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B Y P A T P A T T E R S O N
B Y S H E I L A D ’ A M I C O
A Conversation withDaniel Camacho—TreasureTrove of Art and Advocacy
Daniel Camacho and his new work, Soñando A Través de la Ventana (Dreaming Through the Window).
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Connecting the neighborhoods from Fruitvale Avenue to Seminary Avenue and from Foothill Boulevard to Warren Freeway since 1989Volume 21 Number 10 December 2009/January 2010
A Nonprofit Community Newspaper • www.macarthurmetro.org
Rich Bolecek, Michael Kilian, Gordon & Marge Laverty, Sgt. Leonard Montalvo Intervention Agency, Geraldine Murphy, Kinu Oiye
Your support helps keep the Metro alive! Become one of the Thousand Friends.
Post Office Box 19046, Oakland, California 94619 • (510) 287-2655
hen Oakland’s newpolice chief AnthonyBatts introduced
himself as Antonio GuillermoBatts to the multilingual crowdof 125 or so at César ChávezEducation Center, he heldthem in the palm of his hand.This was the second in a sched-uled series of three town hallmeetings to introduce Battsto the community. The newchief had also been makingthe rounds at smaller meetingsof NCPC leaders and neigh-borhood groups and findingpretty much the same responseeverywhere.
After introducing his staffand Captain Orozco and sev-eral other officers from Area 2,Chief Batts told the audiencea bit about himself. Raised insouth central L.A., poor andamidst gang violence, Batts
enforcing the law in Oakland.To see just what needs
to be done, Batts says he hasbeen walking around the city,talking to people and ridingalong with officers on thefive p.m. to midnight shiftto see how they interact withpeople. He has also askedhis command staff about theirstrengths and weaknesses,why they should be in theirpositions, and what they aredoing to make an impact.
In addition, Batts is meetingwith members of the commu-nity who, at this meeting,quizzed the new chief on hisviews about everything fromcommunity policing to whetherofficers should be required tolive in Oakland to the questionof police brutality.
Batts said some peopledo not communicate withthe police because they thinkthey are going to be treatedbadly. But unlike shows likeCSI, crimes are not solvedby finding a hair at the sceneof the crime. “We need the
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con t inued on page 2
Allendale resident Molly Kenefick,owner of the award-winning
Doggy Lama Pet Care,taking the gang for a walk.
See page 12.
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had a delightful interviewwith Daniel Camacho re-cently to learn more about
his murals, his outlook, and hislife. His story is a rich, colorfultapestry, as reflected equallyin his work. He is a renownedinternational muralist andlong-time Maxwell Park resi-dent. His paintings and muralscause the viewer to look deep,reach down, and ask why.
His early years as a youngboy in Mexico laid the ground-work for who he is today—anadvocate for the everyday andunderserved communities. Hissingle mother, a seamstress,created beautiful garments forher clientele. Daniel watchedhow she designed patterns andclothing from scratch, and thatprocess inspired him to drawand paint. His mother gavehim a small paint set, whichhe treasured as an affirmationthat he was indeed an artist. Inschool, one teacher in secondor third grade recognized histalent, and in 1986 he gradu-ated from the National Institute
women with tools of thetrade—large sewing needlesand threads—helped themovement as women marchedwith these canvas banners,carrying the message ofchanging times.
Today, Daniel continues hiscraft and spreads his messages.He shared several past articlesabout his work, including abook written in German and
photographs of numerousinstallments throughoutOakland.
I was fortunate to visithis studio and see his almostcomplete commissioned piece,“Soñando A Través de laVentana” (Dreaming Throughthe Window), which will beinstalled at the César ChávezLibrary on December 4. In thiscontemplative piece (pictured),
Maxwell Park Neighborhood News
Chief Batts Meets the Community
said he wondered “Does any-one really care about peoplewho look like me?” Thatquestion has stayed with himthroughout his career and hislife. Now, he says, he askshimself and the community
whether anyone will comeout to mentor, to touch, togive passion to people. “Ican’t do it alone,” he says.“Some bald dude riding inon a horse can’t do it alone.”
By “it” Batts means
community to come forward.OPD needs to win credibilitywith the community becauseif members of the communitydon’t stand up and come for-ward, violence will go on.The criminals know you won’tturn them in.”
As for whether officersshould live in the city, Battssaid he is trying to be a rolemodel by making his homehere. But, he says, he under-stands why they might notwant to live where they work.When he was a young officer,he once moved out of a cityhe worked in after a man cameup to him in a supermarketand announced, “I should stabyou and your wife right here,right now.” As for being re-quired to live here, that ques-tion, he says, was settled backin the ’70s.
Batts wrapped up hispresentation by saying thathe thinks the OPD is stretchedway too thin and needs tofocus on the top three or four
of Fine Arts, San Carlos, inMexico City.
It was customary for allgraduates to give back to thecommunity for six monthsbefore moving on to their occu-pations. Doctors and teachersdid this, but how could he andfellow art graduates contrib-ute? The big earthquake inMexico City in 1985 providedthat answer and became an im-portant juncture in Camacho’slife. Mass destruction leveledthe buildings that housed gar-ment workers, a communitythat had suffered political andsocial inequities for decades.Although his mother was aprivate seamstress, he still feltthe need to advocate and com-municate for the rights of thegreater population throughhis paintings and messages.
In the earthquake’s after-math, Daniel and two class-mates formed Ojos de Lucha(Eyes of the Struggle), createdart, and gave it to the peopleaffected. They created hugebanners depicting the garmentworkers, to be used in marches.The group’s depictions of
Camacho emphasizes the im-portance of humanity preserv-ing our world, respecting theelements. “We must protect ourworld, for the youth and thoseto come,” states Camacho.The painting pulls you inwith its muted colors, energy,and beckoning messages.
Camacho, a gracious artist,also teaches art. His current
cont inued on page 2
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2December 2009/January 2010
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Noise Hotline: 238-6777(Oakland CEDA,property complaint line)
C.O.R.E. 238-6351(Citizens of OaklandRespond to Emergencies)
City Tree Unit 615-5850
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A Safe Place 536-7233(domestic violence)
East Bay Community 548-2377Mediation (neighborhood disputes)
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Opinions expressed in the MacArthurMetro are those of the contributorsand do not necessarily reflect theviews held by the publication.©2009 by the MacArthur Metro,P.O. Box 19046, Oakland, CA 94619,www.macarthurmetro.org,(510) 287-2655.
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Winter CelebrationCelebrate the holiday seasonon Sunday, December 6, 10a.m. to 2 p.m. at Dimond ParkRecreation Center, 3860Hanly Rd., Oakland. Holidaygifts, music, craft making forkids, and a visit from Santa.A $5 pancake breakfast byFrancis and Frank of Ann’sCafé will benefit DimondPark Totlot. For more info,call Ruth 336-0105 orMichelle 482-7831.
Karen Marie Schroederon Flowers in Dimond
Karen Marie Schroedercontinues her well-knowninvolvement in the DimondImprovement Associationand Friends of the Library, aswell as additional communityactivities. Karen appreciatesthe volunteers who maintainthe planters. “Flower contain-ers proliferate in Dimond.There are large white pots,half wine barrels, and even a
Dimond Neighborhood Newsrow boat,” says Karen Marie.The white pots were pro-cured by Christ Surunis.Those on the medians onFruitvale and Dimond Av-enues have been planted andmaintained for years by MikeMannix and Linda Farrabee,who have repaired them afteraccidents. Now Martha andRoy Curtis have taken onthe task, painting them warmbronze and olive greenshades, and planting themwith drought-resistant plants.Another white pot is locatednear Dimond Library andfilled with lemon balm, rose-mary, pelargonium, and suc-culents. A rowboat, donatedby Able Terry, sits nearbywith plants maintained byGracie Muñoz. See video byTim Chapman at http://tinyurl.com/gracie-munoz.
As with all of these con-tainers, keeping them wa-tered and fresh is the true job.Merchants and volunteerscare for the wine barrels infront of Los Comales, Peet’s,and the MailBox. Sometimes
CorrectionIn the November 2009 storyheadlined “Democracy’sWatchdogs,” the item refer-ring to U.S. Rep. BarbaraLee’s sole post 9/11 voteshould have read “To standup against entrenched powertakes the courage that Bar-bara demonstrated when shecast the only vote in Con-gress against joint resolutionS.J. 23 Res., Authorization forUse of Military Force.”
B Y K A T H L E E N R U S S E L L
Abdo of Two Star Market is themajor donor of food for theDimond Picnic. Abdo also hostedThanksgiving in Dimond 2009.
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individuals use them asgarbage cans, decorate theplants with tinfoil, or borrowthem permanently. Occa-sionally, they end up upsidedown in the street, theircontents spewed over theground. The volunteers andmerchants replace, replant,and continue to maintainthem, making the Dimonda lovely place appreciated bypassersby. Karen Marie alsoenjoys the Dimond GatewayGarden at MacArthur andLincoln. Designed by TriciaChristopher, it’s an invitingentrance to the DimondMerchant Area. And inspring, we will all thankTim Little, who organizesthe daffodil plantings at theFruitvale I-580 freeway on-ramp and exit. Tim and crewplanted an additional 900daffodils mid-November,which brings the total to9,000 daffodils planted inthe last four years.
Celebrationof Community
Dimond ImprovementAssociation (DIA) invitesall who have volunteeredin the Dimond this year tocome celebrate the spiritand accomplishments ofcommunity on January 6at 6:30 p.m. at the DimondLibrary, 3565 Fruitvale Ave.See dimondnews.org, callMarilyn at 482-8815, or [email protected]. Circus Bella performer Breonna with Erich and Jessica at Oaktoberfest 2009.
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exhibits: collection of masksat the César Chávez Libraryin Oakland; five banners atSun Gallery, Hayward; andDays of the Dead piece atChicago’s National Museumof Mexican Art. His warm,inspirational home and studioare shared with two childrenand his wife Robin Lovell, ateacher at ACORN WoodlandElementary School in Oakland,where his art is displayed.
Contact info:daniel.camacho.pintor.googlepages.com/home.
Upcoming event:César Chávez Library Inaugu-ration, December 4 , 3301 E.12th Street, Suite 271, Oakland,94601. (Masks also on exhibit).
Note cards available atWorld Ground Café, 3726MacArthur Blvd., and LaurelBook Store, 4100 MacArthurBlvd. ————————————Pat Patterson can be reached [email protected].
CamachoC O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1
things, not one to two hun-dred things. He also saysthe entire city needs to bebalanced. We can’t enforcethe law one way in one partof the city and differently inanother. “I want to build acustomer-driven organiza-tion,” he said. “I work forthe citizens. I need to knowwhat the citizens want.”
Chief BattsC O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1
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Left to right: Al Scoggins, Willie Duncan, Rosetta Egan and LaurieUmeh cleaning up Courtland Creek Park.
December 2009/January 2010
3
don’t know about you,but I for one can’t believethe holidays are here again.
I know it’s true, though,when I look around and seethe lovely holiday lights anddecorations that adorn somany homes. It’s this kindof outward demonstration ofspirit that adds to the greatfeeling of community wehave in Leona Heights. Onthat note, I have to add myfamily’s thanks to the groupof neighbors who’ve takenpart in the “Keep OaklandBeautiful” campaign. OnNovember 1, ten neighborsgathered at the intersection ofRusting and Mountain Blvd.to plant daffodil and freesiabulbs in a small section ofland that hadn’t been touchedsince the new roadbed forMountain Blvd. was put innearly 50 years ago. Theseneighbors, led by Keisha Kingand Martha Hill, gave theirtime and hard work to makeour neighborhood a betterplace. My hat is off to eachof them. We’ll be watching inthe springtime for beautifulplants and flowers.
On a similar note, I haveto once again thank MarilynKing for all she did to makethe 2009 edition of the annualneighborhood party a realityand big-time success. Whata heartwarming experience
B Y G O R D O N L A V E R T Y in October to visit withneighbors and be entertainedby the wonderful music of theLeona Larks. And by the way,anyone who’d like to join theLarks for a monthly “Musicon Mondays” gathering ismore than welcome.
Similarly, the SunnySaturday Stroll is anotheropportunity to meet up withneighbors. It’s held the firstSaturday of each month at10 a.m., as long as it’s sunny.Folks meet at the intersectionof 4200 Mountain View Ave.and Leona St.
It’s visiting with neigh-bors, whenever we get thechance, that makes livingin our community mostfulfilling.
Finally, I want to add mywelcome to new Oakland Po-lice Department Chief, TonyBatts. Leona Heights residentMike Ferro recently attendeda meeting where Chief Battsspoke. Mike affirms whatmost of us have hoped to betrue: Chief Batts, with hisdown-to-earth approach toaddressing Oakland’s issuesand his outstanding leader-ship qualities, brings a ray ofhope for better security onthe streets along with a resto-ration of confidence in publicofficials throughout Oakland.
The happiest of holidaysto each of you. ——————————————Gordon Laverty can be reachedat [email protected].
Leona HeightsNeighborhood News
Topping outFire Station 18
When the roofing frame of abuilding is completed, it’s timefor the traditional topping-outceremony. On November 12,Swinerton Builders celebratedthis important milestone witha barbecue at the new Fire Sta-tion 18 on 50th and Bancroft.According to our reporter,Randy Hughes, Deputy FireChief James Williams, our newPolice Chief Anthony Batts,and firefighters from severalOakland stations joined neigh-bors at the celebration. Fundedby Oakland Redevelopment
B Y A D E L L E F O L E Y
High Street Neighborhood News
with dirt and will reportedlybe ringed with boulders. Thesmaller island sports a coverof stones that replaced theshort-lived red bricks. Andon High St. one of the red-light cameras has been re-paired after a car plowedinto the pole at the corner ofBrookdale.
Third AnnualHoliday Celebration
C’mon out to Maxwell ParkNeighborhood Council’s jointholiday celebration withMelrose Leadership Academy(MLA) on Thursday, Decem-ber 17 from 5:15 to 8 p.m.Bring food for a potluckdinner to MLA at Brannbelow 55th, and get readyto join your neighbors forsalsa dancing.
Plan for the 2010-11School Year Now
Ashley Thomsak, our infor-mation source on neighbor-hood schools, reports thatit’s time for parents to visitschools and register theirpreferences for where theirchildren will attend schoolduring the 2010-11 schoolyear. For information onschool tours and how tosubmit your options, go towww.ousd.k12.ca.us.
Hand sanitizersPerched on stands all over townA sign of the times ——————————————Adelle Foley can be reached [email protected].
sites and spend some timeoutside in the beautiful fallweather. Courtland Creekpark was litter-free (for a littlewhile) after a High StreetNeighborhood Alliancecontingent filled a numberof green trash bags. TheMelrose-High Hopes crewplanted 21 replacement plantsin the Mediterranean gardensat Horace Mann. MaxwellPark Neighborhood Council(MPNC) cleaned, pruned, andplanted daffodil, freesia, andtulip bulbs along Walgreensparking lot on Redding andCourtland. OneBrick.com, anonprofit that lists one-timevolunteer opportunities,worked with MPNC.
Traffic Report—Progressat Kingsland
Point person Debbie Ng waspleased to report that thePublic Works Departmenthas installed reflectors andpaint to help drivers see thetraffic islands at the three-wayintersection of Kingsland,Brookdale, and Mavis. Neigh-borhood Services CoordinatorAraina Richards is checkinginto the possibility of commu-nity members putting indrought-resistant plants.Another neighbor suggestedoutlining the raised portion ofthe islands in paint that glowsin the dark and adding arrowsto indicate how to navigatethe intersection.
Meanwhile, at Pierson andMacArthur the center of thelarger traffic island is filled
Agency, the new two-story,10,000-square-foot stationwill have three bays anda community room. Thecommunity will be invitedto welcome the firefightersback to the neighborhood ata party to mark the openingof the new fire station,scheduled for the spring of2010. Station 18 has a strongtradition of participation inevents such as block partiesand National Night Out,as well as support for com-munity programs.
Autumn Spruce-UpMid-November turnedout to be a great weekend tospruce up neighborhood
Fire engines gather for thetopping-out party at Station 18.
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4December 2009/January 2010
PauletteAvery,
R.N., M.S.N.,I.B.C.L.C.
To Your Health
edications can be vitalto maintaining goodhealth. But taken the
wrong way, they can causebig trouble. So whether youtake several medications eachday or use only an occasionalover-the-counter (OTC)drug, read on for tips on howto take medications safely.
First of all, when yourhealth care provider ordersa new medication for you, askquestions. Find out why youare taking it, how it can help,how to take it correctly, andwhat side effects you mightexpect. Be sure as well thatthe doctor knows all the otherdrugs, supplements, andherbs you take so that pos-sible drug interactions canbe considered. When yousee your doctor, bring acomplete list that includesdosages, or bring the medica-tions with you.
Most pharmacies nowoffer or even insist on a con-sultation with a pharmacistwhen you pick up a newprescription. Ideally, all yourprescriptions should be filledat the same pharmacy so thereis a record of all the medica-tions you are taking, and thepharmacist can note potentialdrug interactions. Make sureyou understand how to takethe drug. Should you take itwith meals, or several hoursbefore you eat? Are there anyfoods that you should avoidwhile taking this medication?When you get the medication,read the label to be sure it isthe drug ordered for you inthe correct dosage. Also besure that both your doctorand the pharmacist knowabout any drug allergiesor adverse reactions you’vehad to any medications.
Prescription drugs andmany OTC products containinserts that tell you about themedication. It is a good ideato read this information, espe-cially for recommended dos-ages on OTC products, and toknow when to call your doctorif a problem develops fromtaking the medication. Takethe medication as ordered oras directed on the package. Ifthe ordered dose is not help-ing, call your doctor. Takinga smaller or larger dose thandirected without your doctor’sinstruction may be dangerous.
Most medications shouldbe stored in a cool, dry place.So the medicine cabinet inyour warm and moist bath-room becomes a bad choice.Certain medications requirerefrigeration. Again, followinstructions on the label.
We all know the frustrationon trying to open a child-proofcontainer that seems to beadult-proof as well. If thereare no children in your home,ask the pharmacist abouteasier-to-open containers.But remember to keep themout of reach if you havegrandchildren or other youngchildren visiting you.
Here are a few final thingsto keep in mind. Avoid takingmedicine prescribed for some-one else. What is safe forthem may not be for you.Also avoid taking expiredmedications. Although theymay still work, they may notwork as well as needed ormay cause other problems.
I wish each of you a joyfulholiday season and a happy,healthy new year! —————————————Paulette Avery is a registerednurse and a freelance writerwho specializes in health issues.
MedicationSafety
Youth Work in the ’ShedIn the past several weeks, EastBay high school students haveput an enormous amount ofeffort into restoring the SausalCreek watershed. The Friendsof Sausal Creek were able tofacilitate these environmentaleducation field trips througha generous grant from theClorox Foundation. In addi-tion to the hands-on learningabout their local watershed,we hope that these fielddays help prepare the youngpeople to become communityleaders and make them moreaware of work opportunitiesin environmental fields.
On October 24, 111 stu-dents visited Dimond Parkto devote their Saturdaymorning to removing nearly20 cubic yards of Himalayanblackberry, Algerian ivy,and invasive elm trees. Theseand other non-native speciesout-compete the natives in thearea and serve as hazardousfire material throughout thepark. These students belongto an after-school service-based organization calledbuildOn, which focuses onconnecting urban youthto local and global serviceprojects at schools throughoutthe country. In addition totheir efforts to remove inva-sive species, accomplishmentsof the day also includedthe installation of about 160square feet of erosion-controlblanket on a slope leadinginto the creek, as well as thefirst step in creating a newtrail in the Dimond Parknative plant demonstrationgarden.
Soon after the visit frombuildOn in Dimond Park,two Oakland High Schoolscience classes workedwith FOSC in restoring ourMonterey Blvd. redwoodssite. Between the two class
visits, students removed inva-sive species in roughly threehours of total work time!The bare slopes of recoveringhabitat are now prepared forwinter rains, as these studentsalso installed a 20-foot longstraw wattle and two smallerstick wattles in order to pre-vent erosion. After removinginvasives and installing ero-sion control measures, thesestudents are looking forwardto a visit this winter, whenthey will plant native speciesin the cleared spaces.
Through these volunteerevents, students made hugeprogress toward restorationthroughout the watershed.In addition to the physicalwork that each day entailed,students discussed the
Friends of Sausal Creek
B Y M E G A N H E S S
Oakland High School students pull out invasive non-native grasses inpreparation for planting native plants in the Sausal Creek watershedthis coming rainy season.
importance of biodiversityin sensitive habitats, humanimpacts on the Sausal Creekwatershed, and ways to pur-sue future service learning,education, and career choicesin the field of restoration andenvironmental protection.The work of FOSC wouldnot be possible without thehelp from devoted volunteerssuch as these. We appreciatethat locally based corpora-tions support FOSC, enablingus to help train and supportthe next generation of envi-ronmental stewards. —————————————Megan Hess is Restoration andNursery Manager for the Friendsof Sausal Creek and can be reachedat [email protected]. FOSC’sWeb site is www.sausalcreek.org.
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December 2009/January 2010
5
Laurel Neighborhood News
B Y J O H N F R A N D O
Laurel ElementaryDual Milestones
Laurel Elementary Schoolcelebrated two importantmilestones in 2009: its 100th an-niversary and its highest scoresever on the statewide AcademicPerformance Index (API).
The old school bell that firstsummoned students to class100 years ago sits on a pedestalin the school lobby. A bronzeplaque reads: “The last publicschool bell in Oakland, 1909 to1960.” In his book Oakland’s Lau-rel District, historian DennisEvanosky includes photographsof the former two-story classi-cal-style building rising abovethe then sparsely developedneighborhood. The currentschool building was commis-sioned in 1979 and recentlyrenovated.
The API is a statewidemeasure of a school’s studentperformance in math and read-ing based on tests taken by itssecond and fifth graders. Thestate sets a school compositetarget score of 800 or higher.Laurel’s 2009 API score is 802,up from 780 in 2008. All student
subgroups met target scores,with huge leaps in scores forAfrican-American children andEnglish language learners.
Principal Ron C. Smithcredits specific programs: earlystudent assessments and indi-vidually tailored academic inter-vention by teachers, motivatedstudents and parents, and newand ongoing enrichment pro-grams for students. He com-mented, “Watch for our scoresin two years, as the youngestchildren who started in the earlygrades a couple of years agomove into higher grade levels.”
Early next year, the schoolplans a grand event to celebrateits centennial anniversary andacademic successes.
Afterschool ProgramThe afterschool program atLaurel Elementary School iscalled the Laurel CommunityPartnership Academy. ProgramDirector Phalina Armstrongdescribed the program: “We area comprehensive afterschoolprogram focusing on socializa-tion, creativity, leadership, aswell as academics. Our staffis well trained, with little turn-over. Many older children whograduated from the programreturn as interns.”
The children, grouped intograde-level classes, spend thefirst half of the daily sessionfocused on academics, somereceiving individual tutoring.National nonprofit Learningfor Life supports the programby providing reading and mathpartners who work with thechildren. During the second half,children choose and attend en-richment classes. Art, Spanish,and circus classes are the mostpopular. Ms. Armstrong hasprogram data showing highertest scores for children regularlyattending the afterschool pro-gram. Parents apply in May,and applications are reviewedduring the summer.
On October 22, 2009, in“Lights on After School,” a na-tionwide event calling attentionto the importance of afterschoolprograms, the children showedoff their skills to parents andeach other. They colored light-bulb drawings that hung acrossthe auditorium stage and per-formed skits, recited Spanish,and rode unicycles. Schoolboard member Gary Yee spoketo the children, and nutritionistNori Grossmann of AlamedaCounty Nutrition Serviceshanded out fresh pears andinformation on healthy eating.
The program receivesvital federal, state, and localfunding. “However, todayall the programs are woefullyunderfunded. All who careabout afterschool need toshow their support for fullfunding for all programs,”Ms. Armstrong said. ——————————————John Frando can be reached [email protected].
METROCLASSIFIED ADS
RENTALS
Mendocino coast cottage: Charmingfurnished 1BR plus living room sofabed, fireplace, fully equippedkitchen. Minimum 3 days, $85/day,$525/week. (510) 482-5577.
Firewood available for pickup ordelivery. Oak, almond & mixedcords, 1/2 cords, 1/4 cords, etc.5900 Coliseum Way, Oakland.635-1779.
INSTRUCTION
SERVICES
Past Issues of the Metro with asearchable database availableonline at macarthurmetro.org
Afr ican-American manicur is t ,located in the Laurel District,specializing in manicures, pedicuresw/paraffin wax treatments, sculp-tured nails, silk and fiberglass wraps.Over 20 years experience andservice in this area. Call (510)482-3229 for appointment.
Handywoman Services. Minor homerepair, accessibility modifications,light hauling, and gardening. Spe-cializing in service to seniors. Nojob too small. Laurel resident forover 17 years. Ruth Ann Crawford530-7459.
Turning Point Educational Services.Boost academic success in yourhome, school site, or our office (nearHoly Names). Learning specialist/diagnostic teacher & skilled tutors.Stock up on confidence and know-how in foundational-level reading,writing and math; as well as sci-ences, languages, organizing & pri-oritizing. See review atwww.yelp.com. Carolyn Edwards,M.Ed., 482-1301, www.turning-point-edu.com.
Storytelling for all ages and occa-sions. Educational, magical and fun.Professional storyteller and teacher,Mary Ellen Hill, 636-4155,m e h s t o r i e s @ n e t z e r o . c o m ,www.mehstories.com.
C&H Construction. Painting exterior/interior. Quality work. Remodeling.Tiling, Doors. License #825802.Contact Salvador at 236-6171.
CLASSIFIED RATES: Classified ads are$.50 per word. Discounted prices areavailable for five- and ten-issue frequen-cies. Send your copy along with pay-ment to The MacArthur Metro, PO Box19046, Oakland, 94619 or email yourcopy to [email protected] for submission and payment isthe 15th of the month. For additionalinformation on discounts or other infor-mation contact Krista Gulbransen at 287-2655, fax 291-2944.
FOR SALE
Bernice & Joe Playschool. For nearly29 years, play-based learning inour earthquake retrofitted, home-likecenter near Mills College. Thepark-like quarter-acre setting haspine and fruit trees, vegetablegarden, redwood playhouse, 20-foot sailboat, two-story woodenrocket ship, outdoor art andblock rooms. Curriculum includespre-reading, pre-math enrichment,field trips, F.I.T. gymnastics,music and Spanish lessons. Empha-sis put on socialization, verbaliza-tion. Sibling discount. Lunch,snacks provided. Ages 2 to 5years. License #010214258.Brochure. (510) 638-3529. Visit us atwww.berniceandjoe-playschool.com.
Saxophone & Piano. Play musicfor the joy of it! Have fun learningjazz, blues, improvisation. Patient,supportive teacher. Ages 10 &up. Speciality: Adult beginners. Eva436-0504.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
Be part of your community newspa-per. Help deliver the MacArthurMetro. Two to three hours on the firstof the month. Also need deliverycoordinator, approx. four to fivehours per month. 407-4966.
Laurel Elementary School Principal Ron C. Smith and the originalschool bell.
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Children hand in their light bulb drawings before entering the schoolauditorium.
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6December 2009/January 2010
Get Your Holiday Treefrom RH School
Contributed bythe RH Dads’ Club
Help support RH School bypurchasing your holiday treefrom the Dads’ Club. Thedads get the best Noble andDouglas Fir trees from a localdistributor and bring the treesto the schoolyard for pickupon December 5 and 12 . Can’tget out these days? The dadswill gladly bring your tree toyour home. (Delivery: $7within five miles of RHS).
Want your tree for
December 5? Order by 10 a.m.December 3. For December12, order by December 10.To download your order formand pay online, visit:rhs.ousd.ca.campusgrid.net.Select “Fundraisers” and clickon “Holiday Tree Sale.” Formore information, telephoneBrian Walgenbach: 407-0065.
Ballerinas in the Makingat the Rec Center
For the last 19 years, aspiringballerinas have donned theirslippers to take classes withPatricia Hunter at the Red-wood Heights RecreationCenter. Hunter, who enjoyeda long professional dance ca-reer, was first hired by theCity of Oakland to launch adance program for fourth-grade students in the city’sschools. Hunter says that ex-perience taught her to appreci-ate that “all children wantto learn.” When she saw thenew RH Rec Center underconstruction some 20 yearsago, she introduced herself toGwen Austin, who was the di-rector of the center at the time.Austin welcomed Hunter,and Hunter began teachingclasses when the doors tothe new center opened.
Since then, Hunter’s balletclasses have been remarkablypopular. On any given Satur-day morning, you might seeparents peek through theRec. Center windows to watchtheir ballerinas at the barre.Beginning pre-ballet at agefour, some children dancewith Hunter for eight to tenyears. Some of Hunter’s stu-dents have gone on to studyand perform with local balletcompanies, while others havegraduated from universitieswith dance degrees. Becauseher classes are so popular,there are often waiting listsfor enrollment.
One of the highlights ofparticipating in Hunter’s balletprogram is the annual holiday
B Y D E N I S E D A V I L A
Redwood Heights Neighborhood News
party. At the party, the Pied-mont Youth Ballet, under thedirection of Jeffrey Stuart, per-forms scenes from the secondact of the Nutcracker SuiteBallet. This year, Hunter’sadvanced dancers will per-form a scene from the first actof the ballet, too. This annualtradition gives Hunter’syoung students the chance tosee a live ballet and her olderstudents the chance to per-form. Hunter says all of thefamilies make cookies andbring something to share tothe party. With standing roomonly, families and friendsenjoy the performance andholiday celebration.
Hunter says that she lovesher work and plans to con-tinue teaching ballet until she“can’t walk anymore.” This,of course, is wonderful newsfor neighborhood childrenwho would like to take classeswith her. For more informa-tion about the ballet programand the other fine classes thatare offered at the RH Recre-ation Center, please contactdirector Breht Clark in theCenter office at 482-7827.To view pictures from thisyear’s holiday party, visitwww.bryanfarley.com any-time after December 5. Select“Children’s Ballet Portfolio.”
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Grow the LaurelHappy Holidays! The LaurelDistrict Association (LDA)has great news to share forthe new year.
GROW THE LAUREL isthe new slogan for our LaurelBusiness District. For 2010, wewill strive to bring togetherthe wonderful elements of ourneighborhood that largely gounrecognized. We have a tre-mendously diverse commu-nity of engaged residents andan equally diverse set of mer-chants who are now workingand planning together for thefuture. In addition, we havea huge pool of creative localtalent that we plan to fullycelebrate and showcase.
We will begin our effortsin three ways: public artsand street beautification,neighborhood marketingand events, and youthengagement programs.
Public Arts and StreetBeautification
The mural on the old SeagullMarket was our first attemptat a collaborative communityart project. Visiting artistJohn Hina and local artist JoseGarcia worked with eightneighborhood youth andpatrons of the Laurel Loungeto create the mural. CoyoteSigns, Laurel Book Store,and Yummy Chinese Foodall helped as well. We lookto model this effort in all of2010 art projects.
In April of 2010, theMills College AdvancedPainting Class will create aseries of portable murals onMacArthur. The class is ledby internationally renownedpainter Hung Liu. In addition,we are working with theMills College Public Policydepartment to help us witha second MacArthur CorridorStudy, which will engage the
community in thinking aboutways we can grow for thefuture.
The LDA will also beadding more plants and flow-ers to all our planters and justlaunched our own businessfaçade improvement program.So far we have around 15businesses participating, andwe hope to have double thisnumber by the end of the year.
NeighborhoodMarketing and Events
You should be receiving thismonth a brand-new couponmailer in which merchantsprovide discounts just fortheir immediate neighbor-hoods. Please look insidethe mailer for a special “Growthe Laurel” sticker. Put it ondisplay and show your sup-port for our neighborhood.
The Laurel merchants arealso sponsoring a Holiday ToyDrive for Kids this December.Please bring your toys intoany business with a “LaurelHoliday Toy Drive” posterin the window, and receivespecial discounts.
Youth EngagementPrograms
Our young people currentlylack opportunities to beproductive members of our
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Haircuts $1.00 offPerms $2.00 off (regularly $40.50 + up)With this ad. Coupon expires January 30, 2010.
Aspiring ballerinas in PatriciaHunter’s class.
Laurel District Association
B Y T O M M Y W O N G
community. Recognizingthis, the LDA has created ayouth street team that helpswith our communicationsand marketing. We are alsoworking with Youth Uprisingto hire and train local youthto help with street beautifica-tion and art projects.
Best Wishesfor the New Year
Please email Tommy Wongif you have questions or wishto participate in any projects:[email protected].
Visiting Artist John “Prime” Hina with members of the Laurel Street Team. Inset:Youth Artist Stephen Sanford of Komodo Toys helps paint the new Laurel Leaf.
CO
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LDA
December 2009/January 2010
7
Thank you for shopping locally!How can we help you
this season?
The Metro Gets Around
Clockwise from top left: Nancy Erb andDick Kolbert amid Roman ruins in Kaunos,Turkey. Dan, Ashley, Rosi, Daniel, and JakeGaughan outside Territorial Enterprise,Mark Twain's newspaper office, VIrginiaCity, NV. Emily Fox and Margaret Fox,
daughters of Metro copyeditorAnne Fox, at Rancho La Puertaspa in Mexico, where Margaretwas guest chef. Dimond residentGreacian Goeke outside therenovations at Krusedol Monasterynear Belgrade, Serbia (photo byJudith Goeke). Vallan (left) astudent at Montera Middle School,and VaiJon (right) a studentat Glenview Elementary Schoolreading the Metro at Cybelle’sPizza on Fruitvale (photo by Ms.Johnson). Isabella Gaughan andSheila D'Amico at the Coliseum inRome, (photo by Judy Gaughan).
8December 2009/January 2010
t may not be unusual tosee your World Culturesteacher pick up a guitar
and lead songs, especially ifthat teacher is also the ChoirDirector. But what if thesongs are in Tagalog, Span-ish, and Hawaiian, as well asEnglish? The students at St.Elizabeth High School areused to Patrick Landezamaking himself at homein cultures on both sides ofthe Pacific Ocean. He is eventeaching the students tomake themselves at homewherever they are. For ex-ample, the seniors at St.Elizabeth have committedto buying all the rice andbeans needed at CatholicWorker House (CWH) on In-ternational Blvd. this aca-demic year. Patrick and his
ourtland Creek Park isa five-block linear parklocated one block south
of High St., between 45thAve. and Brookdale Ave. Itwas dedicated as an officialOakland park in May 1997.Next year it will be a teen-ager! Those of us at the dedi-cation heard the tale of the10 years it took to purchasethe parcel and transform theblighted dumping groundinto a green space. For 12years now it has been a re-source in our community.You can even find it onAAA maps.
The area used to be theroute of the Leona streetcarline. When autos replacedthe streetcar, the land wasabandoned, even thoughmuch of it was privatelyowned. Neighbors concernedabout high-density apart-ment buildings along thecreek were the first to pro-pose a park. Their idea gar-nered support, and the Oak-land voters helped by pass-ing Measure K for openspace. The Urban CreeksCouncil served as our fiscalagent as we made our waythrough the bureaucracy.We had a few close calls withpeople who thought the parkwould bring problems to theneighborhood. As a sign ofwhat was to come, the firststand of thundercloudplum trees was planted atCourtland and Congress in1992. The rest were plantedfive years later, after the in-frastructure was in place.
Some park elements havebeen more successful thanothers. The peewee basket-ball court at Fairfax andCourtland routinely has kidsplaying there. The nearbysandbox has proved impos-sible to keep clean and willprobably have to be re-moved. The two sets of stairsleading down to the waterin that section of the park arefavorites with locals. BetweenTyrell and San Carlos webuilt an area for a communitygarden. So far only one resi-dent gardens there. The kiosk
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The Gift of Music
Right next to Michael, Ella, and Jimi, Patrick is a gift from the Fruitvale to the BayArea and to the world (above right: the photo of Patrick used for the mural).
BY CONSTANCE DALTONCampus Ministry team collecttheir money, buy the supplies,deliver them, and even cookthe meal oncea month!
In October, though, Patrickmade the students literallystop in their tracks. BayRecords in Berkeley, long fa-miliar with Patrick’s musicand recording career, asked ifthey could add him to theirmural. His life-size portraitnow watches over passersbyon Alcatraz Ave. in Berkeley.
Team Oakland youth working at Courtland Creek this summer.
Courtland Creek Park Becomes a Teen
CH
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at San Carlos was intendedto remind us of the land’sformer use as a rail line. Thedouble row of plum treesalso helps us remember thetrains that ran along thisland. The trees are mostbeautiful when they bloomin the spring.
Without fail, for 12 yearsnow we have had regularwork days at CourtlandCreek Park: Earth Day in the
B Y C H R I S T I N E R A L L S
I C
spring and Creek to Bay Dayin the fall. Neighbors havecome and gone. New familiesare moving in. Some of theoriginal volunteers are stillpicking up litter and paintingout graffiti at the park. Whatdoes the future hold forCourtland Creek Park? Isthere a Metro reader whowould like to lead a commu-nity-garden effort? Is there adog lover who would like toexplore placing “doggie bag”dispensers at critical places?Because of Oakland’s budgetsituation, our park is not re-ceiving routine maintenance.Now more than ever, ourteen needs your help.
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For details &A Surprise Offering, call (510) 530-0453
Love the MacArthur Metro? Want to help it reach its 7,000readers? We are seeking volunteers to be members of ourDistribution Team.
Must be available from two to three hours around the firstof the month.
Email the editor at Metroreaders@ earthlink.net or leavea message on voice mail at 287-2655.
Help with MetroDistribution
December 2009/January 2010
9
“The land is meant to plant. Ireally love it. I don’t have a gardenwhere I live. I walk eight blocks toget here. I can say, ‘I have a plotsomewhere.’ And when I get home-sick, I know there’s a place whereI can go and the wind blows.”
—Nai Siew, Miencommunity gardener
ome Fruitvale residentsdriving along Coolidge or34th Ave. may have noted
cornstalks rising above eclecti-cally designed garden fences.These belong to a collectiveof Mien women who havebeen raising crops to feed theirfamilies on a portion of the landin the Fruitvale’s Peralta Haci-enda Historical Park. ThePeralta Garden has served asan entrée for the women to be-come active participants in thePark’s after-school and summereducational programs. TheMien women not only teachneighborhood children abouttraditional Laotian farmingpractices and cooking, but ini-tiate them into the creativedesigns of their elaboratelyembroidered traditional garb.
The Mien people firststarted arriving in Oakland inthe mid-1970s. Originally aChinese ethnic minority, theMien had migrated severaltimes before landing in thehighlands of Laos—where theyresided for the past two centu-ries. In the 1960s, the men wererecruited to assist the CIA infighting the Viet Cong. Afterthe U.S. retreated from the re-gion, the Mien were left vulner-able to repercussions from theirformer opponents and fledacross the Laotian border intoThailand. After several yearsin refugee camps, the Mienwere brought to the U.S. tostart their lives anew.
The garden program grewout of a self-defense course atLao Family Community Devel-opment, Inc. At the time, Mienimmigrants who were dressingin their colorful embroideredgarments were being targetedas mugging victims. While
onsuelo E. Cabrera,known affectionately asConnie, has been “doing
her thing” for a long, longtime. The “thing” that Conniedoes is hair styling, and she’sbeen a respected beauticiansince 1961. Her career beganin a little shop on RedwoodRd. in 1968, and seven yearslater she opened her ownshop at 3463 Champion St.
Since the day Connie firstopened Connie’s Hair Styling,a lot has changed in theDimond District. At that time41 years ago, the Fire Housewas still a cornerstone of theblock. Connie watched next-door when the space was firstopened as Falaschi’s Construc-tion, then became a driving
Finh Luang stitches traditional Mien embroidery at Peralta Hacienda.
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Cschool, and then a beautysalon. She remembers thenearby Rexall Drugstore,Lucky’s, The Dimond Deli,Avalon Jewelers, and hard-ware store Sprouse-Reitz.
Perhaps the most difficultchange Connie’s livedthrough has been the passingof so many of her clients.Many have moved away also.But once most of her clientsfind her, they stay loyal toher. One client in particular,98-year-old Katy Cetenich,has been Connie’s client for48 years. Imagine. And duringthe course of the 41 yearsConnie’s been in business,she managed to raise herthree children and two grand-children. The Dimond Districtand all her clients will missConnie, but she’ll alwaysbe remembered.
B Y N I N A E G E R T , P H . D .
MacArthur Metro 20th AnniversaryT-shirts and tote bags
Your gift with a donation of $200 or more(choice of t-shirt or tote bag)
Or purchase for $15 eachor two for $25.
Add $3 per order forshipping & handling
While supplies last.Send check to
MacArthur Metro,POB 19046,
Oakland, CA 94619.Indicate number of items (and
size and grey or white for t-shirts)
helping the women learn toprotect themselves, staff at thecenter realized the women’sneed for a place to reestablishtraditional farming practices.They reached out to the PeraltaHacienda, which had just com-pleted a series of renovationsto the property.
Under the guidance ofHolly Alonso, ExecutiveDirector of the Peralta Haci-enda, and her staff, the PeraltaHouse community gardenblossomed literally and figura-tively. Now each year squashvines, corn stalks, and polesof string beans surround the1870 home of the first Spanishfamily to settle in the East Bay.
The fact that the Mien
gardeners have moved beyondtheir own difficulties to becomeproductive members of thecommunity at large speaks totheir capacity for resilience.The stories of these women’slives are powerful and compel-ling. Over the past several yearsthe Peralta Hacienda staff con-ducted a series of interviewswith the gardeners.
On December 12, a new ex-hibit containing excerpts fromthe interviews as well as photosdocumenting the Mien women’sintegration into Peralta’s com-munity educational programswill open at the Hacienda. Asa special treat, there will be apre-Christmas sale of samplesof the women’s extraordinaryand intricate embroidery.
Each month, the PeraltaHacienda opens to the publicfor tours of the house museumthe second Saturday from 2 to 4p.m. (During the week, the staffruns educational programsfor local schools.) The Lu Mienexhibit will run through thespring, so there will be severaladditional opportunities toview it. —————————————Nina Egert, Ph.D., is theExecutive Director of the VinapaFoundation for Cross-CulturalStudies, which co-sponsored thisevent. She was the recipient of theDorothea Lange Fellowship forDocumentary Photography, andauthored the book: Tracing Anza’sTrail: A Photographer’s Journey.She has also written several articlesfor past MacArthur Metro issues.
Kamala, granddaughter of oneof the Mien gardeners at PeraltaHacienda, learns how to plant seedsharvested from traditional Miencrops.
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Connie at work
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Promoting nutritional awareness,access to healthy foods
and the connections betweenpeople and our planet!
Laurel Community Farmers’ MarketSaturdays 10am-2pm • 4173 Macarthur Blvd.
(at Maybelle—Trattoria Laurellinos Parking lot)Market will be closed on these Saturdays:
Dec. 19th, Dec. 26th, Jan. 2ndNow accepting EBT & WIC! Fresh Organic Fruits & Vegetables!
Supporting local businesses, vendors and farmers!Youth and Family Day Second Saturday of Every Month!
For more info, contact Tori at 510-482-1898
www.foodcommunityculture.orgwww.foodcommunityculture.org
10December 2009/January 2010
Calendar of Community Events
BY MA R I L Y N GR E E N, CO O R D I N A T O R
The MacArthur Metro calendar welcomes a range of listings. We empha-size community meetings and actions that address neighborhood concernsas well as cultural events that enrich our lives. To have your event listed,please contact Marilyn Green no later than the 12th of the precedingmonth at 531-9233 or [email protected].
December 2009 and January 2010
Neighborhood Crime Prevention CouncilsLaurel/Redwood/Leona Heights Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council: Thursday,December 10, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Redwood Heights Recreation Center, 3883 Aliso Rd.
Maxwell Park Neighborhood Council joins Melrose Leadership Academy (MLA):Thursday, December 17, 5:15 to 8 p.m. 5328 Brann. Unity celebration and holidaypotluck at MLA. Families and children welcome.
Maxwell Park Neighborhood Council Meeting: Wednesday, January 13, 7 to 8:45p.m. Melrose Leadership Academy, 5328 Brann. Election of officers for 2010.
Laurel/Redwood/Leona Heights Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council: Thursday,January 14, 7 to 8:30 p.m., St. Lawrence O’Toole Church, 3725 High St.
Melrose-High Hopes NCPC: Thursday, January 21, 7 p.m., Horace Mann ElementarySchool, Congress and Ygnacio. No December meeting.
Jefferson NCPC Meeting: Wednesday, January 27, 6:30 p.m., Global Family Schoolcafeteria, 2035 40th Ave. Contact Ana Martinez 773-0469.
Dimond Library 3565 Fruitvale Ave. Information: 482-7844.
Family Storytimes: Tuesdays, December 1, 8, 15, and 22, January 5, 12, 19, and 26;7 p.m.
Lawyers in the Library: First Tuesday, December 1 and January 5, 6 to 8 p.m., sign-upfor lottery at 5:45 p.m. Free legal information. Call to confirm on the day of theprogram.
Spanish Conversation Group: First and Third Tuesday, December 1 and 15, January 5and 19, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Contact Sarah Hodgson 482-7844,[email protected]. Improve skills and learn new vocabulary. Be familiarwith the basics. Drop-ins welcome.
Storytime: Wednesdays, December 2, 9, 16, and 23; January 6, 13, 20, and 27;10:15 a.m. and 11 a.m., 10:15 a.m. for toddlers up to 2 years; 11 a.m. for ages 3to 5 years.
Teen Time: Thursdays, December 3, 10, and 17, January 7, 14, 21, and 28, 3:30 to 5p.m. Music, snacks, and board games. On December 3, kids 12 to 18 are welcometo participate in a soap-making workshop to create gifts for the holidays. No fee.Contact 238-3400.
Book Discussion Group: Tuesday, December 8 and January 12, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.Second Tuesday of each month. Call for current title. New members welcome.
Creative Memories Workshop: Friday, December 11, 3:30 to 5 p.m. Do you havestacks of photographs sitting around? At this free Creative Memories workshop, youcan work on a project, ask questions and pick up tips on taking better photos ororganizing and displaying your photos. Open to all ages. Contact: Sarah Hodgson482-7844, [email protected].
Montera Middle School Jazz Band: Saturday, December 12, 1 to 2 p.m. All ageswelcome.
Monthly Meeting of African Genealogical Society of Northern California: Saturday,December 21 (third Saturday), 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Beginners, intermediate, andseasoned genealogists welcome. Annual holiday and “Black Elephant” sale.
Melrose Library 4805 Foothill Blvd. Information: 535-5623.Tuesday, December 22 and January 26, 5:30 p.m. Join us the fourth Tuesday of eachmonth for spirited conversation about this month’s book. Call for current title. Newmembers welcome.
General CalendarJoin the Oakland Strokes Rowing Crew: Ongoing. Open to all high school students.Contact Phil Caruthers at [email protected] or 527-4595.
Body Ball Fitness Exercise Class (Aero-bo-cise): Mondays and Wednesdays, 6:15 to7:15 p.m. (ongoing), Redwood Heights Recreation Center, 3883 Aliso Ave. 482-7827. Ball required.
Fruitvale Presbyterian Church Senior Center: Wednesdays, December 5, 12, 19,January 9, 16, 23, and 30, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 2734 MacArthur Blvd. 530-0915.
Learn about Implementing Redistricting Reform: Wednesday, December 2, 6:30 to 8p.m., Lincoln Court, 2400 MacArthur Blvd. Proposition 11 (2008) created a commis-sion to establish new state legislative districts. Learn about the redistricting processand how you can be part of it. Sponsored by League of Women Voters of Oakland.
Volunteer with Friends of Sausal Creek: Saturdays, December 5, 12, 19, January 9,16, 30. Opportunities for nursery work days at Joaquin Miller Park Native PlantNursery, restoration work days at Sequoia Arena and in Dimond Park. ContactMegan at [email protected] for details.
Holidays at Dunsmuir: Saturdays and Sundays, December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, and 20,Dunsmuir Hellman House and Garden, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court. The mansion istransformed into a breathtaking holiday masterpiece. Dunsmuir-Hellman House andGarden located at 2960 Peralta Oaks Court.
I missed the big storm, hav-ing been out of town whenthe recent rains hit. I came
TheImperfectGardener
AdinaSara
back to a garden splatteredwith broken bamboo stalks,a few leaning dangerouslyclose to the heavy tomatovines. The towering treedahlia split at the base andwas now draped sloppilyover the brugmansia,threatening to crack itstender limbs.
Back in town from aweek away, I had lots ofcatching up to do bothinside and out, but news ofa friend’s illness stoppedme in my tracks. All thepaperwork and business ofmy day-to-day life becamesuddenly meaningless inthe face of the gravity of hernews.
I walked outside,grabbed the loppers, the
trowel, and wanderedaround the garden with nodirection in mind. A longbamboo stalk had fallen onthe deck. I started there,snapped it clean, and thenmoved on to the next. Itdidn’t matter which bamboostalk I cut. They were bend-ing every which way,ragged and weather-beaten.The sharp sound of eachsnip followed by the crashto the ground was strangelycomforting. I was at leastdoing something.
Dahlias were in a mixedstate of brilliant and moldy.I snipped dead flowers andappreciated that new oneswere still forming. And thenI noticed the first yellowmum formed beneath ablanket of dead leaves. Thenmore mums, the pale orangeand reds, starting to shootopen. Death and life teemingall around, I moved deadleaves aside and carefullytied the baby pea shootsonto the garden twinethat climbs the fence.
I could not help myfriend, but I could snip awayat twigs and finishedblooms. It was mindless andeasy and even necessary.Over in the vegetable beds,several ripe handfuls ofheirloom tomatoes lookedwaterlogged but still edible.The squash and cucumbersare long gone, but onemelon hung on for dear life.I don’t think it will ripen,but I’m not ready to pullit yet. The onions keepcoming. It was a great yearfor onions. And one lonepepper remains, hangingtough. Every little livingplant feels precious rightnow. I take the pepper in-side along with the tomatoesand feel grateful.
I had intended to writeabout rain barrels. I had in-tended to write about covercrops. But right now, whatstands out most about thegarden, regardless of theseason or condition, is theway it has of providing com-fort when nothing else can.
New Garden Web SiteCheck out the newgardener’s Web site.www.thegardengeek.com is
Rita Sklar’s Holiday Art Sale: Saturday, December 5, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., 3826Fruitvale Ave. Original art and prints. Refreshments. 531-1404 or go towww.ritasklar.com.
Open House/Sale: Saturday and Sunday, December 5 and 6, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.,3118 Madeline St. Ceramics, paintings, and photography by Toni Clark. 530-6834.
Dimond Winter Celebration: Sunday December 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Dimond ParkRecreation Center, 3860 Hanly Rd. Local musicians, a chance to buy holiday giftsfrom local artists and merchants, craftmaking for kids. Santa will be at the event. Formore info call Ruth 336-0105 or Michelle 482-7831.
Lucy Kinchen Chorale Christmas Concerts: Sunday, December 6, 4 p.m., St. Paul’sEpiscopal Church (across from Fairyland), 114 Montecito. Free. Also Sunday,December 13, 3 p.m. First Presbyterian Church (27th and Broadway). Free.
Winter Holiday Craft Fair at The Space: Saturday, December 12, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.,Laurel JuJitsu, 4148 MacArthur. Craftspeople and makers of original works intextiles, clay, glass, metal, wood, and mixed media will display their [email protected].
H1N1 Vaccination Clinic: Saturday, December 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., AllendaleRecreation Center, 3711 Suter St. The Alameda County Public Health Dept isproviding no-cost H1N1 vaccinations to uninsured residents at highest risk ofcomplications from exposure to H1N1 virus. Those include pregnant women, peoplewho live with or provide care for infants under 6 months old, children 6 months to 4years, and children 5 to 18 years with chronic medical conditions that put them atrisk for flu-related complications. Call to confirm as clinic depends on availablesupplies. 535-5635.
Oak Knoll Produce Market: Saturdays, December 12, January 9 and 23, 10 to 11a.m., St. Cuthbert’s Episcopal Church, 7932 Mountain Blvd.www.stcuthbertsoakland.org.
Lu Mien Exhibit: Saturday, December 12, 2 to 4 p.m., Peralta Hacienda HistoricalPark, 2465 34th Ave @ Hyde (off Coolidge), 532-9142. Sale of Mien handicrafts.Photos by Nina Egert. See Acorn Squashes article, p. 9.
Gingerbread House Family Fun: Saturday, December 19, 1 to 3 p.m., AllendaleRecreation Center, 3711 Suter Street. Celebrate the season with family bonding andgingerbread fun. $5 drop-in fee for families, as well as a two-bag candy donation.Early registration encouraged. Sign up at www.oaklandnet.com/parks or call535-5635 for more information.
Teens on the Holiday Express: Holiday Express I: Monday to Wednesday, December21, 22, 23, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Holiday Express II: Monday to Wednesday,December 28, 29, 30, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Allendale Recreation Center, 3711Suter Street. Jump on the Holiday Express as we take your teen on a day full ofholiday fun. We will explore San Francisco, skate on ice, indulge at Fenton’s, bowl inAlameda, and much more. Express Camps are $60 each, with breakfast included.Participants will need to pay field-trip cost and provide their own lunch. Open for kids10 to 14 years old. Sign up at www.oaklandnet.com/parks or call AllendaleRecreation Center 535-5635 for more information.
Winter Solstice Celebration: Monday, December 21, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Fruitvale Presby-terian Church, 2735 MacArthur Blvd. Celebrate the longest night of the year withreflective music, meditation, and by walking a labyrinth made of light. Come for anyamount of time.
Christmas Eve Celebration: Thursday, December 24, 5 p.m., Fruitvale PresbyterianChurch, 2735 MacArthur Blvd. Join us to celebrate the joy of Christmas. Our worshipis kid-friendly and youth-driven, filled with song, ritual, and an impromptu pageant.Bring a friend, stay for refreshments, and get to know your community in a new way.
Skyline Idol: Thursday, January 28, 6 p.m., Skyline High School, 12250 SkylineBlvd. Student talent show with an “American Idol” format. Tickets: $5 general,[email protected].
Oral History Workshop: Saturday, January 30, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mills College, 5000MacArthur Blvd. One-day workshop will introduce methods of oral history. Designedfor beginners, as well as those who would like a “refresher course.” Registration orinformation, Nancy MacKay, [email protected], 430-2028. Enrollment opens Janu-ary 4.
Certified Local Green Building Professional
Low CostInspection-Consultation
continued on page 11
Alpha of AllendaleC O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1 2
December 2009/January 2010
11
$1000 and aboveMary Morris Lawrence Trust
Special acknowledgment for thegenerous gift of $2,000
$150 and aboveGary D. Yee & Caroline C. Yee
Reuben Goldberg &Eileen Carlin-Goldberg
Renais Winter & Doug StoneNancy Sidebotham
Janet S. & John A. BroughtonBart Wright
Ignacio De La Fuente
$50 up to $150Susan & Ted Tanisawa
Jeff Green & Pat DombrinkHal & Lori Wine
Nancy Erb & Dick KolbertPaula Kimbro
E. Elizabeth SummersBenjamin Visnick
Fred RussilloMichael Wirgler & Nancy Taylor
Sarah A. FinneganLesley & Gloria Wilmer
Roussel SargentMadeline Smith Moore
Constance PfeilToni Locke
Sheila D’AmicoJohn R. Elk and Claude M. Elk
Joan Dark & Cliff FalloonAmerican Legion, East Oakland
Post 471, Robert Cacy, Adjt.Margaret M. O’Halloran & Chris Lute
M.A. DrellingBeverly JamesDavid J. PittaRuth Malone
C. A. Peddle & Pamela Magnuson-PeddleFelicity Buxton
Will & Riba EdwardsLaurie UmehMerry Luskin
John & Jo-Ann Maggiora DonivanAdelle & Jack Foley
Deborah Cooper & Kenneth ShawDiane Tebault
Douglas FergusonLois JohnsonLawrence J. &
Margaret O. Bowerman
The Metro acknowledges contributions of $50 or more by listing your name orbusiness as a Money Honey for 10 issues. You keep our paper alive and well.
MONEY HONEYS
$50 up to $150 (continued)
Val and Mel JonesKimiko and Yoshi Wong
in Memory of Katie,Oakland Veterinary Hospital
Sharon TothSusan Audap-Page
Susanne Lea & Russ BrunoLydia Palmin & Tom DaleyAna Rauch & John Torpey
Helen J. & William R. Shyvers. Jr.Laurie Spry
Jane L. StallmanKimiko & Yoshi Wong/Komodo Toys
Nancy MeyerKeith CarsonDenise DavilaJohn Frando
Laurel HardwareSharon & George Higgins
Victoria D. WakeShoshana & Dave FinacomPhil Wong & Lisa Lemus
Andrew Cohn &Christine Dell-Cohn
William A. & Nancy Scott-InceMarcia Henry & Gary Delgado
Millicent Morris ChaneyScott H. & Stella Roda Lamb
Bonnie R. HenriquezRichard B. & Joanna Roberts
Scheberies, IncJeff Liu & Hung KelleyDal & Virginia Sellman
Karen M. SchroederVee & Ashley Thomsak
Mark A. BaldwinHoang Le Banh
Adina SaraElizabeth CallawayVito & Katy Vanoni
Maya J. SinclairWilliam Milny
Mary V. & Anna L. SeastrandPatricia & Jim Quinn
Virginia S. & Wade SherwoodKathleen RolinsonEugene Crenshaw
Richard C. & Kathleen CowanJoanna & Richard RobertsSusan & William Bagnell
Tanya M JoyceBarbara Ritz
An update toOakland’s Residential andCommercial zoning regula-tions is in the works. Thegoal of the update is to reflectexisting zoning and land useand to assure that zoningconforms to the city’s Gen-eral Plan adopted in 1998.If you missed the informa-tional meetings held earlierthis year and want to learnmore, a community work-shop will be held in March2010. Meanwhile, you canreview proposals, maps,and history on the city’sWeb site. When completed,the update will affect theentire city, including buildingheights. If you are concernedabout the future look ofyour neighborhood andyour city, the time to pay at-tention is now. For info, go
to www.oaklandnet.com/zoningupdate.
The new ministerof Fruitvale PresbyterianChurch (FVPC), Abby KingKaiser, is adapting to hernew church. We welcomeher to the community andtrust she’ll find the peopleof the Dimond neighborhoodand the whole of Oaklanddynamic, concerned, active,and interesting.
FVPC’s former minis-ter, Monte McClain, wasinvolved with neighborhoodactivities, including themonthly Peace Vigils. Itlooks as though he is follow-ing that same path in his newcalling in Poissy, just outsideof Paris. Here’s an excerptfrom his Veterans Day blog.Monte says, “I spoke thismorning in the town ofVernouillet at an interreli-gious ceremony commemo-rating November 11, officialend of WWI. The theme of‘solidarity for peace’—quitea French theme and experi-ence, and one that has beenpoignant for today. It beganwith the moderator introduc-ing me as the newbie and anAmerican. He began crying,expressing his gratitude forthe Americans who cameand died in Europe twicein 30 years for freedom.Moving and unexpected.”
Laurel District resi-dent Lauren Zaira is a mem-ber of the Sierra Club, one ofabout 30 local organizationsinvolved in the Oakland
Sheila D’Amico
Climate Action Coalitionworking for an equitableand just Energy & ClimateAction Plan for Oakland. InJuly 2009, Oakland adopteda plan with one of the stron-gest goals in the country forreducing greenhouse gases,with targeted reductions of36 percent below 2005 levelsby 2020, a decrease of about5 percent per year. The city’sPublic Works Departmentis expected to produce adraft climate plan by early2010. Lauren says the Coali-tion is doing its best to en-gage everyone in Oaklandto get involved and in-formed. Find out moreat sites.google.com/site/oaklandclimateaction/ecap-news.
Thank you, readers,writers, photographers,production staff, distributors,advertisers, and donors. TheMetro is a community effort,and we wouldn’t be able todo it without you. Specialthanks to Money Honeysand Friends who are answer-ing our call for support inthese financially difficulttimes. If you plan to sendin a contribution, please doit now. Also, whether or notyou make a contribution tothe Metro, please considerdonating to some local orga-nization, the Alameda FoodBank, the Mayor’s toy drive,A Safe Place (domestic vio-lence shelter), a local church,or other nonprofit. Mean-while, best wishes for joyand peace and community.See you in February.
really need their pets to bethere and support them, butthey don’t have the energyto spend an hour exercisingthem.” For one elderly client,having a trustworthy walkerallows her to keep her dog.
Since many people arenot literate in reading thedog’s signals, Molly empha-sizes how critical it is to useprofessionals for pet care.She and all of her associatestrained at a dog-walking acad-emy and learned pet CPR andfirst aid. Unemployment hassparked many untrainedpeople to offer dog-walkingservices, and Molly frequentlyhears of disastrous results.“Pack management is crucial.”
For vacationing pet ownerswho miss their pets, Mollyposts photos and videos dailyon Flickr. If you’d like to learnmore about Molly and DoggyLama’s services, check outdoggylamapetcare.com.
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a community-created spacewhere you can post yourprojects and photographs,ask questions, and findfellowship with other gar-deners. The Garden Geek isa great local resource for allthings gardening.
Imperfect GardenBook Available
The Imperfect Garden—aMemoir, expanding on thethemes of The Imperfect Gar-dener column, is availableat the Laurel Book Store.
Imperfect GardenC O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1 0
12December 2009/January 2010
ver try to disengage apassel of pups withtangled leashes and snarl-
ing snouts? Then you need thehelp of Molly Kenefick, anAllendale resident and ownerof the award-winning DoggyLama Pet Care, providing ca-nine boarding and daily dogwalking. Born in Massachu-setts, Molly was the neighbor-hood kid who took care ofeveryone’s pets—“I couldn’thave my own because my dadwas allergic, and so I grew upwith a little turtle.” ThoughMolly loved her turtle, shewanted “a furry friend.”
After graduating from Sa-rah Lawrence with a degree inliberal arts, Molly worked on
The Alpha of Allendale—a Rompwith Top Dog, Molly Kenefick
Wall Street in advertising andeven had her own publishingpress. “That was where I gotmy business experience.” Shehoned her business skills learn-ing about insurance, licensing,and bonding when she workedwith a business partner in herfirst dog-walking venture.About 11 years ago, she startedDoggy Lama Pet care and nowemploys a staff of about ten.
When I joined Molly andthree canine friends for a hikein Redwood Park, I discoveredhow complex the business ofdog walking is. Noted for herhigh-tech savvy, Molly hasprospective clients fill out athree-page questionnaire onher Web site, and then does atelephone screening. She meetsclients in their homes to go
over the questionnaire withthem.
She carefully integratesnew dogs into the pack—“I gowith the walker to the dog’shome for the first walk andtransport the dog to the trail,and I meet the walker, and thedogs all meet on neutral terri-tory so I’m not putting a newdog in the back of the truckthat the other dogs see as theirtruck.” When the dogs hiketogether, they get used to eachother, smell things together,have parallel experiences. Ifa dog is a prospective boarderand supposedly “good withcats,” Molly will bring theleashed canine into her homefirst to see if her dog-savvyfelines approve.
Molly points out that a lotof people get into pet care be-cause “they don’t like workingwith people.” But “it’s verydifficult to have a successfulbusiness if you don’t enjoypeople.” While Molly is “crazyabout hiking and spendingtime with dogs,” she valuesequally the relationship shehas with their families. Withthe ailing economy, those whodo have jobs work so hardthat when they get home “they
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Acme Music!• We’ve been cleaning house, adding
more lessons, more repair service andmore inventory in time for the holidays.
• Lessons for all ages, all levels.• Gift certificates available.• Gift Packages available.• Lessons include: piano, guitar, bass,
violin, viola, drums, vibes, harmonica,recorder, trumpet, flute and more.
Shop Local!• Acme, a small, independently owned
business, is celebrating 38 years inthe Laurel District.
• Jay Rose, now 84, started thebusiness out of a love for music andpeople and he’s still serving thecommunity—come in just to say “Hi!”or to talk Jazz.
• If we don’t have it in stock, we’llcustom order for you.
• Art Gallery featuring local artists.
Go Green!• Re-gift yourself...have your broken
audio equipment (amps, micro-phones, keyboards, stereos, etc.)repaired by David, our new experttechnician.
• Have the broken string on yourguitar replaced.
• Give a skill rather than a toy withmusic lessons.
Give the Gift of Music This Season
ACME MUSICLessons, Instruments, Accessories,Sheet Music and Books, AudioEquipment Repair, Sound Design.
Hours: Saturday 10am-5pm,Monday -Friday 10am-7pmAdditional store improvements,services, inventory, events andmore coming soon!!
3715 MacArthur Boulevard, Oakland 510.530.7234www.acmehouseofmusic.com
