MONTCLARION: May 20, 2011

My Oakland hills neighbors are a colorful bunch. One’s crafty, one’s flighty and one’s, quite frankly, a snake.

Thank goodness I’ve my new fauna guide to keep track of them.

The UC Botanical Gardens at Berkeley is unveiling its new, laminated field guide today, with original illustrations of 10 reptiles, five amphibians, 18 mammals, 61 birds and 21 insects — all living in the East Bay hills. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: May 13, 2011

There’s finally some good news in the fight against crime in the hills. Police have arrested a career criminal they caught red-handed in an abandoned home he was illegally occupying. Jewelry, electronics — in fact, two van-loads of stolen property — have been recovered. All this can be returned now to the rightful owners.

The question remains “… how many crooks are still out there looking for easy targets? Two friends in one week had their homes burglarized recently.

The sickening feeling of coming home and finding your sanctuary has been violated is just part of the problem. The other is the slow police response time. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: April 28, 2011

I don’t know what to make of it, but I’ve been finding a lot of pennies lately. Sure, a cent here and there doesn’t buy much, but there’s still something magical about the little copper coins.

Take my experience at the airport in Phoenix last week. My family and I were trying to get home from a wedding — on standby passes.

We’d seen several flights come and go when suddenly a trail of pennies appeared in our path.We each picked one up and, remarkably, found room on the very next flight.Was it a coincidence or is it true what they say about pennies from heaven? Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: April 22, 2011

Wanted: Volunteer victims to act out the role of folks injured in a major earthquake. It’s not Shakespeare, but it could lead to the performance of a lifetime.

On April 30, CORE (Communities of Oakland Respond to Emergencies) is holding its sixth annual citywide drill. The purpose is to practice neighborhood evacuations and communication techniques in the event of a “big one.”

The recent disasters in Japan have shown us that most victims are saved, not by first responders, but by neighbors helping neighbors.

Does your neighborhood have an emergency plan in place? CORE training can help get you ready. See what it’s all about by volunteering to be part of the disaster drill next weekend. Kaity Booth is the CORE coordinator and can be reached at core@oaklandnet.com. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: April 14, 2011

Woodminster is springing to life, and it’s not even summer theater season. Yes, the sleepy little business district is getting a boost from a new hardware store and the growing popularity of Monaghan’s on the Hill.

You may have heard by now that Montclair Village Hardware has opened in Woodminster after 64 years of doing business in the Village.

Owner Erik Hoffmann says it’s a bittersweet move, but he’s saving plenty in rent and has added a whole extra aisle of merchandise in his bigger location at 5048 Woodminster Lane. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: April 8, 2011

Spring is busting out all over. Wildflowers are peaking out behind bushes and tall blades of grass, and calves are romping on the hillsides — albeit never more than a few steps from Mama.

Speaking of cattle, a good place to commune with cows is Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve just off Skyline Boulevard. Beef steaks on parade (as my dad calls them) are all over the hills once you go through the gate and walk several hundred yards to your left. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: April 1, 2011

It’s been more than a decade since I started this column. My children were young, and I was still using Oil of Olay. Now I’m looking at collagen and college. Time flies.

Bottom line is — I’m taking a break. The Town Crier has been shouting from the rooftops long enough.

I know what you’re thinking — and it’s not you, it’s me. You’ve been great. In fact, I’ve been getting fat off the nuggets of news you’ve been feeding me. But it’s time to go back to my roots as a hard-news journalist. I can’t, in good conscience, keep turning out fluff when there’s serious news to be covered.

So join me, won’t you, in one last blast of powder puff fare. It’s been a great ride. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: March 25, 2011

When life gives you water – find waterfalls. This week’s wet weather is spawning some of the most beautiful waterfalls in recent memory – and they’re splashing down in a park near you.

One of my favorite waterfall hikes is the six-mile Falls Trail up the back side of Mt. Diablo. It starts along a scenic stretch of Donner Creek (off Marsh Creek Rd. in Clayton) and ascends into the foothills on switchback trails that offer soul-stirring views of four waterfalls. Kids love this hike because you cross the creek in several places, either by puddle-jumping on rocks or balancing on logs. Be sure to wear good, waterproof hiking boots and plan for a rigorous five to six hour hike, with stops. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: March 18, 2011

My street is a dog walker’s dream. With wide lanes flanked by convenient bushes and brush, you see pooches parading with humans from dawn’s early light to the dead of night. I know most of the dogs by name. Pheiffer is my favorite — a fluffy-haired golden retriever who is always excited to see me. I swear that dog smiles when he’s happy — like a kid in an Apple Store with a $500 bill. But I do understand how dogs can make some people nervous — and the e-mails I’ve gotten on the subject punctuate my point. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: March 11, 2011

Rebecca Faiola wants to take a bite out of crime — canine crime. As a mother, musician and neighborhood activist, she’s pushing for tougher laws for dangerous dogs in the wake of a fatal pit bull attack on a pet in her neighborhood.

“We are committed to seeing this through,” says Faiola, “and helping to make all of our neighborhoods safe.” Faiola and others have been meeting with Councilwoman Jane Brunner and Animal Control Director Megan Webb to draft new legislation for Oakland. She says the “law” will be ready soon and they’ll come to dog owners for support. Continue reading →