Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • 1

TRIBUNE, Oakland, California Tuesday, July 23, 1985 AC A-9 1 flL- issue See Page A-111 dozen 1985 graduates of Oakland ileal High School are bo proud of their alma mater that they want to it to be dtf official landmark. -The Oakland City Council tonight is expected to assist by designating the 70-ytar-old building a local landmark. The move will strengthen the students bid for state and national recognition of their school 7 The graceful, columned school at 4351 Broadway was the work of former city architect John J. Donovan, who ii designed City Hall and several other well-known Oakland buildings, -The council tonight will also consider a resolution commending the former students for their dedicated efforts. It needs to be said that this was a student project, said Tay McArthur, social' studies department chairman who lead the students in their efforts.

It is one more example of what students can do when" theyve got a project they can be committed he said. The landmark status would continue a renaissance that, has occurred since the return of teachers and students two years fro to the completely renovated school. For seven years prior to 1983, students and. faculty had labored in portable build-: ings on a temporary Grove Street site Whije school underwent a $10.3 million renovation to make it earthquake safe. Becoming a landmark, said student John.

Canty, will make future students proud of their school and provide them "with an incentive to keep their academic standards up. Rodney Wilson-said landmark status means other Oakland students will take notice of Tech. Last fall, students in McArthurs hon-dfs class in American government began planning how to win historical designation fdr their school. They were given valuable guidance, McArthur said, by Betty Marvin of' the Oakland Historical Alliance, who pdvised them on the extensive research See TECH, Page A-10 to cope with crime Crimebusters Camp tells youngsters how to survive in housing projects By Jack Choosers Thu Tribum 9 1 Ten-year-old Calvin Allen of Oakland is going to summer camp this month, but hes not learning how to paddle a canoe or shoot "a bow and arrow. Calvin is learning instead how to avoid becoming a crime victim in his trouble-plagued neighborhood around the Lock-wood Gardens housing project in East Oakland.

Calvin and nearly 120 other children aged 5 to 12 are enrolled in the unusual anti-crime summer camp sponsored by the Oakland Housing Authority and Camp Fire Inc. The program, dubbed Crimebusters Day Camp," teaches children how to cope with the drug-dealing, burglaries, shootings and other crimes that afflict the sprawling, housing project. The kids are also told safety rules for riding the bus, walking home from school or a park, being home alone and caring for younger children. "These kids see a lot of things," said Ira Turner, a Crimebusters director. They see killings and shootings in these projects It's real, real sad the environment around here these kids have to live in.

The camp operates in a classroom in a housing authority office at Lockwood Gardens, near the corner of 65th Avenue and El 14th Street. A wall in the room is covered with crayon pictures of crimes drawn by campers. One depicts an ISast Oakland gang member shooting someone to death. Another shows a police helicopter hqvering above a cornered gunman. Campers spend five hours a day listening to safety talks by police officers and firefighters, learning crafts and songs, including a special Crimebusters song, a slightly modified version of the theme song to the movie Ghostbusters.

Among other tips, the children nearly all of them black are taught to observe people closely so they can give good descriptions to police, and to walk home from school in groups for safety. If they hear gunfire on the street, the children are told not to run, but to duck down and figure out whats happening, according to Rachelle Brown-Miller, another camp director. If they are home when a burglar breaks into the house, the children are told to hide quietly and lock the door after they hear the burglar leave, Brown-Miller said. Camp counselors take children on patrols through the neighborhood to watch for dan-. gerous situations or in-progress crimes' and learn how they should respond to them.

Brown-Miller said counselors impress on the children that if they see a crime happen, they should tell an adult about it quickly. Not someone whos nodding out on the porch, or Ned the. wino, but a responsible adult, she said. RICHMOND An emergency ordinance that will immediately double the $1.75 million Chevron USA pays annually for the city's utility users tax won approval from the city council last night. By a vote of 6-2 the council agreed to raise Chevron's cap on the 3.5 percent tax, bringing annual utility tax burden to $3.3 million for the fiscal year that began July 1.

Chevron spokesman Hal Holt told the council the increase threatens our economic viability. He added that with Chevron as the citys largest employer and taxpayer, the increase could ultimately threaten the economic health of Richmond as well. 'Chevron will continue to be good corporate citizen long as it is economically viable for us to do so, he said. Council member Lonnie Washington proposed the measure to reduce, the city's growing budget deficit. The only council members to oppose it were Niccolls and John Mayor Tom Corcoran was absent Raising the cap large companies pay in utility user taxes Expected to generate $5.7 million, with Chevron paying $3.3 million of the total.

Council member Jim McMillan admitted having Chevron bear the burden of the increase may be discriminatory but added he found it difficult to impose it on the poorer elements of city. It was an expedient move and I saw no other alternative," he said, noting that the city faces a "$4.8 million-plus deficit. Niccolls said she opposed increase because there comes point when something has give." Last year, the council raised the utility tax from 2 percent 3.5 percent of telephone, gas By Ref WUUumna Tribum Landmark lobbyists are, from left, John Canty, Reginald Mosely, Francia Young, Rodney Wilson and teacher Tay McArthur. Disputed windmills receive approval its a as La-Vonne Ziesen-henne. Is the the a to to and electric bills to balance its Alameda fire started in furnace room By Harry Harria Tribum ALAMEDA Investigators said yesterday they have pinpointed the source but not the cause of a three-alarm fire that gutted an old wooden boarding house late Sunday, injuring five tenants and two firefighters.

One of the injured boarders, Walter Hughes, 70, was reported in critical condition yesterday at Alameda Hospital with severe burns and other injuries. At least two others who lived at the Santa Clarq. Avenue boarding house remained at local hospitals. The fire, battled for more than an hour by 22 of the city's 25 on-duty firefighters, caused $250,000 in damage and left a total of 13 boarders homeless. The Red Cross was providing emergency shelter for those not hospitalized.

Fire Lt Steven McKinley said yesterday the fire broke out a See FIRE, Page A-19 By Frank Woottan Tht Tribum MARTINEZ Approval was Uvn yesterday for a windmill arm in southeastern Contra County where the worlds nlj fairy shrimp lives and where sandstone outcroppings hclter Northern Californias xsl examples of cave paintings. County Zoning Commissioner larvey Bragdon gave a condi-ioqal go-ahead for 166 wind-owered turbines nearly 15 stoles high south of Byron despite warnings that the unique shrimp tnd rare paintings might be lm-eilled by the project But Kim Vogley, a landscape irchitect in Brentwood, said she will appeal Bragdons decision to the Contra Costa County Planning Commission. Vogley, a member of the East Diablo Planning Advisory Committee, objected to inclusion in thq-project area of 300 acres whdre most of the sensitive ar cheological and biological areas are located. She also objected to Bragdons decision to allow the windmill developer, Howden Wind Parks Inc. of San Rafael, to determine the extent of sensitive areas where no windmills will be allowed.

The firm has Indicated willingness to try to minimize the projects impact. Company scientists have identified sensitive areas and are still working to discover their extent Bragdon imposed conditions sought by the full East Diablo Planning Advisory Committee, including that grading and building in sensitive areas be delayed until investigations are completed and boundaries' are established. The commission also asked that construction in sensitive areas be delayed until investigations and boundaries are established. It also called for steps By friuik PameekTht Tnbum to prevent trespassing and for a three-year wildlife monitoring program and photographic documentation of the cave paintings. Vogley was the only commission member requesting the 300 See WINDMILL, Page A-10 See CRIME, Page A-10 IN: BRIEF Oakland firefighter seeks disability court order Court Presiding Judge Win ton McKibben ruled last Friday that Esposito could remain on disability leave until a court hearing on Aug.

22. The disability retirement would allow Esposito to draw ..75 percent of his current annual salary of $34,044. Alameda County Superior Administrator leaves court LIVERMORE- Leo L. Bridge, who succeeded Department of Motor Vehicles chief George Meese as Livermore-Pleasanton Municipal Court administrator, has retired because of medical reasons. Teen drowns in apartment pool A St-year-old Oakland iratighter, who claims he itf fered respiratory problems ighting the 1979 fire In the (ART transbay tube, wants a ourt order declaring him emianently disabled as a ireman.

Thomas Esposito, who has ieen a firefighter for 10 years, las'already won a temporary ictory in his legal battle with he-department and the citys oljce and retirement board or full disability retirement Esposito, who has been lither on leave of absence or Usability leave for most of the wsttwo years, was ordered by he fire department to return work tomorrow after the -ettrement board rejected his wtition to retire because of ob-related disabilities. By Buuari EtkarTbu Tribum Wraa said youngsters told police that Ellis was showing them how long he could stay submerged in the pool's deep end when he failed to surface. A woman who lives in the apartment house dived in and pulled the boy out A police of fleer and an Oakland School District security officer administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Ellis was prononunced dead at Highland Hospital at 6:27 p.m. A 14-year-old boy visiting from Louisiana drowned last night in an Oakland apartment house swimming pool when he tried to show he could stay underwater longer than the other youngsters.

Police Sgt. Kristina Wraa said the boy, Limmie Ellis III, -and his parents, Linds snd Limmie Ellis were visiting his aunt, Linda Means, at her --12th Avenue apartment June Waite, the courts chief clerk, has been appointed acting Bridge, 60, became court administrator in July 1983 to replace Meese, who had been appointed DMV head by Gov. George Deukmejian. Bridge had been Meeae's chief deputy clerk and had been on medical leave since March for a severe peptic add condition. Bear hugs Male Australian koalas Clarry aad Frosty are welcomed by Mayer Diane Feiasteia aad Aastrallu General Causal Jobs Melhalsh at Su Francisco Iateraattonal Airport yesterday evening.

The koalas will move late a special koala eaclosure at the San Francisco Zoo..