The new theater is expected to open in the Fall of 2021.

January 24, 2019, Press Release:

The Piedmont Unified School District plans to close Alan Harvey Theater (located at 800 Magnolia Avenue) on March 12 in anticipation of building a new high school STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) building on the site. The District will remove theatrical lights and other fixtures for reuse, and then demolish the theater starting April 13, during the schools’ Spring break.

Construction of the STEAM building will begin this summer and the new building is expected to open in the 2020-21 school year. The new building will feature new engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, and computer science labs, as well as math classrooms and studios for 2D and 3D art.

After the STEAM building is completed, the District will demolish Piedmont High School’s “10s” building and build a new theater on that site. The new theater is expected to open in the Fall of 2021.

The STEAM and theater projects are part of the $66 million school facilities bond program, approved by the Piedmont voters in 2016 by 74%.

While the theater is closed from March 2019 through the Fall of 2021, the District will relocate drama classes to Havens’ Ellen Driscoll Theater, Piedmont Middle School’s Multi-Purpose Room, and the City’s Veterans Hall. The District has reserved performance venues in Oakland for other events, including concerts, musicals, and dance shows, and is continuing to look for additional venues. Anyone with suggestions may contact ppalmer@piedmont.k12.ca.us or tculbert@piedmont.k12.ca.us .

In anticipation of closing the theater, the Piedmont Adult School’s administrative office (formerly located in the basement of Alan Harvey Theater) has moved to Piedmont High School’s “20s” building, which is next to Piedmont Park.

Throughout demolition and construction, the building site will be screened off from the rest of the high school campus. Some parking spaces on Magnolia Avenue will be temporarily replaced with safety barriers. The District and City of Piedmont are working together on parking, traffic, and pedestrian safety plans for the construction area, and more information about the plans will be available in early March.

“We’re excited to start construction of these new facilities,” said Superintendent Randall Booker. “We need these modern labs and classrooms to support curriculum and expand learning opportunities for our students. We’re grateful for the Piedmont community’s commitment to public education,” he said.

Questions or comments? Please contact Superintendent Booker at rbooker@piedmont.k12.ca.us or Director of Facilities Pete Palmer at ppalmer@piedmont.k12.ca.us

This award is presented annually to individuals who have volunteered their efforts over a period of time and made a difference because of their involvement and commitment to Piedmont’s youth.

Following are the previous recipients: Hunter McCreary (1998); Ann Chandler (1999); Ruth Cuming (2000); Lisa Lomenzo (2001); jointly by Cathie Geddeis and Marion Souyoultzis (2002); jointly by Fritz and Mary Wooster (2003); Elizabeth (Betsy) Gentry (2004); Cynthia Gorman (2005); Grier Graff (2006); Julia Burke (2007); Maude Pervere (2008); jointly to Anne-Marie Lamarche and Mark Menke (2009); Janiele Maffei Tovani (2010); Andrea Swenson (2011), June Monach (2012), Bill Drum (posthumously) and Mary Ireland (2013), Ray Perman (2014), Jennifer Fox (2015), Katie Korotzer (2016), Hilary Cooper (2017) and Holly Hanke (2018).

Art Hecht was a tireless community volunteer, and was dedicated to students in both Piedmont and Oakland. He served on Piedmont’s Board of Education from 1970 to 1982. Art also was very active with the Piedmont Continuation High School (now called Millennium High School).

In 1998, the Art Hecht Volunteer of the Year Award was established in his memory. Nominations for this award are now being sought and will be kept strictly confidential.

The deadline for nominations is 4:30 p.m. on March 18, 2019.  Call 510/ 594-2614 for details.

A selection committee will vote on the award recipient, who will be recognized at the May 8, 2019 Board of Education meeting, where the honoree’s good works will be acknowledged. They also will receive the gift of a work of student art. The student will receive a monetary award and commendation from the Board.

Nomination Forms are available > HERE , on the PUSD website, and in the District Office or by calling Sylvia Eggert, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent, at (510) 594-2614.

Recreation Commission Agenda
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
7:30 p.m.
City Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, CA

Regular Agenda

1. Approval of Minutes
   a. Joint Park Commission and Recreation Commission Meeting – November 7, 2018
   b. Recreation Commission Meeting – December 19, 2018
2. Chair’s Report
3. Consideration of a Report from the Subcommittee on Tennis Court Use and Pickleball Regarding
   a Pickleball Trial at Hampton and Linda Beach Tennis Courts
4. Presentation of a Conceptual Master Plan for Improvements at Coaches Field by Callander
   Associates

PRESS RELEASE   Piedmont Police Department

Over the last two weeks several home invasion robbery cases, which occurred in the City of Piedmont over the course of the last two years, have concluded and the suspects involved in the incidents have been brought to justice. These cases were successfully investigated by Piedmont Police officers and detectives and prosecuted by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. The Piedmont Police Department was aided greatly by the several law enforcement agencies in the area. The collaborative networking of these agencies resulted in several dangerous felons being apprehended and prosecuted.

Piedmont Police Officer David Cutler located and arrested two of three suspects immediately after they committed a home invasion robbery on the 500 block of Scenic Avenue. Further investigation by Piedmont Police Detectives Wright, Coffey, Spranza and coordination with San Francisco Police, Emeryville Police, and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the identification and arrest of the third outstanding suspect. On January 10, 2019, representatives from the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office notified our detectives that the involved suspects, Dimitri Johnson (21 years, Oakland), Terrace Fears (21 years old, Emeryville) and Sidney Davis 23 years old, Oakland) plead guilty to the home invasion robbery and will also serve lengthy prison terms for their crimes.

On 10/10/ 2017, a home invasion robbery occurred at a residence on the 1300 block of Oakland Avenue. This incident was particular in the method used by the suspects where they lured the victims out of the home by turning off the power from the outside electrical panel. The initial responding officer and detective conducted thorough investigations and were aided by the outstanding work of the Alameda County Sherriff’s Department, who provided Crime Scene Technicians to process the scene of the robbery. Because of this work, Dante Brown was identified and charged for the home invasion robbery. On January 8, 2019, representatives from the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office notified our detectives that the suspect plead “no contest” for the felony residential robbery with the use of a firearm. He is to be sentenced in the near future to a lengthy prison sentence.

On 1/24/18, a home invasion robbery occurred at a residence on Lorita Avenue. In this event, three armed suspects approached the victims, forced them into the residence and ransacked the home. The initial responding officers were able to locate video from a neighbor’s surveillance system. The video led PPD detectives to a possible vehicle. Piedmont Automated License Plate Reading (ALPR) cameras provided additional links to the suspected vehicle. Those links were further investigated and led to a positive match of the suspect vehicle. An alert OPD officer located the vehicle in question and additional information that led to the suspects. Ultimately, with help from the Stockton Police Department, San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, the suspects were positively identified and arrested. S1 Michael Austin (33, Oakland), S2 Brandon Johnson (30, Stockton), S3 William Edwards (22, Oakland). Each suspect has been arraigned in Superior Court.

If anyone has any additional information related to any of these events, please call Detective Jeff Spranza at (510) 420-3013. If you wish to remain anonymous you may call the Piedmont Police Department Tip Line at (510) 420-3055. For press inquiries, please contact Captain Chris Monahan at (510) 420-3012 or CMonahan@piedmont.ca.gov.

Editors Note: Questions or concerns regarding this press release are directed to Piedmont Police Captain Chris Monahan at the contact locations noted above.

Piedmont Police PRESS RELEASE

On December 12, 2018 at 4:58 p.m, a strong armed robbery occurred at the corner of Wildwood and Grand Avenues. The victim was walking northbound in the crosswalk smoking a cigarette. While in the crosswalk, he was approached from behind by suspect 1 (S1) and asked if he had a lighter. The victim gave him his lighter. The suspect used and returned the lighter and then walked away towards Wildwood Avenue.

Shortly thereafter, the victim was on the northeast corner of the intersection and was asked  by a second suspect (S2) if he had a lighter, which he thought was unusual. Before he could react, he noticed S1 walking towards him. At the same time, S2 (who was behind the victim) wrapped his arms around the front shoulders of the victim. The victim grabbed his laptop bag, which was crossed draped around his right shoulder. Both suspects began punching the victim in the head. The punches caused the victim to fall to the ground.

The victim said he felt approximately 30 punches to his head and shoulders which caused him to experience vision issues. The suspects took the victim’s laptop and fled in a vehicle with another occupant. Witnesses described the “get-away” vehicle. Piedmont Police Department officers immediately responded to the scene and began to search for the suspects and suspect vehicle.

Officers located the suspect’s vehicle parked smoking on St. James Drive. Another witness noticed the suspects running towards Trestle Glen Road. Both S1 and S2 were located and arrested on Trestle Glen Road. The third suspect was not located and the laptop is presumed to be with the third suspect based on video evidence. The suspects were positively identified by the victim and witnesses. Both suspects were arrested and transported to jail.

Suspect 1 – Rowell, Derick Jamal, 26, Oakland, was charged with Robbery, Assault, Conspiracy and Probation violations.

Suspect 2 – Stewart, Charles Ranando Jr., 29, Oakland, was charged with Robbery, Assault, Conspiracy and Probation violations.

If anyone has any information related to this event, please call Detective Jeff Spranza at (510) 420-3013. If you wish to remain anonymous you may call the Piedmont Police Department Tip Line at (510) 420-3055.

Piedmont Community Hall, 711 Highland Avenue

10:00 AM  Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018

Please join the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and the Piedmont Police Department for an interactive program focused on seniors staying safe during the holidays. We will discuss shopping securely, avoiding phone and email scamps, and being aware of other types of fraud common during this time of year. Attendees will also learn about general financial exploitation, and how to safeguard oneself and seek assistance.

The program will be held on Wednesday, December 5th from 10:00 – 11:30 AM in the Piedmont Community Hall, 711 Highland Avenue.

All are welcome to attend as this information will be useful to share with elder family and friends.

12-4-18

Dear City Administrator, City Council, and Public Works Director,

While street sweeping is conducted by a Public Works Department professional driving a very expensive street sweeping machine, our city’s street sweeping program is run like an amateur volunteer activity.  Effective street sweeping requires that the machine sweeps up fallen leaves in the gutters, otherwise those leaves wash down into our storm drains and clog them.  Yet, cars routinely park on streets scheduled for sweeping, so the machine just sweeps around them, missing most of the gutter leaves.  Why do cars remain on streets during sweeping days?

The answer is because clearing the streets depends upon an intensive and frustrating volunteer effort.  Local residents have to find out and remember when their street is scheduled for sweeping (there is no fixed day or time).  Then, volunteer residents have to tie or tape floppy cardboard “no parking” signs to trees or poles in front of their houses.  Then, they have to call the Public Works Department to report and register that they have mounted the temporary signs.  Oh, and the report must be made four days before the scheduled street sweeping day.  Then, on street sweeping day, the volunteer has to check to see if any cars are parked where the signs were posted, and if so, call the Piedmont Police to report a violation.  Then, this is the frustrating part, they have to wait to see if a cop will come out to ticket the violating parker.  Sometimes a parker has moved his car before a cop comes out.  Often, someone will park in the empty space after the cop has left, causing the volunteer to call the Police Department again to request street sweeping enforcement.

Whew!  It has taken a lot of time just to describe the process.  Most of our neighbors don’t have time to actually go through this process.  My wife, Karen, followed the city protocol – to the letter – because a lot of leaves have been accumulating.  She even raked the leaves away from the gutter into the street to help the machine collect them.  In spite of her efforts, four cars parked on the street, ignoring the signs she posted.  This is not the way to run a professional city service, and, the lack of adequate sweeping costs our city extra expense to clean out clogged storm drains.

The solution is not rocket science; it just requires looking at what most other cities do.

(1)    Establish a regular schedule for sweeping each street.

(2)   Post permanent signs saying “No Parking” on those specific dates and times.

(3)   Deploy police to enforce the regularly scheduled “no parking” rules.

This is how Oakland conducts its street sweeping parking restrictions on Linda, Kingston, and other nearby streets in that city.

My wife and I are not going to continue performing this tedious volunteer work to aid the city’s street sweeping.  Many of our neighbors don’t do so either, because they are not home during sweeping times or because it is too much of a burden.  It is long past time for Piedmont to run its street sweeping operation professionally.

Taxpayers paid a lot of money for the street sweeping machine, and that money is wasted if the machine can’t clean the gutters because cars are parked on sweeping days.

Sincerely,

Bruce Joffe, Piedmont Resident

November 19, 2018 City Council Meeting

On November 19, 2018, I attended the Piedmont City Council meeting in the Piedmont City Council Chambers, which meet on the first and third Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. After the Public Forum, Mayor Mcbain led a moment of silence for the victims of the California fires, and was followed up with an update by Piedmont’s Fire Chief. At the time of the meeting, 75 were confirmed dead with over 1000 missing. Next came, the introduction of a new employee, and the council members’ donations for the Toys for Tots drive.

First on the regular agenda was the Approval of Council Special Meeting Minutes for 10/15/18, which was passed very quickly. This then led into the second item on the agenda, the Approval of Agreements Related to the Repair of Cavendish Lane.

Cavendish Lane is owned and maintained by the City of Oakland, but serves four homes located within Piedmont. Around February 2017, a road failure resulted in the loss of access to vehicles to the homes located in Piedmont, with none of the Oakland homes being negatively affected.

Piedmont, with the permission of Oakland, paid for a temporary fix of the road, which was finished in early April of 2017. Although this temporary repair made access to the Piedmont homes with personal vehicles possible, this section of the road is still weight sensitive, and does not make the entry of delivery trucks, or moving vans possible.

Oakland has expressed no interest in making permanent repairs, so together Piedmont and Oakland are working on an agreement that would allow Piedmont to take on the repairs of this road, and force Oakland to reimburse Piedmont for the cost of the project. Oakland would use the money gained from a lawsuit to reimburse Piedmont. The estimations for this repair are between $400,000 and $600,000.

As part of the Alameda Transportation Committee, Vice Mayor Teddy King expressed her positive feelings towards this issue, as both Piedmont and Oakland are working hard to reach a deal. A woman with both her senior parents then expressed gratitude towards the council for their efforts in helping her parents once again gain easy access to their vehicles.

Next on the agenda was the Consideration of the Rejection of All Proposals for the Corporation Yard Solar Photovoltaic System Project. The City of Piedmont received two proposals for the installation of a solar photovoltaic system on the roof of the rear storage building at the Corporation Yard. Albion Power Company’s offer was $118,631, while Sunlogic, Inc., dba Solar Technologies’ offer was $70,012. Vice Mayor Teddy Gray King spoke on this issue, as one of her areas of expertise is environmental sustainability. Solar Technologies later submitted an updated proposal with a 15% discount on the original.

The new proposal is for $59,510, and has a payback period of nearly 11 years. In the span of 25 years this would wind up saving Piedmont a total of around $169,000. However, roofing material was not stated in the quote, and could wind up costing another $60,000.

The next two items on the agenda were the Consideration of FY 2017-18 Year-End Appropriations and Carry forwards and the Consideration of FY 2017-18 Year End Fund Transfers. Both of these passed very quickly, and with little question.

Next was the Consideration of the Issuance of Bid Documents for the Recreation Center Tennis Court Resurfacing Project and Direction to Staff Regarding Fundraising. The tennis courts in Piedmont receive high use from kids, adults, and members of the Piedmont High School tennis teams. Not only were there to be renovations to the tennis courts, but also the renaming of the Recreation Department tennis courts to be named after Coach Corey Reich. PHS tennis coaches and PFRO members both gave their support to this idea.

I also stood up and spoke and gave my support to the idea of fixing the courts while also renaming them after Coach Corey Reich, as I know many people who use these courts, and the inspirational story of Corey Reich.

The Rec. Dept. courts are to receive new nets and posts, are to be resurfaced, new fencing will be installed, with also the installation of a new drainage system. PFRO and tennis community will need to raise money in order for this to happen though.

After the meeting was over, I interviewed Council Member Jen Cavanaugh. When asked what steps she would take to improve the community she said that “there are a lot of facilities that require maintenance, and a ton of investment that’s required, and the tennis courts are only a small piece of that.” She later went on to say “I was not lying when I said I would write a check, because we need everyone on board, including tennis players, private citizens, and people who love outdoor recreation alike to get behind these things. After the tennis courts, we have probably six other recreation and park facility projects that we are trying to bring to the community, and need to get funding for it.”

by Nick Parker, Piedmont High School Senior

Editors’ note:  Cavendish Lane is located immediately south of Trestle Glen Road. It and its right-of-way are located within, owned, and maintained by the City of Oakland. The cul-de-sac is located at the extreme west end of the street and serves four homes located within the city of Piedmont. The only access to these four Piedmont homes is via  Cavendish Lane.

Police  Will Present Tips to Prevent Financial Exploitation of Seniors

With the holiday season upon us the Piedmont Police Department will partner with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for an interactive program focused on seniors staying safe during the holidays whether shopping, being approached for donations or from other type of fraud common during this time of year.  Attendees will also learn about general financial exploitation, how to safeguard oneself and seek assistance. 

All are welcome to attend as this information will be useful to share with elder family and friends.

Jeremy Bowers, Piedmont Police Chief

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Piedmont Community Hall, 711 Highland Avenue

RSVP to April Scott 510/420-3010 or ascott@piedmont.ca.gov