m publishing this essay again to help give newer neighbors a sense of how our little neighborhood park came into being and what the cooperative spirit in our neighborhood is all about.

 

“The Most Amazing Thing about Berkeley”

by Kay Wicinas

Fifth grade, Malcolm X

1/23/1997

 

Around the corner from our house there is a small park. This peaceful place, as I would describe it, is like a garden for all to enjoy. It is a park that is very special because we built it ourselves.

 

No one ever knew we could do it. But we worked hard and put all our energy into it and we succeeded. The inexperienced neighbors put their labors together and a miracle was born. We call it Halcyon Commons.

 

Just two years ago Halcyon Court was just a parking lot. Cars would come in and out. It had oil spots here and there. The paint marks that divided car stalls had faded until they looked like graffiti. Everyone agreed that the ugly parking lot did not fit this nifty street of tidy, cute, and organized little houses.

 

About five years ago Ross, a friendly neighbor, suggested a meeting so we could all get to know each other. At this meeting someone suggested a block party. That summer we had the party in the middle of the parking lot. The street was blocked off and we had a barbeque. People brought out food, tables, and chairs. At the block party an idea was born to have a park instead of the parking lot.

 

Many, many meetings were held to plan the park. People brought ideas of what to put in the park. Michael Lamb, a neighbor and a landscape architect, drew the plans for the park. Then we went to the city for permission and for money.

 

There were more meetings. Finally, when the city gave us the money it wasn’t enough. So we dug up the concrete ourselves. We borrowed machines and people and dug it up. Still no one would take the job. Then one of our neighbors agreed to do it. He said that he and his men would do everything except the planting. We agreed.

 

In May 1996 we planted. Everyone on the block helped. The newspaper men and television crew came to report the news. I was in the newspaper. My dad made the bulletin board and another neighbor built  the arbor.

 

The grand park opening was in July 1996. Everyone was there, even the mayor. There were activities and games for the children. After four years the work was over.

 

Now the park is very popular. Many adults come to escape the wildness of their houses. Children come out to play. It is beyond my wildest dreams.

 

We did it together as if we were one, big peaceful family. That is why I say the most amazing thing about Berkeley are the people. Berkeley is a place where people make their dreams come true. And that is how it should be.

 

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10. QiGong for Health, Workshop at Yellow Emperor Community Acupuncture Clinic, Sat. 1/21, 9-10 a.m.

 

Editor’s note: The Yellow Emperor Community Acupuncture Clinic at 3111 Shattuck next to La Peña offers acupuncture at affordable, sliding-scale rates in a community setting. I’m happy to pass on notices about this community-oriented business in our neighborhood.

 

QiGong for Health

Saturday, Jan. 21, 9-10 a.m., $15

Yellow Emperor Community Acupuncture Clinic

3111 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley CA

510-227-4028

http://the-yellow-emperor.com/

 

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11. Volunteers Needed: Neighborhood Flyer Distribution 4x a Year

 

Editor’s note: HNA’s Flyer Distribution Coordinator, Jay Migliaccio, let me know that a few more flyer distributors are needed to fill in gaps. Our Halcyon flyers come out quarterly, and we have a team of a couple of dozen neighbors who help with the distribution so that no one person is unduly burdened. Each stretch of a block or two takes 35 minutes or less, and is somewhere within easy walking distance in the Halcyon neighborhood (between Telegraph and Tremont, and Ashby and Woolsey). The next flyer is ready for distribution this weekend and next week, and Jay would very much appreciate a couple of folks to step forward so he doesn’t have to do several stretches himself. This is an easy volunteer task that really helps us maintain communication in the neighborhood and allows us to reach out to new neighbors (we live in a high turnover area with many tenants, and we want everyone to have a chance to find out about the ways we create a safer, friendlier neighborhood) and to those who don’t have easy access to the Internet, as well as to remind all of us of HNA’s bigger events and disaster preparedness plans. Please email halcyon92@gmail.com if you’d be willing to become a regular flyer distributor or if you’re willing to serve as an occasional alternate (Jay recruits alternates to fill in when regulars are out of town or otherwise unable to help with a particular flyer). Many thanks!

 

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12. Halcyon Neighborhood Association’s Guiding Principles

 

Editor’s note: A good reminder as we start a new year.

 

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.

 

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13. Redistricting Plans Affect Halcyon Neighbors: A Note from Councilmember Worthington about Tonight’s Meeting

 

Editor’s note: The City Council is scheduled to continue its discussion this evening (Tuesday, January 17) about redrawing Council district lines to account for changes in population noted in the last Census. Almost all of the proposals submitted would have a direct effect on the district boundaries affecting Halcyon neighborhood. If you care about which district you’re in, now’s the time to start paying attention! The various proposals can be found at http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/uploadedFiles/Clerk/Level_3_-_City_Council/2012/01Jan/2012-01-17_Item_31_Public_Hearing_2_Redistricting_Plan_WEB.pdf. If you have strong opinions, email or call the city councilmembers and mayor (contact information can be found at our http://HalcyonNeighborhood.org website or below in the message from Councilmember Worthington). District 7 Councilmember Kriss Worthington, who represents the eastern part of our neighborhood, submitted the following message. (Note that HNA does not have a position on any of the redistricting proposals but encourages neighbors to get informed and make your voices and individual views heard!)

 

Let My People Vote!

If Berkeley City Council redistricting is not done in time for the November 2012 election, Berkeley stands at risk of disenfranchising up to 4,300 residents. These residents deserve the chance to vote in the 2012 City Council elections.

 

According to the new U.S Census numbers, the 8 City Council districts have very unequal populations. To be true to One Person One Vote, each district needs 14,073 residents.

 

District  2 is short by 692

District  3 is short by 1,049

District  5 is short by 1.364

District 6  is short by 1,190

Total short for 2,3,5, & 6 = 4,295

 

There are 6 viable proposals that have been submitted for where to draw the lines. If the City Council adopts one of those proposals, or anything close to the 1986 boundaries, then thousands of additional people will be allowed to vote in the November 2012 City Council elections.

 

Unfortunately, Councilmember Wozniak has repeatedly proposed to delay redistricting because there is a proposal submitted to create two 80% “student supermajority ” districts. It would be illegal for the City Council to vote to adopt that proposal because it conflicts with the City Charter by not coming close to the 1986 boundaries, and by kicking two Councilmembers (Arreguin & Worthington) out of their districts. That proposal can be placed on the ballot as a Charter Amendment for the voters to decide.

 

If we delay and wait to see what happens with the controversial Charter Amendment, thousands of voters will be denied their chance to vote for City Council in 2012.

 

Please email or call all 9 members of the City Council to ask them to Redistrict Now. All your email needs to say is REDISTRICT NOW and/or LET MY PEOPLE VOTE.

 

Thanks.  Kriss W

 

Here is a string of City Council emails you can copy to send to all nine at once:

 

lmaio@cityofberkeley.info; dmoore@cityofberkeley.info; manderson@cityofberkeley.info; jarreguin@cityofberkeley.info;lcapitelli@cityofberkeley.info;swengraf@cityofberkeley.info;kworthington@cityofberkeley.info;gwozniak@cityofberkeley.info;tbates@cityofberkeley.info;

 

Tom Bates 981-7100

Linda Maio 981-7110

Darryl Moore 981-7120

Max Anderson 981-7130

Jesse Arreguin 981-7140

Laurie Capitelli 981-7150

Susan Wengraf 981-7160

Kriss Worthington 981-7170

Gordon Wozniak 981-7180

Tom Bates 981-7100

 

Councilmember Kriss Worthington


City of Berkeley, District 7
2180 Milvia Street, 5th Floor
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 981-7170 phone
(510) 981-7177 fax
kworthington@cityofberkeley.info
http://www.cityofberkeley.info/council7/

 

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