District 8 News

December 2009

In This Issue Dear District 8 resident, City of Berkeley Launches 311 Our December Newsletter includes a new section featuring District 8 artists who are performing locally. Many of our Buying Local neighbors are talented artists pursuing their dream. If you

District 8 Spotlight have a favorite neighbor who is a performance artist, send us the date & location of their next gig and

Airplane Noise we'll feature them in an upcoming newsletter. Come out and support your neighbors as they transform Stimulus Funding Flips the Solar Switch On themselves on stage.

PG&E Instant Rebate Our local merchants are part of what makes District 8 special. Given the bad economy, many merchants cannot

Bus Rapid Transit Meeting afford to spend money on advertising, even though this is the time to do so. Thus, I want to ask you to patronize local businesses for your holiday purchases. In addition, there are some new stores that have recently opened in the Elmwood that you should check out. Finally, I want to bring to your attention the new 311 service for reporting graffiti, potholes, and broken street lights & parking meters.

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter. Your interest in District 8 News is much appreciated.

Sincerely,

Gordon Wozniak

City Of Berkeley Launches 311 And Updated Online Service Center

Berkeley residents, businesses, and visitors now have two faster, easier ways to access City services: a new 311 Call Center and an updated online service center at www.CityOfBerkeley.info/onlineservice.

The 311 Call Center Anyone within the Berkeley city limits can now dial 311 from a land line to reach the Call Center. Cell phone access is currently in test mode and will be fully operational by December. Call Center phones are answered 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. on regular City business days. 311 is not a City switchboard - - calls are answered by customer service representatives who can help most callers complete routine City business without being transferred.

The most frequently requested transactions include: Reporting graffiti, potholes, and broken parking meters;Paying refuse bills and parking tickets;Requesting general information (City business hours, office locations, etc.);Changing residential refuse services; and Reporting a residential or commercial missed garbage pick-up.

The Online Service Center The Online Service Center (www.CityofBerkeley.info/onlineservice) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and performs many of the same services as the Call Center. The Online Service Center is a quick and easy way to report problems such as graffiti, potholes, and illegal dumping via the internet.

Buying Local

According to Buy Local Berkeley (www.buylocalberkeley.com) there are many community benefits to purchasing from local merchants:

(1). It keeps dollars in our economy. Of every $100 spent at a local store, $68 stays in the community. (2). It makes us unique. There's no place like Berkeley! Homegrown businesses are part of what makes us special. (3). It creates local jobs. Local businesses create jobs for our neighbors. (4). It helps the environment. Buying locally saves transportation fuel. Plus you get products that you know are safe and well made, because our neighbors stand behind them. (5). It nurtures our community. Studies show that local businesses donate to community causes at more than twice the rate of chains. (6). It conserves tax dollars. Spending locally ensures that your sales taxes are reinvested where they belong right here in your community!

We would like to bring to your attention some new stores and restaurants in the Elmwood, as compiled by Beverley Doane of CENA.

ASHBY MARKET PLACE located at 2642 Ashby, next to Focal Point, opened in October. The proprietor, Ramizch, carries a line of organic foods, drinks and produce, as well as international foods, cheeses and dairy products. The market looks petite from the frontage, but it goes back 75 feet and is a small supermarket, convenient for the last minute shopper.

SUMMER KITCHEN BAKERY at 2944 College Ave., next to Ici, is no ordinary "take out". Step inside and see the impressive open kitchen with 3 or 4 cooks preparing daily specials and prepared dinners to take home. Tempting sweets are on view for the customers waiting in line for ice cream at Ici.

MRS. DALLOWAY'S BOOKS, 2904 College Ave. Local District 8 residents Marion Abbott and Ann Leyhe recently expanded their bookstore by one-third, taking over part of the former Elmwood Pharmacy. The new space is stunning with windows designed by Ann Leyhe's husband, made to match the original design (John Bischoff, 1921). The cafe in the former Elmwood Pharmacy is in the process of remodeling. No expense has been spared here, and Ozzie's counter will return to its original marble top and stools, and will be ready "by the end of the year", says Kara Hammond, former manager of Fanny's Cafe on San Pablo.

NEW MARQUEE ON ELMWOOD THEATER Check out the new "Elmwood" art deco-ish neon marquee on the Elmwood Theater. It looks elegant at night, so be sure to take a look and take in a movie as well.

UPCOMING ELMWOOD HOLIDAY EVENTS The Elmwood Merchant's Association would like to invite you to participate in festive holiday activities in the Elmwood. See the below calendar of events for more details.

District 8 Artist Spotlight

OAKLAND INTERFAITH GOSPEL CHOIR Carl Resnikoff, a district 8 resident, is a member of the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir which will be performing a Holiday Concert Saturday under the direction of Terrance Kelly, December 5th at 7:30 p.m. The award-winning Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir is a multiracial, interfaith group that regularly performs throughout the Bay Area. The choir stands for diversity, tolerance and unity and spreads this message through its music. http://oigc.org/

For tickets call the Paramount Theatre Box Office: 510-465-6400 or Ticketmaster at 510-625-TIXS.

NELL ROBINSON Hilary Perkins, a District 8 musician is performing at 8 p.m., Thursday, December 10th at the Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse at 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley.

When Hilary Perkins decided to pursue her dream of a singing career, she took the name of her grandmother, Nell Robinson, to honor her Alabama Roots. In a high-spirited show celebrating the release of her debut CD, Loango, at the Freight and Salvage, Nell serves up fresh, honky-tonk- infused bluegrass and country, backed by an all-star bluegrass and country band featuring Jim Nunally, Keith Little, Andrew Conklin, and other very special guests. Rollicking energy, sweet harmonies, and hot pickin' distinguish this band, which showcases Nell's warm, distinctive vocals and sunny stage charisma. For more information about Nell Robinson Band go to: http://www.nellrobinsonmusic.com/Cart/Cart.html.

To purchase tickets, visit http://www.freightandsalvage.org/2009/0912-december/info_091210.html.

SUZY THOMPSON Geoff Muldaur and the Texas Sheiks with Special Guest Sheik Jim Kweskin are performing Saturday December 12th at Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse at 2020 Addison Street, in Berkeley. Members of the Texas Sheiks are Geoff Muldaur, Cindy Cashdollar, Johnny Nicholas, Suzy Thompson and Bruce Hughes.

Suzy Thompson is a District 8 resident, former City Arts Commissioner, and a well known artist. Suzy's website address is http://www.ericandsuzy.com/schedule.htm.

This is the amazing band that Geoff Muldaur put together in order to distract Austin guitar hero Stephen Bruton from his battle with cancer (unfortunately he lost that battle, and died last May) and the musicians who came to join Stephen in this project were Cindy Cashdollar, Johnny Nicholas and Bruce Hughes, plus Jim Kweskin and Suzy. The chemistry between all the musicians is truly magical.

You can buy tickets at the Freight's box office or at http://www.freightandsalvage.org.

Airplane Noise

Several years ago a citizen group sued and reached a settlement agreement with the Oakland Airport to minimize airplane noise over residential areas. This organization Keep Jets Over the Bay (KJOB) is committed to protecting the "Silent 7" departure route from the Oakland Airport. Jets departing from Oakland are expected to avoid passing over Berkeley, between the hours of 10 PM to 7 AM. If you are bothered by loud jets flying low over Berkeley, you can file a complaint with the Oakland Airport Noise hotline at 577-4194. Margery Eriksson, Berkeley resident ([email protected]) is the KJOB chairperson.

Stimulus Funding Flips The Solar Switch On

The City of Berkeley has received over $100,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy to encourage solar locally.

The City of Berkeley is one of sixteen cities nationwide to be granted the Solar America Cities Special Project Award for the purpose of spurring the adoption of solar installations. The economic stimulus funding from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) allows the City of Berkeley to support and enhance two existing programs--SmartSolar and the online Berkeley Solar Map-- to provide education and technical assistance directly to residents interested in implementing solar at their homes and businesses. Through this award, the City of Berkeley is recognized for its innovative response to addressing the specific barriers to solar adoption and for its leadership in increasing the use of renewable energy.

The City of Berkeley will split the $108,500 award between the SmartSolar and Berkeley Solar Map projects. SmartSolar is a program of the nonprofit Community Energy Services Corporation (www.ebenergy.org). SmartSolar provides free energy efficiency and solar advising to Berkeley property owners and consults with its clients throughout their consideration and installation of energy projects. In its first year SmartSolar has provided over 35 homes and businesses with site- specific analysis of which energy efficiency and solar upgrades may be good investments. Starting in 2010, SmartSolar will be expanded to serve other local cities in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The funding will be used to grow the SmartSolar program into a sustainable, replicable and scaleable program that can help leverage large-scale solar adoption in the residential and commercial sectors throughout the East Bay.

Additionally, the grant funding will go to improve the Berkeley Solar Map (www.cityofberkeley.info/solarmap). Changes include a new interface between the online Solar Map and an economic calculator which will allow users to quickly compute the cost and cost savings of installing solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal systems. The interactive map enables users to view existing solar installations and to calculate the benefits of going solar by determining the potential size and cost for a system on any rooftop in Berkeley. The Solar Map, which was launched in early summer, has received nearly 1,000 visitors to the website. The Solar Map software is designed by CH2M Hill.

Each of these programs builds upon Berkeley's commitment to educating and engaging local residents in how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by focusing on efficiency measures and solar energy. Both the SmartSolar and Berkeley Solar Map are programs of Berkeley Climate Action Plan which can be viewed at www.berkeleyclimateaction.org

PG&E Instant CFL Rebate

Look for PG&E's instant rebate sticker and save money, electricity, and greenhouse gas emissions when purchasing new compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). With this instant rebate, the price of CFLs is competitive with incandescent light bulbs. CFLs last up to 8,000 hours-that's up to 10 times longer than the average incandescent bulb. All of that saves you money at the store!

Once installed, CFLs use about 75% less energy-that saves you money on your monthly electric bill. If every home in the country replaced just one incandescent bulb with a CFL, it would eliminate greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that of about 800,000 cars.

RECYCLING: CFLs contain mercury and must be recycled by California state law. Put your used CFLs in a container to keep them from breaking and find a location near you to recycle them by visiting: http://earth911.com/hazardous/cfl/ or http://www.stopwaste.org/home/index.asp?page=297 (Recycling Services A-Z, under Fluorescent Lamps & Ballasts).

Bus Rapid Transit in Berkeley, Planning Commission Public Meeting

Please join us to help develop what BRT might look like in Berkeley. AC Transit has proposed replacing the 1/1R bus line with a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line. BRT lines generally feature dedicated bus lanes and raised platforms for level boarding.

The City of Berkeley is developing a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for AC Transit to study in its final environmental report. You are invited to attend the upcoming Planning Commission meeting:

WHEN: Wednesday, December 9, 2009 TIME: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM - Information Session 7:00 PM - Meeting WHERE: North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Avenue

This meeting will include: (a) An opportunity to learn about the BRT Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) proposal and the decision-making process; (b) A presentation about the draft LPA, a proposed design for BRT through Berkeley; (c) An opportunity for public comment about the draft LPA.

For more information about the draft Locally Preferred Alternative, and the public process, please visit the City of Berkeley website: http://www.cityofberkeley.info/BRT

For questions about the meeting or to request accommodations for the meeting, please e-mail [email protected] or call 510-981-7410.