The full newsletter (with a bit of formatting) is online at http://www.halcyonneighborhood.org

Neighbors, join Halcyon Neighborhood Association’s Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=292160762499!

 

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Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-News 1/6/14

 

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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 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 26, 2014

3. Crime-Watch Updates & Links

4. Save the Date: Neighborhood Watch Community Meeting, Weds., Feb. 19, 2014, 7-8:30 p.m.

5. Whole Foods Market News: Next Drop-in Progress Meeting on January 8, 8-8:30 a.m.

6. Neighbor Sponsoring CSA Drop-Off Location in Neighborhood

7. Council Redistricting and Referendum Links

8. Rebuilding Together Provides Free Home Repairs to Low-Income Neighbors

 

 

 

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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: for flyer production; for supplies for events in the park, such as disaster preparedness drills and work parties; for in-fill and replacement plants for Halcyon Commons and nearby landscaped features; and for other miscellaneous costs. By year’s end our coffers are depleted. In addition, each year we raise funds to enable us to supplement and enhance 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 tools plus items for command center setup in Halcyon Commons park; they are not intended to substitute for individual household preparedness, but they will help us save lives and minimize disruption after a large earthquake).

 

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), by writing a check to “HNA” 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 “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. Please pitch in!

 

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2. Post-Holiday Progressive Potluck, Sunday, January 26, 2014

 

Editor’s note: HNA Potluck organizer and Steering Committee member Tory Finn sent the following announcement (full information to follow by E-Reminder). We hope to see many neighbors for all or part of this fun annual event! A flyer reminding you of all the addresses will be going out later this month.

 

Post-Holiday Progressive Potluck

Sunday, January 26, 2014, 5:30-8:45 p.m.

 

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.

 

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

2124 Prince St. (between Wheeler and Shattuck)

 

Second Course: Salads, 6:20–6:55 p.m.

TBA (awaiting for confirmation from hosts)

 

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

3044 Halcyon (between Prince and Webster)

 

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

2329 Webster Street (two doors west of Whole Foods)

 

Potluck suggestions: NEEDS UPDATE!

A-E: Appetizer * F-K: Salad *L-S: Main Dish * T-Z: 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, if you haven’t already donated this year, PLEASE bring along a check or cash contribution to HNA of whatever size (no amount is too small or large — see item 1; your contribution will help us upgrade our neighborhood disaster supply cache, maintain Halcyon Commons, and continue to duplicate flyers in 2014)!

 

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3. Crime-Watch Updates & Links

 

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 (your home and email addresses 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. Thank you, Mikel!

 

12/4 Robberies Prince and Fulton, Prince and Wheeler, Telegraph & 66th (previously reported)

12/5 Burglary, Deakin and Wheeler

12/5 Vehicle stolen, 66th near Shattuck

12/6 Commercial Burglary, Ashby and Shattuck

12/7 Assault, Telegraph and 66th

12/7 Commercial burglary, Ashby and Telegraph

12/9 Robberies Telegraph and 66th, Woolsey and Tremont, 66th near Shattuck (and Alcatraz and Shattuck)
12/14 Robbery, Telegraph and Russell (4:30 PM)

12/15 Vehicle stolen, Prince and Shattuck

12/15 Strong-arm robbery, Shattuck and 65th (7 PM)

12/16 Larceny theft, Telegraph and Woolsey

12/18 Burglary, Prince and Tremont

12/18 Theft, Telegraph near Prince

12/22 Vehicle break-in, Prince and Tremont

12/23 Burglary, Essex near Shattuck

12/28 Assault, Ashby and Shattuck

12/30 Vehicle break-in, Shattuck and Essex

 

Neighborhood Response to December Wave of Armed Robberies

 

Editor’s note: In response to the wave of robberies in South Berkeley/North Oakland in the first half of December (reported on in the special edition of the E-News that went out December 12 as well as on our Facebook page), HNA took action in a few key ways. We contacted the councilmembers representing our neighborhood (Kriss Worthington and Max Anderson) and asked them to be in touch with the City Manager to ensure that our neighborhood and the BPD were receiving adequate resources to address the wave. HNA Co-Chair Nancy Carleton coordinated with Bateman Crime Watch Captain Marcy McGaugh and then with neighborhood leaders from Bateman, Willard, and Le Conte neighborhood associations to discuss possible joint neighborhood responses and to plan a flyer that would alert neighbors about what was happening. Marcy prepared a flyer draft, and Nancy updated it and printed out copies for Halcyon; cumulatively, the four neighborhood groups posted hundreds of copies (a special thank-you to our Halcyon volunteers, who posted over 150 flyers in a short timeframe!). Flyers about crimes potentially help in at least three ways: (1) They inform neighbors who aren’t part of our listservs and Facebook group and who may not receive the E-News of what’s been happening and the need to be vigilant; (2) They inform the many people who pass through our neighborhood every day on their way to BART, Ed Roberts, WFM, Alta Bates, SRF, Chochmat HaLev, La Peña, etc., who make this a particularly target-rich zone; and (3) They sometimes have a deterrent value, when criminals realize that an area is on the alert, making us less attractive prey/victims. In addition to our flyer-posting efforts, HNA Steering Committee members Billy Cauley, Mikel Delgado, and Rob Lyons attended a joint meeting with Bateman, Willard, and Le Conte Neighborhood Association representatives to strategize about how to best respond to the crime wave; a meeting with the Chief of Police is being planned as a follow-up. In addition, the HNA Steering Committee has scheduled a Neighborhood Watch meeting for February 19 (see item 4); please plan to attend if you possibly can; while the wave of robberies quieted down shortly after our flyers went up (and after at least one arrest was made by the Oakland Police Department), it’s important that we remain proactive about neighborhood safety as the new year unfolds.

 

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2013/12/11/police-join-forces-to-crack-berkeley-oakland-robbery-series/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

Tips from the BPD re Avoiding Robberies

 

Editor’s note: A reminder of the Berkeley Police Department tips in relation to robberies.

 

We are forwarding an important statement from the Berkeley Police Department on recent robberies:

 

[In the first half of December] there has been a series of robberies in North Oakland and South Berkeley.  The suspects have primarily hit in Oakland, but have also been responsible for several robberies in Berkeley.  The suspects are carjacking or stealing cars in Oakland then committing several robberies in quick succession.  The suspects are 2-3 black males in their 20's, approximately 6' tall.  The robberies have all been committed via handgun and have primarily targeted lone pedestrians.  The robberies have occurred at all times of the day and night. 

 

Capturing these suspects is the Berkeley Police Department’s top priority.  We are partnering with the BART Police Department to in a joint robbery suppression detail in the area these robberies have been occurring. We are sharing information on the series with the Oakland Police Department.  BPD Investigators are following up on all available leads.

 

We would ask residents to keep some important crime-prevention tips in mind:

 

1.       When possible do not walk alone

2.       Remain observant of your surroundings

3.       If you feel something is suspicious, trust your instincts; turn around and retrace your path to a public space with other people, call the police, or take another route

4.       Do not have your cell phone or other electronic device visible or in use

5.       If you are a victim of robbery, do not resist.  Be a good witness.  We are very interested in any capabilities to track your phone or device.

 

- Be alert to your surroundings and people around you.

- Don’t talk on cell phones or listen to other devices when alone, as they significantly limit awareness.

- Don’t have your cell phones or other electronic devices visible and out while walking.

- Be aware of locations and situations, which make you more vulnerable to crime, such as alleys, doorways, parking lots and stairwells.

- Call BPD to report suspicious persons or activity [981-5900 for nonemergencies, 911 for emergencies from your landline, program 981-5911 for emergencies from your cellphone]

 

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4. Save the Date: Neighborhood Watch Community Meeting, Weds., Feb. 19, 2014, 7-8:30 p.m.

 

Editor’s note: In the wake of the robberies in South Berkeley/North Oakland in the first half of December, the HNA Steering Committee scheduled a neighborhood watch meeting in February. Members of the Berkeley Police Department will be present to update us on current crime trends and what we can do to help prevent crime; there will also be a brief segment on disaster preparedness. Please save the date for this important meeting. The location will most likely be at Chochmat HaLev (Prince at Fulton).

 

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5. Whole Foods Market News: Next Drop-in Progress Meeting on January 8, 8-8:30 a.m.

 

Editor’s note: News from Whole Foods Market. If you’d 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.

 

Happy New Year, neighbors!

Just a friendly reminder that our upcoming Halcyon Neighborhood Community meeting [for neighbors to discuss issues with Whole Foods Market] is happening here at the store on Wednesday January 8th at 8 a.m. Feel free to come by if you’ve got any concerns, comments, or announcements to make so that I can include them in the notes for the rest of the neighbors. As always, I’m available by email if there’s anything you’d like to add to the agenda for the meeting, even if you’re unable to attend.

This upcoming Tuesday January 7th there will be some hydro-flushing happening around our compost area. We do this every six months and there is minimal noise involved. However, we have asked that the hydro-flushing not start until after 8am. This deep-cleaning of the compost area helps keep smells to a minimum and is a great deterrent for vermin and bacteria growth. If there’s any disturbance to you before 8am, please don’t hesitate to call us at once so that we can address the issue.

Thanks so much for your continued communication and input!
I am looking forward to 2014 and all the new things that it will bring!

Take care,
Lizzie Robillard Brimhall, Marketing Team Leader, Whole Foods Market
510-649-1333, ext. 260, lizzie.brimhall@wholefoods.com

 

Next Drop-in Progress Meeting, Wednesday, January 8, 8-8:30 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 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.”

 

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 it’s between 7: 30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Melody, Carlisle, Curt, OR Donna will be in the store, so always feel free to swing by, too, if you’d like to have a word with us. Call the store during business hours (8am-10pm) at 649-1333 and ask for a Shift Manager:

Melody.Mestemacher@wholefoods.com

Donna.Hitchens@wholefoods.com
Curt.Sundin@wholefoods.com
Carlisle.Crumley@wholefoods.com

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6. Neighbor Sponsoring CSA Drop-Off Location in Neighborhood

 

Editor’s note: Wheeler Street neighbor (and HNA Potluck Coordinator) Tory Finn submitted the following announcement.

 

Hi Neighbors,

I have been a subscriber to a great CSA for over five years. Other than being a great small company, Eat With the Seasons is great for two reasons: you get to order your produce each week, not take what you get, and they have a wide variety to choose from; and my house on Wheeler is a drop off point. I thought some of you might want to know about it; drop off days are Thursdays.

Website: http://eatwiththeseasons.com/

 

Tory

 

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7. Council Redistricting and Referendum Links

 

Editor’s note: Redistricting on the City Council level changes the district lines for the Halcyon neighborhood and means some of us may end up with new councilmembers representing us. The measure City Council recently passed would result in the eastern side of our neighborhood being removed from District 7 (currently represented by Councilmember Worthington); some parts of the neighborhood would remain in District 3 (currently represented by Councilmember Max Anderson), and some parts would be added to either District 3 or District 8 (currently represented by Councilmember Gordon Wozniak). None of our neighborhood would remain in District 7 (which is being designated a student-supermajority district). Currently there’s a referendum signature-gathering campaign underway to overturn the Council’s decision. While this is the kind of issue where there’s a range of views among neighbors (and thus not one HNA will be taking a position on), neighbors may wish to learn more since it will definitely affect our neighborhood (and which councilmembers will represent us moving forward).

 

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/01/03/tight-deadline-to-get-redistricting-referendum-on-ballot/

 

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2013/12/18/berkeley-redistricting-map-splits-council-community/

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2013/12/04/berkeley-redistricting-map-approved-referendum-idea-looms/

 

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2013/09/12/berkeley-council-may-consider-2-campus-district-maps/

 

http://berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2014-01-03/article/41745?headline=Without-the-Referendum-Berkeley-is-Doomed-to-Ten-More-Years-of-Hanging-Basket-Planning--By-Becky-O-Malley

 

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8. Rebuilding Together Provides Free Home Repairs to Low-Income Neighbors

 

Editor’s note: If you or anyone you know could benefit from this service, please help spread the word!

 

Greetings,

 

My name is Paul Nolan; I’m a Berkeley resident and program coordinator for Rebuilding Together East Bay-North. Our non-profit organization provides free home repairs for low-income elderly and disabled home owners. Please check out our website rtebn.org.

 

We are doing community outreach to find people who could benefit from our program. I am hoping your eyes and ears would help us identify neighbors in need.

 

If you have any questions, Please contact me at 644.8979 or paul@rtebn.org. Thank you for your help.

 

Regards,

Paul Nolan

 

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