A PIECE of prime property is up for sale in Montclair — the Montclair United Methodist Church at the corner of Mountain Boulevard and Shepherd Canyon Road. The congregation has merged with Trinity United Methodist in Berkeley and left hills parishioners with a bit of a drive to Sunday morning services. It’ll be interesting to see who buys the old church. With its uninspiring design, it seems well suited for an office complex.

NIGHT OUT: Readers have been raving about Rita Moreno in the Berkeley Rep’s version of “The Glass Menagerie.” Extended through July 2, Moreno does a fantastic job as the meddling mother in this classic Tennessee Williams play. Animated and engaging, she makes you alternately want to hug her and shake her, as she spreads her character’s southern charm like molasses over an audience that’s eager to lap it up. Everyone should see this performance.

E-MAIL BAG: After last week’s item on pet cats who roam in our regional parks, Susan Thorner writes: “Dog owners are required to be present and have their dogs under voice control in the parks. Cats and their owners should be subject to no less stringent rules.”

Meanwhile, reader Robb Lazarus has his eyes on the empty space in Montclair that used to be Round Table Pizza.

“Every time I visit the village I peer in the window, looking for signs of progress, but things seemed to have stalled long ago,” he said.

The reason for the delays probably won’t surprise you. The building at 2071 Mountain Blvd. needed considerable work to bring it up to code, especially for handicap accessibility. The landlord, Ed Hirschberg, tells me that Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant should be open for business in a couple of months. He says the restaurant owners are a hard working family with another location in a building he owns in the Fruitvale district.

BIG BURN: If the cost of a pack of cigarettes doesn’t get you, the fine for lighting up will. My mole in Montclair says a worker at one of the local eateries got burned with a $280 fine the other day for smoking within 25 feet of a public entrance.

LIBRARY NOTES: Fresh from the theaters, the Montclair Library is stocking its shelves with new movie titles. You can check them out for a week, but beware — the fine is a buck a day if you forget to return one. Measure Q money is also helping to fix the Internet access, which has been painfully slow in recent years.

INCREDIBLE JOURNEY: How do you celebrate retirement? If you’re like Montclair author Susan Alcorn, you grab your hubby and your backpack and hike across Spain. Alcorn shared her story Thursday night at A Great Good Place for Books, and says the adventure gave her a new sense of freedom.

“It never dawned on me that it was possible for me to just take off and walk across the country,” she says. Since that trek in 2001, the Alcorns have hiked more than 900 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail. It keeps them fit for their other hobby — dancing Zydeco at the Eagles Hall in Alameda.

DIVE-BOMBING BIRDS, weed-whacking goats and a fox who suns on a neighbor’s porch. Have things in the animal world gone suddenly haywire, or is this yet another sign of global warming?

Readers are writing about the oddest things these days. It started with last week’s column about the bird who is attracted to hair in Montclair Village. After reading my item, Emily Sparks says she was walking past Hallmark when she was attacked twice by the winged aggressor.

“I could tell she had some reason to do it,” she says, “and I looked up, and in one of those sort of thin, feathery little trees in the sidewalk there was a nest.” A nest, no doubt, feathered with hair.

Then there was the piece on Andy Hawkey’s 4-H goats, which have been earning their keep eating weeds in the hills. Several readers have called asking for Hawkey’s number, hoping she’ll bring her bionic grazers over to their yards. I’m hoping I can just borrow one and walk it on a leash like a lawnmower.

The fox story comes from Annie Pelayo, who lives up against the Huckleberry Regional Preserve. She says a neighbor has also spotted a mountain lion near the yard in recent weeks. With all this wildlife, Pelayo worries about her own cat, who spends a lot of time in the park. I told her to call the East Bay Regional Park hotline at 510-881-1121 and report the mountain lion.

FLUSH WITH CASH: Montclair Park is getting a much-needed facelift, thanks to a grant. My mole at the park says the bathrooms are being redone and an elevator is going in to make the recreation center accessible to the handicapped. If they could just solve the little problem they have near the basketball court: Vandals keep stuffing rocks in the toilets down there, causing them to overflow. Until workers get a handle on the problem, the water closet is closed.

PARTY ANIMALS: Thanks to reader Therese Brewetz for telling me about the fund-raiser for the Humane Society of America, Saturday night at Berkeley’s Missouri Lounge. Her band is playing for the event, and their name, alone, tells the story. It’s Karmadogs.

GALLOPING RESCUE: And finally, an animal tale from my own personal collection. Last week, I was horseback riding near San Luis Obispo and my car keys popped out of the saddlebag during a long, bouncy gallop on the beach. I didn’t realize they were missing until I got back to the stable, so I high-tailed it back to look for them. The chances were slim and none — but I found them — just a speck in the sand, seconds from being swept out to sea in the surf. The cost of a Prius key? $350. The cost of a daring beach rescue on horseback? Priceless.

WE SEEM ALMOST numb to crime, these days. Robberies, rip-offs — it’s part of the price we pay, living in Oakland. But someone is out there breaking into churches. There have been at least three burglaries in recent months in Montclair. It’s sad, because there was a time when churches stayed open 24/7 for people who wanted to pray. Now, most are locked when service isn’t in session. Locked, when it seems we need them more than ever.

ANIMAL TALES: Have goat, will travel. Reader Andy Hawkey says her goats have been making big money for the Montclair 4H club — as weed eaters.

“They actually have been on three straight gigs,” she writes, adding they also made $325 for Montera Middle School at a recent auction. A woman in Concord wanted them to nibble in her yard for awhile. And how do the Hawkeys transport the goats? In the back seat of their Camry! Imagine that sight as you’re driving down the road.

BOOK IT: Reader Susan Alcorn has been busy schlepping boxes of books up her rather steep driveway. The Montclair author has just self-published “Camino Chronicle: Walking to Santiago,” the story of her 400-mile hike across northern Spain. Not only are her closets full of books, “they’re lining my office wall, and creating a unique room divider in the living room” she writes. Alcorn appears at A Great Good Place for Books at 7 p.m. on June 15.

FREE FERTILIZER: Lots of coffee houses offer free grounds for your ground, but at Nelly’s Java, it’s bagged and ready for the garden. Just ask Roger Terlet, who’s been picking up organic grounds from the Montclair coffee shop and adding them to his compost pile.

“Nelly’s puts the grounds in plastic bag-lined milk crates that they leave outside, under their outdoor bench,” he says. That saves him the time of waiting in line to pick up the grounds — and leaves him more time to reap what he sews.

MIXING IT UP: If you want to make a real splash at your next cocktail party, try offering blood orange Cosmopolitans to your guests. Don’t know how to make them? The trendy bar Mezze on Grand Avenue offers private lessons for budding bartenders — upon request. For $40 a person, you learn the secrets of the trade and get to enjoy the drinks. Not a bad deal, considering the cost of blood oranges these days.

BIRD ATTACK: Straight from an Alfred Hitchcock plot, a bird has been attacking one of my readers. Yes, Nancy the Slipper Lady says she’s been assaulted at least three times under the trees outside Rite Aid in Montclair. The same bird and same manner of attack.

“He flies into the back of my head,” she says, “then takes off.” It’s not known for sure, but he may be attracted to Nancy’s conditioner. She uses Suave — scented with berries.

I HAVE A FRIEND with whom I rarely spend time. When I was younger, we’d get together regularly, and I’d marvel at how exciting she could make life seem. But these days, I’m so busy. I see her from afar and she looks great, but I don’t stop to visit. That’s going to end.

I’m talking about San Francisco, of course. And I know I’m not alone. How often do we cross the San Francisco Bay for dinner, a show or some shopping? I decided to do this the other night, and the timing couldn’t have been better. One of my favorite restaurants was celebrating a landmark anniversary.

My first memories of A. Sabella’s go back to the 1970s TV show “Streets of San Francisco.” The famous ship’s wheel that says “Fisherman’s Wharf” is close to the spot where the Sabellas sold fish back in 1887. Today, their restaurant is still family-owned and that must be some kind of record. But the secret to success starts with an “s” — great seafood, impeccable service and stunning scenery.

Sitting at our window to the world, we were mesmerized by the throngs of tourists coming and going as ships of all sizes dotted the waterfront. We dipped warm sourdough into rich, steamy bowls of cioppino and chowder, and sipped our wine as we celebrated. The owner came by to share some stories. Antone Sabella started working in the restaurant at age 12, cracking crab. He and his sister, Laureen, are the fourth-generation owners now, and well aware of the part they play in the city’s history. They lovingly blend old family recipes with new, lighter fare, to keep up with the changing trends. And it works. On the night we were there, the restaurant was full, as soft conversation complimented the warm glow in the room. I knew then and there that the friendship I’d lost with the city by the bay — had been rekindled.

PHONE TAG: The crier has been alerted to yet another scam in the hills. Reader Laura Thomas says someone stole her phone number in order to sign up for a service called One Source Networks. It wasn’t a lot of money, but getting the phone company to delete the charge was no great joy.

“I don’t think there is any way for us to prevent this from happening except to keep a vigilant eye on our phone bill and refuse to pay bogus charges,” she writes.

CRIME WATCH: Reader Reenie Raschke was ripped off the other day. It sounds like a tongue twister, but it really happened. A woman came into her Montclair photography business and asked to use the bathroom. Raschke thought it was odd, but kindly agreed, keeping a watchful eye on her cameras and purse. Later that day, she got a call from her credit card company. Somehow, the woman had stolen her card and gone straight to San Francisco for a shopping spree that included a new Coach purse. Raschke was steamed. She wouldn’t even buy that for herself, let alone give it to a stranger!

POETRY IN MOTION: Women love a man who writes poetry. And local dad Stewart Florsheim has just won top honors for his new book of poetry called “The Short Fall from Grace.” This is Florsheim’s third book, including an anthology of poetry by children of Holocaust survivors. (His parents were refugees from Hitler’s Germany.)

Florsheim will be reading from his newest collection at the Rockridge Library on July 15. Find out more on his Web site at stewartflorsheim.com.

DOG DAYS: I’ve seen lots of dogs in the village, but never one that looked like a bear. There it was, holding court outside Montclair Barbers the other day, in the lap of owner Daniel Tran — who just happens to cut hair inside. Yes, he clipped his Pomeranian to look like a teddy bear and it got me thinking. If he can make a dog look adorable, imagine what he can do with a human?

A FRIEND LOST her chicken the other day. Rosie the hen died after surgery on her drumstick. I guess that’s what you call a chicken leg, although I never really thought about it. What I have thought about, is what that bird meant to her owner. She was a pet and a friend, not to mention a provider of eggs for this Montclair family.

Some folks would have put Rosie down when she broke her leg. Others may have eaten her. But my friend tried to save her life. And these days, that’s not so unusual.

People have become so attached to their pets, they’re willing to spend big money on them. How else do you explain the waiting list for places like Happy Hound Doggy Day Care in Oakland? It costs as much as some child care centers and offers things like healthy meals, group interaction and even animal play structures. Their Web site shows a dog going down a slide.

Maybe it’s not such a bad idea, keeping your pet happy. A happy pet usually doesn’t bark or bite. But fancy food and play dates may not help every animal. For these pets, you need to pull out all the stops, like a friend of mine does. She gives her cat Prozac. You should hear that kitty purr.

SHOW TIME: If you feel like horsing around this Sunday, come out to the Sequoia Arena in Joaquin Miller Park (near Chabot Space & Science Center). The Montclair Horse Association is holding a free all day horse show for western and English style riders. We don’t often think about it, but there are miles of riding trails in the Oakland hills, including the 50-year-old Grass Valley trail which meanders through a greenbelt dotted with cattle. It’s just like the old west, if you take away the bikers and dog walkers you see along the way.

E-MAIL BAG: In the wake of my article on the penny roundup at local schools, reader Dagmar Serota says her organization is getting a big boost. Good Sense for Oakland has received a $5,000 grant from the Rex Foundation, the Grateful Dead’s charitable organization. The money will help pay for the costs involved in collecting pennies from Oakland schools. Since last August, those pennies have added up to more than $4,750 for local organizations. And the kids feel empowered when they realize their small change can make a big difference.

SHAKE AND QUAKE: We live in earthquake country, so we might as well face it and embrace it. The U.S. Geological Survey is having its annual open house June 3-4 in Menlo Park and reader George Sausedo says it’s a great chance to see what scientists are doing to predict the next Big One. For more information see http://openhouse.wr. usgs.gov.

GOING GREEK: Parking should be easier at the wildly popular Greek Festival this weekend. The Ascension Greek Orthodox Cathedral has added 300 spaces in its new parking pavilion, along with valet parking for $15 this year. Of course, you can still park for free on the street, but with 15,000 people expected — valet parking may just be the way to go.

SOMEONE ONCE SAID, “If you need something done, ask a busy person.” They must have been talking about Mike Petouhoff. He’s mastered the art of cramming 48 hours into each day — juggling family, his job and countless volunteer hours improving Montclair.

One of his biggest projects has been tapping the potential of Shepherd Canyon Park. For years, the upper part of the park has been virtually off-limits — a tangle of trees and bramble that attracted only illegal dumpers and under-aged drinkers. Petouhoff and a band of neighbors worked hard to clean up the area, and even forced the city to pick up the debris it had dumped there years earlier. And now things are rapidly changing.

I drove up Escher Road the other day to see the improvements. Parking my car at the first wide spot, I noticed a trailhead marked with logs and woodchips. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it made a nice path through the forest and down the steep slope to the soccer field. The sunlight was filtering through a canopy of trees and a chorus of songbirds made a sweet serenade. In the distance, I could hear laughter, as children played in the park below. This trail was every bit as pleasant as the paths in Redwood Park and our other local parks. It’s been a long time coming, and it’s just the beginning of the changes Petouhoff promises as a new master plan falls in place.

Thank you, Mike — and thanks to all the neighbors who’ve helped you. This is what life is all about. Living richly, giving freely — and leaving a legacy.

PACKING FOR PACHYDERMS: They say an elephant never forgets — but Oakland Zoo volunteer Cheryl Matthews is about to embark on a trip she’ll never forget. After several safari vacations to Africa, she’s headed to Namibia to study the social behavior of bull elephants for 10 weeks.

“We’ll set up our own camp in an area that’s not traveled by other tourists,” she said, adding she’s not scared in the least. “I am so thrilled to have this opportunity — I can’t imagine anything else I’d rather do.”

At age 62, Matthews is the oldest of a half-dozen zoo volunteers making the trip, headed by curator Colleen Kinzley. Before they leave, though, they’ll be part of a 10th annual Celebrate Elephants event on May 18-20 with renowned researcher Cynthia Moss. You can find out more by calling the Oakland Zoo at 510-632-9525.

MONTCLAIR MEMORIES: Thanks to reader Erik Hoffman for alerting me to the death of a longtime local teacher. James “Jimmy” Blass taught music in the Oakland schools for 47 years.

“He was a bit hard on some kids,” remembers Hoffmann, who had him for music at Montclair Elementary School, “but I really liked the guy.”

Blass was a teacher who expected the best from his students and often got it. He lived to be 87, played a number of instruments and even had his own big band.

EMPTY LOT: We pass by it often on our way down Park Boulevard to Highway 580. It’s the empty lot where a gas station once operated, just below the Presbyterian church. Reader Brad Blemker says he recently tried to buy the lot to build town homes, but his offer was turned down. It’s not clear what the owner has in mind, but the gasoline that seeped underground still has to be removed — and that could take years. It involves digging a pit to replace the old dirt and then pumping out the toxic ground water.

REMEMBERING MOM: This Sunday is the “mother of all holidays,” and Montclair photographer Reenie Raschke wants to share the celebration. Her shop window will post tributes this week to moms who are living and moms who’ve passed on. Just write 14 things you want folks to know about your mom, and submit it with a photograph to The Studio at 6232 La Salle Ave.

It’s the least we can do, after all our moms have done for us.

FOOD IS LOVE. Just ask anyone who spends hours preparing a sumptuous meal. But judging by what some of us put in our bodies, eating is a love/hate relationship. One day, we might eat an organic salad — the next day, we’re snacking on pork rinds.

And dinner can be the biggest challenge. We’re strapped for time and looking for fast food solutions. That’s where two women from Montclair come in — with a food service called Café Villanova.

Sarah Chance came up with the idea after cooking and caring for her terminally ill husband.

“When he passed away, I rented out my downstairs to Rebecca (Clark) and wanted to develop a business to franchise for women in transition,” she said. The two single mothers thought cooking would be the perfect plan. “We were already going to Berkeley Bowl and putting thought and time into menus, so we wanted to give it a shot.”

Their service area is small (just Manzanita and Villanova drives at the top of Montclair) but they hope their neighbors will embrace the idea that Chance calls a labor of love. Organic fruits and vegetables, cage-free eggs and hormone-free meats — most folks don’t have time to eat this way. But these moms do the shopping, cooking and delivery.

“It’s from the heart,” says Chance, “and we really want to do something to help people.”

DOG DANGERS: Are dog attacks more common, or are we just hearing more about them? Reader Kathleen Witt says her dog has been assaulted twice on the trails in Redwood Park, by the same Doberman. In the second encounter (which was two months after the first attack), she tried to protect her pet by picking it up.

“He grabbed my dog by the leg,” she says, “and pulled us both to the ground.”

Witt and her pet had to be treated for bites and the Doberman ended up in quarantine. He’s reportedly out, now, and back with his owner. Witt hopes he won’t attack her, or anyone else.

“Hopefully, he’ll be muzzled and on a short leash,” she says.

PARK PARKING: The stumps are slowly disappearing from the lumpy lot next to the soccer field at Shepherd Canyon Park. Thanks to a soggy spring, the ground has been soft enough for the Conservation Corps to dig out the eucalyptus trunks that have been there since the trees were cut last year.

The next step, once the money is there, is to add more parking at the popular park. The city had the cash (some of which was donated by the Monclair Soccer Club) but now says the work bid has doubled. Still, there’s hope the lot will be paved and in place by the fall soccer season.

TALKING TURKEY: There’ve been more wild turkey sightings in the hills, including reports of a rather large flock on Pinehurst Road. Reader Roland Wong says he also encountered a rafter of turkeys strolling up Melville Drive the other day. “Two males and two females,” he noted, saying they made quite a squawk when he started his van in the drive-way.

LOOKING GOOD: A half-dozen dads strutted their stuff at the annual fashion show/luncheon for Corpus Christi School this past Sunday. Modeling everything from golf shorts to swim trunks, the guys looked buffed as they sauntered down the runway in front of an appreciative all female audience.

But what really whipped the women into a frenzy was the martini glass and shaker that dad Bill Powers pulled from his fanny pack. My moles at the party say he stirred up the crowd in more ways than one!