March 2003 - test-neighbhorhood@test.highlandparkpa.com

[Highland Park] Highland Park residents finds home for learning center in own community
by Salvador Wilcox 30 Mar '03

30 Mar '03

Highland Park residents Salvador Wilcox and Marie Veltri Jackson are pleased to announce that Education Innovations, Inc., founded by Mr. Wilcox in 1999, has chosen to set up shop at 5808 Bryant Street, Suite 2. "We are pleased to announce the opening of The Learning Club in Highland Park, a full resource and learning center providing educational services for students at any stage of development. That means we can help a child catch up or get ahead," stated Wilcox. Mr. Wilcox adds, "We have been involved in the community planning process and are keenly aware of the educational needs of the neighborhood. We will work hard to provide educational choices for parents here in the neighborhood. We are exploring the possibility of a charter school here in Highland Park, as well as an early learning center. We are eager to collaborate with other organizations." Marie Veltri Jackson, Director of Resource Development for Education Innovations, Inc., is looking forward to creating a unique center where students, parents, and staff are able to research ideas from the collection at The Learning Center in Highland Park. "Our learning center wants to create a welcoming learning environment for our students and their families. We believe that learning works best in a relaxed atmosphere." Also, keep an eye out for enrichment clubs scheduled for after-school, Saturdays, and summer. Education Innovations, Inc. is in the process of creating exciting clubs that combine your child's interests with enriching education. The rocket club will give children the opportunity to learn the physics of flight while putting together rockets to be released in the park. "Jam Sessions at 5808" will give young vocalists, guitarists, bassists, and drummers the opportunity to jam with local musicians while developing their musical talents. Other clubs for young writers, young scientists, and extreme sports enthusiasts are also in development. We invite you to stop by The Learning Club in Highland Park starting on April 1. The hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 11:00 AM until 7:30 PM; Saturday 9:00 until 3:00. For more information on Education Innovations, Inc. and the Learning Club in Highland Park, visit <http://www.educationinnovations.org/>, send e-mail to info(a)educationinnovations.org or call us at 412-726-4402.

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[Highland Park] This week in Highland Park
by Rudolph T Maceyko 30 Mar '03

30 Mar '03

TUESDAY The Learning Club in Highland Park open house 11:00 am to 7:30 pm. THURSDAY Choral Evensong at St. Andrew's with organ recital by David Durkop at 8:00 pm Visit the Community Calendar on the Highland Park web site for details: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/calendar/> Rudy

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[Highland Park] Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
by Rudolph T Maceyko 27 Mar '03

27 Mar '03

HIGHLAND PARK BRIDGE MAY BE RENAMED Mister Rogers' real neighborhood was Oakland, not Highland Park, but state representative Jeff Habay of the 30th district plans to introduce legislation as early as next week to change the name of the Highland Park bridge to the "Fred Rogers Memorial Bridge": <http://kdka.com/local/local_story_083175127.html> Representative Habay lives in Glenshaw and represents areas across the Highland Park bridge, to the north. Fred Rogers died on February 27. A public memorial service for him will be held Saturday, May 3 at Heinz Hall: <http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2003/03/17/daily6 6.html> There's a little more about the bridge renaming on Representative Habay's web site: <http://www.jeffhabay.com/> Rudy

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Highland Park - Elections Updates
by Rudolph T Maceyko 26 Mar '03

26 Mar '03

DOWD FOR SCHOOL BOARD Highland Park's own Patrick Dowd is running for school board in May: <http://www.dowdforschoolboard.com/> According to the following article in the Post-Gazette, Patrick and incumbent Darlene Harris have both cross-filed in the Democratic and Republican primaries: <http://www.post-gazette.com/election/20030311candidateweb0312p4.asp> On Friday Patrick's supporters are holding a campaign fund raiser in Lawrenceville: "Happy Hour with the band Box Step and School Board Candidate Patrick Dowd". The event starts at 6:30 pm at the Abduction at 4016 Butler Street. Cost is $10. DISTRICT 7 SPECIAL ELECTION RESULTS Allegheny County Division of Elections has made available the official results of the February 25, 2003 special election in which Leonard Bodack Jr. won the seat on Pittsburgh City Council vacated by Jim Ferlo at the beginning of the year: <http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/elect/200302sp/results.asp> Highland Park is in the 11th Ward. In order to determine where the various voting districts are within the 11th Ward as you see them in the official election results, consult the following map (which is really meant to show reapportioned council districts): <http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/city_clerk/assets/reapportionment/oct ober%2014%20recommended.jpg> If you find a better map, please let me know! UPCOMING DISTRICT 7 PRIMARY We'll be voting again for our City Council representative this year. Of the candidates who were on the special election ballot, only Nancy Noszka has updated her web site so far to indicate that she'll be running again in the primary: <http://www.noszka.com/> We should hear more from the candidates as we approach the primary. So far I'm not aware of any official announcements, although perhaps I've missed something since Lawrenceville Votes lists the candidates as Len Bodack, Mitch Kates, and Nancy Noszka: <http://www.lawrencevillevotes.org/> Rudy

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Weekend Update
by Rudolph T Maceyko 22 Mar '03

22 Mar '03

In this message you'll read about some opportunities to get involved in your community and read about concerns some residents have about things going on around them. If you ever have anything you'd like to let your Highland Park neighbors know about, consider submitting it here or to the HPCC newsletter. SUGGESTIONS FOR USING THE FARMHOUSE? HPCC President Lisa Williams will meet with Citiparks on Monday to discuss potential uses for the Farmhouse by the community. Right now it is used by the Community Plan for office space, and is also used for Summer Day Camp. If you can think of additional uses for the Farmhouse, please call Lisa at 412-665-3933 by Monday. PUBLIC SAFETY The HPCC Public Safety Committee chair has resigned. If you are interested in this position, please contact Lisa Williams. HOUSE TOUR Dana Thomas, the HPCC House Tour Committee chair since 2001, is looking for help in organizing this year's house tour. The last tour was in 2001 and was a great success. The success of this year's House Tour depends on getting additional volunteers to help out--and soon! Please let me or Lisa know that you're interested in helping out with advertising, coordinating with home owners, etc., and we'll pass your note on to Dana. NOISE ON BRYANT STREET Residents have reported incidents of noise and police calls on Bryant Street related to underage drinking. If you see anything like this and it is a continuing problem, please take notes so that there is additional documentation and by all means report the problems to the police. TOW TRUCKS ON KING AVENUE AND OTHER AREAS NEARBY Residents on King Avenue have reported suspicious activity involving tow truck drivers in their area. Please take notes of this kind of activity and make sure to call the police if you see anything illegal occurring. Also, it has been suggested that local ordinances prohibit the parking of tow trucks in residential areas overnight. ACTIVITIES EXPLAINED AT FORESTRY FACILITY ON STANTON AVE Residents on Stanton Avenue along the stretch leading to the park entrance have reported unwanted construction activity which they believed was the installation of a new yard debris collection area for Public Works. HPCDC President David Hance and District 7 Councilman Len Bodack Jr. investigated and reported their findings at the HPCC meeting on Thursday. A "berm" and visual tree barrier are being put up in an area where downed trees and other plant debris will be handled at that site. Initially workers were working at night in order to complete the project, but Len reports that there will be no further night-time work. Still, residents are uneasy about the consequences of this type of activity going on right across the street from their houses. There is a petition concerning the opposition to this plan circulating now among neighbors on Stanton Avenue. Anyone concerned about this problem is also strongly recommended to contact Len Bodack Jr. at 412-255-2140. POLLEN IN RESERVOIR CAUSES BRIEF SCARE The morning TV news has been reporting today that a yellow film was reported in the water in Reservoir No. 1 and that the reservoir has been partly shut down for testing. Initial reports indicate that the substance is just pollen and is no cause for alarm. The new Microfiltration Facility or Membrane Filtration Plant opened last year and is supposed to be the largest of its kind. Its construction resulted from local efforts to keep Reservoir No. 1 from being covered. Reservoir No. 2 was covered in 1998. The new plant screens out impurities in the water so well that the reservoir is allowed remain uncovering despite a 1984 state law requiring the covering of such reservoirs by 1995. NEED ITEMS FOR COMMUNITY CALENDAR There is nothing on the calendar for the coming week. If you can contact local organizations such as schools and the Zoo to find additional community events to list, your help would be quite welcome! Rudy

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Think Spring...
by Rudolph T Maceyko 17 Mar '03

17 Mar '03

To celebrate the coming of spring, I've added photos of "Salsa in the Park" from 2 years ago to the Highland Park web site: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/20010520-salsa.htm> If you'd like to see more events like this, consider joining one of the committees in the Highland Park Community Club: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/org/hpcc/> In the mean time, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has a series of fascinating lunch-time topics on Tuesdays at noon at the Schenley Park Visitor Center. (I know--it's not *Highland Park* :-) A few weeks ago there was a talk about the adverse effects of deer overpopulation on forested environments. Yes, we have deer in Highland Park too, mostly on the slope between Reservoir Drive and Washington Boulevard. Mary Beth Steisslinger of the Parks Conservancy says you can often see them in the early morning or late evening on the grass fields around the velodrome, and that in some areas on those slopes, there is no understory whatsoever because of the deer. <http://www.pittsburghparks.org/> Rudy

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This week in Highland Park
by Rudolph T Maceyko 16 Mar '03

16 Mar '03

THURSDAY Community Plan Focus Group: Youth Concerns at 4:00 pm HPCC Meeting at 7:30 pm Visit the Community Calendar on the Highland Park web site for details: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/calendar/> David Hance and Michael Eversmeyer will discuss the proposed designation of the park and neighborhood as historic districts at the Community Club Meeting. For more information about the historic district designations, visit: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/org/hpcdc/historic.htm> Rudy

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This week in Highland Park
by Rudolph T Maceyko 09 Mar '03

09 Mar '03

WEDNESDAY Community Plan Focus Group on Commercial Districts at 7:00 pm SATURDAY Afternoon concert at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary at 3:00 pm Visit the Community Calendar on the Highland Park web site for details: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/calendar/> What do you think of the Highland Park Neighborhood mailing list so far? Is it useful to you? Are there too many messages? Too few? Do the links not work for you? Your feedback will help improve the list. Rudy

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This week in Highland Park
by Rudolph T Maceyko 03 Mar '03

03 Mar '03

TUESDAY Annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner and Mardi Gras Festival at 7:00 pm WEDNESDAY Traditional Services for Ash Wednesday at 7:15 am, 12:00 noon, & 8:00 pm THURSDAY Choral Evensong in Lent at 8:00 pm All three events on the calendar this week are at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. Visit the Community Calendar on the Highland Park web site for details: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/calendar/> I'm always looking for information about Highland Park's history for use on the web site: please let me know if you have old Community Club newsletters, old photos of the park, businesses or neighborhood, or would like to talk about what you know! Rudy

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