OAKLAND
From 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 7, the Montclair Village Association will host a public open air dinner along Antioch Court in support of Montclair’s Streetscape Beautification and Village Plaza Campaign. The dinner will feature Oakland District 4 City Council member Sheng Thao, who will speak about Oakland’s efforts to improve city streets. Attendees will also enjoy live music from the Beat Seekers and the Skyline Jazz Band.
There will be kids’ activities, an al fresco, open-air dinner catered by Kouzina, and the event will feature a generous selection of local wine, beer and spirits. The event is free to the public, but dinner event tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for youth and students. To buy tickets, visit montclairvillage.com/antioch-court-improvement-plan.
Funds from this event will go directly to ensuring the successful construction of the new streetscape and a lively event venue that will feature programming for all ages, art and cultural activities, al fresco dining and community gathering space. For more details, contact Toni Mikulka at Toni@MontclairVillage.com.
— Montclair Village Association
Ballet company announces spring concert, gala events
The Oakland Ballet Company has announced its 2019 Spring Repertory Season, including Jazz Vistas, a concert of intimate ballet featuring new and recent works by Bay Area choreographers and live music celebrating Oakland’s rich cultural heritage as a center of jazz and blues. Performances will be April 5 at 8 p.m. and April 6 at 3 and 8 p.m. in Berkeley High School’s Florence Schwimley Little Theater.
The company will also present its annual Spring Gala fundraiser event from 6 to 10 p.m. April 13 at the elegant Bellevue Club on Oakland’s Lake Merritt. In what has become an Oakland Ballet tradition, the evening will be hosted by ABC7 news reporter Cheryl Jennings and includes a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres reception; an informal performance featuring highlights from the company’s spring season, a sumptuous three-course dinner catered by the Bellevue Club; and a silent auction offering items such as vacation packages, tickets to local sporting and cultural events, luxury goods, and local services.
Attendees are invited to dance with members of Oakland Ballet following dinner, with live music provided by Little Jonny and the Giants. For more details, visit oaklandballet.org.
— Oakland Ballet Company
PIEDMONT
Lantern Projects offers new causes to aid around world
Piedmont-based Lantern Projects has new causes to help the needy around the world through donations large or small. Send your donation check to Lantern Projects; 51 Glen Alpine Road; Piedmont, CA 94611. Note the project number on the check along with your name and email. For more details on each project, or “wish,” visit lanternprojects.org. All donations are tax-deductible, and projects are overseen by responsible parties in each country.
- Wish #370 provides chickens, coops and supplies to villagers in Monrovia, Liberia. Recipients sell and raise chickens and provide eggs for their livelihood. Each chicken and coop is $6; $25 provides a roof to each coop.
- Wish #371 in Kvemo Karti in the country of Georgia needs supplies for its youth center. Chairs are $10, flip charts, $38; a tent covering, $120.
- Wish #372 provides supplies for the All Ears Center in Cambodia — $50 for ear medication, $122 for rechargeable battery for testing.
- Wish #373 needs large and small trash barrels for cleanup after a village burned in Sumba, Indonesia. Small barrel, $35; large barrel, $70.
Kehilla sponsors Black Lives Matter co-founder’s speech
Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza will speak about social justice, anti-Semitism and white supremacy at 7 p.m. May 11, sponsored by Kehilla Community Synagogue in Piedmont. Her talk will be at First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, 2407 Dana St. in Berkeley. For ticket information, call Kehilla at 510-547-2424.
Receive free home energy assessment at March 24 event
Piedmont Connect is holding a free home energy assessment event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 24. Sign up through eventbrite.com. Attendees will learn how to save energy and how an energy score is calculated by a tour at a Piedmont home. Tours occur each hour. Find out about rebates, finding leaks and drafts and services to upgrade.
Recreation Department’s Murphy retiring after 36 years
The Piedmont Recreation Department has announced that Michael Murphy will retire after 36 years of service. He is best known as “the face of Schoolmates” and the department’s supervisor of youth and adult sports and summer camps. Murphy will be honored with a community celebration May 5 at Hampton Field. Details will follow. Recreation Director Sara Lillevand says Murphy will be missed for his upbeat nature and years of service to the community.
Jackson Stearns joined the department on March 11 as recreation supervisor to replace Murphy. He has worked for Montclair and Orinda’s recreation departments and the Berkeley YMCA. Erin Rivera will turn over the reins of her role in Schoolmates to Stearns and will continue to manage preschool programs, after-school enrichment and new program development. Stearns will be responsible for Schoolmates, sports, youth employment and community events.
LWV chapter hosting speaker on U.S. immigration policy
Sister Maureen Duignan of East Bay Sanctuary Covenant will speak about U.S. immigration policy and its effects on immigrants and refugees in the Bay Area at a program from 3:30-5:30 p.m. April 7 at 40 Highland Ave. in Piedmont. The program is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Piedmont. It is free and open to the public. Visit lwvpiedmont.org to reserve a spot.
— Linda Davis, correspondent
Arts Fund hosts ‘Big Art Show,’ ‘Piedmont’s Got Talent!’
Piedmont Arts Fund (the merged PAINTS and CHIME organization) hosted two events March 16, the inaugural Piedmont’s Got Talent!” show and the opening reception of the third annual “Big Art Show.”
Fifth through 12th-grade students performed in front of a sold-out crowd with standing room only at Piedmont Veterans Hall. The 14 acts were selected by audition among 28 entries. Piedmont Arts Fund co-chair Becca Posamentier, a co-founder of Bay Area Children’s Theater, produced and directed the show. For more details, visit piedmontartsfund.org online.
— Piedmont Arts Fund
Arts center to host concerts by Cole, Pegoraro and others
Piedmont Center for the Arts, 801 Magnolia Ave., continues with a musical March. The George Cole Trio will perform numbers to celebrate Nat King Cole’s 100th birthday at 7:30 p.m. March 22. Featured with Cole also will be Greg Sankovich on piano with Carla Kaufman on bass. Tickets are $20 in advance or $30 at the door, $15 for students and seniors. Visit nat100brownpapertickets.com.
Italian pianist and composer Cristiana Pegoraro will appear in concert at 7:30 p.m. March 23. She has just returned from an appearance at Carnegie Hall and will perform works by Bizet, Rossini and Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla. Tickets are $25 or $10 for students and seniors.
— Linda Davis, correspondent
