Connecting the neighborhoods from Fruitvale Avenue to Seminary Avenue and from Foothill Boulevard to Warren Freeway since 1989Volume 24 Number 1 February 2012

A Nonprofit Community Newspaper • www.macarthurmetro.org

Post Office Box 19046, Oakland, California 94619 • (510) 287-2655

Susan Abplanalp, Rebecca Cervetti, Rabbi Steven & Mrs. Leona Chester, Montia Chiles, D. Eric Collins & Brenda Hansen, Jack & Adelle Foley,Sharon Griset & Albert Mossman, Lori Hope, Peggy Kass & Helen Krayenhoff, Carol Kuelper, James Kuhn, Wilbur McEachin, Isidra Mencos,

Suzette & Elmer Meredith, Betty Perez, Elizabeth Preston, Querida N. Primas, Sonja Proulx, P.M. Regan, Brett Remy & Ann Gordon,Thomas Rose & Suzanne Knott, Ken & Helen Shaw, Linda and Stephen Vogel, Nancy Siller Wilson, Kenneth Woolfe

You, too, can become a friend of the Metro. See page 2.

Your support helps keep the Metro alive! Become one of the Thousand Friends.

he birds are what caughtmy eye first, white cranesin flight, as I made my

way to the gate at OaklandAirport. I was always in ahurry, coming or going, andwalked by the mural a numberof times before I stopped oneday. The artist is Hung Liu.She lives in our neighborhood.How cool is that! I’d met Hungat a couple of neighborhoodgatherings but didn’t knowanything about her, her career,her life. That changed one daylast month when I had a won-derful visit with Hung andher husband Jeff Kelley.Hung’s life is a story ofpassion, determination, andpersonal freedom, the kind ofstuff that movies are made of.

Hung was born in Man-churia, in northeastern China,at the time of the CommunistRevolution. Hung’s father, anofficer in Chiang Kai-shek’sNationalist Army, had beenarrested and sent to prison. To

protect herself and newbornHung, Hung’s mother had todivorce her husband. One ofHung’s earliest memories isof a drawing she did when shewas five years old. Her mothersaw that Hung was gifted inart and praised her.

From that point forward,Hung continued to draw andmake other works of art, andher passion grew, along withthe recognition of her talentsby others. A gifted studentof many subjects, Hung wasadmitted to a prestigiousBeijing middle and highschool. But again, upheavalin the country shaped herlife. This time, it was the greatCultural Revolution.

Established people wholived in the cities were to bereeducated and enlightenedunder the new ruling class:the workers, the poor, theproletariat. Hung was sent tothe countryside to work in thefields. She had no family there,there were no holidays, andHung earned the respect ofthe local villagers by carrying

Hung Liu painting in her East Oakland studio.

JEFF

KEL

LEY

ews that the Laurel Luckywill change to a MaxxValue Foods in March

LEONA HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

B Y L A R R Y L A V E R T Y

Artist Hung Liu

B Y S H E I L A D ’ A M I C O

Lucky to Become Maxx Value

but the details were not clear.Executives from Save

Mart met with Laurel DistrictAssociation Executive DirectorTommy Wong, LDA membermerchants, residents, andCouncilmember Libby Schaaf.Renais Winter representedthe LVA at the meeting andreported back that "Save Martpeople thought our Luckystore was awful." She said SaveMart planned to improve out-side lighting, security systems,and aesthetics of the store. Shealso said Maxx Value Foodswas a small scale store suitableto the 11,000 square-foot sizeof the site.

Winter said the store will"have organic produce, meat,eggs, and dairy available,depending on what people

request and, more importantly,buy."

LDA’s Tommy Wongthanked the community forgetting involved. Wong toldSave Mart representatives thatthe lack of public notice andcommunication was a contribu-tor to public concerns. SaveMart told Wong that the MaxxValue model predicates itssuccess on neighborhood sup-port and relationship-building,and that the store would be anactive partners in communityevents and efforts.

Save Mart was open toCouncilmember Schaaf’ssuggestion to create a websitethat will allow for communityinput. Winter said the LVAwill post the link when thewebsite is up.

raised citizen concerns. SaveMart is the parent corporationof both stores. While the LaurelLucky carries about 20,000products, Maxx Value Foods

carries about 5,000. Commentersposting on the Laurel VillageAssociation (LVA), MaxwellPark, and Allendale listservsfeared that the change fromLucky as an anchor store toa discount store with fewerproducts would lead to deterio-ration of the business districtand would not supply thevariety and the quality ofitems shoppers wanted.

I spoke with ManagerPatrick McBride, who toldme that the new store will carrythe items that currently sell inLucky, but will not carry itemsthat do not sell. There’s more tothe Lucky story of course. Cur-rent employees will be leaving.Both stores are union but oper-ate under different contracts.McBride said about 95 percentof the workers got their firstor second choice for a move to adifferent store. He expected thatnew employees will be hired forthe market from the community,N

Maxx Value intends to build relationships and be active in communityevents and efforts such as this tour where Lucky educated preschoolchildren about food.

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heavy sacks of grain. Thisperiod of Hung’s life enrichedher, made her stronger, anddeepened the vision by whichshe viewed life that soon cameout in her art.

After her four years of la-bor in the countryside, Hung

was admitted to BeijingTeachers College, where sheearned a bachelor’s degreein Fine Arts. Admitted tothe Central Academy of FineArt in Beijing, she earned amaster’s degree in MuralPainting. But all this trainingwas controlled and prescribed.

The ruling class saw artists,muralists in particular, asuseful in maintaining powerby educating the public. ButHung rebelled. She frequentlywent off by herself and se-cretly painted landscapes

the way she wanted to, theway she felt, and she keptthe paintings hidden.

It became clear what she’dhave to do next: go to theUnited States, where she’dhave freedom. For four yearsshe fought for permission toleave the country. Finally,she was allowed to leave,came to California to study,and earned an MFA at UCSan Diego. There she met herfuture husband, Jeff Kelley.

Together, Hung and Jeffcont inued on page 6

T

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

2February 2012

HOT NUMBERSPUBLIC AGENCIES

Abandoned cars 238-6030

O.P.D. Non-emergency 777-3333

Animal control 535-5602

Drug Hotline 238-DRUG

Public Works 615-5566

Truancy 879-8172

Noise Hotline 238-6777

C.O.R.E. 238-6351(Communities of OaklandRespond to Emergencies)

Oaklanders Assistance 444-CITYCenter can direct you tothe appropriate city services.

City Web Sitewww.oaklandnet.com

PRIVATE AGENCIESA Safe Place 536-7233(domestic violence)

Seeds Community 548-2377Resolution Center(neighborhood disputes)

Managing EditorSheila D’Amico

CopyeditorsAnne FoxDiane StoneJoelynne Walters

Finances/BookkeepingReuben Goldberg

Advertising ManagerKrista Gulbransen

Art DirectorAndreas Jones

Word ProcessingBaby DjojonegoroStephenie Tesoro

PhotographyJody BerkeAnaïs DodsonBryan FarleyNick LostraccoPat Patterson

DistributionCoordinator needed

MailingGloria Wilmer

CalendarMarilyn Green

Friends and Money HoneysGloria Wilmer

WebBrian Holmes

Editor EmeritusToni Locke�

Board of DirectorsBeverley BrownAndy CisnerosReuben GoldbergMarcia HenryBrian HolmesJudith OfferJain WilliamsBart Wright�

A special thanks to allresidents, associations, andmerchants for their support.Also, a special thanks to allvolunteer writers, artists,photographers, and distributors.

Printing by Wesco Graphics, Inc.,Tracy, California, (209) 832-1000.Opinions expressed in the MacArthurMetro are those of the contributorsand do not necessarily reflect theviews held by the publication.

©2012 by the MacArthur Metro,P.O. Box 19046, Oakland, CA 94619www.macarthurmetro.org(510) 287-2655

We welcome yournews and ads;

deadline the 15th.

Publication in thefirst week of each

month exceptJanuary and July.

ISSN 1091-1111

To contribute by credit card, go to www.macarthurmetro.org. Click on Network for Good.

How to Reachthe Metro

Editor:metroreaders@ earthlink.net

Community Calendar:marilynmetro@aol.com or

(510) 531-9233Classified or Display ads:

metroadvertising@yahoo.comor (510) 287-2655

or mail to:MacArthur Metro, P.O. Box19046, Oakland, CA 94619

Letters may be edited for lengthor clarity. Please include name,address and phone number. Wedo not print anonymous letters.

No email, no stamps?Leave a message on voice

mail (510) 287-2655.

IRWTHGSANGASTD

Friends of Sausal Creek

Mark Liebthal:Restoration Site Adopter

and Crew LeaderA few years ago, a brambleof blackberry and a tangle ofivy covered the creekside trailalong Sausal Creek and ElCentro Ave. The rock teachingcircle was overgrown. Thearea was inaccessible.

Like many neighbors,Mark Liebthal enjoyed walkingalong Dimond Canyon trails.He wanted to fit communityvolunteer work into his busylife and was intrigued by aFriends of Sausal Creek (FOSC)flyer on removal of invasive,nonnative Himalayan black-berry and Cape ivy. After Markhad come out a few times tohelp, FOSC’s restoration man-ager asked if he might wantto adopt a spot. This intriguedMark, as he could come out towork at his spot when he hadfree time. This creek sectionabove the trout pool was closeto his house, and it was a spotthat could use some help.

Like all the watershed landon which Friends of SausalCreek volunteers work, thisspot is on City of Oakland pub-lic land. So it belongs to all ofus. But adopting a spot changesyour relationship with theland. “Having a site, you havea sense of propriety in it, byputting your efforts into some-thing you can call your own,”Mark says. Mark puts in time athis spot whenever his schedulepermits, and he is pleased withhow different the site nowlooks. Revisiting restorationsites several times a year toremove invasives, combinedwith planting natives during

the rainy season, is key to suc-cessfully transforming a pieceof land.

Mark is now more thana site adopter, he is a crewleader. FOSC always needsvolunteers who can lead othergroups of volunteers, espe-cially on big workdays likeEarth Day in April and Creekto Bay Day in September.Mark’s willingness to leadgroups to work at his adoptedspot on these big workdaysmeans that even more can beaccomplished.

Now that it’s February,many people are reassessingtheir New Year’s resolutions.The great thing about volun-teering is that you can start anytime—it’s never too late to suc-ceed in making that additionto your life. Late winter bringsmany opportunities to get yourfeet wet at a FOSC workday inDimond Canyon, at another

park, or at Joaquin MillerPark Native Plant Nursery.Of course, you can literally getyour feet wet by volunteeringwith our new bioassessmentteam. FOSC’s event calendarat www.sausalcreek.org hassomething for everyone, andif you start volunteering now,you can be prepared to fill themuch needed niche of crewleader this coming Earth Dayworkday (Saturday, April 21).Or you can adopt your ownspot any time—our restorationmanager is always happy totake a walk and show youthe many spots that could usetending.

Happy New Year andHappy Volunteering! ——————————————Kimra McAfee, Executive Directorof the Friends of Sausal Creek,can be reached at coordinator@sausalcreek.org or (510) 501-3672.Or visit www.sausalcreek.org.

B Y K I M R A M C A F E E

Mark Liebthal (far left) poses with his crew of buildOn high schoolstudents at his adopted spot near the El Centro trout pool. Volunteercrew leaders like Mark Liebthal allow FOSC to lead restoration work-days for large student groups like buildOn throughout the school year.

MEG

AN

HES

S

Dear Editor,I wonder if you would

print my thank you to twomen who helped me whenmy car died on the Fruitvaleexit ramp on Saturday,December 17, 2011 at 5 p.m.One came from across thestreet and another stopped hisvan and ran over. Both menpushed my car off the bottomof the ramp to Fruitvale Ave.away from the traffic. I amvery grateful to them. Onegave his name as RonnieBarron, and I never asked theother young man his name.It was unsettling to see all thelights fast approaching my carbehind me on the exit, so theygot me out of a bad spot. Theyrestore my faith in the kind-ness of strangers. “Thankyou” to both of them.

Sincerely,Kinuko Oiye

Fruitvale Unity NCPC thanksyou for all your help this pastyear.

Sincerely,Judie Ghidinelli

Hi, I am [writing] with thehope that the Metro willprovide both sides of theproposed senior housing atHigh & MacArthur. Yourpast articles show unneededbias and are out of step withyour good paper and Laurelneighborhood.

Thanks,Craig Cooper

Readers: Space permitting, theMacArthur Metro welcomes allpoints of view on topics of concernin our readership area. Send let-ters and suggestions for Onions& Orchids or Boulevard Bites.Send a query to the editor if you’dlike to submit an article. Emailmetroreaders@earthlink.net.

Lettersto theEditor

Are you a fifth graderwho loves to write?Do you know a

fifth-grade writer?The Berkeley (including

Oakland) Branch of the Cali-fornia Writers Club (CWC)is holding its 26th Annual

Fifth-Grade Story contest.Any fifth-grade writer in

a school in Alameda or Con-tra Costa County is eligibleto enter. Only teachers arepermitted to submit entries,so, students, if you want toenter, talk with your teacher

now. Stories can be up to1,000 words. There is a smallfee of one dollar per entry(to defray expenses and pro-vide prizes). Prizes rangefrom $20 to $100. Deadlineto enter is March 15, 2012.

Contest rules, guidelines

for manuscript submission,and a downloadable flyerare on the CWC Web site,calwritersclub.wordpress.com.For more information, emailDNDNL2@mac.com.

Calling Fifth-Grade WritersA

February 2012

3

Capture a Painted Chairat MLA’s Auction

Melrose Leadership Academyis holding its first UptownAuction to Save the Music onSaturday February 18 from7:30 to 11:30 p.m. The benefitwill be swingin’ to the musicand serving tasty appetizersand drinks in the Oakland Up-town Body and Fender shopat 401 26th St. Donationsrange from $30 to $50. ContactMLA at 535-3832 to reserveyour tickets. You can also pur-chase $2 raffle tickets for achance to take home a varietyof prizes, including popularelectronic equipment andwooden chairs that have beenpainted by local artists andMLA students.

The Fourth WallThe Maxwell Park Mosaicteam has opened the fourth(and final) year of wrappingthe rest room cinder blocks inartistic bits of tile and mirror.The team is calling for com-munity members interestedin helping to design the mo-saic for the front of the build-ing. If you would like to sub-mit a design, take a look at the

surfaces to be covered and theother three walls, andcontact Beverly Shalombahiashalom@sbcglobal.netor Nancy Karigacankarigaca@comcast.net to letthem know if you can attenda meeting on one of the firstthree Saturdays in February.You can also register your in-terest in volunteering for theconstruction or preparationphases of the project. If youdon’t know the location ofthe project, the rest room is inthe park in the 4400 block ofFleming.

Magnets withLibrary Hours

The Friends of MelroseLibrary began the year with afull complement of officers.Brenda Cooper joined the ros-ter as Treasurer and RosettaEgan as Secretary. SusannePerkins and Adelle Foley con-tinue as Chair and Vice-Chair.The meetings are now held thesecond Tuesday of the monthat 6 p.m. All Friends of thebranch are also invited to helpcreate our second batch ofmagnets with library hourslisted, at a work session onSaturday, February 25 from10 a.m. to noon.

Acting Branch Manager

Joyce Bratton distributed aschedule of 2012 library clo-sures for holidays and City Clo-sure, including February 10,11, 13, 20, and 21. You can getyour own copy at your branchor at the Main Library.

High Street Traffic LightSometimes a wish is fulfilledlong after a request is made,denied, and almost forgotten.Those of us working to calmHigh St. traffic have longthought that the youngsterscrossing this major thorough-fare to the Boys & Girls Clubneeded a safer way to get tothe club. We proposed theaddition of a traffic light, butour request was rejected. Now,years later, the need is stillreal, and we’ve heard that atraffic signal will be installedat Porter and High. We knowit takes quite a while, but we’rewatching and waiting.

As I walk outside.Silence. Dim headlights emerge.Surrounded by fog

On the way to BARTTule fog frizz-dries my hairAnd moistens my face.

—————————————Contact Adelle Foley atjandafoley@sbcglobal.net.

High Street Neighborhood News

B Y A D E L L E F O L E Y

Maxwell Park News

Artist Daniel CamachoArtist Daniel Camacho,his wife Robin Lovell, andtheir family moved into theMaxwell Park neighborhoodin November 2001. Camachosays he and Robin got in-volved with the MaxwellPark Neighborhood Councilthe following summer afterCamacho’s 10-year-old sonand a friend were jumped bya group of older kids. Cur-rently, World Ground Caféon MacArthur is displayinghis artwork. He also teachesart for Melrose LeadershipAcademy public school’safter-school program.

“Robin and I knew aboutthe neighborhood group,”Camacho says. “We had seenthem cleaning the street nearWalgreens and had joinedthem a few times. We posteda note to the listserv, tellingneighbors what had hap-pened. Walter Williams, oneof our neighbors, organizeda series of neighborhoodwalks. It was an amazingresponse, thanks to Walterand the organizing that Jan(Hetherington) and othershad done. The first walk,there weren’t very manypeople, but after a few weeks,the neighborhood walksgrew very popular. Lotsof neighbors, city council-members, even the chiefof police joined a walk.”

B Y B R Y A N F A R L E Y Camacho didn’t stopthere with his community in-volvement. He joined LuanStaus’s (from Laurel BookStore) work group of fiveor six households that gettogether throughout the yearto do home improvementprojects on each other’shouses. He’s also involved inthe Laurel Art Works collec-tive, and is getting to knowmore artists in the neighbor-hood. He says there are a lotof people who are using artto bring people from theneighborhood together. Hesays there are many talentedartists, photographers, musi-cians, painters, poets, andother professional artists wholive in this neighborhood.

Camacho also believesneighbors should get toknow Melrose LeadershipAcademy (and the principal,Moyra Contreras), a greatlittle public school in ourneighborhood. The schoolhas a dual-immersion bilin-gual program, and kids fromall backgrounds can learnSpanish and English. It alsohas a farmers’ market, andlots of arts and enrichmentduring the school day andafter school, and some ofthe teachers live in or aroundMaxwell Park.

Daniel Camacho’s art iscurrently on display at WorldGround Café.—————————————Find out more about Bryan Farleyat his blog, bryanfarleyblog.com.

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Your Oakland City Councilmember Libby Schaafinvites you to visit her and her staff

at our monthly Office Hours!First Thursdays, 9am at Caffe Diem in Dimond

(2224 MacArthur Blvd near Fruitvale)

First Saturdays, 9am at World Ground Cafe in Laurel(3726 MacArthur Blvd near 35th Ave)

Third Saturdays, 10:30am at Cafe Galleria in Lincoln SquareShopping Center (4100 Redwood Rd)

Fourth Wednesdays, 3:30pm at Melrose Library(4805 Foothill Blvd)

Fourth Sundays, 9:30am at Montclair Farmers Marketor in Colonial Donuts (6126 La Salle Ave)

4February 2012

PauletteAvery,

R.N., M.S.N.,I.B.C.L.C.

To Your Health

f you have ever experi-enced what is referred to as“helper’s high,” you know

that helping others can makeyou feel good. Now there isresearch to support the factthat volunteering to providehelp and support to othersnot only makes you feel goodemotionally, it also providesbenefits to your physical andmental health. The informa-tion in this column comesprimarily from a 2007 reportby the Corporation for Na-tional & Community Service,the group that provides vol-unteer opportunities throughSenior Corps, AmeriCorps,Learn and Serve America.

Research over the past 20years indicates that volunteersenjoy lower mortality rates,lower rates of depression,and greater functional abilitieslater in life when comparedto nonvolunteers. Interest-ingly, the benefits to healthare greater for the volunteersthan for those receiving thesupport. So when it comes tovolunteering, it truly is betterto give than to receive. Thestudies also show that thebenefits are greater in thosewho volunteer 100 hours ormore per year and in olderadults as compared tovolunteers in midlife.

The reasons behind thehealth benefits for volunteersseem to be connected tohigher levels of a personalsense of accomplishment anda sense of purpose. It followsthat older retired adults are

more likely to benefit becausetheir volunteer activities pro-vide social interaction and newroles to replace ones they hadwhile employed or raising afamily. Volunteer activities alsoprovide social interaction, mak-ing it less likely for volunteersto suffer from depression re-lated to social isolation.

If you already volunteer,good for you. If you don’t andwould like to, consider thesetips for choosing your volun-teer activity. First, think aboutwhat you enjoy doing and whatskills you have to offer. Doyou enjoy writing, photogra-phy, working with animals?Does your educational or careerbackground provide you withspecial skills that could benefitothers? Make a list of severalareas of interest. Next, considerwhere you might like to volun-teer. I know friends who loveanimals and thoroughly enjoyhours volunteering with theHumane Society or similargroups. Churches and schoolsprovide many volunteer oppor-tunities, and of course thereis the Metro. We’d love to haveyou join us to help keep thispaper going.

You can also explorevolunteer activities throughthe Internet. Check outwww.VolunteerMatch.orgas one way to get yourselfmatched with a volunteeractivity that is right for you. —————————————Paulette Avery is a registerednurse and a freelance writerwho specializes in health issues.

Volunteering:Good for Youand Goodfor OthersDisruptive Youth Activity in

Dimond Business DistrictThis letter was recently sent tomiddle and high school princi-pals in the area for communica-tion to students and parentsabout unacceptable activity atthe intersection of MacArthurBlvd. and Fruitvale Ave.

Dear Middle and High SchoolPrincipals,

There is an increasing con-cern in the Dimond BusinessDistrict regarding the behaviorof youth at the MacArthur Blvd.and Fruitvale Ave. intersection,a major AC Transit hub. Thisconcern specifically involvesteenagers 13 to 18 years of age.It seems many of these teenagersare from various Oakland areamiddle and high schools, and arespending several hours in the af-ternoon socializing with friendsat McDonald’s, 2208 MacArthurBlvd., and at the bus stop in frontof Cybelle’s Pizza, 3465 FruitvaleAve. Observed and documentedbehaviors include shouting,throwing objects at cars, walkingin front of cars diagonally acrossthe intersection, crossing againstlights, rolling cigarettes at thenortheast corner of Fruitvale and

Dimond Neighborhood News

B Y C A R R I E C A M P B E L L A N D

K A T H L E E N R U S S E L L

MacArthur (at the side of RadioShack, 2200 MacArthur), andacting aggressively towardpedestrians and cars. Addition-ally, OPD Community Policinghas reported that severalfights have occurred behindMcDonald’s and in the backparking lot of Bank of America,2154 MacArthur Blvd.

This disruptive behavioris having a negative effect onthe Dimond District. Residents,visitors, bus riders, drivers, andmerchants are impacted by thisbehavior and our elder citizens,shoppers, and business ownersfeel intimidated. Traffic flow isbeing disrupted.

At a special meeting onNovember 16, representativesfrom Oakland Police Depart-ment, Neighborhood Services,OUSD Police, AC Transit,Alameda County SupervisorKeith Carson’s Office, OaklandCity Council District 4, DimondImprovement Association,and Dimond Business &Professional Association metto discuss this issue.

It was decided that severalactions would be taken to resolvethis situation. The first actionis this letter alerting students,parents, and principals of sur-rounding schools regardingthis important concern about stu-dent and youth behavior at the

intersection of MacArthur Blvdand Fruitvale Ave. between thehours of 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. onschool days. This disruptiveand belligerent behavior isunacceptable. It is especiallyimportant that the fighting doesnot escalate to further violence.

We welcome youth to visitDimond, but we ask for achange in attitude and activity.This community embracesyouth, residents, visitors, andelders, and all people shouldfeel comfortable in shopping,walking, riding the bus,bicycling and driving throughour district. (End of letter.)

This letter was approved bythe board members of the DIAand DB&PA, and signed byrepresentatives of the DimondImprovement Association(DIA) and the Dimond Businessand Professional Association(DB&PA).

For comments or concernsabout youth behavior inDimond, please contact BruceStoffmacher, Community Liai-son, Office of CouncilmemberLibby Schaaf, District 4. Tel:238-7041; email: bstoffmacher@oaklandnet.com. —————————————Email comments toCarrieLCampbell@hotmail.comor krussell@russell-gordon.com.

ere is a list of the locationsand owners of new busi-nesses in the Dimond and

Laurel areas, since mid-summer2011. Thanks to Tommy Wongof the Laurel District Associationand Stan Dodson from theDimond Improvement Associa-tion for this information. Ifyou know of a new Metro-areabusiness you want listed in theMetro, please send the info to

OPEN EVERY DAYWED.-SAT. 6:30AM-9PM

SUN.-TUE. 6:30AM-6PM

3726 MacArthur Blvdin the Laurel482-2933

order online:www.worldgrounds.com

Fair Trade,Organic Coffees

ScrumptiousPanini & Salads

Fresh FruitSmoothies

DraftMicroBrews

& Organic Wineby the Glass

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I

metroreaders@earthlink.net. Anddo visit our shopping districtwebsites: www.shopdimond.comand www.laureldistrictassocia-tion.org.

The LaurelTaylrz Joint Clothing Boutique.Taylor Jay, 3843 MacArthurBlvd. Taylor’s other boutique isin LA. This site is in the formerBrownstone Boutique space, afabulous array. 842-8113.

The Toy Store. Jorge

Monzon, 3924 MacArthur Blvd.A decades-long collector offersan amazing assortment of collect-ible toys. 449-2062.

Williams & Associates Busi-ness and Tax Services. RobertWilliams, 4138 MacArthur Blvd.A trusted Laurel businessmanfor seven years, Robert recentlyopened this storefront. 530-3001.

The DimondThe Dimond Gallery. Peter Gee,2812 Hopkins Place (across thestreet from Loard’s) new art gal-lery in the Dimond. Gallery openhours are on Saturdays, 1 to 4p.m. or by appointment. Currentshow - Peter Gee ON THE SLAB:Ceramic Wall Hangings. Nowreviewing artist portfolios for

Support Our New Local BusinessesB Y E L I Z A B E T H C A L L A W A Y

H

cont inued on page 7

February 2012

5

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Handywoman Services. Minor homerepair, accessibility modifications,gardening. Specializing in serviceto seniors. No job too small. Laurelresident for over 19 years. Call forfree estimate. Lic. #516847. RuthAnn Crawford at (510) 530-7459.

Bernice & Joe Playschool. For over30 years, play-based learning inour earthquake-retrofitted home-likecenter near Mills College. Our park-like quarter-acre setting has pineand fruit trees, vegetablegarden, redwood playhouse, 20-foot sailboat, two-story woodenrocket ship, outdoor art and blockrooms. Curriculum includes pre-reading, pre-math enrichment, fieldtrips, F.I.T. gymnastics, music, andSpanish teachers. Emphasis puton socialization, verbalization.Sibling discount. Vegetarianlunch provided. Ages 2 to 5years. License #010314258. Call(510) 638-3529, or visit us atwww.berniceandjoe-playschool.comfor a brochure.

Saxophone & Piano. Play musicfor the joy of it! Have fun learningjazz, blues, improvisation. Patient,supportive teacher. Ages 10 &up. Specialty: Adult beginners. Eva436-0504.

Classes offered in knitting, crochet-ing, felting, spinning & weaving atPiedmont Yarn & Apparel, 4171Piedmont Avenue. 510-595-9595.www.piedmontyarn.com. We alsomend knitted wear.

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 metroadvertising@yahoo.com.Deadline for submission and payment isthe 15th of the month. For additionalinformation on discounts or other infor-mation contact Krista Gulbransen at 287-2655, fax 844-9487.

Precious Gem Found inthe Heart of the Laurel

You may have seen her, a loneavenger, removing graffitifrom walls and street signsor picking up abandonedhubcaps from the side of theroad. She does not wear acape and tights, at least notin public, but she has beendubbed The Graffiti Busterand is a certified Local Hero(2011, District 4).

A true native of Oaklandand the Laurel, Jo-AnnMaggiora Donivan lives inthe house her parents boughton Wisconsin St. in 1953.She attended Laurel GrammarSchool and St. LawrenceO’Toole. She graduated fromHoly Names High Schooland later earned her teachingcredential from Cal StateHayward.

Maggiora Donivan haswitnessed the ups and downsof the neighborhood. Recall-ing the Laurel of her youth,Maggiora Donivan describeda vibrant business area witha library, two grocery stores,and Lady Ann’s Bakery, thesource of her birthday cakes.“I remember when they putin the 580 freeway. We hada really bad winter that year,and a little boy drowned inthe partially dug trench.

“The freeway changedthe dynamics of the neighbor-hood. MacArthur Blvd. usedto be the main thoroughfare,but after the freeway, peoplegot in their cars and wentelsewhere to shop. Whenthey built the DimondLibrary, they closed theLaurel Branch.”

Buying her childhoodhome made her feel moreinvested in the community,Maggiora Donivan said.She also felt inspired by theopening of World GroundCafé after a period of declinein the Laurel. She realized thatif the community improved,it became more desirableand more people wouldinvest their energy andresources here in the Laurel.

Laurel Neighborhood News

Maggiora Donivan ex-plored neighborhood groupsand attended NeighborhoodCrime Prevention Council(NCPC) meetings. She gravi-tated toward the LaurelVillage Association (LVA) be-cause of its focus on neighbor-hood improvement projects.She found her niche at first inbattling graffiti. She workedwith the LVA to produce theannual Summer SolsticeMusic Festival and to weedmedians and plant bulbs.

Maggiora Donivan, nowPresident and board memberof the LVA, transformed thegreen space at 35th Ave. andthe entrance to the 580 Free-way into the Laurel Art Gar-den. The space now featuresdecorated hubcaps mounted

on wood frames built by herhusband John Donivan. Shewalks with Feet on the Streetand continues to attendNCPC meetings as well asthe Laurel Gardeners Group.Through the LVA listserv,Maggiora Donivan oftenserves as communicationcentral, passing on informa-tion gleaned from her manyconnections.

Artistry and creativethinking come naturallyto Maggiora Donivan, wholabors by day as a jeweler.She and her husband createoriginal jewelry and tradi-tional pieces at their work-shop in San Francisco. Sheenjoys the creative challengeof repair and restructuringantique pieces of jewelry.They have made jewelryfor the very rich as wellas for outlaw bikers.

When asked about hercommitment to the Laurel,Maggiora Donivan’s eyesglisten with emotion. “I lovethe Laurel. It’s our home.”

For further information:www.donivanand

maggiora.comwww.laurelvillage.orgLaurel/Redwood

Heights/Leona Park NCPCcontactrsykes@oaklandnet.com

laurelgardeners@yahoogroups.com.

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Patron Saints of the Hubcaps, John Donivan and Jo-Ann Maggiora Donivan.

Jason DarrahIn the Laurel

Jo-Ann Maggiora’s grammarschool photo.

Over 30 years in the Laurel District

Laurel OptometryDorothy Okamoto OD3714 MacArthur Blvd.Oakland 530-2330

Got a FewScrews Loose?Come in for a FREEGlasses Tune-Upduring the month ofFebruary,Tue.-Sat.

Past Issues of the Metro with asearchable database availableonline at macarthurmetro.org

6February 2012

Calendar of Community Events

BY MARILYN GREEN, COORDINATOR

The MacArthur Metro calendar welcomes a range of listings. We emphasize commu-nity meetings and actions that address neighborhood concerns as well as culturalevents that enrich our lives. To have your event listed, please contact Marilyn Greenno later than the 12th of the preceding month at 531-9233 or marilynmetro@aol.com.

February 2012

Neighborhood Crime Prevention CouncilsThe Laurel/Redwood/Leona Heights Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council (Beat 25X):Wednesday, February 8, 7 p.m. Redwood Heights Recreation Center, 3883 Aliso Rd.Maxwell Park Neighborhood Council: Wednesday, February 8, 7 p.m., Melrose LeadershipAcademy, 5328 Brann. Contact Jan Hetherington at 534-4978 or maxwellparknc.com.Allendale Park NCPC Meeting: Wednesday, February 15, 7 p.m., 3711 Suter St.Melrose High Hopes NCPC: Thursday, February 16, 7 p.m., Horace Mann Elementaryschool, Ygnacio and Congress. ncpcbeat27x.org.

Dimond Library 3565 Fruitvale Ave. Info: 482-7844. Wheelchair accessible.Family Storytimes: Tuesdays, 7 p.m.Storytime: Wednesdays, 10:15 a.m. and 11 a.m., 10:15 a.m. for toddlers up to 2years; 11 a.m. for ages 3 to 5 years.Lawyers in the Library: First Tuesday, February 7, 6 to 8 p.m.; sign-up for lottery at5:45 p.m. Free legal information. Call to confirm on the day of the program.Spanish Conversation Group: First and third Tuesdays, February 7 and 21, 6:30 to7:30 p.m. Contact: Sarah Hodgson 482-7844, shodgson@oaklandlibrary.org.Book Discussion Group: First Tuesday, February 7, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. New memberswelcome. Contact librarian for title.The African American Genealogical Society of Northern California: Saturday, February 18,1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Beyond the Census: Other State & Federal Resources, Newspapers.

Melrose Library 4805 Foothill Blvd. Info: 535-5623.Friends of the Melrose Library: Tuesday, February 4, 6 p.m.Storytime: Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. Stories, songs, and fingerplays for children under3 years old.Friends of the Melrose Branch: Tuesday, February 14, 6 p.m.Library Project: Saturday, February 25, 10 a.m. to noon. Help make magnetsshowing library hours at the Melrose Branch Library, Foothill and 48th Ave.Book Discussion Group: Fourth Tuesday, February 28, 6 to 7 p.m. Call for title.

Friends of Sausal Creek For more information, www.sausalcreek.org.Restoration Workday in Dimond Park: Saturday, February 4, 9 a.m. to noon. 3860Hanly Rd., meet at the Scout Hut (near rest rooms). Habitat restoration along SausalCreek. For information, contact Megan at 325-9006 or field@sausalcreek.org. Minorswill need a waiver signed by an adult. Please RSVP for groups of 4 or more.Joaquin Miller Native Plant Nursery Work Days: Saturdays, February 4, 11, and 25,1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Closest address is 3594 Sanborn Rd. Native plant propagation.Minors need a signed waiver. RSVP for groups of 4 or more, drop-ins welcome.Contact Megan at 325-9006 or field@sausalcreek.org.Marj Saunders Park Monthly Cleanup: Monday, February 6, 10 a.m. to noon. CheltonDr. and Ascot Dr. Activities include litter pickup, graffiti removal, removal of invasivespecies, and maintenance. Email Elaine Geffen to confirm,elaineofpew@sbcglobal.net.Gardening at Wood Park: Creek-to-Bay Day, Saturday, February 18, 9 a.m. to noon.Park is located just below I-580 north of Fruitvale Ave. Lisa Lemus at 534-1480 orlemuswong@aol.com.Beaconsfield Canyon Work Day: Creek-to-Bay Day, Saturday, February 25, 9 a.m. tonoon. Meet at the end of Beaconsfield Place (closest address is 2639), second streeton the right as you go up Chelton from Ascot Dr. Richard Kauffman at 530-1237 orrichard@rkcommunications.com.

GENERAL CALENDARRegister for Environmental Classes at Merritt College: Classes are ongoing. For specif-ics, contact www.ecomerritt.org or 434-3840, or register online at www.peralta.edu.Fruitvale Presbyterian Church Senior Center: Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.,2734 MacArthur Blvd. 530-0915.Sweet Heart of a Craft Fair: Saturday, February 4, noon to 5 p.m., 4148 MacArthur Blvd.Neighborhood Valentine’s Party: Thursday, February 9, 7 to 9 p.m., Allendale Recre-ation Center, 3711 Suter St.Allendale Park Feet on the Street: Thursday, February 9, 7 p.m., corner of Dale and Minna.Black Family History Day, Saturday. February 11, 1 to 5 p.m., Oakland Family HistoryCenter, 4766 Lincoln Ave. We are all one body in ancestry. All are welcome. (Free).Second ArtSPARK event: Magic Is All Around: Saturday, February 11, 3:30 to 5:30p.m., Sequoia Elementary Auditorium, 3730 Lincoln Ave. Student work will befeatured. Light food and beverages. $3 to $5 donation suggested. Please supportSequoia as an Arts Anchor School.Red Hot Chocolate Group Show: Evening Reception Saturday, February 11, 6 to 8p.m., Creative Framing & Gallery, 5015 Woodminster Lane. See these sweet treatsand buy handmade gifts for your Valentine. Gallery open T, Th, F, Sat 10 a.m. to 6p.m. 482-1200. www.creativeframingoakland.com/gallery.Laurel Art Works (LAW), Second Saturday Reception, February 11, 2 to 5 p.m., 4148MacArthur Blvd. Part-time gallery in the Laurel, bringing together the rich heritage anddiverse traditions of the Arts in Oakland. Susan Scolnick at sscolnick@sbcglobal.netfor more info.New gallery presenting local artists: Reception Saturday, February 11, 1 to 4 p.m.,The Dimond Gallery, 2812 Hopkins Place. Exhibitions change monthly. Receptionon the second Saturday of the month. 809-5243 email: dimond gallery@gmail.com.February shows: Toni Clark SIMPLY RAW: Musings in Clay. Dawn Kathryn GRAPHICSPACE: Printed Images. Gallery Hours: Saturdays, 1 to 4 p.m.

NeighborhoodValentine’s Day Party

I � AllendaleCalling all families who lovethe neighborhood! Come out tothe Neighborhood Valentine’sDay Party and challenge yourcreativity while meeting yourneighbors. Activities will in-clude decorating handmadeValentine’s Day cards, facepainting for children, and araffle with cool prizes.

While sipping hot cocoaand nibbling on scrumptiouscookies, attendees will havean opportunity to meet theirneighbors and learn more aboutthe community spirit that’scatching on in the AllendalePark neighborhood. The event,which is being hosted by theAllendale Park NeighborhoodCrime Prevention Council, willbe held Thursday, Feb. 9, from7 to 9 p.m., at the AllendaleRecreation Center, 3711 SuterSt. Stop by and meet otherneighbors who love theirneighborhood.

Allendale Says Goodbye toFabulous Recreation Center

Director Elena BermeoThe Allendale Park communitysays goodbye and sends avery special “thank you” toAllendale Recreation Center Di-rector Elena Bermeo. Elena has

Allendale Neighborhood News

B Y C H E R Y L G O L D E N accepted a promotion and ismoving to the City of Oakland’sMosswood Recreation Center,located at 3612 Webster St.

For the past four years, Elenahas worked tirelessly to improvethe programming as well asthe aesthetics at the AllendaleRecreation Center. She hastransformed the Center into apositive and peaceful place forall community members. Manyneighbors agree that Elena’s in-fectious enthusiasm and positiv-ity, as well as her deep belief inthe beauty and potential of ourneighborhood, were some ofher greatest assets. We will missher passion and dedication toturning around this gem in theheart of Allendale.

Under Elena’s leadership,the children have been exposedto many positive experiences,including Allendale’s first thriv-ing summer camp, with weeklyswimming at the lake, cowboyson site, trips to Golden GatePark, Alameda Beach, and GreatAmerica to name a few. Withhard work and dedication, sheand others have developed athriving After-School Programwith excellent staff and highexpectations of all of the stu-dents. She has also workedcollaboratively to create afoundation for future usersand community members at theAllendale Recreation Center—a place that is safe, clean, andcolorful, and where all are

accountable for their actions.Elena was no stranger to

reaching out and marketingthe recreation center to a broadaudience. She nurtured positiverelationships with many com-munity groups withinAllendale and the Laurel, andworked closely with Allendaleand Laurel elementary schools,the Allendale Park Neighbor-hood Crime Prevention Coun-cil, and the Laurel DistrictAssociation and its merchantsfor support. Through her devo-tion to improving the lives ofchildren, she helped studentsstart a silk screen business;worked with the Laurel DistrictAssociation and its merchantsto promote the Turf Dancingcommunity, which resulted inlocal and international publicityfor this event as well as theAllendale Recreation Center;and applied for assistance fromRebuilding Together Oaklandto build a community gardenat the Center this April.

We wish Elena great successwith her new position. Thecommunity looks forward toworking with her replacementto continue the positive workshe spearheaded over the years.Incoming director GeorgeHenderson has worked for theOakland Parks and RecreationDepartment for over five yearsand has served as the directorof San Antonio and CampbellVillage recreation centers.

Objects on My Dresser - Artist Talk and Performance: Sunday, February 12, 1 to 3p.m. Mills College Art Museum. A group of Sonya Rapoport’s interactive works,created between 1979-2011 that function in the intersection between questioningand inviting.Melrose Leadership Academy first Uptown Auction benefit: Saturday, February 18,7:30 to 11:30 p.m., Oakland Uptown Body and Fender Shop, 401 26th St.Call 535-3832 to reserve tickets.Allendale Park Beautification: Saturday, February 18, 10:30 a.m., Suter St. and 38thAve. (Suter Triangle).Holy Names University Information Session: Thursday, February 23, 6 to 7:30 p.m.,3500 Mountain Blvd. Information about graduate and adult bachelor degreecompletion programs. RSVP to 1-800-430-1321 or www.hnu.edu.

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first went to Texas for work,and in 1990 came to Oakland,where Hung has continuedher remarkable artistic jour-ney. At Mills College, Hunghas passed on her knowledgeby teaching art for over 20years. She’s a full professorat Mills and the recipient ofnumerous grants and

awards, including two fellow-ships in painting from theNational Endowment for theArts. Her work can be foundin the permanent collectionsof major art museums aroundthe country, including theNational Museum of AmericanArt in Washington D.C., artmuseums in New York, LosAngeles, San Jose, Sacramento,Oakland, and in San Franciscoat the San Francisco Museumof Modern Art (SFMOMA) andthe de Young Museum.

This will be the twentiethyear that Hung has lived inLeona Heights. Now, whenyou notice the mural on glassof the white cranes at OaklandAirport, it will hold extrameaning for you.

Hung continues to paint,adding to a body of work thatwill be included a year fromnow, in February 2013, at theOakland Museum’s retrospec-tive exhibition of Hung Liu’sart, art that is an expression ofa unique and thoughtful life.

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Michael & Margaret ArighiChiye Azuma & Steve Leikin

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Margaret O. BowermanMichael Broad

Kathy & Phil CaskeyToni Clark

John CoffeyCraig Cooper

Deborah CooperRichard Cowan &Kathleen Collins

Bena CurrinDenise Davila & Hugo Evans

Dimond Improvement AssociationLean Duckett

Jim Eggleston & Susanne ParadisClifford Falloon & Joan Dark

Farmer Joe’s/MacArthurShoshana and David Finacom

Betty FooteJohn Frando

Greg & Nancy FredericksTom & Jo Ann George

Amy GraybealCameron Habel &Debbie Lindemann

Fruitvale Unity NCPCGeorge & Sharon Higgins

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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.

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American Legion, East OaklandPost 471, Robert Cacy, Adjt.

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Red Oak Realty

The Leona Heightscolumn (on page one) has anew byline. Columnist GordonLaverty has passed the pento his son, Larry, who hasbeen co-writing the columnfor several months. Gordonbegan writing for theMacArthur Metro with thefirst issue in April 1989.Larry’s mother, Marge Laverty,was the Metro’s first gardencolumnist, whose own voicecame through in her interestingand informative columns, atradition later carried onby Adina Sara and nowby Hadley Louden. Our bestwishes to Gordon and Marge.

Gordon’s passing thetorch is a good reminderthat the Metro has never beenabout one person. The effortsand contributions of dozensof people go into each issue.We’re sending a metaphoricalValentine to our distributors,advertisers, writers, photogra-phers, behind-the-scenespersonnel, and financialsupporters. All of you makethe Metro go. That “you” in-cludes readers who take timeto comment on a story or onthe paper in general.

Special thanks to readerswho are sending donations tothe Metro in response to ourappeals. Check our financialthermometer. We’ll have moredetails in a future issue. Mean-while, if you haven’t done soand can afford to, please makea donation to this nonprofitcommunity newspaper assoon as you can. See page 2.

What would the Rev.Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.have said about the Occupymovement? In his long Letterfrom Birmingham City Jail—written four months beforehis speech on WashingtonMall—he said:

“Never again can weafford to live with the narrowprovincial ‘outside agitator’idea. Anyone who lives in theUnited States can never beconsidered an outsider any-where in this country . . .

“Actually, we who engagein nonviolent direct action arenot the creators of tension. Wemerely bring to the surface thehidden tension that is alreadyalive. We bring it out in theopen where it can be seen anddealt with. Like a boil thatcan never be cured as long asit is covered up, but must beopened with all its pus-flowingugliness to the natural medi-cines of air and light, injusticemust likewise be exposed, withall of the tension its exposingcreates, to the light of humanconscience and the air of na-tional opinion before it can becured.”

Not everyone can engagein civil disobedience, standon a soapbox, demonstratein the streets, march to a port,Occupy Oakland. Some writeletters or emails, speak to theirfriends, register voters, mentorstudents, work in their neigh-borhoods. But anyone, throughhis or her quiet or vociferousactions, can carry Dr. King’sbasic message that “Injusticeanywhere is a threat to justiceeverywhere.”

Sheila D’Amico

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Sanjiv Handa died in December2011. Often described as a gad-fly and sometimes dismissed byofficials as a pest, Handa wasan activist with a consuminginterest in open government.He’d attend just about everyCity Council meeting, sittingright up front at the press table,and he’d speak on every agendaitem. We asked Attorney andformer Metro Board memberMike Broad if we could printthe tribute he posted on a locallistserv after Sanjiv Handa diedin December.

est in Peace SanjivHanda. Often de-scribed as obsessed—

and ever carried away byhis micro-investigations intothe workings of governmentbureaucracy—sometimes

frenzied in his self-definedrole as government watch-dog, Sanjiv had the abilityto inform, educate and evenintimidate those he sawas guilty of obstructingjustice and perpetratingthe self-concealing nature ofgovernment.

Sanjiv Handa strove tokeep Oakland’s City Halland the Port Commissionerstransparent. He knew thatthe communication we seein our local government,read, or hear, are manytimes incorrect, misleading,or deceptive. For this reason,Sanjiv made it his missionto uncover rumors, specula-tion, ambiguity, misunder-standings, mistranslations,misquotations, misrepresen-tations, censorship, coverups, disinformation, hear-say, gossip, blather, bluffs,

bluster, bullshit, opinions,traditions, proselytizing,assumptions, predictions,that would go against therule of law.

His skepticism cutthrough the pretentiousfaçade protecting the statusquo. He pulled back theveil of secrecy and revealedthe truth.

Oakland has lost oneof its greatest advocates.

Rest in Peace Sanjiv HandaB Y M I K E B R O A D

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Class schedules at www.thetaoistcenter.com• Traditional Chinese Medicine (acupuncture, acupressure, tui na, herbs)

with Dr. Feng • Feng Shui reading of the home or business• Classes in Tai Ji, Broad Sword, Medical and Martial Arts Qi Gong,

Ba Gua, Gong F, and Wu Shu for children• Tai Ji , meditation, and Qi Gong instructional DVDs by Dr. Feng• Asian Bodywork • Yoga, Feldenkrais, Yamuna Body Rolling,

Bone & Joint, and T’ai Chi Chih classes• Unique natural herbal tea collections prepared by Dr. Feng

TAOISM CLASS and MEDITATION: last Friday ofeach month at 7pm—FREE and OPEN to the PUBLIC

Sanjiv Handa.