Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • 20

2 METRO THE OAKLAND TRIBUNE SUNDAY April 9 2006 Block party celebrates ouster of drug dealers Vigilance City Hall help shut down crime in one ruitvale neighborhood By William Brand STA WRITER 9 OAKLAND They had a party Sat urday afternoon in front of 3025 School St in the ruitvale District with ballbons kids running around bar becue donated by Everett Jones and a lot of smiles Drug dealers not wel come It was a party that no one living in the area would have believed could happen a few years ago especially not in front of that house This was a block dominated by drug dealers One Christmas not long ago a neighbor Andrew Dibble said he drove home to find a murder victim slumped in a car outside the drug house nighttime it didn't matter It was non stop" he said grocery store on the comer vs all boarded up It safe here" Dibble said All that has changed dramatically ed up residents formed a neighbor hood watch group They began calling City Hall Oakland City Council President Ig nacio De La uente who represents the ruitvale district signed on So did City Attorney John Russo De la uente brought in police city inspectors and regulators Russo brought his Neighborhood Law Corps young deputy attorneys who brought the weight of the courts on the drug house Both De La uente and Russo at tended the block party and praised res idents for hanging tough The city is reclaiming neighborhoods one by one they said The law corps is able to do much more in the courts than residents can with a small claims nuisance law suit Russo said Laura Blair of the Neighborhood Law Corps said attorneys actually filed actions against the owners of three problem houses on the block and won court ordered restrictions and set tlements The absentee owner of the 3025 School Sti house was forced to sell the house Drug using and drug dealing residents left The lawsuit also gave the city juris diction over the sale The new owner was required to live in the house Blair said In fact neighbors added the new owner has joined the neighborhood watch Down at the corner store proprietor Ahmed aiz said he got a $3000 loan from the city and put in another $18000 to upgrade the store Now there are large clean windows The store boasts a well stocked refriger ated section with fresh fruits and vege tables The store sells more groceries now aiz said want the word to get around so more people will shop here" Andretta owler who lives nearby said the success shows people work' together things like this can Neighbors said the first change came when a minister from Shiloh Christian ellowship an Oakland com munity church set up a portable organ in front of the drug house and began singing hymns her battery ran out and the people in the drug house let her plug into their electricity" a neighbor said They know it but those hymns were writing an obituary for drug dealing on School Street a neighbor said Contact William Brand at bbrandang newspaperscom Oakland gears up for Earth Day LANDMARKS paBf 1 Annalee ALLEN CLEAN IT Green it Mean it Oakland Earth Day 2006 gets under way April 22 rain or shine organ izers say There will be seven official staging areas throughout the city where volunteers can take up shovels rakes or brooms In addition other Earth Day activ ities hosted by various community organizations will be happening on the same day A complete list of sites citywide can be found at wwwoak landpwcom or by calling 238 761 1 Volunteers can sign up for clean up projects trom iu am to 2 pm April 19 at a city Spon sorcd Earth Expo event in rank Ogawa Plaza across from City Hall At tendees can take ad vantage of free U1VVL1C LUllC UpO OGAWA iearn about solar contractors and green building materials turn in their environmentally unfriendly mercury thermometers and visit some 60 earth friendly vendors and organizations hosting tables throughout the plaza will be our 12th year holding the expo in advance of our Earth Day activities and it has proven to be good way to get the word out" says Jonelyn Weed Oak environmental services man ager Seven colorful banners each highlighting a theme from the Urban Environmental Accords signed this past year by Mayor Jerry Brown and 50 other large city mayors world wide will be unveiled at the expo Weed says The accords call for implementing 2 1 action steps during the next seven years to build an sus tainable economically dynamic and socially equitable future for all citi zens" The banners designed by Oakland artist Wendy Young rep resent the seven principal themes of the accords: water transportation energy environmental health urban nature water reduction and urban design will have stickers matching the themes that people can pick up along the way as they visit the vendor says Weed turning in all seven stickers will be eligible for prize drawings" At last City Council meeting council members got an ad vance look at the banners says Weed who read a resolution at Tues meeting calling April Earth Sustainability Month in the city This year marks Earth 36th anni versary job at the expo will be to showcase and celebrate progress and opportunities with these accords as we move through the coming she adds Cherry tree blossoms on the plaza should be at their peak for the up coming expo Planted in honor of the late rank Ogawa who served on the City Council for 28 years until his death in July 1994 the trees are part of the extensive renovations to the historic plaza that took place fol lowing the 1989 Loma Prleta earth quake Ogawa who was 77 when he died was the first Japanese American to serve on any major governing body Although an American born cit izen Ogawa along with his family was sent to the Japanese relocation camps during World War II and was NICK LAMMERS Staff in RANK OGAWA cherry trees will be in full bloom at the Earth Expo on April 19 forced to live in a crowded church once back in Oakland until he could reclaim the house his family had owned before the war Ogawa bor rowed money from relatives to re open the wholesale nursery business he had started in 1941 Cherry trees were always a favorite of his say his tory files Before serving on the council Ogawa was on the city Parks Com mission and active in the develop ment of the Oakland Zoo He was a big booster of sister city program ollowing his death the city of ukuoka Japan donated funds to commission a bust of Ogawa by artist Cedric Wentworth which is now located In the plaza or more information on the April 19 Earth Expo the Sustainability Accords and April Earth Day go to wwwoaklandpwcom or call 238 7611 Next week: Learn how City Hall Plaza was the location where many hun dreds of 1906 earthquake and fire survivors gathered to learn news about stricken San rancisco Oakland dog owners hope for new off leash park DOGS from Metro i Uc 1699009 Insured BEST tAe BEST ISEUM OeAcrvutioM Dccpiircd Plcaac Call 51O9O3J771 ines llanffti RAIN OR SHINif SACRAMENTO EAST BAY SAN JOSE PENINSULA LOS ANGELES SAN DIEGO ORANGE COUNTY SENIOR DISCOUNTS! OAKLAND EARTH DAY To learn more about the plan or to comment on the proposal contact Jean Quan at jquanoakland netcom or log on to wwwjeanqua norg for updates The O'bog Web site is wwwodogparksorg and Emily Rosenberg can be reached at dogpeoplecomcastnet subject line Emily or information about Woodminster Summer Musicals log on to wwwwoodminstercom Calling All Oakland Volunteers there in the summer On a hot night we had Port a Pottles up there a couple of years ago and it was frightening" The concept has been ac cepted by the Park and Recre ation Advisory Commission but details still have to be worked out between Park and Recre ation staff and Quan said the pilot plan will not cost much to Implement some of which she plans to pro vide from her council office dis cretionary funds She said she does not think the plan needs full council approval the proposal She said she fully supports the idea of creating more dog parks in Oakland but after careful reflection she wor ries using the parking lots could Impact ticket sales as she noti fies patrons about the arrange ment not against a dog park in Joaquin Miller Park for it and I think there is a need I don't think the parking lot is the proper place" Schlader said think there are all kinds of other areas in Joaquin Miller Park that are appropriate Aside from that one of those parking lots is cordoned off for handi capped parking and second those two parking lots fre quently have people who tail gate" Schlader suggested moving the dog run to the back side of the theater where there is plenty of unused space ailing that she wants the dog parks to be closed down a week before shows and the dirt parking lots thoroughly hosed down to re move any trace of urine or feces long before theater customers pull in need to hose it and water it" she said dry up 13695 AdAU (1695 OAinn Io Um fcc 0Aint yearn ml mlcr A core group of volunteers would go through the dog runs before pierformances to ensure every leftover pile and dog toy is picked up so theater patrons would not have an unpleasant experience There would be a separate cleanup trial period with on site monitors stationed in the parking lots during events to ad dress any problems and ensure the process is working out well understand theater people are concerned and we are going to make sure there is no reason for them to be con cerned" Rosenberg said "Our goal is to help the Joaquin Miller Working Group and dog users make this a brilliant suc cess We want to make sure the theater people are happy and comfortable there why we will supply theater hosts and if there is a problem there we want to know about it" But those assurances do not convince Richard Wren a Wood minster advisory board member and longtime family patron that using the lots is such a good idea He said volunteers may be able to pick up the poop but they can't get rid of the urine smell of our concerns is they are going to man this with vol unteers and you know how that goes It always work out as well as people hope" Wren said are so many other places in the park they could have (the dog run) or 40 years been taking care of that place they didn't even ask us if we were concerned (about the proposal)" Oakland City Councilmember Jean Quan (Montclair Laurel) said there are too few enclosed dog parks for off leash canines especially for her elderly or dis abled constituents who can no longer walk up and down the hills or hike the trails with their pets as many people like to do The Serpentine Prairie area in Redwood Regional Park Jut up the hill from Woodminster is a popular off leash dog area but it is not enclosed and re quires users to negotiate an un clean it green it mean it 510 581 6750 www beckroofingonline com Visit wwwoaklandpwcom or Call 510 238 7611 for a complete list of staging locations1 iTSOferWMor2 $150 Per Patio Door WRh 3WMow MaThfourt April 30! OKw not vbM wMh ofwr pnmcfxn 11 am Io 3 pm Lake Merrill Hotel 1800 Madison St Oakland ofitolket alifatnia MANUACTURE SELL and INSTALL our own windows Our customers now have ONE company to coll for ALL tholr window replacement needs! Experience a True amily Nine Brothers Sisters ensure your 100 satisfaction! BECK ROOING COMPANY INC amily Owned And Operated Since 1957 even path Its future as a dog park is in doubt as well as the East Bay Regional Park District considers a plan to restore the meadow home to rare and endangered plants such as the Presidio Clarkia and Mariposa Lily That leaves Hardy Park under Interstate 24 in the Te mescal area as the only other legal off leash dog park operated by Oakland and it Is small and not particularly attractive she said been elected I've beetrlooking for a pleasant place that can be used for a dog park that people complain about and that has no endan gered plants or species" she said "We have dog groups horse groups walking groups trying to make everybody happy" Quan said looked all over the park and these (lots) are hardly used" Besides she said it's a pilot project If it doesn't work out as promised the city doesn't have to keep it open Harriet Schlader the pro ducer of Woodminster Summer Musicals said she was torn over 21123 MEEKLAND AVE HAYWARD Known for our large referral base! fnt In Homt ttlnutu (510)498 5987 (925)828 5789 (800)672 3777 Saturday 9am Noon APRIL 22 MltOtlHK SpuUfeuKhm MMnongm OCT 2888 MMNNNEl cram city Tot JC'AKWNO mulliMnLirritanf OAKLAND IIAUTIfUL In huk'jt ivmnlmcBtmvjdaiw of chamnagnc or orwwe mice preseats "bder on Tic Sunday April 16 2006 EL s0 ar RJUalf'ed Tioifio'ow Kw dMjjS st Ma Mfa ENERGY EIcifNT NOISE RESISTANTOUBL'qPANE' QiutlitycVaftsmans'tiip Guaranteed I ifetime'WarrTrTtres' AAMA Certified Installers No Stucco Damage No Subcontractors l5 Plus YearsJ xpericnce No High Pressure Sales p' I tglll homl improvement inc tea.