Month: January 2010

The Rest Of The Bunny Story

As an unadulterated example of neighborly cooperation, the bunny story ranks up there.  A few days ago, the wires (and wireless) heated up over bunny sightings in Montclair.

Saving Multiple Bunnies

Yet Merriewood residents were getting a little confused, as they tried to solve the growing mystery.  At first there was one bunny, and then another.  One wrangler tried to straighten out all the cross-communications:

  • Some of you (email addresses hidden) HAVE a lost bunny.
  • Some of you have recently SEEN a lost bunny.
  • Some of you are just INTERESTED in lost bunnies?!

Montclarions jumped on the bandwagon because it was a quiet year-end.  Everyone was at home, and seemingly online too.  Two neighbors stepped up to the challenge, capturing and holding both bunnies safely.  We wondered about returning these bunnies to their rightful owner.

The Rest Of The Story

As Paul Harvey (R.I.P.) used to say:  and now, the rest of the story.

Montclarion Paula Moseley was the erstwhile bunny owner, having taken in several bunnies only a week earlier.  She shared her simple story of compassion:

I have only had the bunnies since December 22, when I was at the Oakland Animal Shelter and was waiting with a young woman who was going to turn in the bunnies.  She had already checked with San Leandro Shelter and they couldn’t take them.   She was concerned that Oakland would not take them either.  She had only gotten them that day when she met a man who found them in a box in the woods.  The young woman is a college student and had no place to keep them.

I said that I would take them since I have a large yard with a dog run.  Unfortunately the dwarf bunnies were small enough to hop through the wires, before I could reinforce it with chicken wire.  But they seemed to enjoy being in the yard and might keep to that area.  Not so.

They have explored the whole neighborhood munching all the way.  I have recovered the two younger bunnies but the larger one may still be at large.  I attempted to catch her on New Year’s Eve; I could be a foot from her but if I tried to restrain her, she hopped away.

At this point, there’s both good and bad news to report.  One bunny’s still at large.  One bunny’s been adopted.  And there are two more ready for homes.  Please reach Paula (baxterblanco-at-gmail.com) if you would like a bunny or find one running around your yard!

We mostly appreciated the whole show of compassion, with so many people helping these bunnies.  It’s a parable about how to treat fellow humans, not really a story about bunnies at all.

Get Cracking About 1-2-3 Choices

The Oakland City Council has now green-lighted ranked choice voting for November’s election, based on a vote of six aye’s and two nay’s.  That means four years will have transpired between voter approval and implementation, as the wheels of democracy turn slowly between the state and city.

What is this kind of voting?  Well, it’s a ballot that enables voters to select their first, second and third choices.  It’s a procedure which eliminates primaries and opens up the candidate pool as well.  Try out this San Francisco educational demo here.

Oaklanders Voted For Ranked Choice

Some 69 percent of voters approved Measure O to alter and consolidate our local election cycle, back in 2006.  The Secretary of State finally authorized the change in December, and the Council’s blessed things tonight.  To remind everyone, here’s what voters approved:

This proposed Charter amendment would require the City to use a ranked choice voting method, known sometimes as instant runoff voting, to elect the offices of Mayor, Council, City Attorney, City Auditor and Board of Education at November general elections, which would eliminate June primary elections for these offices.

Tonight’s Discussion and Vote

We watched many citizens address the City Council, often representing groups concerned about voter education and outreach.  The League of Women Voters’ president stepped up the podium and declared that “we’re prepared together with all the other community-based groups.”

Council members also took their time sharing views about voter turnout.  Their discussion then touched on the direct, unbudgeted costs to switch over:  it could run $1.5 million, or less when (most likely) shared with other Alameda County cities, namely Berkeley and San Leandro.

After all was said and done, the Council acknowledged many more voters would turn out in November rather than June – and that would make a big difference in voting outcomes.  Council members knew they needed to support the voter mandate too.

A Bigger, Welcoming Tent

We listened closely to the City Council members, and their comments reflected the need to create a bigger, welcoming tent filled with candidates and voters.  The voting change allowed them to get on soapboxes.

Rep Nancy Nadel explained “it’s less expensive for the candidate, and that’s when you get real grass-roots policy makers coming forward.”  Our rep, Jean Quan, supported the power of coalitions and said the upcoming election must “have the most amount of people involved, of all kinds.”

Rep Desley Brooks focused on voter engagement.  “It is true that November elections have more people who participate,” said Brooks, but “that’s not because of ranked choice voting.”  Rep Rebecca Kaplan sought additional outreach efforts, perhaps by redirecting Oakland’s matching grant money to groups like the NAACP, Unity Council, or Oakland Rising.

All things return to Oakland’s budget deficit, currently pegged at around $12 million or so.  Reps Ignacio De La Fuente and Jane Brunner wanted to understand any incremental costs, this year.  As a voter mandate, the switch would come down to making other trade-offs and cuts soon – always about the money.

More info:  RCV Status Report – De La Fuente Letter – Voter Mandate Recap

Montclarions Speak: Favorite Movie Picks

During the holiday lull, we created a survey to capture the Montclarion zeitgeist.  Let’s reveal your contributions and opinions, starting with favorite movie picks…a real mash-up.

Montclair’s Favorite Movie Picks

We weren’t that surprised with your crowd-pleasing titles, a veritable cornucopia of Baby Boomer and Gen X delights.  You didn’t replay all the Oscar winners.  You didn’t go for all the box office blockbusters, either.  And you avoided the superheroes and most animated flicks.

What surprised us?  There’s a dearth of edgier or provocative movies, with no Kill Bill or Apocalypse Now in the bunch.  There’s fewer political or war picks too, like Schindler’s List or Coming Home.  Maybe everyone’s influenced (a little) by what’s shown on cable or satellite channels.

Since our entertainment zeitgeist survey’s still open, you may share favorite singers, actors, books and more.  Oddly enough, we see that your actor picks aren’t really aligned with your movies!  Anyway, please contribute your two cents here.

*Fine Print: Good Will Hunting wasn’t released this past decade, but we received multiple picks here.

Our Practical Stairway, Documented

San Francisco’s known for some cool stairways and we can’t disagree.  Armed with Adah Bakalinsky’s book, we have checked out many of the great ones.  At Woodminster, Oakland also showcases cascades and stairs that rival the Bay Area’s best offerings.

Scattered throughout Oakland are more work-a-day stairways, ones that help us move around our streets.  We trot up and down a particular set of stairs frequently, never giving them much attention – so it’s time to pay homage.

The lower set primarily consists of railroad ties, which are nicely spaced so you can set a decent rhythm and pace.  These stairs are decorated by fallen leaves, pretty much all year long.

The upper set consists of red-painted risers that seem perfectly fine.  Yet when you try them out, they are a bit “short” and it’s harder to establish a natural pace there.

The stairways are well-signed, courtesy of the City of Oakland.  There are lovely garbage receptacles placed at each section of risers, too.  Our neighbors dutifully keep them clean.

Plus local homeowners do their part to keep the stairway ecosystem looking good.  We think this landscaping by one home is particularly pleasing.

Most of the time, we’re charging up or down the stairs and not looking around.  We stopped this time and noticed the trees as well as the soundtrack of a neighbor’s dog.

Maybe these pedestrian stairs around Thornhill are special after all.  Though we’re thrilled by many beautiful stone staircases and terraces installed on private properties, we do appreciate the public egresses.