Ignacio Kicks off Work Day at Manzanita Recreation Center |
Council President De La Fuente's
District 5 Connection
Fruitvale Glenview San Antonio Tidewater
Jingletown
Issue #13 March 2008
District 5
News
For
more information, contact Claudia Jimenez at 238-7051/cjimenez@oaklandnet.com
JOIN US AT THE NEW MANZANITA REC
CENTER! On February 29, thanks to a phenomenal contribution
from T-Mobile and City-Year, Manzanita Rec Center received much needed improvements. This
facility is home to senior programs, a head start program and many other classes. The improvements include new paint, floors, benches, plants and
more. The District 5 office is will contribute to desperately needed kitchen improvements with our discretionary funds. We will be presenting
ceremonial resolutions to T-Mobile, City-Year and the Black Firefighters for their contributions at the April 8th City Council
meeting.
Join us tomorrow, March 15, to celebrate the newly remodeled Manzanita Recreation Center and help finish up some additional improvement projects. We will have an Open
House and Safety Fair sponsored by Parks & Rec, Manzanita 18Y & Sausal Creek 21 NCPC’s, and the District 5 office. Our office will also be
giving out 100 energy-efficient light bulbs from PG&E. There will be informational booths, a “Jumper”, free child defense trainings,
free fingerprinting for kids, food, music, and prizes.
What: “Eyes on Manzanita” Open House and Work Day
Date: Saturday,
March 15, 2008 10am-2pm
Manzanita
Rec. Center - 2701 22nd Ave.
GIVE YOUR INPUT ABOUT REDEVELOPING THE CENTRAL CITY EAST AREA: The City of Oakland’s Community and Economic Development Agency (CEDA),
Redevelopment Division is seeking input from all invested residents and community members of the Central City East (CCE) Redevelopment Area regarding
the renewal of it’s 5 year implementation plan. CCE Staff is specifically looking for input from the Fruitvale/San Antonio community about
their area. The 5 year implementation plan describes the redevelopment division’s goals and objectives to reduce blight. The meeting is
on Saturday, March 15th at 10:00 am at the Unity Council, located at 1900 Fruitvale
Ave.
“BULB OUTS” ON PARK BLVD:
As you may have noticed, there are “bulb outs”
being installed on Park Blvd. at
Everett and El Centro. These were planned long ago with the
Glenview Traffic Safety committee. Bulb outs help with pedestrian safety by increasing the visibility of pedestrians and also reducing the distance
they need to cross the street. Thank you to the Glenview leaders committed to working with the City to improve walkability in the neighborhood. |
Oakland Housing Authority Building at 3500 Bruce |
3500 BRUCE STREET (@ MacArthur/Beaumont) – OHA RENOVATION: As you may have seen, the Oakland Housing Authority has begun to work on 3500 Bruce Street, a
three story apartment building with eight 3-bedroom units. OHA has recently contracted with Romkon Inc., a general contractor for the comprehensive
rehabilitation of this property. The budget is $1,275,000 and the work will take about nine months (until September of 2008) to complete. The scope
of work includes site flat concrete work, roof and stairway replacement, exterior window and exterior door replacement and repainting, interior
doors, cabinets, floor and wall (sheetrock) replacement and repainting, and electrical and plumbing upgrades. The site will also have two accessible
units for the disabled as well as new insulation and double pane windows to provide for energy efficiency. The OHA project manager is Boris
Nemirovskiy at 510-535-3153.
23rd AVE. STREETSCAPE UPDATE: The Redevelopment Agency is funding a new streetscape for 23rd Ave from Foothill to E. 12th Street.
After some delays, the project is moving forward with the following timeline. See the planned 23rd Ave Streetscape Improvements.
April 8 ’08
– finalize 35% plans
July 29 ’08
– submit 65% plans
Oct 8 ’08
– submit 95% plans
Dec 18 ’08
– submit 100% plans
Mar 23 ’09
– bid opening
May 12 ’09
– begin contract award process
Aug 11 ’09
– March 30 ‘10
– construction!
TREE PRUNING CONTRACTS IN DISTRICT
5: The City has announced eight tree pruning
contracts to trim trees beyond the capability of Tree Services Division staff. District 5’s contract will proceed on March 15th and
should be completed by April 20th. For more information, visit the website
for the Oakland Department of Public Works.
OAKLAND SIDEWALK REPAIR PROGRAM: To reduce damaged
sidewalks and improve sidewalk access, the city of Oakland has inventoried over 1,100 sidewalk miles or sidewalk for planning and improving public right-of-way. A resolution
authorizing an award of construction contract for sidewalk repair in District 5 will be discussed in the city’s public works committee. View
this resolution here. |
New Traffic Signal at Santa Rita and High Street |
Public
Safety
For
more information, contact Claudia Jimenez at 238-7051/cjimenez@oaklandnet.com
FRUITVALE SAFETY PROJECT A SUCCESS:
On Tuesday March 18, we will be conducting the final Fruitvale
Safety Project meeting. The results have been great! It is clear from this project that we can do
something about public safety when we put a variety of City resources together in one place, get people talking to each other, and do regular
check-ins. We’ll be sending out a summary of the Fruitvale Safety Project accomplishments next week.
CRIMESTOPPERS GRANT: Silence Doesn’t Stop Violence - Council President De La Fuente has authorized a $10,000 contribution from his Priority Project Fund to the
Oakland Police Departments Crimestoppers’ Fund. This fund is used to pay the rewards for information leading to
the arrest in serious (mostly homicide) crimes in Oakland. If you read the Tribune or Chronicle, you see in the final paragraph of crime stories the information
about Crimestoppers. Generally the incentive is $5,000. Unfortunately, some communities in Oakland discourage citizens from assisting police in investigations. In fact, many crimes go unreported because
victims do not want to draw attention to themselves. Oakland Police Lt. Ersie Joiner from the Crimestoppers Board had
this to say: “Last year we got 65 tips and paid out over $54,000
dollars. (Rewards are only paid out when an arrest results.) Crimestoppers has been around for over 10
years, but the last year it was fully funded, and more importantly, supported. I am really proud of where we are with this
program. A special thanks to President De La Fuente and the other members of Council for their support. This is
just one of many tools employed by the Department, but it has been a damn good one for us here in Homicide.”
WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH MEASURE Y?
At the March 4th City council meeting, the City
Council approved a $7.7 million spending package for Measure Y for accelerated recruitment of police. This is only one strategy towards reducing
crime but an important one. The City Council made some slight modifications to the Mayor’s proposal based on past experience, including
increasing funding for bonuses for lateral transfers from other agencies (already trained officers) and less money for advertising. Oakland’s challenge has not been in
attracting applicants, it has been in getting those applicants through the rigorous process to be an Oakland Police officer. Some officers hired
through these efforts might not end up as “Measure Y” community policing officers. For example, they may end up on patrol. In this
case, the General Fund will pay for these officers.
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Ignacio and Students Kick off the Glenview Elementary Read-a-Thon |
Announcements and
News
IF YOU ARE A YOUNG PERSON LIVING IN DISTRICT
5: Now is the time for you to make a difference! The City of Oakland seeks energetic, community-oriented youth members for the Planning and Oversight Committee of the
Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY). This important Committee decides how to allocate 2.5% of unrestricted General Fund revenues to support
Oakland’s children and
youth. Youth members must attend monthly meetings the 1st and/or 3rd Wednesday of each month, 6:00 p.m. to 9 p.m., and approximately another 10 special meetings per year.
Scholarships are offered for participants. Youth must be residents of Oakland’s District 5 and must be 14-20 years old. For more information
contact: Jasmine Dawson at (510) 238-2209 or the District 5 Office at 238-7005. More on OFCY.
GLENVIEW ELEMENTARY READ-A-THON: Glenview Elementary School is proud to announce the kick-off of their 10th Annual
Read-a-Thon on March 17th - April 4th. For the last decade Glenview Elementary students have been reading and raising money every
spring to support their school library and academic programs for students. This year the school hopes to raise $20,000 to support
library services, purchase books for students, provide scholarships for after-school programs, and fund the annual science fair.
With the generous support of City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente, as
well as Glenview businesses such as
Savemore, Femi Macus, Ultimate Grounds, Glenview Lock and Key, and Glenview-based realtor Christian Downer, the fundraiser got off to a strong
start. To make a tax-deductible contribution, please visit The
Glenview PTA's Website or mail a check payable to the Glenview PTA to Glenview Elementary 4215 La Cresta Avenue, Oakland CA 94602. We are asking for all donations by April 11,
2008. For more information, please contact Paula Larsen Moore at paula@coolwater.org.
"JINGLETOWN JUNCTION” ART EXHIBIT OPENS AT PRO ARTS
GALLERY –
"Ten Oakland artists reflect on living and working in an artists’
neighborhood: Sandwiched between the 880 freeway and the Oakland
Estuary lies a diverse neighborhood with a storied past known as Jingletown Junction. Once a gritty industrial zone that bustled
with the activity of canneries, the area is now a rough-hewn gem of light manufacturing, small businesses, and residential and working artist
studios."
Pro Arts Gallery in downtown Oakland, home of the East Bay Open Studios, is the proud presenter of
the group show “Jingletown Junction,” exhibited on March 18 through April 25. The work includes painting, metal
sculpture, photography, furniture and mosaics. An opening reception with music by Cathi Walkup’s Double Trio is planned from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, March 20. The artists will
present a gallery talk from 1-3 p.m.
on Saturday, April 5.
OAKLAND’S 2008 MOTHER OF THE YEAR AWARD: The
City of Oakland’s Office of Parks and Recreation is pleased to announce its annual city-wide search for candidates for Oakland’s 2008 Mother of the Year
Award. Nominations are being sought from all types of organizations that may know of an individual who shows an exceptional spirit
of volunteerism, deserving of this coveted award. The honoree will be recognized at the 55th Annual Oakland Mother of the Year Award Program, which
is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m.
on Saturday, May 10, 2008 at the
Morcom Rose Garden, located at 700 Jean Street. Nominations are due on Friday, April 4, no later than 4:30 p.m. Nomination forms and award criteria can be accessed online at
www.oaklandnet.com/parks. Contact Marguerite
Hinrichs at (510) 238-2082 or mhinrichs@oaklandnet.com for more information.
SECOND SATURDAYS AT PERALTA
HACIENDA: This Spring, District 5’s Peralta Hacienda historical park will be offering fun community events as part of their newly re-named
Second Saturdays @ Peralta Hacienda monthly event series (formerly called Family Fun Days). Some of the scheduled events include the
Native/Spanish Contact Commemorative Event, International Day for Telling Life Stories, Earth Day, and Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour.
For times and dates, please visit http://www.peraltahacienda.org/ or call (510) 532-9142
GLENVIEW SCHOOL’S GREEN INITIATIVES FEATURED IN THE OAKLAND TRIBUNE:
When a Glenview Elementary School mom started asking questions
about the school's trash collection, she learned it could drastically reduce its bill — and its environmental impact — by composting
organic waste. The school has since launched a new composting program that has made strides toward both reducing the school’s waste bill and
educating children about being environmentally conscious. Glenview Elementary now has hopes of other schools following suit. Check out the article at
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/ci_8377102
BIKE TO WORK ESSAY CONTEST! CALLING ALL 5TH GRADERS! District 5 is
having the 2nd annual essay contest during the month of April to celebrate Oakland bicycling month and share the importance of writing and
riding. The topic is:
"How does riding a bike improve your life an your
community?"
First place wins a new bike with helmet and lock. Second
and third places win A's tickets. Essays are due April 30 and prizes will be awarded
on Bike to Work Day (May 15). Essays should be 500 words or less and the winner must live in Oakland's Council District 5 or go to school
in District 5.
CALIFORNIA TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION RECCOMMENDS FUNDING FOR I-880 FROM 23rd TO 29th AVE: On March 10th, California
Transportation Commission staff released recommendations for the trade corridors component of the transportation bond approved by California voters in November 2006. Included in
this recommendation is $73 million for improvements on I-880 in Oakland at 23rd and 29th Avenues. This high-traffic section of freeway is the sight of
frequent accidents and bottlenecks. The improvements aim to reduce congestion, increase safety, and improve the operation of the freeway. For more
information, contact Pat Mossburg at 510-238-7573.
City Hall
Update
For more information contact Ratna Amin
ARTISTS LIVING IN INDUSTRIAL AREAS:
The City Council is looking at new zoning codes for Industrial
Areas. One of the difficult issues that go with these decisions is how to accommodate the working and living spaces of artists. Many artists already
live in industrial areas (both legally and illegally), including many in District 5. As a City that values artists, we must offer the artists better
situated in industrial areas a legal way to remain in those places. And of course, such decisions must be compatible with other Industrial uses that
we are trying to support. This discussion will be coming back to the Community and Economic Development Committee on April 8th. See the proposed zoning codes.
KEEPING JOBS IN DISTRICT 5 AND
OAKLAND: On March
4th, the City Council voted on Industrial Land Use Policy. The overall goal was to preserve and attract new jobs, such as clean tech or
biotech. The Council voted to transition one specific area, from High Street to 53rd Ave, from the Estuary to Tidewater Avenue, to “Housing
and Business Mix”. This use will be more compatible with District 5’s beautiful waterfront and Bay Trail as well as Measure DD
improvements already underway. In all Industrial areas, proposed changes in land use will now have to meet specific criteria. The criteria are
currently being developed by planning staff and will be presented to the council within 2 months. |
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DISTRICT
FIVE JEWEL: East Bay Dance Center
Become a Mover and a Shaker at
East Bay Dance
Center! Have you ever been at home
watching “So you think you can dance?” and thought you could do better? Well, get up off that couch and head to the “Best Dance
Studio in the East Bay (Oakland Tribune 2003);” East Bay Dance Center (EBDC) in Glenview. This studio right off of Park Boulevard offers both adult
classes as well as after-school programs and camps for children, thus ensuring that you and your kids will be out-dancing those guys on “So
you think you can dance?” in no time. More importantly, however, East Bay Dance Center brings a variety of performing
opportunities to the Glenview community.
The East Bay Dance Center was established in 1990 by
Bonnie Sita to offer dance in its many forms to all ages and levels. Whether it is through jazz, ballet, tap, hip-hop, or acrobatics/tumbling, EBDC
has since been a destination for exercise and physical well being for adults in District 5. For children, however, dancing at EBDC offers more than
just physical fitness; it offers them the ability to develop their talents as well as the confidence that comes with it. Moreover, EBDC’s
after-school programs and dance camps offer vital extracurricular activities that keep kids off the street.
EBDC also has three performing companies offering
pre-professional and professional training: Move Dance Theatre (MDT), MDT II (ages 12-17), and MDT III (ages 8-12), one of which (MTD) received a
Mayoral Proclamation for their artistic contributions to the City of Oakland (1994). In the coming months, EBDC will also be hosting a
monthly dance party for adults of all ages called “Take the Floor.” This party features salsa, swing, tango, disco, hip-hop and
free-style, and will meet on the second Saturday of each month. EBDC’s success and service in providing a fun, clean, and safe environment to
learn to dance thus makes EBDC an asset for both Glenview and the larger District 5 community.
East Bay Dance Center is located at 1318 Glenfield
Ave. For more information, call 510-336-3262 or visit
http://www.eastbaydancecenter.org/
Important City of
Oakland Contact
Numbers
[Edited Since October:]
Police
Emergency 911
(Crime in progress or about to happen)
Police Emergency from a Cell
Phone
777-3211
Police Non
Emergency
777-3333
Graffiti Removal (Public Works
Hotline)
615-5566
Street Maintenance (Public Works
Hotline)
615-5566
To start a Home Alert Neighborhood Watch
Call 238-3091
To anonymously report drug activity
(voicemail) 238-DRUG
To report Street Light outage
or flickering lights 615-5430
Concerns about Home
Foreclosure
BE-ALERT
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