Leona Heights Neighborhood News

by Gordon Laverty

Our neighbors recently made a superb effort of to get Oakland voters to sign the referendum petitions asking the City Council to rezone all of the Leona Quarry back to low density. We got to know each other better and to have some hope in our democratic processes. The vocal support of those signing the petitions indicated a broad public outcry against poorly informed and biased city councilmembers who rushed support for the DeSilva project.

The work must begin to enliven the other residents of Oakland so that their votes support a safer quarry development. We look forward to a March special election in which the truth and reasonable engineering realities may prevail on the City Council to change their December action. We are especially grateful for the leadership given by Sparky Carranza, Marilyn King, Maureen Dorsey, and others who gave tirelessly to keep our effort coordinated.

We welcome to our neighborhood the Chambers and Fitzpatrick-Chiangs of Leona Street. These good people moved into their homes on the old Nina and Joe Stern historic property near Griffin Street in early January. Welcome!

And speaking of Griffin Street, we offer our sympathy to Pat and Jim, whose century-old oak tree fell over at 11:30 p.m. or thereabouts on January 10, on a windless night, and totaled their two cars and sailboat. Their neighbors, the Connellys, pitched in that night to help with chainsaw and strong arms. Good show! This sad event should cause the rest of us who have giant oak trees on our properties to check them out for rot and, where possible, balanced branch trimming.

We are still looking for a person to volunteer to deliver copies of the Metro to the Kuhnle, Leona, Mountain View area. If you can help once a month, please call Gordon at 531-4860.