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Dear Neighbors,
In addition to the District 2 E-News, if you would like more information on citywide events and announcements, you can click here for the City website for a list of events and here for the City Administrator's newsletter.
You may also be interested in clicking here for the Visit Oakland website for upcoming events and things to do in Oakland!


District 2 Councilmember
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APRIL & MAY EVENTS |
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Friday, April 20: Family Bridges' Annual Health Fair - Pacific Renaissance Plaza - 388 9th Street - 9:30 am to 12:00 pm
Representatives from programs all over the Bay Area will be at this year's Family Bridges Health Fair to introduce their latest programs to the community. Representatives include Asian Health Services, The City of Oakland's Department of Human Services, Council District 2, Alameda County, the CA Telephone ACCESS Programs, Rebuilding Together, Hong Lok Senior Center and more!
Saturday, April 21: 2012 Oakland Earth Day - 9:00 am to Noon
Rain or shine, join thousands of Oaklanders who will "clean it, green it and mean it" at various locations throughout the City to make Oakland a better place to live.
For more information, see www.oaklandearthday.org.
Here are a few Earth Day spots:
- Morcom Rose Garden, weeding, 700 Jean Street, west of Grand Ave
- Gardens at Lake Merritt, cut/clean/planting, gardens are located next to Garden Center, 666 Bellevue in Lakeside Park
- Rotary Nature Center, 600 Bellevue in Lakeside Park
- Lincoln Square, clean-up of park and surrounding neighborhood Clean-up, 250 10th St
- FM Smith Park, clean up at park, 1969 Park Blvd at Newton Ave
- San Antonio Park, clean up at park, 17th Ave at Foothill Blvd
- 23rd Avenue, neighborhood clean-up, 23rd Ave at E 22nd Street
If you have questions about the event, please contact the Earth Day Coordinator by calling 510.238.7611 or emailing oaklandadoptaspot@oaklandnet.com.
For more information, go to
http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/PWA/o/FE/s/ID/OAK026214
Sunday, April 22: Earth Day Sunday at Splash Pad Park - Lake Park Avenue at Grand Avenue - 9:00 am to 12:00 noon
Come help restore Splash Pad Park as a green and colorful oasis. While the rest of Oakland is celebrating Earth Day on April 21, the Splash Pad/Farmers Market Advisory Group and Grand Lake Improvement and Beautification Committee are organizing a clean-up of the park, with support from the City and the Grand Lake Farmers Market.
Plans include extensive weeding, some pruning and the addition of quantities of California native plants along with some soil additives. If you can volunteer on the 22nd, please email info@splashpad.org so organizers will know how many tools and refreshments to have on hand.
Monday, April 23: Meet and Mingle, Women of Color Business Owners and Entrepreneurs - Halmoni Vintage - 1601 2nd Ave. - 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Halmoni, a vintage boutique in the East Lake, is hosting a meet and mingle to build bridges among women of color business owners/entrepreneurs. All women of color business owners/entrepreneurs and their friends and family are welcome to network, give support, meet people, and share experiences in this women only atmosphere.
Light refreshments and giveaways will be given so bring your business cards for trading and to put in the giveaway jar!
Visit the Facebook site at:
Tuesday, April 24: City Council's Public Safety Committee to Consider OPD's Crime Reduction Strategic Plan - Oakland City Hall, City Council Chambers, 5:30 pm
Here is an opportunity to learn about the Police Department's approach to reducing crime citywide. The City Council has asked the Chief to make a formal report on OPD's Crime Reduction Strategic Plan. The Chief will give his report to the Public Safety Committee meeting. The report will include the "100 blocks" strategy.
I encourage everyone to watch it on TV or attend in person. The Committee members will ask questions and discuss, and members of the public who are present can also sign up to make comments.
The meeting will be televised on KTOP, Cable Channel 10, starting at 5:30 pm. You can also watch it on streaming video on your computer from www.oaklandnet.com (scroll down on the home page to City Council to find the link.)
The Chief's written report is now available online at the City website, www.oaklandnet.com. On the home page, scroll down to the City Council section, click on "Meetings and Agendas", which will take you to the meetings calendar. Scroll down to the 4/24/2012 Public Safety Committee and click "Agenda". Then find Item 4, "Crime Reduction Strategic Plan', and click on the blue File number for the written report. The main report is 20 pages long followed by about 80 pages of attachments.
Wednesday, April 25: AC Transit's Board of Directors holding public hearings on certifying the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) and adopting a Locally Preferred Alternative for the East Bay Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project - AC Transit General Offices, 1600 Franklin Street - 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm & 5:00 pm to at least 6:30 pm (same public hearing, two different times)
The proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project is designed to significantly improve the speed, reliability, and quality of bus service in the Berkeley-Oakland-San Leandro corridor along Telegraph Ave, Broadway, International Blvd., and East 14th St, combining the best features of rail with the flexibility and cost advantages of bus transit.
The two alternatives studied in the FEIR are:
* 14.4-mile BRT line connecting Berkeley, Oakland, and San Leandro, terminating in the north near the Berkeley BART station and in the south at the San Leandro BART station.
* 9.5-mile BRT line connecting Oakland and San Leandro, terminating in the north at the Uptown Transit Center at 20th St & Broadway and in the south at the San Leandro BART station.
For more details on the FEIR, the BRT project, and how to make comments before or at the public hearing, see the full article on the AC Transit Web site, www.actransit.org.
Satuday, April 28: Edna Brewer Middle School's First-ever Silent Auction - Uptown Body and Fender - 3748 13th Ave - 6:00 pm to 10 pm
Edna Brewer Middle School is hosting a fantastic evening in the community for adults! Tickets are $20 if purchased before April 1, and $30 after and at the door. You can purchase your tickets online here and pick them up at the door when you receive your bidder number. There will be lots of great items for the silent Auction. The event will include food and live music. If you have any questions, email Lisa Young Lyoung@Advent.com.
Saturday, April 28: CORE's Annual Preparedness Exericse - 9:00 am to 12:00 pm - Various Locations
CORE (Communities of Oakland Respond to Emergencies) will be having their Annual Preparedness Exercise on Saturday, April 28. The program runs citywide to help train community members learn how to take care of their neighborhoods for the first 72 hours or longer after a disaster or emergency has occurred. It is a free program for anyone who is interested in signing up or whoever is interested in helping form a CORE group in their neighborhood. You can contact CORE at 510.238.6351 or core@oaklandnet.com to participate. If you are interested, you may also sign up by clicking here.

On April 28, the Cantonese CORE Exercise group will be meeting at Madison Park - 9th Street and Madison Street in Chinatown- from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

For opportunities for CORE Training this summer, read below:
Click here for the Spring Schedule and Summer Schedule.
You can also check out the CORE Boot Camp Summer 2012 below:
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...COMING IN MAY
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Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May
Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC). Artists and organization partners include Patrick Landeza and the Ho'olupa Hawaiian Culture Foundation, Jay Loyola and the American Center of Philippine Arts, Aimee Suzara, WaSung Community Service Club, Thy Tran of Wandering Spoon, AYPAL and more.
Click here for the OACC event calendar.
Wednesday, May 2: Planning Commission considers proposed Lakeview Dog Play Area - Oakland City Hall, Sgt Mark Dunakin Hearing Room One, 6:00 pm
The proposed dog park is now scheduled for hearing at the Planning Commission on Wednesday, May 2 at 6:00 pm. The CUP would allow a fenced dog play area to be located in the grass field near the intersection of Lake Shore Ave and MacArthur Blvd.
The CUP is the last step in obtaining all necessary approvals for the dog play area. We expect large numbers of people on both sides of the issue to attend the Planning Commission meeting and speak. My office will submit copies of all the email we have received on the topic, pro and con, over the past 18 months, prior to the Commission hearing. There is no need to write us again if you have already written. If you haven't written previously, please address your email comments to planner Ann Clevenger at aclevenger@oaklandnet.com.
A note on the recent procedural history: In December 2010 the Lakeview Dog Play Area proposal received design review approval from the Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission (PRAC). In July 2011 PRAC was asked to recommend approval of the dog play area CUP application to the Planning Commission, but the PRAC vote resulted in a tie and no recommendation was made to the Planning Commission. It's now up to the Planning Commission to make a final determination on this proposal, which has been very long in the making.
If the Planning Commission's decision were to be appealed, the Council would serve as the appeals body. Absent an appeal, the decision of the Planning Commission will be final.
For background, go to last month's E-News Article here. A staff report will be available by 3:00 pm on Friday April 27 here and clicking on Item 3 under Staff Reports at the May 2 Planning Commission date.
Wednesday, May 2: Friends of Oakland Parks & Recreation's 9th Annual Taste of Spring - Rotunda Building, 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm
The annual event to raise money for Oakland's community parks and recreation centers is a lot of fun. There are very tasty hors d'ouevres and wine and this year you can swing away the evening with Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers. The Friends will honor former Friends president, Howard Neal, for his contributions to Oakland's communities and will present a posthumous award to the Raiders' Al Davis and honor former Friends president, Howard Neal, for his contributions to Oakland's communities.
Proceeds will help Friends support more than 70 community nonprofits and capital projects - cool things like building a football field in an underserved East Oakland community or planting 500+ trees in West Oakland. And Friends' Youth Scholarship Program helps children from all across Oakland attend summer camp to learn to sail and swim, play tennis, soccer and t-ball, and enroll in art classes.
Tickets are on sale now at a pre-event reduced rate. Purchase tickets now here for $65 (members) or $75 (non-members).
Friday, May 4, June 1 and July 6: NEW! Jack's Night Market on the Waterfront at Jack London Square on First Fridays - 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Oakland crafts, artisans and designers; local producers - vegetables, fruits, food, goodies and libations; eclectic shopping bazaar; and quirky performers.
Friday, May 4: Art Party with Artist Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene - Halmoni Vintage - 1601 2nd Avenue - 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm
In an effort to bring the vibrancy and celebration of art a la the Oakland Art Murmur to the Lake Merritt neighborhood, Halmoni hosts a monthly First Friday art opening/reception the first Friday of every month. The event is FREE with art, music, drinks and light refreshments! For May, Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene is hosting a show entitled, "Guava." It is a 30-minute performance with paintings. For more information, click on the link here.
Friday, May 4: First Ever Oakland Police Department Open House - Police Administration Building - 455 7th St- 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm
During this event, you will have an opportunity to meet members of the organization, learn about the different services we have to offer, get to know other members of the community, and meet the Chief of Police and his executive team.
Friday, May 4 & 11: AARP Driver Safety Class - Downtown Oakland Senior Center - 200 Grand Ave., 10:00 am to 2:30 pm
This two-session class is geared for seniors age 50 and over. Certificates are provided to participants who attend both sessions. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged as classroom size is limited. For more inofrmation, please call the Downtown Oakland Senior Center at 510.238.3284.
Monday, May 9: CORE I Training for Home and Family Emergency Preparedness
- FM Smith Recreation Center - 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm
Are you and your family members ready when an emergency strikes and you need to be self-sufficient for 5-7 days or longer? Sponsored by the Oakland Fire Department, the class is created with this in mind along with a family evacuation plan and important tips on provision for your home in an emergency. You must register prior to attending the class. Contact Ruby Stein at rstein94606@yahoo.com.

Thursday, May 12: Hershey's Track & Field Meet - McClymonds High School - 2607 Myrtle Street - 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Youth Sports is hosting the Hershey's Track & Field Meet. For registration information, contact Willie White, track and field coordinator at 510.238.3897 or Armand Gray, Youth Sports Coordinator at 510.238.6279.
Saturday, May 12: "Runway Rhythms," a Wa Sung Fashion Show and Luncheon - OACC - 388 9th Street, Suite 290 - 11:00 am to 3:30 pm
Wa Sung Community Service Club's fashion show features silk designs from Silken Treasures, the Tong Dynasty Collection, LanVie contemporary stylish fashions, MISHKAN, charming TEA children fashions with precious Pollabies, and a variety of boutique vendors and entertainment - all to benefit education grants to youth. Lunch will be provided. Purchase online at $65.00: www.wasung.org
Tuesday, May 15: Deadline to Apply to Become the City of Oakland's First-ever Youth Poet Laureate
The Oakland Public Library and the San Francisco Public Library will each soon have new, young, and articulate representatives staging competitions that will find the next two Youth Poet Laureates. Winners will be honored with $5,000 scholarships and the opportunity to officially represent their cities through poetry, media and public appearances. The deadline for all submissions is May 15. Finalists will be announced in early July. Winners will be announced in September.
Youth, parents and teachers can learn more and apply online at www.youthspeaks.org/2012poetlaureate. To be eligible, finalists must be 13-18 years of age, a current resident of the city for which they apply. Information sessions will be held in late April and early May. Contact Amy Sonnie at 510.238.7233.
The competition is in partnership with Youth Speaks (the leading non-profit presenter of spoken word performance, education and youth development) supported by a coalition of 15 partner agencies across the Bay Area:
- Oakland Public Library
- San Francisco Public Library
- Youth Speaks
- Oakland Unified School District
- San Francisco Unified School District
- Oakland School of the Arts
- 826 Valencia
- SF WritersCorps
- Youth Radio
- Streetside Stories
- Write-to-Read and Alameda County Library
- ProArts Gallery
- San Francisco Department of Children Youth and Families
- Mills College Community Teaching Project
- Generations Literary Journal
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Annual Pothole Blitz Coming in May and June | |
Every spring after the rains, the Public Works Agency sets out to fill as many potholes as possible for which it has reports. The worst potholes -- the widest and the deepest like the beaut below -- will get priority. This is your chance to get potholes filled. Here's what you have to do ASAP. Identify the location of the potholes you want filled by the nearest street address or other identifying location. Then report the pothole by its location in one of the following ways:
Call the Public Works Call Center at 510.615.5566; You can ask for a tracking number. Or Go here and click on "begin a new service request." Or use your SeeClickFix app.
Don't delay. Report potholes today so they can be filled in May and June.

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City of Oakland's Free Fire Safety/Evacuation Training & 911 Disaster Registry Workshop
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The Oakland Fire Department's Fire Prevention Bureau offers free Fire Safety Training, Evacuation Plan review, and 911 Disaster Registry workshop. At the end of the workshop, Fire Evaluation laminates for each participants based on their native languages spoken will be distributed. A Registry for special needs populations and frail seniors with the City will be given. The Registry is a voluntary data base that assists dispatchers responding to 9-1-1 calls. Data will help facilitate emergency sheltering operations in collaboration with the American Red Cross.
If you would like to request a Fire Safety/911 Disaster Registry Workshop, contact Sarah Lin at 510.238.2382 or email SLin@oaklandnet.com.

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Disaster Preparedness Tips
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Here are some very helpful tips from the Mayor's April Newsletter:
22Ways to Prepare for Emergencies
1. Make a List of Important Contact Information To Carry With You: List the contact information for those who live with you, and for 1 or 2 out-of-state relatives or friends who can be contacted in a disaster. Make copies for children and seniors and carry with you at all times. Many people now load this information on a flash drive and carry it on their key chain.
2. Store Sufficient Water and Rotate Every 6 Months: Each person will need 1 gallon of water a day; store sufficient supplies for 5 - 7 days. Don't forget your pets!
3. Pack a Disaster Go-Bag for Each Family Member: A pair of sturdy gloves, shoes, extra socks, a change of clothes, a flashlight, extra batteries (or a hand cranked one), spare eyeglasses, extra medicine if needed, pencil, paper and a transistor radio. Be sure to pack water, snacks-a hat and sun lotion, just in case
4. Practice in Advance How to Protect Yourself During Earthquake Shaking:If you are indoors and feel strong earthquake shaking, drop to the floor, take cover under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on firmly until the shaking stops. Look around your bed, keep slippers nearby so you do not injure your bare feet from broken glass, etc. Do not head for the doorway which cannot protect you from falling debris. Most earthquake injuries are from flying debris.
5. Strap Your Water Heater: Broken gas lines following an earthquake can lead to gas leaks and fire. For instructions on how to correctly strap your water heater to the studs of your house using metal straps and lag screws, go to www.72hours.org. Most hardware stores carry kits.
6. Take an Emergency Preparedness Class from Oakland's C.O.R.E. Program: Citizens of Oakland Respond to Emergencies (C.O.R.E) has trained more than 20,000 volunteers to prepare their homes and neighborhoods for earthquakes, fires and other disasters. Call 238-6351 or go to www.oaklandnet.com/fire/core/about.html.
7. Stock Emergency Supplies:Basic supplies should be in an accessible location at work, home and in your car: fire extinguisher; portable radio; flashlights; extra batteries (hand-cranked or solar radios/flashlights); can opener, canned food & powdered milk for at least a week; medications, glasses; pipe or crescent wrenches to turn off gas and water supplies, small bottle of chlorine bleach to disinfect drinking water; blankets, warm clothes and sturdy shoes,, waterproof, heavy-duty plastic bags for waste disposal. Inspect twice a year for leakage and quality.
8. Organize Your Neighborhood for Disaster Preparedness: In a major disaster, neighbors must rely on each other for help, as the city's first responders may not be immediately available. First step is to get to know each other and share contact information. Learn more at www.oaklandnet.com/fire/core/about.html.
9. Know Where Your Gas Shut Off Valve is Located: Turn off ONLY if you smell leaking gas. The main gas supply is located next to your meter on the inlet pipe. If you do not have an automatic gas shut off valve, use a crescent or pipe wrench and give the valve a quarter turn in either direction. The valve will now run crosswise on the pipe. DO NOT TURN ON THE GAS AGAIN; LET THE GAS COMPANY DO THIS.
10. Agree on a Meeting Place: Plan for a safe meeting place; be sure everyone has contact information for your out-of-state contact who can relay information. In a disaster, it is sometimes easier for phones to connect to someone out of state than to someone nearby.
11. Bolt Bookcases, Other Tall, Heavy Items to the Wall: Injuries following an earthquake are primarily due to falling and flying objects. Bolt bookcases to the wall. Hardware stores sell products to strap TVs and other electronic equipment to tables and desks and to hold pottery and glass to shelves.
12. Plan an Evacuation Route in Advance, and Practice: Plan for at least two ways out of your neighborhood, including walking out, if necessary. Some neighborhoods in the hills have public pathways that connect streets. Check them out in advance, keep them from becoming overgrown (great Earth Day projects) and practice walking the route with the entire family.
13. Consider Retrofitting Your Older Home: Single family homes built before 1978 may need to be strengthened through retrofitting in order to keep the house from failing during a high magnitude earthquake. You will need a building permit; retrofitting generally runs about $5,000 depending on your particular needs. Be sure to hire a reputable contractor. For details, go to www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/eqmaps/fixit/FAQs.html.
14. Make Special Arrangements for Children: Be sure to put a trusted neighbor on your emergency card list so that in a disaster, the school will be able to release your child if you cannot get to the school yourself. Pack an emergency kit or small day pack with basic emergency supplies, a photograph of your family and a familiar stuffed animal to provide comfort when you are apart. Resources for kids: quake.abag.ca.gov/students/.
15. Consider Installing an Automatic Gas Shut Off Valve: Automatic gas shut off valves and gas flow interrupt valves cut off the flow of gas to your house should a major earthquake or change in the gas pressure occur-especially important when you are not at home.
16. Register Special Needs Populations and Frail Seniors with the City: The City's 9-1-1- Disaster Registry for Special Needs Populations and Frail Seniors is a voluntary data base that assists dispatchers responding to 9-1-1 calls and facilitates emergency sheltering operations in collaboration with the American Red Cross. Go here for the registry.
17.Take a First Aid Course: Learn basic First Aid by taking a course from the American Red Cross. Go to www.bayarea-redcross.org/training/register.htm
18. Store Flammable or Hazardous Material in Secure, Low spaces: If cleaning supplies, garden chemicals or other hazardous materials spill in a major earthquake, the resulting mix of chemicals can be extremely dangerous. Store these supplies in low areas that are secure. Install a childproof, earthquake or boat safety latch.
19. Create a Financial Disaster Recovery Kit: After a damaging earthquake, you will need copies of essential financial documents, as well as emergency cash. Keep these items together, current and store them in a fire-proof document safe and/or on a flash drive. For details, go to www.redcross.org/preparedness/FinRecovery/FinPlan/
20. Visit the Gateway Emergency Preparedness Center: A great way to learn about disaster preparedness-with a great view across the Bay. Located on Caldecott Lane above Highway 24.
21. Keep Shoes and a Flash Light Near Your Bed:One of the most common injuries after the last major southern Caifornia earthquake in the early morning was cuts caused by walking on broken glass in the dark.
22. If You Are a Medical Professional or Veterinarian: Consider Joining the Oakland Medical Reserve Corps.
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