Halcyon Neighborhood Association • Berkeley, CA | |
Halcyon Neighborhood Association |
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Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-News 8/1/15
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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. National Night Out Against Crime: Ice
Cream Social in the Park, Tues., 8/4, 6:30–8 p.m.
2. Multiblock Yard Sale Saturday August 22,
10-2: Sign up by August 14!
3. Crime Watch Update
4. Whole Foods Market
News: Next Drop-in Progress Meeting Friday, August 14, 8:15-8:45 a.m.
5. Emergency
Preparedness: 10/17 Save the Date!
EditorÕs Introductory Note
Our Garden Party Benefit last month was a huge success, with just over $1,800.00 raised toward installing a halcyon bird sculpture in Halcyon Commons in time for next yearÕs 20th anniversary of the park. Thanks to gift certificates and baskets solicited by the event organizing team of Joanna Phoenix, Lynn Richards, and Linda Blachman from twenty-three local businesses, we had fun raffle items to bid on. Local jazz guitarist Rob Lyons provided the musical backdrop, and Whole Foods Market very generously donated the catering. Nancy Carleton, Jay Migliaccio, Mark Foy, John Steere, Michelle Thelen-Steere, and Stephen Pitcher helped with publicity, along with a team of twenty neighbors who dropped flyers to 840 households. Mary Stoker, Michelle Thelen-Steere, D Scott Phoenix, Ron Heglin, and Nina helped out at the event itself; a team of neighbors also helped weed and set up in the garden the week before, including Bruce Wicinas, Nancy Carleton, Nina Lyons, Ron Heglin, Mary Stoker, Lynn Richards, and Justin Richardson. In addition to raising the funds, the garden party provided an excellent chance to build community while enjoying NinaÕs amazing sculptures. Now weÕre ready to take the sculpture project forward through the permitting process this fall!
Another chance to build community -- which helps make our neighborhood safer and more convivial both in terms of preventing crime and being prepared for an emergency like a big earthquake -- is coming up next Tuesday (see item 1). Hope to see many of you there!
—Nancy Carleton, HNA Co-Chair and E-News Editor, halcyon92@gmail.com
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1.
National Night Out Against Crime: Ice Cream Social in the Park, Tues., 8/4,
6:30–8 p.m.
Ice Cream Social in
the Park for National Night Out Against Crime
Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince)
Tuesday, August 4, 6:30-8 p.m.
Delicious Middle Eastern appetizers and sheet cake courtesy of Whole Foods Market.
Homemade Ice Cream courtesy of neighborhood volunteers (with supplements and nondairy alternative courtesy of Whole Foods Market)
Children welcome and encouraged to attend!
WeÕre anticipating a fun summer evening in the park this evening, with visits from police, firefighters, and city officials. This event is a crucial part of our neighborhood watch program, so bundle up to stay warm and please come out and support it with your presence!
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2. Multiblock Yard Sale
Saturday August 22, 10-2: Sign up by August 14!
EditorÕs note: HNA Treasurer and Halcyon neighbor Susan Hunter, who has
organized many successful multiblock yard sales in the past, is planning on
organizing another one for Saturday, August 22, just as students return to town
and before UC classes start. See her message below.
ÒSummer Sale?
Anyone else out there up for another Multi-Block Yard Sale sponsored by HNA?
Cost to participate will be $3-5 (sliding scale, depending on size of your
sale) toward supplies for flyers and map of sales, and everyone who plans on
selling will need to post about 30 flyers, have maps available at their sales,
and make two large posters, which will be hung in areas to be determined. ItÕs
best to put the flyers and posters in assigned areas so that all the areas get
covered adequately. Once weÕve determined whoÕs participating, IÕll break up
the areas accordingly. In the past some households have just set up on the day
of the sale without participating in our advance organizing, but what really
makes this multiblock sale work best for all of us is having enough houses
registered beforehand so we can include this in our advertisements and on the
map of sales; people turn out in bigger numbers when they know there will be
multiple sales, so please participate in this tried-and-true method and sign up
ahead! Please email halcyon92@gmail.com
by Friday, August 14, to sign up.Ó (Your response will be forwarded to the
event organizer, Susan Hunter.)
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3. Crime Watch Update
EditorÕs note: Our HNA Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=292160762499 shares breaking crime reports in between E-News editions (your home and email addresses plus phone 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!
Thanks to HNA Steering Committee member Mikel Delgado for assembling this list of crimes (from http://www.crimemapping.com/) in and near our neighborhood (Mikel is now including a broader territory, including incidents outside the boundaries of our neighborhood, in her reports, so take that into account when comparing this with prior reports; indeed, many of these crimes took place just outside HNA boundaries). Thank you, Mikel!
Recent crimes in the neighborhood (and a little beyond)
4/10 vehicle stolen (near Ashby BART
4/12 robbery Telegraph & 66th
4/13 residential burglary Essex & Wheeler
4/14 Misc. theft at Telegraph & Ashby
4/17 residential burglary Prince & Fulton
4/19 Misc. theft at Shattuck & Ashby
4/30 commercial burglary Essex & Adeline
5/2 Misc. theft at Deakin b/w Prince & Webster
5/3 car stolen Woolsey & Shattuck
5/5 car break-in Woolsey & Fulton
Also note seven residential burglaries in the Prince /Dana /Woolsey /Benvenue
area (4/6, 4/14-2; 4/15, 4/24, 4/25, 5/3) and a few car break-ins (4/4, 5/3) in
the same general area.
6/1 felony theft Shattuck & Ashby
6/2 car stolen Dana & Dowling
6/4 car stolen Woolsey & Colby
6/6 residential burglary Prince & Shattuck
6/5 theft Telegraph & Ashby
6/6 theft Telegraph & Ashby
6/12 larceny theft Shattuck & 66th
6/12 theft Ashby & Fulton
6/14 car break-in Prince & Telegraph
6/14 robbery Telegraphy & Ashby (noon)
6/15 car break-in Webster & Deakin
6/16 car stolen Webster & Deakin
6/19 car stolen Prince & Shattuck
6/22 car break-in Prince & Telegraph
6/26 robbery Ashby & Newbery (5:20 a.m.)
6/26 car stolen Shattuck & 65th
6/30 residential burglary Woolsey & Dover
7/3 theft from person Shattuck & Essex
7/8 car break-in Prince & Telegraph
7/8 residential burglary Woolsey & Whitney
7/9 robbery Ashby & Newbery (12:15 a.m.)
Also cars stolen at: Ashby & Hillgass (6/30); Woolsey & Eton (6/22, 6/23, and 7/3); Milvia and Oregon (6/7, 6/26); Russell and MLK (6/14);Telegraph and Ward (6/23, 6/25) and several others!!!
Reported by a neighbor to our Facebook group:
ÒI live on Essex Street between Wheeler and Shattuck. I came home tonight to find my back gate unlocked at the top and splintered from someone trying to get into my backyard. Thankfully, I have a second lock on the gate on the inside that canÕt be unlocked without a key. After the wood splintered, that inside lock still held the gate securely and no one was able to get in. Had they had a bit more time, though, and it would have been a different story. My assumption was that they were scared off. I actually have video cameras and a dog. So, they were either very brave or really dumb. Just be on the look out. Getting the gate fixed and secured more effectively tomorrow. Oh, and yes, am letting Berkeley PD know.Ó
Another neighbor commented to our Facebook group:
ÒAnd once again on the issue of leaving ÔfreeÕ stuff on the sidewalk: Informally, this works fine right in front of your own home or apartment so long as (a) what you leave out is genuinely stuff someone else might conceivably want (i.e., not obvious trash) and (b) you take follow-up responsibility and remove it if no one-s taken advantage of your free item(s) after a week (that is, you take it to the dump, a creative re-use site, a charitable organization that wants it, etc.). What definitely isnÕt cool is what someone did recently at the NW corner of Halcyon and Prince: leave your stuff in front of someone else's sidewalk (in this case in front of the therapy offices on the corner) or by the park or other landscaped feature -- definitely bad form and makes the free stuff someone elseÕs problem!Ó
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4. Whole Foods Market News: Next Drop-in Progress Meeting Friday,
August 14, 8:15-8:45 a.m.
EditorÕs note: News from Whole Foods Market. Please note that
the Telegraph Avenue store has a relatively new Marketing Team Leader, Ruby Beaupre. If
youÕd like to be added to the neighbor notification list that Ruby Beaupre will be maintaining for the neighborhood-WFM meetings (and to notify neighbors when work is
being done at the store), please email her at ruby.beaupre@wholefoods.com.
Next Drop-in Progress Meeting, Friday, August 14, 8:15-8:45 a.m. [NOTE DATE CHANGE!!!]
Whole Foods Market (check in at Customer Service)
ÒThese 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 or tea. 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.Ó
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. We have new shift leaders being trained, so please send an email to the group below so we can follow up appropriately. Always feel free to swing by too, if youÕd like to have a word with us.
Melody.Mestemacher@wholefoods.com
Carlisle.Crumley@wholefoods.com
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5. Emergency Preparedness: 10/17 Save the Date!
EditorÕs note: HNAÕs Disaster Preparedness Coordinator, Susan Snyder,
submitted the following announcement about HNAÕs participation in the citywide
disaster preparedness exercise on Saturday, October 17. Please lend a hand! For
a small investment of time, youÕll be making a big contribution to our level of
neighborhood preparedness.
Mark your calendars to join HNA neighbors for the Berkeley
citywide emergency preparedness exercise! This yearÕs date is Saturday, October
17, 9-11 a.m. WeÕll have training stations and
simulations. Volunteers are always appreciated to help make our community
safer! Contact Susan Snyder (susan@un-scripted.com)
for more information.
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*For Your Calendar: HNA Dates Scheduled for 2014
Dates set as
of January 2014 (verify
before event by checking recent HNA E-News)
Sunday,
January 26, 2014 |
5:30-8:45
p.m. |
Post-Holiday
Progressive Potluck (four courses at four households:
see E-News for addresses). |
Weds.,
Feb. 19, 2014 |
7:00-8:30
p.m. |
Neighborhood
Watch Community meeting (Crime Watch focus with brief
Disaster Prep segment), Chochmat HaLev (Prince at
Fulton) |
Saturday,
March 15, 2014 |
8:45a.m.
-2:30 p.m. |
Work Party
in Halcyon Commons & Surrounding Neighborhood with
Cal students from Berkeley Project, Halcyon Commons
(Halcyon at Prince). |
Saturday,
May 31, 2014 |
9:30 a.m.
- |
Work Party
in Halcyon Commons & surrounding neighborhood,
Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince). |
Thurs.,
June 5, 2014 |
7:30-8:30
p.m. |
HNA
Steering Committee Meeting to track progress &
plan for second half of 2014, Webster Street (email halcyon92@gmail.com for
address). |
Sunday,
June 29 |
5:00-7:00
p.m. |
Big
Celebration & Potluck in park with live music,
Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince); Appetizer Platter
& Cake courtesy of Whole Foods Market. |
Thursday,
July 31, 2014 |
4:00-6:30
p.m. |
Mini Work
Party in Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince). |
Tuesday,
August 5, 2014 |
6:30- |
National
Night Out Against Crime: Ice Cream Social in the Park! |
Saturday,
October 18, 2014 |
9:00-11:30
a.m. |
Citywide
Disaster Prep event, Emphasis on Children & Pets |
Friday,
October 31, 2014 |
5:45-6:30
p.m. |
Costume
Parade around Park for Kids, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon
at Prince). |
Saturday,
late Oct./early Nov. XX, 2014 (date TBD) |
9:00 a.m.- |
Big
Mulching Work Party & Graffiti Removal in
surrounding neighborhood with Cal students from
Berkeley Project, Halcyon Commons (Halcyon at Prince). |
Sunday,
December 7, 2014 |
5:30 - |
HNA
Steering Committee Meeting to set dates for 2015,
Wheeler Street (email halcyon92@gmail.com for
address). |
Sunday,
January 25, 2015 |
5:30 - |
Post-Holiday
Progressive Potluck (four courses at four households:
see E-News for addresses 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!