December
2004
12/1/04
Seems the
Kruse plumbers have a new found interest in paper work requiring
them to spend more than the usual time in the office.
The house
at 2817 8th is still for sale--too many contingencies for the
developer, it seems.
The Café
Cacao Open House photo-page is now complete--check it out.
For great
Soul Food, check out "A Taste From God" at 16496 East
14th Street and 165th, San Leandro, 276-3830. I had the links-basket
with potato salad and orange pop.
12/2/04
Bob Kubik
reports that "The City Council will be meeting Tuesday night
[December 7] to discuss further financial aid to the developer
Jubilee Restoration. (Jubilee wants the city to guarantee a three
million dollar loan to buy the property [at 2612 10th--in previous
posts, 2600 San Pablo] )." See my 11/20/04 post for background.
Bob further
reports that "next Wednesday night at 7:00 the San Pablo
Neighborhood Association will devote an evening to this project--at
the meeting hall in San Pablo Park. They are glad to have us .
. . there. Their meetings are well conducted and informative."
Zelda Bronstein
emailed reminding me that Kava is presenting his Berkeley Bowl
project to the City of Berkeley Planning Commission Wednesday,
December 15 at 7:00 PM. The meeting will be held at the WEST Berkeley
Senior Center, 1900 Sixth Street
at Hearst Avenue.
There is
also a future meeting planned to consider amending the General
Plan to accommodate his project.
Our Mayor's
November report includes
Berkeley
tax measures come up short and the City faces $7.5 million deficit
for "earlier this month, voters turned down Berkeley Measures
J, K, L and M - the tax measures that would have helped protect
city services from budget cuts. In response, the City is beginning
another round of belt tightening and service reductions. By the
end of the December, the City will eliminate or reduce funding
to 19 community agencies - including some youth, housing, and
arts programs. In June, the Council will need to eliminate another
$7.5 million from the General Fund budget. I respect the decision
of the voters and hope that the conversation we began during the
election season can continue as we set priorities and make cuts.
I'll soon be asking for your help and advice as we plan for a
very difficult budget year."
In the past
five months the "Sustainable Business Working Group [of]
nearly 100 people - representing businesses, UC Berkeley, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, city government, community agencies,
and other governmental bodies - joined to develop strategies and
recommendations to build Berkeley's green economy . . . . On November
9th, the City Council unanimously adopted the recommendations
from this group in principle."
According
to the Mayor you can read this report here. However when I try, I get
Error
404--seems right,
somehow. I haven't read the report but only a few years ago Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory--one of the report's contributors--was
storing low-level nuclear waste in the building at 7th and Pardee.
12/3/04
Ex-Potter
Creek guy makes good.
"Committee members lavished praise on Berkeley
architect Kava Massih, who gave the panel its first look at his
plans for the new Berkeley Bowl planned for 920 Heinz Ave in West
Berkeley" reports Richard Brenneman in the November 23rd
Berkeley Daily Planet's"Design
Panel Pans One Project, Offers Praise for Three Others."
Potter Creek lore has it
that long ago and before our architect-elder-statesman gave Kava
a break, another Potter Creeker steered Kava toward his old earthquake
retrofitting biz. Hey Big Guy, how about some more green space
and some aromatic Persian cuisine?
It'd be hip!
The Rickster was unable to
find any reference to Jubilee Restoration in yesterday's newly
released agenda for our City Council meeting of December 7th.
He spent one and one-half hours looking.
Our Potter Creek CEID School
needs computers. If you can donate one, contact Jill at jillellis@ceid.org
It's a very worthy cause!
12/4/04
While receiving conflicting
information about Jubilee Restoration's appearance at the December
7 City Council meeting, Bob Kubik received this email from the
Mayor's office "Jubilee Restoration is tentatively scheduled
to come back to Council twice in January. The HUD Section 108
Loan Guarantee for the Jubilee Village project at Parker and San
Pablo is set for Jan. 11. Jubilee Restoration's social services
contract is on Jan. 18. You should understand that these are two
different issues though they are related because Jubilee is involved
in both of them."
After more investigation,
the Rickster is confident that Jubilee Restoration is not on the
December 7 City Council agenda. "Of course, anything can
be brought up."
The venerable John Curl emails
"The West Berkeley Bowl project is scheduled for a Berkeley
Planning Commission 'special' meeting Wednesday, December 15,
7:00 pm at the West Berkeley Senior Center, 1900 Sixth Street
(at Hearst Avenue). This is the community's first important opportunity
to weigh in on the issue of keeping traffic out of the neighborhood
by having no vehicle assess from Heinz. At this meeting, after
a presentation by the architect, Kava Massih, the planning commission
is expected to set a public hearing for Wednesday, January 12."
Has insturment
maker Pete Hurney lost his mind? Well, no more than usually.
More to follow.
12/5/04
Kruse
Plumbing's Annual Christmans Rock Concert?
More
to follow.
12/6/04
This week's
meetings of note
There is
a Berkeley City Council meeting, Tuesday, December 7th see the
City
of Berkeley Website for details.
The San Pablo
Neighborhood Association will have a meeting about the Jubilee
Village project at the Francis Albrier Community Center in San
Pablo Park, 2800 Park Street on Wednesday, December 8 at 7:00
PM.
12/7/04
HAPPY
HANUKKAH!
A Richmond
Ramblers M. C. reader sent this holiday recipe.
"This
is a wonderful recipe, and it's just in time for the Holidays.
Enjoy!
With the holidays coming, here's a fruit cake recipe that will
help
take the stress out of this normally stressful time.
Ingredients:
1 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups dried fruit
1 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar
3 ounces lemon juice
1 cup of nuts
vodka
First, sample the vodka to check for freshness. Take a large bowl.
Check the vodka again to be sure it is of the highest quality.
Repeat.
Turn on the electric mixer, beat 1 cup of butter in a large fluffy
bowl.
Add water, eggs and 1 tsp. sugar and beat again.
Make surr the vodca is still OK. Cry another tup. Turn off mixers.
Chuck in the cup of dried fruitt or something.
Mix on the turner.
If the fried druit gets struck on the beaterers, pry it loose
with a
drewscriver.
Sample the vodka to check for tonsistancity. Next, sniff 2 cups
of
salt. Or . . . Who cares? Check the vodka. Now sniff the lemon
juice
and strain nuts.
Add one Table.
Spoon.
Of sugar. Whatever.
Grease the oven.
Turn the cake ttin 350 degrees.
Don't forget to beat off the turner.
Whip the bowl out the window.
Check the vidka again.
Ah,
. . . forget it. Nobody likes fruitcake anyway."
There are
many artists and crafts people in Potter Creek. They are now having
open studios. Check them out!
Our firehouse
-- B.F.D. Fire Station 1 -- collects gifts for children during
these Holidays. The firehouse is at 2442 8th Street and you can
drop off gifts there anytime. You might also drop off something
for our firemen and firewomen.
12/9/04
Yesterday,
Defense Secretary Rumsfeld was asked by a Spec-4 Guardsman why
his vehicles going to Iraq did not have the proper armor. On October
30, 2003 I posted "Do
our troops in Iraq have the proper equipment? Well, there's a
vehicle available specifically for internal security operations
and we don't have it. It offers much greater protection than our
soft skinned HUMVEEs. It is the Reumech OMC Casspir. A writer
for Jane's offers 'A unique feature of the Casspir is that it
has been designed to give its crew a high degree of protection
against anti-tank mines and for this reason the vehicle has a
very high ground clearance with the hull having a V-shape to help
deflect the blast from any mines.' More information and a photo
are at Jane's
Land Forces."
Bob Kubik emails "It
appears that Jubilee [Restoration] will try to sell the Tenth
St. portion which is zoned 'mixed use' to another developer, and
take a lower profile as it lets its big developer partner take
the lead with the commercially zoned San Pablo frontage."
Other sources have confirmed
that at this moment, Jubilee Village will not be built and weeks
ago Kimar, on seeing their handout, wise-cracked "It'll never
happen!"
12/10/04
Scrambled
Eggs Babe of the Year July-December 2004
Potter Creek's
newest citizen, Milo What's-His-Name.
12/1104
Kimar emailed
the results of a San Francisco Chronicle dark chocolate test.
Scharffen Burger Bittersweet came in second. First place was given
to Dagoba Dark, an organic dark from Oregon--around $2.25 an ounce
from Whole Foods.
Martin Snapp
of the "West County Times" offers a too-long-in-returning
"Christmas
Tradition Enjoys Rebirth." Sundar
Shadi's Christmas display is back thanks to, among other volunteers,
members of the E.C.F.D.
12/13/04
This week's meetings of note
Kava Massih Architects email
"This week there are
two scheduled meetings for the proposed West Berkeley Bowl project.
Planning Commission: [Wednesday,]
December 15th at 7:00.
Meeting location: West Berkeley Senior Center, 1900 Sixth Street.
West Berkeley Bowl is on the agenda to discuss the project and
give a review presentatiion.
Design Review: [Thursday,]
December 16th at 7:30.
Meeting location: North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Avenue.
This is the second meeting for Preliminary Design Review."
12/14/04
A friend of Potter Creek's
Janine Johnson is Eileen Moderbacher. A fine art painter, her
show at the Mill Valley Community Center has been censored--foam
covers being placed over some of her paintings by the Art Commision
with block letters reading CENSORED. Janine emails "I spoke
to Eileen Moderbacher today, regarding the censored paintings
and was surprised to find out which ones they were, as I have
seen them before! They had four complaints from parents. . . .
The big pieces removed are a series of four paintings (which are
the very ones that got Eileen into the show in the first place
. . . ) I think they are quite beautiful and mysterious. [They
make up] a night scene, with a big rig in the background, running
and taillights glowing. Each painting has progressively more people
(or bodies depending on your interpretation) lying face down on
the ground. No blood. Very serene. They could easily be asleep,
. . . I don't know. It is a show called 'Cruisin' America', after
all. I never asked Eileen what her intention was with the people,
as it would spoil the mystery. The people are fully clothed. There
is no obscenity. The other painting which was covered I could
understand a little better, as it was of a fist fight in the street.
. . . The fact of the matter is that the Commission did not adhere
to their contract, but removed the paintings (later rehung and
covered) without saying a word to Eileen. She arrived for her
opening show . . . to find the paintings gone! Very bad. Very
weird, too. The paintings are mild, and darkly pretty."
"Report Forecasts effects of Bay Area 'Smart
Growth'" writes
Kiley Russell in this morning's West County Times. "Smart
growth is an urban planning philosophy that calls for cities to
focus higher density development around transportation hubs and
existing urban areas, among other things, to reduce commute times,
preserve open space and create neighborhoods with a mix of residential,
commercial and retail uses." Conversations with some of Potter
Creek's "activists" lead me to believe that they are
not enthused. Perhaps being an activist too long is like a politician
being in office to long. Of course the beauty of our Democracy
is that we can vote the rascals out. Perhaps we should elect our
community activists.
Channel 2 reported on Potter
Creek's Berkeley Bowl project this morning. Interviewing people
at our Broom Brush the reporter concluded that the traffic issues
will be resolved and that a Potter Creek Berkeley Bowl would be
a good thing.
Well OK then.
And remember the venerable
John Curl emailed on 12/4/04
"The West Berkeley Bowl
project is scheduled for a Berkeley Planning Commission 'special'
meeting Wednesday, December 15, 7:00 pm at the West Berkeley Senior
Center, 1900 Sixth Street (at Hearst Avenue). This is the community's
first important opportunity to weigh in on the issue of keeping
traffic out of the neighborhood by having no vehicle assess from
Heinz. At this meeting, after a presentation by the architect,
Kava Massih, the planning commission is expected to set a public
hearing for Wednesday, January 12."
The inimitable Rickster adds
". . . tell folks that
the ONLY official chance to speak to the Bowl issues will be at
the open mike period at 7:00 because this is not a public hearing,
but a presentation from Kava and a staff report. A turnout by
the neighborhood for this is IMPORTANT [caps mine]. During their
discussion, commissioners can ask individuals in the audience
their opinions but this is rare and generally discouraged so the
only real chance to speak is at the beginning."
12/15/04
Our Bill
of Rights became law
on this date in 1791.
Former Planning Commission
Chair Zelda Bronstein is passionate about community involvement.
In an email she advocates "that the community. . . step up
to the mike at public comment [in tonight's Planning Commission
meeting} and ask that the Planning Commission reject the staff
recommendation to hold a public hearing on this project in January
and instead institute [a] community-based planning process that
should have been running from the start, instead of huddling for
two years behind closed doors with the applicant. . . . the proposed
General Plan amendments [should be made] . . . in consultation
with everyone who has something at stake--not just the property
owner and his developer. As Rick [Mr. Auerbach] points out, public
hearings don't allow for any dialogue. It's just speak for your
three minutes, then sit down and be quiet until spoken to by a
Commissioner. The community needs a format . . . that encourages
dialogue among interested parties. [The Community should ask for]
meetings in West Berkeley 2005 run by city staff--not by Kava
the applicant's representative."
Well OK then.
My sense is that another
script has already been written--perhaps by those like The-Suits
planning west-Berkeley's future at the table next to me in the
Bakery Cafe a year or so ago.
The Rickster shall hence
forth be referred to as Mr. Auerbach--or not.
Richmond
Ramblers Motorcycle Club member Cliff Miller sends this from a
1954 "Mechanics Illustrated"
12/16/04
"Critics in a Lather over Berkeley Workers'
Health Club Deal"
write Matier and Ross at sfgate.com
The December Mayor's report
includes
"It is critically important
that the City Council, city staff, and members of the community
have an accurate understanding of how the city government is performing.
Through the work of the City Auditor, annual budget review and
workshops, and other steps, Berkeley does regularly review performance
in many areas. However, other cities have moved towards a more
complete review of service performance throughout city operations.
The cities of Portland, Oregon and Palo Alto, California both
conduct annual reports on city government that use a variety of
quantitative and measurements to gauge performance. In October,
the Council unanimously adopted my recommendation that the City
examine doing a similar performance review here in Berkeley."
"In another step towards
reclaiming our position as a national environmental leader, the
City adopted a new purchasing policy that requires environmental
attributes be taken into account before new purchases are made.
The new policy is rooted in the Council's recently adopted 'Precautionary
Principle,' which helps guide the City towards policies and procedures
that minimize the threat to public, employee, and environmental
health. The City's analysis found that it costs no more to buy
environmentally preferable products, and in some cases, costs
less. 'We thought the change would cost more money and take more
time, and in fact, found quite the opposite,' said Rene Cardinaux,
director of public works."
Speaking of green, and since charity begins at home, how about
finding out what that green ooze is that forms a puddle in, and
during our rainy season overflows onto, Ashby Avenue in the East-bound
lane just after the railroad overpass?
"Activist Teens Prove Caring for World
is Part of Youth"
is a heartening report in this morning's West County Times
and "Home
of Perata's Son is Searched" is not.
12/17/04
Lipofsky reports that Wednesday's
Planning Commission meeting was pretty much on script with Kava's
presentation, and even with the activist's views presented on
open-mike and residents expressing fears over increased traffic.
(But he wasn't sure about Kava's new doo.) And Marvin, a Potter
Creek resident for years, wasn't so sure that terminal fears over
traffic represented Potter Creek as a whole. Of course there's
no way of now knowing for sure. But a fairly conducted survey
could give an accurate view of the fears and of their nature.
Of the same meeting, Zelda
Bronstein, now activist and journalist emails "The overwhelming
majority of speakers professed enthusiasm about a neighborhood
grocery store but extreme apprehension about the regional supermarket
that's being proposed. Many people called for a public workshop
that would allow an open dialogue over traffic, parking, pollution,
noise and other issues instead of the public hearing recommended
by City Staff. The legal authority of a public hearing would add
momentum to an approval process that has taken on the dimensions
of a steamroller. Unfortunately, the Planning Commission voted
for a public hearing--albeit one formatted along the lines of
a workshop, and one that could (and should) last more than one
evening. The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, January 12."
What does Potter Creek think
of its proposed Berkeley Bowl? Frankly, right now no one really
knows. Rather than listening to reporters, activists, meeting
attendees or ole farts, have a professional survey taken. After
all, reporters have deadlines, activists, agendas, meeting attendance
is self-selecting and old farts, . . . well. If a survey is not
taken, all is conjecture--some informed, some not. Want to know
what Potter Creekers really feel? Ask them. Until then, as my
Working-Class, Ole man, Max would say, we are all just "pissing
into the wind."
12/19/04
One of the
Buttercup favorites in the '70s, were Granny Fenster cookies.
Thought to be from a relative of mine, in fact, their recipe was
found by manager, Mary Guenther in a 1940s Wisconsin Gas and Electric
Cook Book--the Gas Company's. Further confusing their origin,
during one of the first bakes, Haley, unknown to me, taped a large
handwritten sign to my back reading GRANNY FENSTER
Granny
Fenster Cookies
pre heat
oven to 375
1 cup Butter (2 sticks)
1 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg yolks
2 cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Raspberry Jam, Dickinson's seedless (sometimes strawberry is used)
2 cups fairly finely chopped pecans
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in
yolks and vanilla. Gradually add flour and salt until blended.
refrigerate 1 hr.
Shape into 1" balls, roll in beaten egg whites (left over
from the yolks used in cookies), then roll in chopped pecans.
Place on lightly oiled cookie sheet, (I use parchment paper, you
can use nonstick spray also) about 2" apart, gently make
indentation.
Bake 5 minutes, remove from oven, you may need to press the indentation
again, fill with jam and bake another 10 minutes. Makes about
4 dozen
You really can make a difference
and San Francisco Chronicle reporter, Meredith May does. Read
her"California Charter School Chiefs Held
in Finance Probe"
at sfgate.com
CBS News reports that Holiday
sales are up only because the high-end retailers are doing much
better than last year but the low end-stores are doing significantly
worse, Stores like Target, K-Mart and Walmart are down five to
ten percent. There's a lesson there, somewhere.
"Well OK then."
Target is selling an AUDIOVOX
portable disc player for $9.99--get one! Used with my SONY in-ear
phones, the sound is as good as my $100.00 Sony disc player. Ah,
. . . consumer capitalism.
During a discussion about
Bernie Kerik's withdrawn nomination as head of Homeland Security
on the PBS News Hour, one of the commentators wondered if cheating
on your mistress was a violation of Family Values.
12/20/04
Tony Hicks of the West
County Times profiles KPFA's
Roy Campanella II. Though Campanella has no radio experience,
he did produce episodes of TV's "Lou Grant."
Is Racism a part of Jubilee
Restoration's problem--of course.
A female
bicyclist was seriously injured in an accident with a big-rig
at 7th and Carelton before 8:00 AM this morning. Berkeley PD was
still on the scene at 11:30AM.
12/21/04
HAPPY
WINTER SOLSTICE!
12/22/04
Jill Ellis
emails "CEID is installing a Pediatric Audiology Suite today
and we have a very large garbage bin out front. If you need to
dump extra trash please feel free to do so. We ask that you not
dump any illegal materials--paint, oil, etc. It will be picked
up on Wednesday, so have at it!
All of us
at CEID wish you a very happy holiday season."
Berkeley
PD reports that on Monday December 20 at 7:30 AM a hit and run
accident between and bicyclist and a tractor-semi-trailer occurred
on the corner of 7th and Carleton. The cyclist--a female--was
taken to the hospital with critical--life threatening--injuries.
The truck and truck driver were found by police and the driver
was arrested for felony hit and run.
12/23/04
Zelda Bronstein
emails concerning the Berkeley Bowl Planning Commision meeting
in January "community members [should] send all their questions
and concerns [about Potter Creek's Berkeley Bowl] to John Curl
at redcoral@jps.net John will forward [them] to
the Planning Commission. Timing is crucial--public hearings are
required to be noticed two weeks in advance. . . . the notice
for the public hearing will be sent out on December 24 at the
latest. By then, the agenda and format of the public hearing will
also have been determined."
12/24/03
MERRY
CHRISTMAS!
Potter
Creek gardens on Christmas Eve
Some of Berkeley's
best traditional Christmas decorations are found on Wallace Street
between Ward and Russell--this year the festive lighting has spread
to many of the surrounding streets. (Wallace is just east of,
and parallel to, San Pablo Avenue.) Though the decorations are
not in Potter Creek they're close, just a few blocks walk. And,
this year there some good decorations in Potter Creek itself.
12/26/03
HAPPY KWANZAA!
12/29/04
Our Person
of the Year, 2004 is Bob Kubik--he made a difference. He is followed
closely by "Irish" Steve Dunn, who also made a difference.
A Lifetime
Award goes to "Flash."
If I'd selected
a Person of the Year for 2003 it would have been "Jerry the
Recycler." Regularly seen in Potter Creek with his shopping
cart full of things that he'd picked up here and there, Jerry
could see value in what others had thrown away. The last I saw
of him he had a healing razor-cut across his forehead, . . . and
I haven't seen him this year. Jerry loved to talk with his hands
and I shot a roll of color during one of our evening conversations,
hoping to capture his excitment and their beautiful purpleblack.
I blew the roll. Jerry also knew a whole lot about all sides of
Potter Creek and would share it gladly, . . . often with aggitation.
Andrew La
Mar's "Perata's
Troubles Stuff of Dreams" starts out as a story about Dapper Don and
finishes as a important primer in local, city and state politics--it
contains a VERY informative chart. Read it in the West County
Times!
12/30/04
Bob Kubik
emails "I would nominate Jill Ellis the Executive Director
of the Center for the Education of the Infant Deaf. She brought
that great institution and all the good work it does to our neighborhood
[and] a fine building that fits well into its site."
12/31/04
HAPPY
NEW YEAR!
Deep
Winter
in Potter
Creek
Former Potter
Creek resident Edward "Fast Eddie" Saylan has died.
Though the Nazi's couldn't shoot him down over Europe in WW II,
The Reaper finally caught up with the big-hearted, tough-guy yesterday
morning.
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