Election Section

FRIDAY, JAN. 7 

Outings on Fridays with Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association Tour of the Berkeley City Club at 11 a.m. Cost is $15. Reservations required. 841-2242. www.berkeleyheritage.com 

City Commons Club Noon Luncheon with Ronelle Alexander on “Languages and Ethnic Identity in the Balkans” Luncheon at 11:45 a.m. for $13, speech at 12:30 p.m., at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant St. For information and reservations call 526-2925 or 665-9020. 

“Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land” an historical overview of the factors which distort media coverage of the Middle East conflict at 7:30 p.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Church, 1640 Addison St. Free. 482-1062. 

“E-Motion Picture Magic” for healing and transformation with Birgit Wolz at 7 p.m. at Changemakers, 6536 Telegraph at 66th. 655-2405. 

Berkeley Chess Club meets Fridays at 7:15 p.m. at the East Bay Chess Club, 1940 Virginia St. Players at all levels are welcome. 845-1041. 

“Three Beats for Nothing” meets every Friday at 10 a.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center to sing for fun and practice, mostly 16th century harmony. 655-8863, 843-7610. 

SATURDAY, JAN. 8 

Sick Plant Clinic UC plant apthologist Dr. Robert Raabe, UC entomologist Dr. Nick Mills, and their team of experts will diagnose what ails your plants from 9 a.m. to noon at the Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Dr. 643-2755.  

Newt Research Join us for our annual hike up South Park Drive to find out why newts cross the road, and why it takes them so long. Meet at 2 p.m. at the parking lot across from the Botanic Garden in Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

Kids Garden Club For children 7-12 years old to explore the world of gardening. We plant, harvest, build, make crafts, cook and get dirty! From 2 to 4 p.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. Cost is $5-$6, registration required. 525-2233. 

Pre-School Storytime for ages 3-5 at 11 a.m. at the Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. 526-3720, ext.17.  

Family Origami Recycle holiday paper and learn to make a 14-point star, at 2 p.m. at the Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. 526-3720, ext.17. 

Junior Rangers of Tilden meets Sat. mornings at Tilden Nature Center. For more information call 525-2233. 

Basic Winter Maintenance, including mulching and pruning, at 10 a.m. at Magic Gardens Nursery, 729 Heinz Ave. 644-2351. www.magicgardens.com 

“Forces of Nature” a giant-screen film on volcanoes, tornadoes and earthquakes opens at Chabot Space and Science Center. Tickets are $7-$8. 336-7300. www.chabotspace.org 

Luna Kids Dance Open House from 2 to 4 p.m. at Grace North Church, 2138 Cedar St. 644-3629. www.lunakidsdance.com 

Family Brown Bag Shabbat at 11 a.m. at the Albany Senior Center, 846 Masonic. info@kolhadash.org 

Car Wash Benefit for Options Recovery Services of Berkeley, held every Sat. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lutheran Church, 1744 University Ave. 666-9552. 

SUNDAY, JAN. 9 

Alvarado: River to Ridgetop Ramble We will explore the historic area once known as Grand Canyon Park. Meet at 10 a.m. at the Wildcat/Alvarado staging area off Park Ave. in Richmond. 525-2233. 

Strawberry Creek Work Party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m at Strawberry Creek Lodge, 1320 Addison St. We’ll be weeding several sections of the creek bank, as well as checking out the natives we just planted. Wear sturdy footwear and bring work gloves. Please RSVP to kateholum@yahoo.com 

Green Sunday with the documentary “The End of Suburbia” followed by a discussion, 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave. at 65th in North Oakland. 

Women’s Poetry Reading Bring poetry of your own, or of your favorite women authors and we’ll share around the fire with hot cocoa and tea. At noon at Tilden Nature Area, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

“After Vietnam: California Stories from Southeast Asian Perspectives” from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak Sts. in conjunction with the exhibit “California and the Vietnam Era.” 238-2200. www.museum.ca.org 

“Tools for Inner Change from the Tibetan Tradition,” with Sylvia Gretchen at 3 p.m. at the Tibetan Nyingma Institute, 1815 Highland Pl. 843-6812. 

Tibetan Buddhism with Sylvia Gretchen on “The Tibetan World Peace Ceremony at Bodh Gaya, India” at 6 p.m. at the Tibetan Nyingma Institute, 1815 Highland Pl. 843-6812. www.nyingmainstitute.com 

Personal Theology Seminar with Emily Champage at 9:30 a.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Rd., Kensington. 525-0302. 

MONDAY, JAN. 10 

Tea and Hike at Four Taste some of the finest teas from the Pacific Rim and South Asia and learn their natural and cultural history, followed by a short nature walk. At 4 p.m. at Tilden Nature Area, in Tilden Park. Cost is $5-$7, registration required. 525-2233. www.ebparks.org 

Ed Roberts Campus Public Hearing on Historic Buildings in the area of 3075 Adeline St., at the Landmarks Preservation Commission, at 7:30 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7419. 

Berkeley School Volunteers Training workshop for volunteers interested in helping in Berkeley Public schools at 4:30 p.m. at 1835 Allston Way. 644-8833. 

A Year To Live How to live this year as if it were your last, facilitated by Bonnie O'Brien Jonsson, MS, at 7 p.m. at Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda. 559-9290. 

World Affairs/Politics Discussion Group for people 60 years and over meets Mondays at 9:15 a.m. at the Albany Senior Center, 846 Masonic Ave. Join at any time. Cost is $2.50 with refreshments. 524-9122. 

Fitness for 55+ A total body workout including aerobics, stretching and strengthening at 2 p.m. every Monday at the South Berkeley Senior Center. 981-5170. 

TUESDAY, JAN. 11 

Bird Walk in Pt. Isabel Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the end of Rydin Rd. (before Costco) to look for shorebirds and sparrows. 525-2233. 

School Age Storytime for ages 5 and up at 7 p.m. at the Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. 526-3720, ext.17.  

Learn How to Use Your GPS with Jeff Caulfield of National Geographic at 7 p.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 527-4140. 

“Getting Along with Your Adult Children” a participatory workshop at 7:30 p.m. at the BRJCC, 1414 Walnut St. Cost is $35-$40. 848-0327, ext. 110. www.brjcc.org 

Oakland Celebrates the Dream 11 a.m. at Frank Ogawa Plaza, 14th St. and Broadway. 444-2489 www.oaklandnet.com/celebrations 

Introduction to Taiko Drumming, Tues. at 7 p.m. at Tatsumaki Taiko, 725 Gilman St. Cost is $12. www.tatsumakitaiko.com 

Organic Produce at low prices sold at the corner of Sacramento and Oregon Streets every Tuesday from 3 to 7 p.m. This is a project of Spiral Gardens. 843-1307. 

Family Story Time at the Kensington Branch Library, Tues. evenings at 7 p.m. at 61 Arlington Ave. 524-3043. 

Berkeley Camera Club meets at 7:30 p.m., at the Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda. Share your slides and prints and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 548-3991. www.berkeleycameraclub.org 

St. John’s Prime Timers meets at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. We offer ongoing classes in exercise and creative arts, and always welcome new members over 50. 845-6830. 

Acting and Storytelling Classes for Seniors offered by Stagebridge, at Arts First Oakland, 2501 Harrison St. Classes are held at 10 a.m. Tues.-Fri. For more information call 444-4755. www.stagebridge.org 

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 12 

Explore Winter: Women’s Snowshoe Workshop at 7 p.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 527-4140. 

Down Home Martin Luther King Potluck at 6 p.m. at the Interstake Center, 4780 Lincoln Blvd., Oakland. Bring your favorite dish to serve four. 654-2592. 

Grizzly Peak Flyfishers monthly meeting at 7 p.m. at the Kensington Community Center, 59 Arlington Ave. in Kensington. Leo Siren of Fish First will talk about Christmas Island fishing opportunities. 547-8629. 

“Easy Rider” Peter Fonda film of the Vietnam era at 7 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Free, $5 donations accepted. 393-5685. 

Tap Into It Jazz and Rhythm Tap classes at Montclair Recreation Center, 6300 Moraga Ave., Oakland. Experienced at 6:30 p.m., beginners at 7:30 p.m. 482-7812. 

Stitch ‘n Bitch Bring your knitting, crocheting and other handcrafts from 6 to 9 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave. 548-5198. 

“Conflict in Jewish Identity: Looking at Our Own Lives” brown-bag lunch with Dr. Jerry Diller at 11:30 a.m. at the BRJCC, 1414 Walnut St. Cost is $5. 848-0327, ext. 110.  

Home Buyer Assistance Information Session at 6 p.m. at 1504 Franklin St., Oakland. Sponsored by the Home Buyer Assistance Center. Reservations required. 832-6925, ext. 105. www.hbac.org 

Winter Walk Berkeley for Seniors meets every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Sea Breeze Market, just west of the I-80 overpass. Everyone is welcome, wear comfortable shoes and a warm hat. Heavy rain cancels. 548-9840. 

Fresh Produce Stand at San Pablo Park from 3 to 6:30 p.m. in the Frances Albrier Community Center. Sponsored by the Ecology Center’s Farm Fresh Choice. 848-1704. www.ecologycenter.org 

Berkeley Peace Walk and Vigil at the Berkeley BART Station, corner of Shattuck and Center. Vigil at 6:30 p.m., Peace Walk at 7 p.m. www.geocities.com/ 

vigil4peace/vigil 

THURSDAY, JAN. 13 

“Conversations About Watersheds” An interactive conference from Thurs. through Sun. at Lake Merritt College. Cost is $15-$25. Sponsored by the East Bay Watershed Center. For details call 434-3800. www.mountaincurrent.net/ebwc/ 

“So How’d You Become an Activist?” with Holly Near, singer-songwriter activist and Adrienne Torf at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, 1924 Cedar St., at Bonita. Suggested donation $5. 528-5403. 

Latino Film Festival “Un Hijo Genial/A Brilliant Son” directed by Jose Luis Massa, Argentina 2004 at 7 p.m. at the Richmond Public Library, 325 Civic Center Plaza. 620-6555. 

WriterCoach Connection Volunteer Training Help students improve their writing and critical thinking skills. Training session from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. To register call 524-2319. Other Trainings on Jan. 20, Feb. 9, 16, Mar. 8, 15. www.writercoachconnection.org 

East Bay Mac User Group meets the 2nd Thursday of every month, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Expression Center for New Media, 6601 Shellmound St. http://ebmug.org, www.expression.edu 

FRIDAY, JAN. 14 

City Commons Club Noon Luncheon with Robert Ashmore on “The Unspoken and Unsayable in Chinese Poetry and Philosophy.” Luncheon at 11:45 a.m. for $13, speech at 12:30 p.m., at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant St. For information and reservations call 526-2925 or 665-9020.  

The Owl Told Me Join us for an evening of owl exploration. Listen and learn to call for the Great Horned Owl as they woo their mates. At 6 p.m. at Tilden Nature Center. Fee is $5-$7, reservations required. 525-2233. 

“Visual History of the Albany Shoreline” Photographs and maps of cattle ranching, dynamite factories, horseracing, military operations, dumps, art, and wildlife on display at the Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin. 

Radio Camp Build an FM trasmitter and learn the fundamentals of micropower broadcasting in this 4-day workshop in Oakland. Class runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost is $150-$200 sliding scale. For information and to register call 625-0314. www.freeradio.org 

“Three Beats for Nothing” meets every Friday at 10 a.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center to sing for fun and practice, mostly 16th century harmony. 655-8863, 843-7610. 

Berkeley Critical Mass Bike Ride meets at the Berkeley BART the second Friday of every month at 5:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Chess Club meets Fridays at 7:15 p.m. at the East Bay Chess Club, 1940 Virginia St. Players at all levels are welcome. 845-1041. 

Women in Black Vigil, from noon to 1 p.m. at UC Berkeley, Bancroft at Telegraph. 548-6310. 

SATURDAY, JAN. 15 

“Winter Blooms!” Free garden tours at Regional Parks Botanic Garden. Sat. and Sun. at 2 pm. Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Tilden Park. 845-4116. www.nativeplants.org 

Help Bring Back the Wild Join the Bayshore Stewards as we restore a rare tidal marsh on the UC Richmond Field Station, near the Bay Trail in Richmond, from 9 a.m. to noon. We will install native plants along the marsh edge and help create habitat for endangered species. We provide tools, gloves, rain gear and refreshments, and instruction on planting. Heavy rain will cancel the event. For more information call Elizabeth 231-9566. 

Green Design for Everyday People We will discuss the process of green design and how we all can have beautiful living and working spaces that are not toxic to ourselves or our environment. Topics will include cleaners, paints, sealers, furnishings, flooring, energy efficient systems and products. Bring a rough plan of your space if possible. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ecology Center, 2530 San Pablo Ave. Cost is $10-$15. 548-2220, ext. 233. 

Junior Rangers of Tilden meets Sat. mornings at Tilden Nature Center. For more information call 525-2233. 

Junior Ranger Aide Training in the afternoon at Tilden Nature Area, Tilden Park. For more information call 525-2233. 

Pre-School Storytime for ages 3-5 at 11 a.m. at the Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. 526-3720, ext.17. Ends Feb 19 

Winter Color in the Garden at 10 a.m. at Magic Gardens Nursery, 729 Heinz Ave. 644-2351. www.magicgardens.com 

Historical and Botanical Tour of Chapel of the Chimes, a Julia Morgan landmark, every third Sunday at 10 a.m. at 4499 Piedmont Ave. at Pleasant Valley. Reservations required 228-3207. www.chapelofthechimes.com  

Car Wash Benefit for Options Recovery Services of Berkeley, held every Sat. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lutheran Church, 1744 University Ave. 666-9552. 

ONGOING 

WriterCoach Connection seeks volunteers. Help students improve their writing and critical thinking skills; become a WriterCoach Connection mentor to Berkeley students. For information call 524-2319. www.writercoachconnection.org 

Youth Speaks Winter Workshops in writing and spoken word begin Jan. 24 in Berkeley and Oakland. For more information call 415-255-9035. www.youthspeaks.org 

Bay Interpretive Training Ongoing classes on the Bay, the seashore and environment held at the Shorebird Park Nature Center, 160 University Ave. at the Berkeley Marina. 981-6720. www.cityofberkeley.info/marina 

Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour Seeks Host Gardens The Bringing Back the Natives Garden tour, which will be held in the spring of 2005, will showcase Alameda and Contra Costa County gardens that contain at least 30% native plants, don’t use synthetic pesticides of fertilizers, and provide habitat for wildlife. This tour is sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Coastal Program, the Urban Creeks Council, and the National Wildlife Federation. To be added to the mailing list, or to receive a host application, contact Kathy Kramer at Kathy@KathyKramerConsulting.net or 236-9558.  

CITY MEETINGS 

Landmarks Preservation Commission meets Mon., Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Gisele Sorensen, 981-7419. www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/commissions/landmarks 

City Council meets Tues., Jan. 11, at 7 p.m in City Council Chambers. 981-6900. www. 

ci.berkeley.ca.us/citycouncil 

Commission on Disability meets Wed., Jan. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Don Brown, 981-6346. TDD: 981-6345. www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/commissions/disability 

Planning Commission meets Wed., Jan. 12, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Janet Homrighausen, 981-7484. www.ci.berkeley. ca.us/commissions/planning 

Police Review Commission meets Wed. Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. at the South Berkeley Senior Center. 981-4950. www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/prc 

Housing Advisory Commission meets Thurs., Jan. 13, at 7:30 p.m., at the South Berkeley Senior Center. Oscar Sung, 981-5400. www.ci.berkeley.ca. 

us/commissions/housing 

Library Board of Trustees meets Thurs. Jan. 13, at 7 p.m. at 1901 Russell St., Jackie Y. Griffin, 981-6195. www.ci.ber- 

keley.ca.us/commissions/library 

West Berkeley Project Area Commission meets Thurs., Jan. 13, at 7 p.m., at the West Berkeley Senior Center. Iris Starr, 981-7520. www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/commissions/westberkeley  

Zoning Adjustments Board meets Thurs., Jan. 13, at 7 p.m., in City Council Chambers. Mark Rhoades, 981-7410. www.ci.ber- 

keley.ca.us/commissions/zoning  ¨