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This, again, is from the NCPC 14 X Yahoo! Group. Hello Everyone, Below is a summary of Monday's 14X NCPC meeting, for folks who were unable to attend. Those who were present at the Veterans Memorial on Monday know what a huge crowd we had, with over 100 people gathered! The meeting was longer than usual, so forgive the lengthy summary; a lot of ground was covered. And thanks to everyone who attended; we're really moving forward with forming a cohesive Adams Point network. 1) Introductions: Our new Neighborhood Services coordinator [NSC], Hoang Bahn, introduced herself and invited first-time attendees to do the same. New faces included both long-time residents and recent arrivals to Adams Point asking "What can we do to make our neighborhood safer?" Hot-topic issues included robbery, break-ins, loitering, car theft, Golden Bear/ Round Table Pizza noise and traffic safety, Casual Carpool problems, and the Whistle Stop program. NCPC Board Chair Conor Hickey emphasized th

I had to share this post from Nancy Rieser, who's lived in Adams Point for as long as I can remember. This I found in the Yahoo! Group on crime problems in the area. In regards to the Harley Davidsons. I have two feelings when I can't talk on the phone inside my house when a Harley roars up the street outside my window (I live one door up from Grand Avenue: 1. Extreme annoyance 2. Pity Yup. I feel sorry for the guys that need to overcompensate by lookin' macho and calling attention to himself by making intrusive, loud and abnoxious noises. Back in the 60s and 70s, there was a phrase women used to snort when a Hells Angel wannbe roared past, making all normal discourse impossible: "The louder the fool, the shorter the tool..." Maybe a couple of banners could be made with that simple quote printed on them...and hang one from the 580 freeway across from the Kwik Way area and string the second one across Grand Ave near the the Golden Bear. Just a thought.

If you're wondering what place the issue of the possible move of the Oakland A's out of Oakland has in the mind of Oakland Council President and Mayoral Candidate Ignacio De La Fuente, it's bottom-of-the-barrel: "For a politician, De La Fuente, president of the Oakland City Council, is remarkably punctual. Driving like a lunatic from one meeting to the next probably has a lot to do with that. Right now he's returning to City Hall after an hour-long jaw session at the Coliseum with A's owner Lew Wolff, who has been threatening to move the club to Fremont. The 57-year-old politician admits he hasn't spent a lot of time recently thinking about the A's. "I'm busy right now," he says. It's in the just released East Bay Express. Now let's think about this for a moment. Ignacio is not that stupid where he would make a statement like that if he thought it would not hurt him. Well, let me take that back. He can make such a miscalculati

If you've not visited Uptown, it's right next to Sears on Telegraph and on the same side of the street. It's just ok in my book, but a nice place. I think it's missing overstuffed chairs, but it's cool. Here's a review I liked over at "Yelp": "the uptown is probably a little to upscale for me, given that it's the only bar where i've ever been cut off. (it was my fault i got cut off anyway. i wouldn't have given me any more booze, especially after i asked to "trade" those half-drunk jack & cokes for "newer, better" drinks.) however, what's not to like about this place, especially when compared to the bars in downtown oakland that i do frequent (stork, ruby... anyone?). it's clean, shiny, got an excellent space for shows dripping with very ambient lights on strings and a giant patio out back for smoking and loud talking. the bartenders and door people are all sweet as pie. and to boot, it's walking

I've known Roland Smith for over 10 years and going back to my days with The Montclarion. I first met him at the annual Christmas party of a mutual friend. As to the matter of how Roland treats his staff, this has been old news. But I didn't realize it had escalated to this level. Roland needs the staffers, if only to take a look at how the City's spending its money. Embattled auditor sues Oakland Mayor, council named in filing that asks a judge to restore staff By Heather MacDonald, STAFF WRITER - OAKLAND TRIBUNE OAKLAND — City Auditor Roland Smith has sued the mayor, city administrator and City Council, claiming they improperly stripped his office of the staff needed to effectively execute its duties. Filed Monday in Alameda County Superior Court, the lawsuit asks a judge to order the city to immediately hire three permanent deputy city auditors and to increase the number of positions in the office to nine beginning July 1. "Principles of independence and accoun

Well, the place I have long associated with Berkeley culture and my Cal years is closing. Cody's on Telegraph Avenue. It was just two years ago that Cody's played host to former President Clinton and I came over to pay my respects and hand a letter to one of Clinton's aides about my now late stepfather, who grew up in Hope, Arkansas, the former President's home town. Wow. It's such an institution. It can't be allowed to just fade away. But I guess that's up to Fred Cody, isn't it?

In reading the Yahoo! Message Boards, a constant plug for Yahoo! when I type this, I see a constant pattern of targeting some African American businesses: The Golden Bear and The Seranader, both bars, are mentioned. I've not seen any examples of the kind of crime that has come to plague some downtown Oakland establishments. Rather, some of the people writing on the boards undoubtedly make assumptions about "those people" because they are black, and in the case of the Seranader, have patrons who ride motorcycles. I hope this pattern of racial targeting stops. Having people with different, yet safe habits has historically given texture and vibe to the Lake Merritt culture. There's no reason to try to force some businesses to close under the guise of safety when the real, underlying reason, is skin color. I have several friends -- white -- who regularly go to these establishments and have a great time. There's no reason anyone else who lives in Adams Point can

By Paul T. Rosynsky - STAFF WRITER - OAKLAND TRIBUNE OAKLAND - City teachers voted for stability Wednesday night, agreeing to a three-year contract that will end free health care but add more than 6 percent to salaries during the next three years. Beating back a last-minute drive by opponents urging teachers to vote against the pact, a definitive majority, 931 to 639, instead said they can live with contract provisions that will have them paying at most $700 per year for health care. ``A lot of time has been taken away from the children already,'' said high school teacher Barbara Castleton. ``If I was teaching to get the last possible dime I could, I wouldn't be teaching.'' Many of the teachers who said they voted in favor of the contract made similar argument as they left the Oakland Scottish Rite Center. Many also said they saw no resolution in sight if the contract had been rejected. ``The alternative is to go back and bargain, which would be too hard, or to go

This is the Lenox Av Abduction Matter Teen charged as an adult in kidnap, rape Second suspect sought in 'vicious' Oakland hills assault of 35-year-old By Harry Harris, STAFF WRITER - OAKLAND TRIBUE OAKLAND — A 17-year-old high school dropout will be prosecuted as an adult in the kidnap-robbery-rape last week of a 35-year-old woman that one investigator called the most brutal assault he has ever seen. A second suspect is being sought. West Oakland resident Clifton Haynes was charged Tuesday with forcible rape, kidnapping to commit robbery, carjacking and three other sex crime counts. Haynes has acknowledged his involvement, authorities said. Authorities could only confirm one prior arrest for Haynes. But Assistant District Attorney Norbert Chu, who filed the charges and made the decision to prosecute Haynes as an adult, said that made no difference. Citing the severity of the crime, Chu said he would have made the same decision had Haynes' record been clean. "This was

Listen to the interview over at Zennie's Zeitgeist.

After a series of crimes in our neighborhood, Adams Point residents are exachanging ideas online. One of the ideas is for a "Whisle Stop" program. According to message board reports, it works like this: "The WhistleStop concept is simple: If you see a crime being committed or you need to call for help, blow your whistle. If you hear a whistle, determine the nature and location of the problem and call 911, then blow your whistle to scare the assailant away and alert the victim and the assailant that the police have been called and help is on the way" It's used in Rockridge, but I don't yet know how well it's worked to this date.

I first met Bea Wong when I was wrting for The Montclarion in 1994. After that, I would run into her on occasion when I visted my friend John Russo's home, as she lived next door (he's moved since then). She's always warm. A very nice person. Outside of my own Mom, I can't think of anyone more deserving...Oh, my Mom doesn't live in Oakland anymore! At long last, recognition with the Mother of all city awards By Hilary Bothma, CORRESPONDENT - Oakland Tribune Oakland's mother of the year, Beatrice Wong, is a volunteer at the Chinese American Citizens Alliance. She will be honored Saturday at the Morcom Rose Garden for her dedication to community causes. (Sean Connelley/staff) OAKLAND — Beatrice Wong does not expect any reward for the thousands of hours of community service she has donated to city causes. With characteristic humor and self-deprecation, she says, "If I were waiting for recognition, I wouldn't be doing this for 40 years, unless I was

A good friend of mine just sent an email to me because he explained his reasons for supporting De La Fuente, and believed my reasons were based only on race -- uh, that he's black and so am I. Well, I'm not going to shy away from that, but my reasons, as befits my character, are far more complex. Here's my response. Hi, It's not just a matter of race. I've worked closely with Ignacio. Too close. As a result, I have a perspective on him that few possess, even of those I know. Ignacio has wanted to be Mayor since 1997. And during this time, he's not worked to build coalitions of people at all. Indeed, he uses his power to try to get what he wants, and to punish his ememies. Period. That's his way. I've been in rooms where he always explains how he's gonna "do or get something -- or someone. I represented Mayor Harris-- and was at one point even more powerful than Ignacio in committee because I understood the rules and how to build coal