Page One

Why is there no emergency plan for College Ave. closure? 

Editor: 

On Monday morning at 1:10 a.m. there was a mattress lit on fire (arson) across the streeet from my home on the 2700 block of Parker Street. 

We called 911 and were told it had been called in and fire truck was in route. 

It took a long tome for the fire truck to arrive and when it did it was coming up Parker Street and was blocked by the closure of College Ave.  

The truck has to go to Dwight Way to Piedmont Avenue then to Parker, six blocks out of the way to get to the fire.  

If this had been a serious fire, like in my house, there would have been nothing left but springs, just like the mattress. 

I did my duty and called the chief of the fire department, my council member for this area, the chief of police, the city manager, the city traffic engineer and the project manager for the construction on College Avenue. 

All I talked to told me yes it is a problem that half the city is cut off from emergency services, but alas, what can be done. 

1) Was there no emergency plan to cover potential problems such as police and fire and ambulance needing access to this area? 

2) Why has nothing changed since my calls? 

3) Must someone's house burn down or someone die before a solution is found: MAKE ACCESS FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES AVAILABLE ALL THE TIME! 

I at my wits end. 

Steve KoneffKlatt 

Berkeley 

Breast cancer walk the right thing to do 

Editor: 

We have just completed the 60-mile, 3-day San Jose to San Francisco breast cancer walk.  

Along with 3,000 others, we walked the distance for many reasons: to remember family members who suffered or died from breast cancer; to personally challenge ourselves; to raise money for medically under-served women with breast cancer; because it felt like the right thing to do. 

Along the route we shared stories, bandages, water, tents, food and addresses; tears, laughs, smiles and songs. Sometimes we walked alone; sometimes with family and friends, both old and new.  

At times we walked silently. At other times we sang, cheered, laughed and thanked the wonderful crew protecting us and the people on the side of the roadcheering us along and showering us with water, candy, signs and music. 

We each had to raise $1,800 and train countless hours.  

We are not athletes and we came in all sizes, shapes and colors.  

For a brief moment in time, nothing mattered but putting one foot in front of the other and helping all the other walkers do the same. 

What kept spurring us on was the memory of all our individual sponsors and the energy they were sending us. We raised over $6 million.  

Barbara Scheifler 

Mary Zoeller 

Ellie Goldstein-Erickson 

Berkeley