Boulevard Bites

by Sheila D'Amico

### At Council president Ignacio De La Fuente's District 5 community breakfast, he urged about 150 neighborhood representatives to "all collectively push our city to do what it is supposed to do." Not a surprise, crime was tops when neighborhoods identified their specific concerns. Attendees heard that Attorney General Jerry Brown offered his office resources to help tackle Oakland's fingerprint backlog. Representatives of one neighborhood noted that having a walking officer could establish trust between residents and police. Other neighborhoods reported illegal dumping and traffic as major concerns. Parks, schools, daffodils, and the Melrose branch library were pointed to as neighborhood positives.

### You can now use credit cards to make tax deductible contributions to the Metro. Go to www.macarthurmetro.org. On the left side of our home page, you'll find a link to Network for Good. Click the link to make a secure donation. We hope you'll become a Money Honey with a contribution of $50 or more, or a Friend with a contribution up to $50. Prefer to contribute by check? Use the coupon on page 2.

### If you are at the corner of 18th and Castro in San Francisco anytime soon, check out the "Stop Aids" project photos in the kiosk. Those photos were taken by one of the Metro's own photographers, Nick Lostracco. Nick is a professional photographer. You can find out more about the "Stop Aids" project at www.stopaids.org. See more of Nick's photos at www.lostracco.com.

### Ruth Villasenor of Paws and Claws tells us that organizers of the monthly peace vigil at Lincoln and MacArthur are holding an Envisioning Peace concert on March 24, at Fruitvale Presbyterian Church. "I have always seen the Metro as part of the web that builds community," Ruth says, "and when we have a strong community and support and respect each other, we inspire peace." You can reach Ruth at 530-0915.