Celebrating the Holidays in Oakland at the Dunsmuir Hellman Estate

http://www.dunsmuir-hellman.com/

Oakland, CA - City of Oakland Office of Parks and Recreation invites you to step back in time and experience a turn-of-the-century Holiday Tradition at the Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate. There, you can  tour the magnificent 16,224 square foot, 37-room mansion thatvolunteers have put in more than 5,000 hours to transform into a breathtaking masterpiece of an Edwardian holiday. Each room is decorated with elegant holiday trees, garlands, antique furnishings and festive decorations to provide you with ideas for your own home decorations. Your family and friends will enjoy quality moment together as you stroll the lovely turn of the century 50-acre estate in the breathtaking Oakland Hills. 

           Additionally, you can indulge in the adult or children's holiday teas, ride the romantic horse-drawn carriage, sip some hot chocolate while being entertained by holiday performers. Enjoy a light snack in the Winter Café and fill your holiday shopping list by purchasing from the mansion gift shop or the Carriage House Crafters. Children will enjoy the Kid's Zone with horseback riding, holiday face painting, crafts and Breakfast with Santa.  On opening day - December 3rd, join in on the biggest Holiday Sing-Along on the Great Meadow that the Holiday Tradition has celebrated over the last 41 years.  

 This year's program has been expanded to include:  

Sunday, December 11, you can start with Breakfast with Santa while you enjoy the Tap Dancing Christmas Trees; followed by the special guest appearance of Oakland Ballet's "The Nutcracker Suite" at 1pm; and immediately followed by the Scottish Dancers at 2pm. Bring the children and entire family...! 

           Office of Parks and Recreation (OPR) Director Audree V. Jones-Taylor sums it up when she said, "Holiday traditions help us create memories and have lasting impacts on our children. So we invite everyone to 'Come Out and Play the OPR Way' and have a great time at the Annual Holiday Tradition activities."

Events start December 3rd through 18th (Saturdays and Sundays only) from 11:00am - 5:00pm. The Estate is located at 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, off 106th Avenue, Oakland, CA 94605.

           The Mansion is open on Fridays for tour groups. For more information, or to schedule a holiday tour please call 925-866-9559; or visit http://www.dunsmuir-hellman.com/

For pictures try http://www.herecomestheguide.com/northern-california/wedding-venues/dunsmuir-historic-estate/

Oakland Special Trash Pick-ups for the Holidays

1.      Thanksgiving Waste pickup change: Thursday's Waste Management pickups will be on Friday, Friday pickups will be on Saturday.

2.      Free bulky recycling for Oakland Residents: Drop-off Select Items on Saturday, December 3, 2011

Bring your unwanted appliances, mattresses, electronics, and upholstered furniture to a free recycling drop-off event, hosted by the City of Oakland and Waste Management. 

WHO: Oakland Residents (proof of residency required) 

No commercial deliveries accepted. 

WHAT:  Free drop-off for select items:

*  Electronics (computers, monitors, TVs, cell phones, printers, etc.)

*  Appliances (maximum of 2)

*  Mattresses (maximum of 2 sets)

*  Passenger Tires (maximum of 4 without rims)

*  Upholstered Furniture (maximum of 2)

 WHERE:     Davis Street Resource Recovery Complex

                     2615 Davis Street

                  San Leandro, CA  94577

WHEN: Saturday, December 3, 2011 - 9:00 am to 12 noon

HOSTED BY: The City of Oakland and Waste Management

INFO: Call City of Oakland Recycling Hotline at 510-238-7283

 

If you've been foreclosed read this

Foreclosure review under way
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Reserve Board announced Tuesday that the independent foreclosure reviews of 14 large servicers issued in April now are underway.
Approximately 4.5 million borrowers could have their loans reviewed and potentially be compensated for imposed financial hardship, according to a previous statement by the OCC.
According to the OCC, the review will take several months due to the volume of potential foreclosures to review.
The foreclosure review is part of a broader list of enforcement actions for the servicers to rectify missteps in the foreclosure process. The enforcement actions mandated by the OCC include improved borrower communications, greater oversight of third-party vendors, updated management information systems, and the elimination of “dual tracking” – which takes place when a servicer forecloses while a borrower is being considered for a modification.
Borrowers wishing for review may visit IndependentForeclosureReview.com, or call 1-888-952-9105 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.  Requests for reviews will be accepted through the end of April.

Rabid Bat in Berkeley

Did you know that Alameda COunty is a declared "Rabies Area" and has been since 1958?  The material below was taken from the City of Berkeley Website and is a reminder to all to be careful  around wild animals, living or dead.

INFECTED BAT A REMINDER TO USE CAUTION

Berkeley, California (Thursday, October 20, 2011) - A bat infected with rabies was recently found in the area of the 300 block of Rugby Avenue in the City of Berkeley.  Although the bat was removed without incident, residents in Berkeley and the surrounding areas are advised that Alameda County has been a “Rabies Area” since 1958.
In Berkeley, bats and skunks are the most likely animals to be infected, although unimmunized dogs, foxes, coyotes, badgers, weasels, raccoons and unvaccinated cats can also carry the rabies virus.
Rabies infection is virtually always fatal in man so it is critical that people know how to prevent infection.  Avoid skunks and bats and do not handle dead wild animals.
Educate your children about the dangers of wild animals and warn them not to touch any animal they do not know.
Any nocturnal animal which is seen during daylight hours such as skunks, bats, or grey foxes should be considered dangerous.

Call Berkeley Animal Control Services at (510) 981-6600, Monday-Sunday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., if suspicious or dead animals are observed in your area. For after-hours emergencies contact Dispatch at (510) 981-5900.

RABIES FACTS AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES

• Rabies is found in most counties in California including Alameda County. Alameda County has been declared a "Rabies Area" since 1958.
• Rabies is a deadly virus disease which affects the nervous system. Once symptoms start in an infected human being it is uniformly fatal. There is no known cure.
• Rabies is transmitted in the saliva of infected warm blooded animals (mammals) through mucous membranes or any break in the skin by biting, licking or scratching.
• Animals at high risk for carrying rabies are skunks, bats, dogs which have not been vaccinated against rabies, foxes, coyotes, badgers, weasels, raccoons, and wild and unvaccinated domestic cats. Rodents (gophers, mice, hamsters, squirrels, rats, opossums, guinea pigs) and rabbits are considered very low risk for rabies.
• The degree of risk to humans and pets for rabies is determined by the species of the animal and the circumstances. There is no risk for rabies from reptiles, birds, or insects.
• If a wild animal such as a skunk, bat, or grey fox which is normally nocturnal (active at night) is seen in the daylight acting in a strange manner, it may be tested for rabies by the State Health Laboratory. Example of animals to be tested:

• A skunk roaming or staggering in daylight.
• A bat hanging on a window screen or sill.
• A grey fox acting in an aggressive manner in the daytime.

• Immediately call the City of Berkeley Animal Control Services at (510) 981-6600 regarding strange acting animals.
• The following are protective measures that are necessary to prevent rabies in humans and domestic animals.

• Have dog(s) and cat(s) vaccinated against rabies.  Vaccination and Licensing is required for all dogs 4 months of age and older. Dogs which are first vaccinated at one year of age or less must be revaccinated one year later. The interval for revaccination is three (3) years for older dogs.
• Confine dogs to property especially puppies less than four (4) months of age since they are not protected against rabies. Otherwise, if a dog is taken off the premises it must be on a leash.
• Report any animal bites of humans or any close contact between dogs or cats with skunks or bats or other wild animals to the City of Berkeley Animal Control Services at (510) 981-6600.
• Avoid wild animals or domestic animals which are strays or which run loose. Do not feed wild animals by hand. It is dangerous to attempt to feed, pet, or care for sick or injured animals.
• Do not attract skunks or raccoons with food! They will eat garbage, fruit, vegetables, and especially dog and cat food. Pet food left outside is a strong invitation to wildlife.  Keep garbage cans covered with tight fitting lids. 
• Do not provide shelter for skunks and other wild animals. Close all openings under your home and other buildings. Keep foundation vent screens in good repair. Eliminated piles of trash, rocks, wood, hollow logs, heavy growth of vegetation and other possible hiding places.
• Do not provide shelter for bats. Close, seal, or screen all openings so there is none greater than 1/4" in size especially at roof level.  Install 1/4" screen on attic vents and maintain in good repair.

If you require information regarding wild animals such as bats or skunks, please call the City of Berkeley Animal Control Services at (510) 981-6600, Monday through Sunday or Vector Control Services at (510) 981-5310, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. For after-hours emergencies, contact Dispatch at (510) 981-5900.

Red Oak to Host Green Chamber of Commerce Mixer

East Bay Green Chamber of Commerce Mixer!

Tuesday, October 18th from 6 - 8 p.m.

Speakers:

Susan Sakaki

of EnviroSystems Group

Speaking about the Alameda County Green Business Program

 

And a representative of StopWaste, discussing  Cash & Assistance for Going Green on your Building Upgrade

Location:

Red Oak Realty Oakland office at 51 St. and Pleasant Valley Ave.

 

 

Food donated by The Natural Grocery Co.

The Natural Grocery Company

http://naturalgrocery.com/

Wine donated by Frey Vineyards, America's first Organic Winery

http://www.freywine.com/

Free to members of the Green Chamber of Commerce; $10 to everyone else

Berkeley Businesses to benefit from Green Program

The East Bay Green Corridor invites you to join an exciting new solar group purchasing program for Bay Area small businesses and commercial property owners called Solar@Work (a partnership with SF Environment).  This limited-time offer provides access to some of the lowest solar prices seen in the region for this building class.  Not only that, the more participants that join, the lower the price for the entire buying group.   

What makes the program unique is not only the 20% group discount offered to program participants, but also an integrated financing option.  Through the program's pre-negotiated solar lease option, participants can install solar for little to no money down and, for the first time, pay less for solar power than they pay for electricity from the grid.  

The Solar@Work enrollment window is open through October 2011. For more information visitwww.solaratwork.net 

Free Bicycle Helmets for Berkeley Residents!

Got a helmet?  Need one? The City of Berkeley's Injury Prevention Program is offering bicycle/multi-use helmets for Berkeley residents for FREE.

Pick-up your FREE helmet at City of Berkeley Public Health Division at 1947 Center Street, 2nd Floor.  Some sizes (large) are limited.  Offer available until supplies run out.  Office hours are from 9 am to 5 pm.

Limit one (1) per person and all parties receiving a helmet must be present.  No appointment necessary.

For more information, contact the Injury Prevention Program at 510-981-7676 ornxiong@cityofberkeley.info.