Dear Friends, 

     Voting this year is more confusing than ever.  There are so many Statewide and Citywide Propositions that it is a challenge, even for the very knowledgeable, to figure out how to vote.  Add to that the quantity of propositions and ranked-choice voting on candidates, and it is understandable that people may be discouraged and decide not to exercise their right to vote the entire ballot.

    To confuse things further, it will cost $1.05, not $1.50 as stated in the insert, to mail in your ballot to the Registrar of Voters.  I went to the Solano Avenue branch of the Post Office to verify this.  The ballot is long and had to be printed double-sided on four pieces of long, heavy paper to accommodate all the issues and candidates.

    If you are not registered, and want to be, you have until October 22nd to register. Registration is available on line here.  If you would like to vote by mail, you have until October 30th to apply for a mail-in ballot.  The application can be found on the back cover of your Sample Ballot and Voter Information Pamphlet.

Sincerely,

Susan Wengraf

Included in this newsletter is information about:

• Vote by mail 
• Post office meeting cancelled 
• Mailbox update 
• Flu shots 
• Charlie Bowen 
• Fire prevention week 

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    The special City Council meeting called to discuss the potential sale of the Downtown Main Post Office, originally scheduled for October 18, has been cancelled.  The United States Postal Service decided not to take part, and will be holding its own meeting in the near future.  I will announce the date of this meeting once the Postal Service has scheduled it.

    Before they can take any decisive action, the USPS is required to hold a formally noticed public meeting . If you cannot attend the future meeting but want to participate in the process, you can send comments to:   

Ms. Diana Alvarado 
Property Manager
USPS Pacific Facilities Service Office
1300 Evans Avenue, Suite 200
San Francisco, CA 94188-8200

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The best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu shot each fall.  

Flu shots are being offered at the  City of Berkeley Public Health Clinic at 830 University Ave. for community members 3 years of age and older. 

No appointment needed.  Hours are: 

Mondays & Tuesdays 9:00 - 11:00 AM and 1:00 - 4:00 PM 

Thursdays 1:00 - 4:00 PM.

In addition, the UC Tang Center at 2222 Bancroft Way is offering flu shots for community members for $25.  Clinic hours are:

Noon-5:30pm, UHS Education Center

Friday, October 19
Thursday, November 1
Friday, November 16
Thursday, November 29 

Charlie Bowen - 2012 Cox Conserves Hero

Photo: Mary Ross Lynch

    Our very own District 6 resident Charlie Bowen has been recognized by KTVU Channel 2 and  The Trust for Public Land as the Bay Area's 2012 Cox Conserves Hero for Northern California.  As her nonprofit of choice, the Berkeley Path Wanderers Association will receive $10,000.

    Bowen was nominated for a decade's worth of volunteerism. She has been the force behind restoring and improving Berkeley's historic network of public paths. Under her leadership, volunteer groups have rehabilitated overgrown and fenced off public land into useable paths for walkers for both enjoyment and also as emergency routes in the event of disasters like earthquakes and wildfires. Cox Conserves Heroes is an awards program created by  Cox Enterprises and The Trust for Public Land (TPL) that honors people who work to create, preserve, improve or enhance the shared outdoor places in communities.

    I am so proud of Charlie and the work that she and her co-workers have done for our community.  They serve as an inspiration to all of us who are trying to make Berkeley a safer and more beautiful place to live.  

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   Fire Prevention week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 and to promote fire awareness.  This year's theme "Have Two Ways Out" is a reminder to the Berkeley community to have an escape plan and determine two ways out of the building in case of fire.

Most fires or injuries can be prevented by following a few simple suggestions.

• Have two ways out of your home and practice your escape plan with your family or roommates.

• Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in your home.  Batteries should be changed and tested every six months.  62% of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or working smoke alarms.

• Unattended cooking is the leading cause of reported home fires and home injuries since 1990.  Check and turn off your stove and oven before leaving your home.

• Make sure candles are mounted in a secure nonflammable base that will not tip easily.  Never leave a candle unattended or where young children can reach them.  In 2010, candles caused 3% of home fires and 4% of home fire deaths nationwide.

• Improperly discarded smoking materials are the leading cause of home fire deaths.  Use ash trays and properly extinguish smoking materials to prevent ignition of combustible materials.

    For more information, please stop by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Civic Center at 2180 Milvia Street and view the display or contact the Berkeley Fire Department at 510-981-3473 or at [email protected].

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