Don’t look now, but here come the holidays. The Triple Crown of celebrations is coming our way — Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
It’s the trifecta of eating and it starts with the Halloween candy. We buy it for the office pumpkin. We buy it for trick or treaters. And we sneak it for ourselves because, after all, a mini-Snickers is just a little treat. Then it’s on to the turkey and tons of trimmings. Trimmings don’t have calories either (the root word is “trim”), so we load up. And right through December, we nibble and feast until New Year’s Day, when we resolve to lose weight. The time has come. Let the eating begin.

JUST SAY BOO: Among the many haunted homes popping up Monday night will be Pete’s place on upper Colton. It took two weeks to get this house ready, with coffins and cauldrons and cobwebs and ketchup (blood). Kids will be scared out of their wits, which is just what kids like. But for the adults, perhaps Pete will serve an appropriate beverage. May I suggest Pete’s Wicked Ale?

Then there’s the haunted house that the Troys used to host in the hills. It was so scary that it was used for a science fiction film called “Plan 10 From Outer Oakland.”
“It would take all month to prepare,” says George. “We’d remove all the furniture, pictures, rugs and put up false walls.” There was the Dracula room, the mummy’s room and Frankenstein’s lab.
Over the years, the props got quite elaborate and George still owns his own coffin, mummy case, fog machine and mad scientist’s equipment.

HAUNTING MELODIES: Local singer TC (Therese Brewitz) is performing at Oakland’s Nomad Café Saturday night. It’s one of the few places that serves organic beer and wine. Therese has a new album out called “Scent of You,” which was “wisely” chosen for a review on the Web site theowlmag.com.

E-MAIL BAG: Reader’s are still hot about my piece on recycling thieves.
Kathie Fagan said she does everything she can to discourage them on her street.
“I yell at ’em, take license numbers, take photos, call Bay Alarm Security Service, the police, Waste Management, our homeowners association — to no avail,” Fagan said.
Meanwhile, she says, three of the “regular” Dumpster divers on her block have upgraded their vehicles in the last year.

GLOWING REPORT: With all the bad publicity about schools these days, here’s a refreshing review. Reader Alena Soldatova says Growing Light Montessori School in the Greek Church on Lincoln Avenue is incredible.
“The school is exceptionally nurturing, loving, high on academics (but in an incredibly creative way), has good facilities, great child care and intuitive teachers that are committed to working with each child.” If you’d like to check it out, Growing Light has a Nov. 10 open house for its preschool and elementary school.

CHICKEN LITTLE: And finally, you may want to think twice about looking up. Though the sky isn’t falling, it seems giant thorny pine cones are. Last week, I wrote about a rock-hard cone that catapulted from a tree on Grizzly Peak and smashed my windshield. Now I’m hearing other disturbing tales. Dr. Peter Lowenberg says he was walking in his Montclair parking lot when a falling cone grazed into his face. It just fell from the sky without warning. I’m telling you — it’s a dangerous world out there.

What are the chances of a giant pine cone catapulting from a tree and shattering a car windshield? I figure it’s like getting struck by lightening, but then again — if ever there were a poster child for Murphy’s Law — it would be me.
I was driving down Grizzly Peak Road the other day when a pine cone hit my car with such force that the glass splayed like a cobweb and showered me with shards. Could the wind have launched this projectile? Or was it some kind of bionic squirrel? The whole thing is just nuts.

ANIMAL TALES: Speaking of animals, we all know raccoons are resilient, but here’s proof. A three-legged critter is making the rounds near Manzanita and Skyline, right along the ridgeline. He digs in the Dumpsters with the best of them, then leaves at a pretty good clip. Neighbors have a name for him. It’s “Stumpy.”

HOT TIME: It was great to see so many folks at the Montclair Wine and Jazz Festival. The weather was perfect for a little libation and while many drank wine, there was at least one group of guys having an alternative beverage under a big sign that read “BEER.”

VILLAGE UPDATE: Montclair Bistro is expanding into the space left vacant by the neighboring Montclair Physical Therapy. Chef/owner Henry Vortriede is opening a new banquet room by Dec. 1 — just in time for holiday parties. The restaurant just celebrated its first anniversary with a charity brunch to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

ON CRIME: Talk about adding insult to injury. A reader had her Honda stolen in broad daylight from the front of her hills home recently but it was dark before Oakland police could take the report. Really dark. They called her at 2:30 in the morning to say they were coming out. She had no other choice but to throw on some clothes and wipe the sleep out of her eyes before giving a description of the vehicle to the patrolman.
Speaking of crime, there has been an increasing number of car thefts and burglaries in the Merriewood, Thornhill, Mountain and Moraga areas. For the latest reported crimes, visit montclairsic.org/crime. The most vulnerable cars are the ones parked on the streets. Keep yours in the garage whenever possible.

SPOOKY SHOPPING: The Montclair Safeway is awash in cobwebs and spiders — and it’s not because they need to dust. Employees have been putting up Halloween decorations throughout the store and have turned the elevator into a mini haunted house. I think I even saw a ghost “goblin” up a deli sandwich.

PUNNY PLATE: Spotted on a green Land Rover in Montclair, the vanity plate CAFFN8D.
Reader John Richmond says with a message like that, he was surprised the driver wasn’t speeding.

All around the hills, the Town Crier hears things. Lately, the news hasn’t been good. One reader told me she was almost carjacked at MacArthur and Coolidge the other evening. She was waiting at a stop light when a group of boys ran up to her car yelling, “You’re in East Oakland now!” One tried to open her door and she reacted by stepping on the gas and screeching through the intersection. Running on sheer terror and adrenaline, she flagged down a police officer, only to have him react with a “what am I supposed to do” attitude. He told her that because the boys didn’t brandish a weapon, there was no crime. And police wonder why some average citizens feel they’ve lost their protection.
Then there’s the ongoing crime in Crocker Highlands, where reader Sonja Luciano says someone is rifling through unlocked cars in driveways and on the streets.
And even grocery shopping can be dangerous. A woman had her purse snatched in the Montclair Safeway parking lot at 2:30 in the afternoon, recently. The thug shoved her to the ground before jumping in his car and driving away.
These reports are alarming, but they should also be a wake-up call. We must be aware of our surroundings, even when all we’re thinking about is what to buy for dinner. That’s life in the big city — even in the best neighborhoods.

E-MAIL BAG: Regarding my recent column on how Oakland ignores recycling thieves, reader Tom Dryden responded: “The city seems to have never heard of the ‘broken window theory’ (as soon as vandalism begins to be ignored, the vandalism increases in frequency as well as severity). He says people who get away with rooting through the trash must feel that anything goes in Oakland.

SIGN UPDATE: Remember the confusion over the Shepherd Canyon Park sign that directed folks up Escher Drive to a place where there was no access to the park? Sue Piper in Councilwoman Jean Quan’s office says it’s being replaced with a sign that makes more sense and is being donated by Quan herself. Quan is working with the Shepherd Canyon Homeowners Association on a masterplan for the 34-acre park that includes more parking, more trails and even a fenced play area for dogs (which are currently banned from the park).

GIVING ‘TANKS’: It’s nice to know that when the big one hits, our drinking water will be safe. EBMUD is rebuilding eight water tanks that are in danger of cracking during a major earthquake on the Hayward Fault. Neighbors who live near the reservoirs are putting up with the dust and truck traffic, but most say it’s a small price to keep our water supply from rushing down the street. The last thing we need is an earthquake followed by a flood.

ANIMAL TALES: Cats are known for their homing instincts, so it’s not surprising that a snaggle-toothed kitty named Vinny reappeared at the rock on Ascot recently. Vinny had been pussyfooting around the neighborhood for weeks until folks called the Feral Cat Foundation. He was trapped by an animal rescue volunteer and taken to the bohemian enclave of Canyon, where he didn’t stay long before packing his knapsack and heading for the hills. Eleven days later he was back on Ascot, chasing mice and scrapping with his feline friends. Now he’s been trapped again, and taken to a new home in El Sobrante. It’s not Montclair, but hopefully Vinny will see the advantages of settling in the suburbs.

YOU’VE HEARD of spring fever? Well, I get winter fever. I nearly broke out in hives last week when all that snow was trucked into San Francisco to build a giant ski jump on Fillmore Street. It got me thinking about a reoccurring dream I’ve had, where I’m snowboarding down Shepherd Canyon Road during a freak winter storm. The road is so slick it’s closed to traffic (remember when this actually happened a few decades ago?) and folks are bringing out saucers and skis and even pieces of cardboard to fly down the steep hairpin turns.
I suppose I’ll never realize my dream with all this global warming going on — unless someone comes up with a mega-bucks promotion to build a giant hills slalom course. But after last week’s stunt across the Bay, it might just be possible.

READER’S CORNER: A flurry of feedback has come in regarding the Sept. 23 column about uneven sidewalks. Reader Hope Salver said she was “extremely upset” when I didn’t also mention the lack of sidewalks around Montclair. She says that with obesity on the rise, it’s a crime that there aren’t more pedestrian walkways to schools and the village.
Then there’s a word of caution from reader Tom Dryden, who said we have to be careful about reporting sidewalk problems caused by tree roots. “When the city responds to such a report, the standard procedure is to cut down the tree,” he commented, adding that sometimes the city cuts down all the trees on the block. “You must insist that the tree be left alone, or the street may end up looking like East 14th,” he said.

Speaking of safety, reader Anne Nunno asked why there isn’t more handicapped parking in Montclair. At the very least, she’d like to see a spot in front of the two major drugstores in town, where disabled people often fill their prescriptions. Anne, I’ve forwarded your concerns to the Montclair Safety and Improvement Council for their thoughts. Stay tuned.

TEEN HANGOUT: You know your town is sleepy when the big night-time hangout for teens is the Safeway parking lot. Neighbors near the grocery store tell me they can hardly sleep when the music is blaring and the tires are squealing in the upper lot. Why this spot? Nobody is sure but one neighbor says he overheard a security guard at Albertson’s telling teens if they wanted to hang out — go to Safeway. That’s the spirit — just push the problem down the street.
By the way, Safeway manager Bill Scramstad says he’s aware of the problem and hopes neighbors will call the store and the police when they have a complaint.

‘POOLING’ RESOURCES: At least one hills pool is getting into the swim of things when it comes to Katrina donations. The Hills Swim and Tennis Club is not only giving cash, but they donated a giant bin of lost and found items to hurricane victims. Among the throngs of T-shirts, towels and flip flops — were dozens of swimsuits.

COOKING WITH GAS: We’re all on the run these days, but hills mom Linda Safir wins the prize for multi-tasking. Running late the other day, she actually cooked dinner for 30 St. Mary’s High School football players in her car — while she was driving. Yes, the sausage and peppers were simmering in the skillet (she had an adapter in her cigarette lighter) while she was stuck in traffic on Interstate 80. All the while, a tantalizing steam was wafting from her vehicle, no doubt causing drivers to go wild with hunger. Now that’s what I call meals on wheels.

Autumn leaves are falling and I’m loving life. This is my time of year, these months heading into winter when the air gets snappy and the apples get crunchy and every store you enter smells like pumpkin and cinnamon.
So it’s with great pleasure that I announce that the Montclair Farmer’s Market will be staying open through fall and into winter – and right through spring. In other words, it’s going year round. And that’s great news for folks like Yogeeta Gamper who says she likes the stroll and the fresh produce. Susan Levy says she loves seeing her neighbors and friends at the market and Nina Johnson says not only does the market create a sense of community, it lures her family into the retail shops that are open on Sundays.

Cleaning Up: It’s great to hear there’s a new beautification committee in the village. Helen Wyman with the Montclair Village Association says the group includes six merchants who will be gently nudging their neighbors to keep their storefronts and sidewalks clean. “The association pays for monthly steam cleaning,� she says, “but you can barely tell sometimes in the food court area. That’s the spot I call coffee corners, where the daily spill of lattes and mochas combines with other slimy substances on our walkways. It’s nothing short of gross and readers often complain about the stains. By the way, Helen says the MVA has a steam cleaner in the parking garage that merchants can borrow for free – but no-one ever does. If you’d like to check it out, just ask Jimmy in the pay booth.

Shop Talk: After months of swirling speculation and rumors, it’s been confirmed that the owners of McCaulou’s are taking over the 6000+ square foot space vacated by Ps Home on Mountain Boulevard. Their new shop is called Madison and will carry gifts, cards and women’s jackets and clothing. The only other Madison right now is in Lafayette.

Meanwhile, the hammering continues at the old Paradise Pizza, where the building is getting a real gutting before Guadalajara moves in. Montclair hasn’t had a big sit-down Mexican restaurant since Nero’s was torn down in the Safeway remodel. Guadalajara already has a restaurant in the Fruitvale District and I’m told the Margarita’s are succulent

Weed Wackers: It’s not the most glamorous job on earth, but Adrienne and Herb Bryant are making a difference. Their group Eco-pullers and Re-planters yanked a lot of Cape Ivy out of the creek in Shepherd Canyon Park, recently, near the Escher Gate. The ivy is prolific and chokes native plants and waterways but they also pull nasty thistles and broom, too. The Eco-pullers are part of the Shepherd Canyon Homeowners Association and you can help them by calling 339-0985.

Celebrity Spotting: Word has it Randy Moss is looking for a home in Montclair. The Raider’s new wide receiver walked into The Studio on La Salle Avenue, recently, and asked photographer Reenie Raschke to take some publicity shots. She snapped him in a warm-up suit, a Sunday-go-to-meeting suit and his birthday suit. Well, not quite. But he did take his shirt off for the third set of photos and I’m here to report that his washboard abs were – in a word – spectacular.

Got news? You can reach Ginny Prior by phone at 510-273-9418 or on the web at www.ginnyprior.com.

We come across them every day. Most of the time, we ignore them, but every now and then they jump up to bite us. I’m talking about raised sections of sidewalk that can catch a heel and send you tumbling to the turf. When it happened to me, the contents of my purse went flying and I lay there, stunned, as I watched my lipstick roll down the street. But when it happened to Adriana Giacomelli, it was much more serious. “I tripped and fell so hard that I had to be taken by ambulance to the hospital,� the retired realtor told me. And it happened in front of the Montclair Longs Drug, where a city-owned tree is apparently pushing up concrete. “My hands were full and I fell on my face,� she said, adding that she looked like she’d been run over by a truck. “And this is not the first time this has happened,� she said. A man who helped her that day said he’d seen at least 3 other people trip on the very same section of sidewalk.
Similar stories have come from the other side of town, where I’ve written repeatedly about the raised section of sidewalk in front of Montclair’s Blockbuster Video. At least 2 readers have reported falling there and the location has been reported to Public Works, with no visible results.
But having said all this, I’m cautiously optimistic that things will soon change. I’ve been told by Public Works spokesperson Jeanette Edgerly that repairs should be made to both sites this week. It’s just too bad it took so many calls and so many falls, not to mention a trip to the hospital, for someone to take action. So here’s the number, once again, to report pothole and sidewalk complaints to the city: 510-615-5566. And I hope that store owners and managers keep an eye out for problems, too. If we put our heads together we can tackle this problem.

Neighborhood Alert: I’ve had several e-mails from readers who say that people are rummaging through their recycling bins. It’s one thing to take bottles and cans, which rob the collection company of valuable revenue – but there’s also the possibility of identity theft. Resident Jeff Perloff says he called Oakland Police when he saw someone digging through his gray bin and was told it was out of their hands. Even the recycling company didn’t seem concerned. So the best advice is to put your bin out the morning of pick-up and shred any important documents, including credit card offers, before you recycle.

Reaching Out: Thanks to hills resident Rick Stuart (KFOG radio’s afternoon personality) for telling me about tomorrow’s Wheelchair Regatta at Encinal Yacht Club. Handicapped vets are being treated to a boat ride on the bay, lunch and entertainment. Rick is offering his boat and would like other powerboat skippers to volunteer too. If you’d like to help, e-mail Margot Brown at mjbjhb@aol.com.

Grape Crush: Winemaking in Montclair? Yum! Nils Cunningham and mother Jean have been making wine in their garage this month – and soon they’ll enjoy the fruits of their labor. “We had a bumper crop of grapes this year,â€� says Nils, who shares a one acre Gold Country vineyard with two other partners, including his mom. Nils’ girlfriend, Lisa Gifford, lives on the property and helps tend to the grapes, which are brought to Montclair by truck. The crusher and fermenter are in the Cunningham’s garage. And how good is their homemade wine? “I haven’t had to pour any out,â€� says Nils, who took weekend classes in vineyard management through UC Davis. But he doesn’t have aspirations of being a wine baron anytime soon. “It barely pays for itself and it’s more of a labor of love,â€� he admits. So for Nils, he’ll be keeping his day job – as a professional theatre stage hand. And his mom? After retiring as a flutist with the Oakland Symphony, Jean runs the Paramount Theatre pop music library. It seems all three elements are in place – wine, women – and song.

Speaking of grapes, artist Michael Grbich says someone near Broadway Terrace has a vineyard on their property. They’re actually growing grapes in their terraced back yard. With the price of land around here, you might as well get a little table wine out of the deal.
Got news? You can reach Ginny Prior by phone at 510-273-9418 or on the web at www.ginnyprior.com.

When I moved to the Bay Area in 1983, I’d never heard of the Oakland hills. It was San Francisco that called — and I left everything to answer. Now I barely hear her seductive cries. Montclair is my mistress and it’s hard to see beyond her tree-studded hills to the towering city beyond.
But when I do cross the bridge, I want the full San Francisco experience. I want the music, the arts, the food and the humor — all in a wildly-wrapped package. Teatro Zinzanni delivers.
When this cirque-style cabaret first opened, I thought it a bit bizarre — even for San Francisco. But the mayhem that takes place under the European traveling tent is irresistible. It’s the essence of this city to combine seductive humor and unworldly talent and dress it with a memorable five-course meal. And the food is part of the show. It’s woven into the storyline and celebrated with outrageous acts by the waiters and waitresses, who send salads flying and desserts levitating. And as you eat, you’re in awe of the aerial artists and jugglers and opera singers and mimes. Your senses are bombarded but you’re left craving more.
Thelma Houston is starring at Teatro right now, and she brings down the house when she sings her 1977 hit “Don’t Leave Me This Way.” It’s the only time I’ve ever gotten up during dinner to dance by my table. But that’s the allure of this place. You never know what’s going to happen. And you can’t be held responsible for the madness that may overcome you.

COMIC RELIEF: Laughter is not only good medicine, it can loosen the purse strings. That’s what the volunteers at the Oakland Elizabeth House hope will happen when my friend and comedian Bob Sarlatte emcees their annual auction and party on Oct. 8. The money they raise will help one of the most successful transitional homes in the country for women and their children. If you’d like to join dozens of other hills volunteers in helping with this event, call Laura Bennett at 510-652-1835.

E-MAIL BAG: It’s touching to see the different ways we respond to disaster. Reader Tina Lowden says her fellow parishioners at St. Columbia Catholic Church are making quilts for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina.
“Our community has deep roots in New Orleans and Louisiana”, she writes, “and this quilt project is just a small way of giving a caring smile to those who have lost everything.” Tina says one of the quilts will go to two grandparents who lost their newly remodeled home in the flood. She wants to use Mardi Gras material she bought in New Orleans years ago. The colors are green, purple and gold.

Regarding last week’s column item on Moss Landing, reader Elaine Geffen says she’s familiar with this little fishing village and has enjoyed birdwatching on the Elkhorn Slough Safari. But she especially loves the food at Phil’s Fish Market.
“It is the restaurant over the bridge across the little harbor with the best crab cioppino anywhere.” She adds that Phil, the owner, is great — and I have to agree!

CALLING BIRDS: Hills fitness instructor Muriel Reiley didn’t raise her daughter to make funny noises. But for the second year in a row, she’s going on national television with her bird calls. You see, Claire Neumann has won the Leonard Waxdeck bird calling contest two years in a row at Piedmont High and will be imitating the European starling on Oct. 24 on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” Needless to say, her family is making quite a squawk over her newfound fame.

Ever since childhood, I have loved birds. And I think the feeling is mutual. Once a hummingbird landed on my red shirt and tried to sip nectar from my cheek. Just recently, I had a long and loud conversation with a Stellar’s Jay. So when a reader told me that one of the best birding spots in the country was just south of Oakland, I perked right up.
The Elkhorn Slough doesn’t sound very sexy, but it’s now on my top 10 list of California places to see. And the best way to see it is on the Elkhorn Slough Safari, a two-hour boat trip hosted by Capt. Yohn Gideon, a naturalist, and equipped with binoculars so you can spy on everything from pelicans fishing to otters feasting on juicy innkeeper worms.
It’s the Nature Channel come alive and the subjects seem unaware that a pontoon of wide-eyed Homo sapiens is sleuthing through the slough. If birds of a feather flock together, than this place is like a giant avian festival with a round-the-clock worm and fish buffet.
Never again will I pass by Moss Landing on my way to Monterey. I’m going back to this little fishing village to whale watch, bike ride and study the wildlife. Because the next time a bird calls me, I want to be able to answer.

PET PROTECTION: Thirty bucks doesn’t buy much these days, but it’ll pay for some piece of mind when it comes to your pet. That’s how much Oakland Animal Services charges for inserting a microchip in your cat or dog. The chip is injected with a needle behind the scruff of the neck and yes — some animals freak out. But it takes only five minutes and may someday save their life. If your pet ever gets lost and ends up in a shelter, the chip can be scanned to find the animal’s owner. Kirsten Park with the East Bay SPCA says that’s what happened with the rust-colored retriever they found in their parking lot this summer. When they scanned the dog’s chip, it led them to Matthew Quick of Euclid Avenue, who was ecstatic to get the call.
“And the dog was insanely happy to see him,” says Park, who adds that because collars fall off, microchips are a great way of ensuring that pets always has identification.

THWARTING THIEVES: It’s no secret that cars are constantly being stolen in Oakland. In fact, Robbie Neely with the Montclair Safety Improvement Council says she’s aware of an alarming increase in auto thefts and break-ins in the past 12 months and her group has a solution. The MSIC is selling The Club (the well-known wheel locking device) for $15 dollars.
Pardon my pun but that price is a steal, and Neely says they’ll be selling The Club at the Lion’s Club flea market in Montclair Park this Sunday.
At least one reader says she’ll be locking her steering wheel from now on. Her stolen car was just found last week and a suspect arrested.
“There are always shady characters out late at night around the corner of Park and El Centro,” she writes, and she says at least one of her older neighbors was mugged, recently, in her own front yard.

LUCKY GUY: Does anyone ever win those big chain store contests, with prizes like cars and trips and cash? Just ask hills dad Lynn Beckwith, who without thinking, put in an entry for Comp USA’s free ride contest last month. The drawing was the next day and his co-worker even told him he didn’t have a chance. But one chance is all you need, sometimes, and Beckwith got the call — he’d won the 2005 Honda Element. The irony is, he’s somewhat of a car buff — already owning three vehicles that his wife, Claire Weber, says he washes and waxes each week. If she gets her way, this new “free ride” will turn into some free cash.

WHAT INTERESTS teenage girls? Music and makeup, that’s for sure. Shopping and boys — goes without saying. But Girl Scouts? Now you’re getting into a select group. You see, girls may start out as scouts in grade school, but by high school they’ve lost interest.
That’s why I’m honoring Troop 2399, eight hills sophomores who’ve just earned their Silver award. With leaders Twila Foster and Meredith Forristal, they compiled a guide to Bay Area Girl Scout campsites which details everything from numbers of cabins to cooking facilities. And they did this on top of their homework and sports and church commitments.
Now it’s on to the Gold Award for these girls who’ve been together since kindergarten at Corpus Christi School in Piedmont. And that’s what’s so special. Despite going to different high schools (St. Mary’s, O’Dowd, Miramonte and College Prep), they’ve stayed together to achieve a goal very few Girl Scouts achieve.
Congratulations, girls. In life, as in scouts, I know you’ll “go for the gold.”

‘RAT PACK’ REVIEW: Hills mom and musician Rebecca Faiola says “The Tribute” (playing at the Post Street Theater in San Francisco) is the best impersonation of the “Rat Pack” she’s ever seen. She ought to know, since she and her husband, Frank, have their own Sinatra tribute band that plays parties all over the Oakland hills.
“We were delighted to see this style of music performed ‘live’ with a full orchestra and all four of the ‘Rat Pack’ on stage singing their classic tunes,” she says. Faiola says the singers were spitting images, both visually and vocally, of Frankie and Dino and the boys and she highly recommends the show for a great night out.
Meanwhile, Rebecca and Frank have their own Sinatra gig coming up soon — a fund-raiser for Saint Theresa’s School. You can book them to play your events by calling 510-326-3553.

DEJA VU: If a cat has nine lives, how many lives does a building have? Joe Sullivan may be wondering over at The Book Tree on La Salle Avenue, where cars have smashed into the front of his store twice in three years. Both episodes involved seniors and in the latest accident, a pedestrian was injured on the sidewalk. The car “hit the bricks” back in June, as they say, and cracked the old facade, which will be hard to replace. Still, it could have been worse, and hopefully the driver and the pedestrian have recovered from their injuries.

CRIME WATCH: Despite the police patrols and the $22,000 a year spent for security by Bay Alarm, merchants are still getting robbed in Montclair. Both Movie Express and Noah’s Bagels have been hit at gunpoint this summer, and it’s unnerving to say the least. But thefts have been prevented, too, according to Raimondi’s owner Al Atallah. He says Bay Alarm provides escorts on request after dusk and also checks shop doors to make sure they’re locked. What more can be done? Like a neighborhood watch, maybe the merchants need better communication when they see suspicious activity. It seems to be vital in this place and time.

SWINGING SINGLES: The Oakland A’s bats weren’t the only thing swinging last weekend at the Coliseum. Reader Lynne Orloff Jones tells me Saturday was Yahoo singles night — where the price of admission was “just the ticket” for a new romance. And the pre-game warm-up wasn’t bad, either. It included a free wine reception with a glass and five tastings. Can you say “Yahoo”?