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 Councilmember Susan Wengraf
November, 2018
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Dear Neighbors,
An air quality advisory for the Bay Area has been issued. Residents should check for updates with www.airnow.gov and take precautions based on their own individual health. This site has regional air quality information and offers general recommendations. Add your zip code and hover over the dial to see instructions.
The Nov. 8, 2018 alert was issued by the the Bay Area Air Quality Management District due to the smoke filled skies from the wildfire in Butte County. The alert is in effect through Friday November 9. Air quality can change quickly depending on the wind and other factors.
The City of Berkeley and the East Bay Hills are also on high fire danger alert. Please make sure first responders have clearance to drive on your streets! Stay aware and if you see smoke call 911 immediately. Do not operate any motorized equipment that can cause sparks.
Sign up for AC Alert now! That is the best way to receive information in the event of an emergency.
Regards,
Susan Wengraf
Included in this newsletter is information about:
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 Emergency Notifications
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 AC Alert will be Berkeley's primary emergency alerting system for the public. It is one of the tools the City of Berkeley uses to communicate emergency information and instructions to the community. AC Alert can send:
- Voice alerts to phones
- SMS text messages
- Email
- TTY/TDD messages
Listed AT&T "land lines" are automatically included to receive voice messages from AC Alert for emergency warnings. Community members must sign up to receive voice or text alerts on cell phones, VoIP phones, unlisted phones, TTY/TDDs or through email.
If you want to receive emergency alerts and updates, sign up for AC Alert.
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Undergrounding Utilities
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An Urgent Request For Your Support
For the past several years I have been working with a group of highly skilled and dedicated volunteers to figure out if undergrounding of utility wires in Berkeley is feasible and in the public's best interest.
In 2014, the City Council agreed to study the issue and voted to "develop a comprehensive plan for the funding of the undergrounding of utility wires on all major arterial and collector streets in Berkeley". To meet this goal, a subcommittee was formed of representatives from the Public Works, Disaster and Fire Safety, and Transportation Commissions.
In June, 2018, I requested that resources be dedicated to a staff position to complete the recommendations of the report, but the final decision to release funds for Phase 3 was postponed until the November 27th mid -year budget review.
Wildfires are ravaging communities throughout the state. We must have safe routes throughout Berkeley for evacuation, in the event that there is either a wildfire or an earthquake. We need a plan to underground utilities along these routes.
Now is the time when you can show your support and urge City Council to fund Phase 3 of the study.
I urge you to write an email to the council to support Phase 3, as recommended by the Task Force. I have written a letter you can use as a template.
Click here to automatically generate an email with the letter inserted. Feel free to modify it as you wish. Add your name at the end of the letter and send.
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United Against Hate Event
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Berkeley is holding a large rally and concert on Sunday afternoon to give the community a chance to come together in the aftermath of the mass shootings at the Tree of Life synagogue, the shooting of two African American men in a grocery store in Kentucky and the many other hate crimes that have occurred around the country in recent months.
WHAT:
to Bay Area residents to stand up against the rise in hate throughout the country and build inclusion in our communities. Through music, performances and powerful personal stories, our goal is to energize residents to renounce acts of hate-based violence and stand up to bigotry, racism and xenophobia.
WHEN:
Sunday, November 11, 2018, 1-4 PM
WHERE:
Civic Center Park, 2151 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Berkeley.
All ages welcome.
PERFORMANCES BY:
Aireene Espiritu, folk singer
Samuel Getachew, Oakland Youth Poet Laureate
Gracie Ellis, Musician and Organizer
Sons of Soul Revival, gospel group
About United Against Hate Week
Our mission is to inspire Bay Area residents to take action in their own communities and give them the tools, resources, and support they need to fight intolerance, beginning with the inaugural United Against Hate Week from November 11-18, 2018. Residents working together with civic leaders, businesses, and schools, can restore respect and civil discourse, embrace the strength of our diversity, and build inclusive and equitable communities for all.
For more information about United Against Hate Week or to support the movement with a donation, please visit
unitedagainsthateweek.org. You can also see us on Facebook or search for hashtag
#standunitedagainsthate.
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| New Garage Opens |
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The Center Street garage is open! And it is beautiful! It includes spaces for 720 cars and 350 bikes, a striking design for night and day, rooftop solar, and rainwater collection gardens.
Inside the garage, a network of camera sensors inform signs outside the garage that announce how many spaces are available. Inside, those sensors direct patrons to the locations of those spots.
The garage was built for easy entry and exit. The double-helix structure means that patrons can enter from either Center or Addison streets on ramps that never intersect - but allow crossover on odd-numbered floors. Gates can be set to maximize flow inwards or out. As a result, the eight-story building can more quickly clear all 720 spaces.
The $38 million construction cost pays for itself. It's funded by a bond that will be repaid through future parking revenues. The 3.25% average interest rate on the bond was made possible by the City's AA bond rating.
The garage has a number of other features: a space for art exhibits, a café, high quality public bathrooms and 19 electric vehicle charging stations with wiring for up to 38 more as demand increases.
Hours of Operation:
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5:15 am to 12 am |
| Sat: |
7:00 am to 12 am |
| Sun: |
12:00 pm to 12 am |
Rates as of Nov. 2, 2018:
| Hourly: |
$3/hour for first 4 hours only, then $25.00 daily flat rate. |
| Daily: |
$25. Enter at/after 5:15a.m. Exit by 12:00 a.m. |
| Early Bird: |
$15. Enter before 9 a.m. Exit by 6 p.m. |
| Monthly: |
$250. |
| Evening: |
$8. Enter after 5pm |
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2018 Mid-Year Crime Report
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Our police department is currently challenged by low staffing levels. The Chief's goal is to recruit 35 new officers over the next year, which will enable us to restore our force to a decent operational level. Despite low staffing, our Part One crimes (homicide, rape, robbery, etc) are down from 2017. View the report
here.
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311
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 Need a new refuse can?- Have a favorite pothole you want filled?
- Want to report illegal dumping?
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Susan Wengraf
Berkeley City Council District 6
(510) 981-7160 |
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