Boulevard Bites

by Toni Locke

I Remember in September: ### Welcoming into the Metro family baby Will, son of associate editor Ellen Griffin and Brian Stein, born July 27. ### Sitting in the Laurel School auditorium among the 250 or more neighbors at the Dialogue with Mayor Jerry Brown on September 9. The mayor opened with his main concerns public safety through new methods of crime reduction, a vibrant downtown to generate capital, flourishing arts programs, good public education. Kaye and Darryl Stewart and the Neighborhood Council arranged for two-minute presentations by local leaders to follow the mayor. They voiced the need for youth activities of all kinds, green space for a park, play equipment for Laurel School, continued attention to business growth, traffic control, crime suppression, and beautification. People felt they had been heard as the mayor responded, proposing a check list of issues for joint activity. All seemed ready to tackle Oakland's problems in a spirit of solidarity, the term Mayor Brown invoked. ### Catching the exemplary offerings of the Dimond Website, set up and maintained regularly by Tim Chapman, co-chair of the Dimond Improvement Association (DimondNews.com). ### Seeing the expression on OPD Service Coordinator Tracy McKnight's face as she gave away the 400th hot dog from the barbecue set up by the Bret Harte NCPC in the parking lot at Coolidge and MacArthur during the great Sidewalk Sale of September 11. ### Mourning with Jaquita Mack's family at the simple tree-planting ceremony in her memory, attended by OPD Chief Richard Word and Mayor Jerry Brown at Jungle Hill. ### Marveling at the continuity of public service flowing from Gordon and Marge Laverty of Leona Heights, mainstays of the Metro, the Fruitvale Presbyterian Church, Woodminster musicals, and lots more. ### Rejoicing in the empowerment we all gain from stable, well-run organizations like the Redwood Heights Improvement Association, which celebrated its 55th birthday on September 15. The auditorium of the beautifully refitted Redwood Heights Elementary School resounded with applause for incoming and outgoing officers of the Association. Speakers were Gilda Gonzales (for City Manager Robert Bobb), Police Chief Richard Word, Councilmembers Nate Miley of District 6 and Dick Spees of District 4, and Bill Sturm of the Oakland Public Library history room. Lynn Rodenzo, principal, gave opening greetings. Richard Cowan, incoming president, chaired the session, initiating what promises to be a great year of growth in neighborhood action, including new links with the Laurel business district. Check out the website www.redwood-heights.org. ### Finding the Metro team intact, strengthened by additional volunteers and an active board, ready to produce many more monthly issues for our neighborhoods as long as our readers continue their generous and faithful support.