[[ Volunteering ]]

[[ Membership ]]

  Newsletters:      [[ Volunteer Archives ]]        [[ Tidings Archives ]]

TIDINGS
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES

November, 1999
VOLUME IV
ISSUE XI

TOWN HALL MEETING ABOUT LAKE MERRITT
Council members Nancy Nadel and John Russo are holding a meeting for you. Its a meeting to discuss Lake Merritt Issues, and everyone is invited to attend. Topics of discussion may include such things as:

Who should use Lake Merritt and how?
Should boating be restricted?
Who manages the Park and the Lake, and who do I call about.....

Park and Recreation Director Tony Acosta may have a draft fishing management plan available for review, and there will be news about the up-coming wetland project and the possibility (or not) of a dredge boat. If you represent a user group (birds, boating, fishing, joggers, rowers etc.) a local business or an organization that in any way uses Lakeside Park or Lake Merritt, you should certainly plan to attend. Miss it at your peril. Mark your calendars for Monday, November. 15th, 7:30 pm at 568 Bellevue, the Boating Center).

WHO IS LARRY TUNSTALL AND WHERE DOES HE GET HIS MIS-INFORMATION?
As keynote speaker at the recent California Association of Non profits, Mayor Brown admonished the group to "Clean up the mess - we can't do it alone." He was referring to societal problems in general, but the message is appropriate to urban runoff. Let's do it.

TRASH IN THE LAKE
The "first flush" hit on October 27; 0.55 inches of rain, the first in months. By morning, trash from the 4,650 acre watershed was carried into our Lake by storm drains and 60 outfalls. In the next 3 days we removed 100 bags of trash from the Lake. There is no way to avoid it, but we can clean it.

It has been said that democracy works best when citizens have access to clear, accurate infonnation. The primary defense against democracy is propaganda, which seeks to influence public opinion by diverting attention from the facts. It relies upon disinformation, character assassination, impugning the qualifications of opponents and diverting discussion toward irrelevant arguments. It would seem that Mr. Tunstall's e-mail includes elements of propaganda. We also note that he did not even sign in at (or attend?) the meeting.

DO YOU VOLUNTEER?
As a member of LMI, you know that our volunteers remove 1,000 to 6,000 pounds of trash from the Lake each month. You also know that if we don't do it, the Lake becomes a mess. You my not know that you (or your organization) can help. This month we will be hosting a group from the Volunteer Center of Alameda County (part of an NBA Team Up Program) and two groups from the East Bay Conservation Corps - Project YES. Clean-ups are held every Tuesday and Saturday, and you can receive a free calendar and volunteer letter by calling 238-2290. It's fun; it's healthy; and it makes you feel good!

CLEANING STATIONS BEING BUILT
Master carpenter Herb Kong is busy. He is the builder of our soon to be seen cleaning stations, three of which will be installed around the Lake (at the Colonnade, at Grand and Harrison, and at East 18th Street). These boxes will contain a net, gloves and trash bags so that you (or anyone else who signs up and receives the combination to the lock) can get that ugly trash out ever the mood strikes. Soon you will be able to clean up the Lake anytime you want!

FOUNTAIN FUND RAISER COMING SOON
The cost of new screens, a circuit breaker, a timer, anchors, etc. have exhausted our fountain fund, which must be replenished. Look for a special mailer soon asking your donation to keep the aeration fountains running. The warranties expire in January, and then it's up to us.

WETLAND GRANT
See December Bulletin for update!

LOONS ON THE LAKE
Each fall a loon seems to show up, stopping at the Lake on its migration south. On October 26th two of them were spotted, one asleep and one busy chasing fish: A sure sign that winter is coming. Now if they would just make that wonderful sound that they create during the spring breeding season.

Website copyright © 2001-2002 Lake Merritt Institute. All rights reserved.
Website created by Galatea Design and maintained by neontetra.com.