Don’t forget to EXHALE then RESET!

A new year, another beginning...

During this holiday period, there will be times where you should take some time and decompress.

This year has been particularly challenging for everyone, for a myriad of reasons.

As you ponder next year’s journey, you’ll probably make some new, modify some old and simply write-off promises and resolutions as you do every year about this time.

Before you start the year as you do every year, sit back relax, unwind and check out the articles, news and events on some of a few Oakland’s blogs:

As you go forward in 2010, remember, every problem is an opportunity in disguise.

An example: Benjamin Franklin, constantly switched between two pairs of eye glasses for his varying sight needs, in 1784, Benjamin decided to graft two different prescriptions (at the time, two lenses) into one frame, allowing him to see far or near distances.

The bifocal lens is born.

Happy Holidays

From the Prescott Oakland Point Neighborhood Area!

Shopping Late? Parked in the dark?

Attention West Oakland BART patrons:

Get an escort to your car!

On Thursday, December 17th and Friday, 18th from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. the Oakland Police Department’s Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association (CPAAA) will escort you to your car.

On an average weekday, there are 4,800 riders exiting the West Oakland BART Station. Now that the sunsets around 5:00 p.m. and BART has reduced the number of on-site parking spaces due to the Earthquake safety work currently underway, BART patrons are parking further away.

The CPAAA working in collaboration with the Oakland Police Department (OPD) and BART Police Department (BART PD) have developed a program which will increase the number of OPD officers and BART PD officers in the West Oakland BART area this Thursday and Friday.

There will be an OPD van taking BART patrons to the perimeter parking lots as well as OPD officers on foot patrol, escorting BART patrons side-by-side with volunteers from the CPAAA.

This Wednesday, December 16th at 6:00 p.m. in the Board of Directors room, 1600 Franklin Street, Oakland, please attend the AC Transit Board of Directors meeting and speak in favor of the adoption of the Revised Service Adjustments Plan. I previously wrote about this item Nov. 30th titled Every 15 minutes… Can be a reality.

Our Bus Route 26 (which replaces the current Bus Route 13) will provide access to the East Bay Bridge Shopping Center at 40th Street west of San Pablo Ave, Downtown Oakland, Old Town, China Town and most of the West Oakland neighborhoods including the Oak Center Clawson, Ralp Bunche, McClymonds within minutes. See route map here.

The route of the former 19 Line now the Bus Route 31 provide access to locations stated in previous post as well as Marina Village shopping center in Alameda, whose tenants include banks, a pharmacy, restaurants and grocery store in one location. See route map here.

More route information and why this item is important can be found at AC Transit and the previous post “Every 15 minutes… Can be a reality” here on the POPna site.

Local Legislation Activity

According to the posted agenda found at City of Oakland Legislative Calendar, the Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 Agenda, for the Special Concurrent Meeting of the Oakland Redevelopment Agency/City Council is not another ho hum yawner of a meeting. This one could easily go beyond the 10:30 pm time.

Among the items the Council will be voting on with a direct impact on the Prescott Oakland Point Neighborhood include the 7th Street Streetscape Phase 1 Project put on the agenda as Supplemental Item S-10.11-CC, titled “West Oakland Transit Village - Gallagher & Burk, Inc.” which awards a construction contract to Gallagher & Burk, Inc. Not To Exceed Three Million Two Hundred Seventeen Thousand Four Hundred Twenty Six Dollars ($3,217,426.00) from the West Oakland Redevelopment Project ($650,000.00) Redevelopment Agency Funds ($650,000.00), and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) Grant Funds ($1,300,000.00).

At the December 1, 2009 Public Works Committee, members (Brooks, Kaplan, Kernighan, Nadel) approved recommendations and directed staff to submit a report on: 1) the bus shelter’s Real-Time display options (i.e. does the bus shelter have electricity etc.; 2) how to handle bike parking in the West Oakland Transit Village Streetscape Improvement Project area; and 3) return to a future committee meeting with a report on the city-wide bike parking.

Click here for the December 8th, 2009 meeting agenda as posted 12.04.09

The Living in the O blog “Oakland Political & Community Events” post weekly.

Oakland LGBT Roundtable TONIGHT

Oakland LGBT Roundtable,

Monday, December 7, 5:30-7:30 pm,

Hearing Room 3, Oakland City Hall

Topics to be discussed include Port of Oakland Commission appointment; report back on Chicago LGBT Community Center visit;

Sign up for Facebook to connect with Oakland LGBT Roundtable

The Arts

The Prescott-Joseph Center for Community Enhancement, a West Oakland non-profit is getting ready for its annual holiday art exhibit. For those of you that haven’t been to the center, it’s a two-story Victorian that was once used as a convent.

There will be a reception on Saturday, December 12, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit is scheduled from Monday, November 30 through Friday, January 22, 2010.

Pro Arts announces Juried Annual 2010, Selections by Sherman Sam, an independent curator based in London. The exhibition is on view November 24, 2009 – January 15, 2010. An Artists’ Reception is scheduled on Thursday, December 3, 6 – 8 pm and an Artist Talk is scheduled Thursday, January 14, 6 pm. Exhibition events are free and open to the public.

For more Arts, check out O-Scene: If it’s not here, don’t go there…