Wait! Did you see that? "We come in peace," said the message on his uniform. Having seen his green head and her green hair, you could be forgiven your moment of doubt, a doubt confirmed when you spy the hapless human hostage confined to the mobile holding cell.

If you could scream, you would, but when you turn for help, you see only grotesque and distorted and Munchkinesque creatures advancing toward you, muttering their unearthly chant: Triggertreet, Triggertreet.

Too many Oakland and Rockridge residents today are unprepared for a major earthquake on the Hayward fault.

Although the City Council and Oakland Fire Department take the warnings seriously and have produced the disaster preparedness program "Communities of Oakland Respond to Emergencies" (CORE), community response has been lethargic.

In September 2014, Kevin Faughnan, RCPC boardmember and liaison to the Rockridge District Association (RDA), Rockridge's merchant association, submitted the first in a series of articles for The Rockridge News chronicling merchants in business in the College Avenue business district for 25 years or longer. With his report on Rockridge Furniture and Design (see page 7) in this issue, the series concludes. The list below is the record of the 49 businesses featured in the series.

Frog is pleased to announce park enhancement plans are moving forward.

On October 25, the FROG committee met with the immediate Frog Park neighbors, along with City Councilman Dan Kalb, to share our updated design proposal. After much design work to address neighbor concerns and the long-term needs of the broader community, we were able to present a new design with a reconfigured layout of play equipment and added trees.

Scenic Streets is looking for a new leader. Peter Lund, who successfully led Scenic Streets for the past five years, is leaving to pursue new opportunities. Under Peter's strong leadership, Scenic Streets completed numerous complex community projects, including beautification projects at the Claremont Highway 24 on-ramp and off-ramp as well as DaVita Dialysis center landscaping on the corner of Claremont and Clifton. (For the full list of projects and to learn the history of Scenic Streets, visit www.scenicstreets.com).

It is the end of 1620 when a troupe of ragged Commedia Dell'Arte players arrive in Venice. They are fleeing a less-than-successful European tour and are hoping for an upturn in their fortunes. The Doge, Antonio Priuli, is preparing an elaborate festival to celebrate the new year. It is to feature the finest of elegant Renaissance music and courtly masque drama as well as guest performers invited from around the Mediterranean. There is no place in the Doge's plans for the low comedy of the players.

People passing by RCPC's booth at October's Out and About festival were invited to take a few moments to register their opinions about elements of the neighborhood and The Rockridge News via a string poll.

On Wednesday, Sept. 30th, the Design Review Committee of the Oakland Planning Commission held a public hearing on the Nautilus Group's large mixed-use project.  The project is located on Telegraph Avenue, spanning the block between 51st Street and Claremont Ave.  It is six stories high along Telegragh Ave. and 51st Street, dropping to four stories along Clarke Street, where it meets the border of Rockridge's residential area.

The cty of Oakland is proposing improvements to bicycle and walking access to the Rockridge BART station. The Transportation Services Division will host a meeting Wednesday, September 30, 7:30-9 p.m. at the Rockridge Library to present preliminary project plans and to hear comments from Rockridge residents and business owners.